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Encouraging, Having fun, Enjoying the day & Bringing home the smiles
AIM Race & Race for Ollie Day 2021
Well where do I start. Mark Firmin and myself (Paul Ward) started the preparations in July for the main charity weekend on the 14th and 15th Aug 2021.
It was agreed that the event for 2021 would be hosted at Wildtracks at Redlodge, Suffolk. The Saturday would be a race day which was all for the “Race for Ollie” and these were in corporate karts that Wildtracks owned.
The Sunday was the AIM Race Day. Any owner drivers (those who had their own karts) could register and race for the trophies which AIM supplied and the special “O” plate (which many did not know about) were up for grabs.
The O plate was designed by Garage 29 and designed around The Ollie Collective logo. A remembrance for Ollie and a very special one. The “O” was part of the “The Ollie Collective” and those who won could enter the next race and defend their title. Most tracks offer the O plate as a number, but as this was a day for Ollie the letter O was the best choice over a number.
The Ollie Collective was formed by Ollie’s parents Sacha & Roddy along with their daughter Lola to raise money for their given charities which would also help others.
Ollie was young man who wanted to try karting. With the Help of Mark Firmin, Colin Parker (Supreme Motorsports) they found a kart, did everything to set the kart up ready for Ollie to drive. Ollie went out at Wildtracks and enjoyed racing around the track, having fun and smiling the whole way round. We have page dedicated to Ollie with Mark’s story from the start of meeting Ollie and his wonderful family.
The preparation we had to do were to find sponsors and donations to cover the costs of the trophies, and to have some prizes for the raffle. Along with this we also had to find suppliers for the banners, food for the bbq, the drone and much more. (Sponsors and those who donated will be mentioned below)
This was the first event we have arranged and with limited time, we were out to do our best and make the weekend fun with plenty of laughs and smiles. If we only raised and few hundred pounds and had plenty of smiles and positive feedback this would be excellent and anything more would be a bonus to us all.
Who were the charities?
Autism In Motorsports (AIM), East Anglian Air Ambulance and the Ollie Collective. The Ollie collective selected their charities as Momentum & Shooting Stars Hospice.
Saturday.
The day started well, plenty of people turned up for the day. The weather was fantastic and kept clear and sunny. Ollie was with us looking down on us and with his smile of sunshine that kept us all smiling and warm.
We had some race cars and old classics cars parked up for people to take a look, sit in and have their photos taken. The bouncy castle for the children to play on, children’s entertainer making balloon animals and other items, bbq and stalls which was selling AIM products, raffle tickets and toys.
We had a mixed of children of all ages and adults on the corporate karts. Plenty of banter, laughs and smiles.
There was a drone flying over and recording the racing, and you can see some of the footage on our Facebook groups.
Plenty of people turned up ready for the Sunday race, plenty of karts that were owned by owner drivers that people could take a look and ask questions.
As the evening started and it was owner drivers practice time. Plenty of testing before the sun light faded away for the night.
Mark (as Mark does and is always there to please) decided to light up the bbq and feed all those who wanted a burger and hot dog from 9pm to 11pm. As time went on some went off to sleep and others kept the night going having a chat and a drink, getting know each other more and making new friends.
Sunday.
So morning had broken, people up and about getting ready for the Sunday race. Ollie was already looking down on us with more sunshine- what more could we all wish for!
More drivers arrived and the car park filled. The bbq was once again back in action and food on the go. Drivers were given their briefs and times set to start. All final inspection of the karts ready before Scrutineering.
We had many different classes, Bambinos, Honda Cadets with two classes- GX160 &GX200, Juniors with two classes – Rotax & TKM and Seniors. Trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. and medals for those who wanted one for taking part.
The race day went well, plenty of action and good racing. Trophies were awarded to those who came 1st, 2nd & 3rd plus the added bonus of the O plate to those who came 1st. The O plate was awarded to the 1st place drivers by Ollie’s mum -Sacha.
Winners of the O plate are:
Bambino -
Honda Cadet
GX160 – Luke Joyner
GX200 – Joshua Owen
Jnr TKM – Charlie Firmin
Jnr Rotax – Michael Morgan
Snr Rotax – Matt Davey
There was one other twist, the best / most improved driver O plate which was won by Reuben Barfield
We look forward to seeing you al the next race to defend your title.
Big thank you to the following people:
Mark Newcombe - drone pilot
Lilly`s Bouncy Castle Hire
Alex & Sheila Cursley - race cars
Wild Tracks - Venue
Kieran Tweed & Phoebe Freeman
All the marshalls at Wild Tracks on both days
Alex Owen - Clerk of the course
Karen & Chloe Ward - BBQ
Caroline Abbot - BBQ
Dennis Ward - BBQ
Natalie Firmin – manning RC and Suit stall, Raffle ticket sales and looking after the famous Bailey.
Ollies mum & dad Sacha & Roddy and their daughter Lola - for helping make this event so special
Lucy & Rob Smedley Total Zero Karting - donation towards costs of trophies
Cambridgeshire Hydraulics - donation towards cost of trophies
Williams F1 - George Russell signed poster & cap
Haas F1 - signed cap by Latifi & Schumacher
Mercedes F1 - signed Lewis Hamilton cap
Nextkarting - donation of ARAI helmet bag & keyrings
Neil McDonald for donating a signed Colin Turkington cap
Alpinestars - for donating caps, t-shirts
Craig Tatham - for just being his crazy self & helping over the entire weekend.
Dylan Tatham - for helping out both days
Colin & Thomas Parker- for helping get both our boys karts out on the track. Also for helping so many of the fellow karters get back out after many mechanical failures. Without these guys there would be several who would not have started so a real big thank you!
Amanda Hunt - for delivering spare TKM engine so Charlie could get out in the final.
Steve the Shoulder - for fitting engine
Crazy Bananas - for entertaining the kids over the weekend
The guy who donated the signed David Coulthard book (sorry we have forgotten your name)
Bev White - for manning the RC & suit stall
Lee Clarke - powering up Mark’s caravan!
KTech Signs - stickers & banners
Stuart Ellott - for designing the AIM Race shirts and delivering at the 11th hour!
Stuart Bullock - for helping with Charlies kart
Jasmine Bullock & Thomas Warner for spotting up in the control tower.
The family and friends of all the drivers who attended and donated in one way or another.
If we have missed anybody please let us know and we will definitely add you.
Oh and I forgot, Mark Firmin and Myself for organizing the event, roll on to 2022..... That's all folks
From AIM & The Ollie Collective we would really like to thank YOU. Without you this would not have happened. We had over 45 drivers booked in on both days which was just amazing. Thank you so very much and we hope to see you all and the next one.
Wall of Fame
