Auto Trader Blog

It’s every racer’s worst nightmare.

I’m sat on pole position. The lights are red and a dozen karts are lined up behind me. The lights turn green, I mash my right foot hard against the throttle pedal and…

Nothing.

The engine dies and every single one of my rivals blasts off around the course.

Not the best way to start a race being watched by the hundred drivers battling to become Vauxhall’s VXR Racing Driver of the Year.

They arrived at The Raceway in King’s Cross to do battle with each other and progress through to the final round in January.

Over 2,000 have entered and the overall winner will get a full season’s racing in the Sport Maxx championship in a Vauxhall Astra VXR worth £80,000.

Vauxhall’s brand manager Stuart Harris says some of the drivers have shown real promise: “They’re getting within a few tenths of the lap record around here.”

And me? I kicked my kart into life and sped off in chase of the distant pack.

Vauxhall’s crack touring car racer Tom Chilton (pictured above and below with the drivers) started last and worked his way into first place well before the end of the race.

But without my troubles I’d’ve given him a run for his money.