Setbacks but another charity boost for fund-racer Mark

Posted November 7, 2022

Our national hot rod racer Mark Shelper had more disappointment in the latest world championship qualifying round last night (Sunday 6 November).
However, the Bristol-based driver overcame setbacks (including the weather) at Hednesford Raceway in Staffordshire to score another 19 points. And that translates to £19 from Weltch Media towards his Big Moose mental-health appeal.

“The first race was wet and the car was terrible,” said Mark. ” “We had some funny noises and car had so much oversteer – I finished 17th I think. Once back at the pits we found an issue with the slipper inside the diff. Luckily, we borrowed one from [fellow driver] Alistair Lowe.

“We got that fitted and the car was much better in the second race – I finished 7th and was battling for 6th.

“With the the track drying, we went for slicks [treadless tyres] in the final. At the start, the car in front stalled and we all bunched up trying to get past which lifted the back of my car and spun me into the traffic where I got T-boned in the passenger door.

The damage to the passenger door after being T-boned

“We got the car going again and lined up for the restart but the gearstick snapped at the start so had to pull straight off!”

Weltch Media is donating £1 for every qualifying point Mark scores this year, so this means another £19 for the fund to support mental health and suicide prevention. If you would like to contribute or spread the word, here is the link.

The Weltch Media logo has been on Mark’s Peugeot 206cc since the start of this season, continuing our long-standing involvement in motorsport. In the past we have supported Ben Power in the UK Legends Car Championship and James Holman in the Irish Championship. We’ve also backed James in several online iRacing events, and in 2018 we teamed up with Mendips Raceway to present the Weltch Media West of England Hot Rod Championship.

National hot rods are the top level of short track racing in the UK, with sophisticated lightweight production car replicas whose engines produce around 240bhp.

Photo: Mark’s Peugeot (788) leaving the track at Hednesford yesterday. Pic by Darren Sarson.

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