Dad takes a back seat for racing team’s Welsh challenge

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Racing driver Nick Power is hanging up his race-suit to focus on boosting his son Ben’s campaign, as they prepare for the season’s first meeting on home tarmac.

Nick, who has been driving a second Guttercrest Racing team car in the CPC Legends championship this season, has decided to return to his team manager role in order to improve Ben’s chances.

The decision comes ahead of the season’s first meeting in Wales – at Anglesey on July 31 and August 1, followed by Pembrey on August 14 and 15.

“I’ve enjoyed racing,” said Nick, based in Guilsfield, near Welshpool. “But it really has limited what I can do in managing the team and preparing the cars.

“Now I can concentrate on that role, and it will also give Ben a spare car in case the worse should happen!”

In the latest round at Lydden Hill in Kent, Ben enjoyed a successful weekend of top ten finishes, including a third place.

Nick drove the second car in Saturday’s races, with rally star and James Bond stunt driver Mark Higgins taking over on the Sunday.

The results at Lydden saw Ben move up to 8th in the table from11th.

Legends racing has spread from the US oval tracks, and the cars have an American look, being 5/8-scale replicas of classic US models. Guttercrest Racing use two Ford Coupe 1937 replicas, with 1250cc Yamaha motorcycle engines.

With identical cars and the fastest drivers having to start at the back of the pack, Legends Racing reputedly features more overtaking in a single race than in a whole season of Formula 1.

It is no surprise the series has been a huge hit with race-goers and TV viewers, and for 2010, Eurosport and Motors TV are showing every round of the series.

Guttercrest Racing is backed by the family-owned aluminium guttering company Guttercrest, based in Oswestry. The team has further Welsh support from Cardiff-based PR consultancy Weltch Media, as well as Ripla Designs.