Team RAC Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship driver Colin Turkington warmed up for the race meeting at North Yorkshire’s Croft circuit this weekend (15-16 July) in spectacular style with a race in a fleet of diggers today.
Alongside Colin on the eight-ton machines at Durham’s Diggerland venue were Vauxhall’s Fabrizio Giovanardi, Geoff Steel Racing’s Martyn Bell and Fast-Tec’s Mark Proctor.
The event was filmed and televised by regional television crews ITV Tyne Tees and BBC Look North. It was also aired on the BBC Radio Clevelend and Durham FM radio stations.
Taking off his hard hat Colin commented; "That really is a licence to kill! I’ve never driven a digger before and it was great fun. To drive around in fourth gear on such a bumpy surface is quite something. I wasn’t all that flash to be honest as both Fabrizio and Mark have driven diggers before so I was at a bit of an unfair advantage. I’m now awaiting a bill for all the cones I’ve destroyed!"
Proctor, a plant hire manager with lots of digger driving experience, was the fastest around the course but collected penalty points for failing to negotiate several obstacles correctly. This demoted him behind Giovanardi and Bell to tie for third with Turkington.
From bouncing about in 20mph diggers, Colin will be racing wheel to wheel at speeds reaching 140mph when he takes to the track in his Team RAC MG ZS at Croft on Sunday.
Story and images courtesy of Team RAC
