A CAR bought for £150 on eBay and customised by Bridport’s youth Autograss racing team, the Bridport Bandits, has become their star vehicle.
‘Hattie’, a Peugeot 106, has taken juniors and seniors first past the finish line in seven out of 10 races. Painted tractor blue, Hattie is an approved experimental car the Bandits are racing this season and is being evaluated as a suitable next generation car by The National Autograss Association.
Club treasurer Stuart McKenzie said: ‘Hattie got us thinking that Peugeots could be a better car for us in future. The club has traditionally raced Minis, which are no longer a viable option, and we needed to look for something more up-to-date. Apart from winning races, our real objective is to give the Bandits useful skills and experience with modern car engines, to help them achieve good careers in related industries. Our lads become very employable because they learn such a broad range of skills, including plumbing and electrics, as well as car mechanics.’
The Bandits race with junior specials and 1000cc classic Minis, although the Minis are currently being phased out and replaced with Peugeot 106s. Three Peugeots are parked at Bandit HQ in Gundry Lane and over the coming months they will be brought up to racing standard by the Bandits. All the club members, who are aged 12-18, are fully involved in preparing the cars under the expert eye of trained mechanics and senior members.
The Bridport Bandits team of Junior Specials and Minis are now placed 2nd and 4th respectively in the Southern league of the National Autograss Sports Association.
Success stories include Ryan Bennett who achieved an apprenticeship with Lanehouse Vauxhall and went on to win their coveted Gold Star apprentice award. James Dowding is a new apprentice mechanic at Marque 21, a Porsche specialist in Bridport, having impressed the management with his skills and attitude after just one week’s voluntary work. Younger Bandits members hope to start careers in aero engineering.
Stuart added: ‘Autograss racing is a safe and very disciplined sport. Not to be confused with banger racing, Autograss teams must abide by strict rules or risk disqualification. The sport encourages responsible driving, teamwork and great attention to detail in preparing the cars.
‘We’re very proud of what the Bandits have achieved so far and we’ve got big plans for the future. The team works hard both on and off the racetrack and we’re always on the look-out for new Bandits – boys or girls – to roll up their sleeves and get under a car bonnet.’
Watershed is helping the Bandits in their search for new members and to gain more support from local businesses.
Bridport Bandits at their HQ with Hattie, the car they bought on eBay for £150 and converted.
