Porsche is making plenty of noise about the
50th anniversary of its 911
, but one of the quieter events to mark the car's big five-oh is perhaps the most laudable. Gordon Robertson, Chief Driving Consultant at the Silverstone Porsche Experience Centre, is using the historic
Project 50 911 racer
to complete laps at nine UK race tracks in three days to raise money for the Ninewells Cancer Campaign on from July 8-10 as part of his Long Way Doune run.
Gordon's out to help the charity that helped him
The charity is one close to Gordon's heart, or throat more accurately, after suffering from medullary thyroid cancer. His daughter has also been treated for this genetic form of the disease as a precaution. Gordon was diagnosed at the beginning of 2012, undergoing a gruelling operation and intensive chemotherapy.
He's now fully fit and determined to return the favour to the Ninewells Cancer Campaign, part of the University of Dundee's research team into genetic cancers, who treated Gordon's daughter.
The plan with the Project 50 racer is simple: start off in Gordon's home village of Doune, Perthshire and lap each of the nine tracks before arriving at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, where the Porsche 911 is the central theme this year. Gordon will be joined on his fund-raising trip by celebrity drivers in another Porsche 911. They include Mark Webber, current BTCC Champion Gordon Shedden, Vicki Butler-Henderson and Richard Attwood, who will also be appearing at Goodwood.
Set aside 911 50th fatigue - this is in a good cause
The car is a 1965 911 that was originally delivered to Italy before spending time in the USA. It was then imported to the UK and converted to full FIA-approved competition spec and will be raced by Gordon and Barry Horne, another Porsche Driving Consultant, at various classic car race meetings across Europe this summer.
You can find out more about Gordon's charity drive in the Project 50 race car at www.justgiving.com/longwaydoune. The schedule for the three-day track-athon is:
Monday July 8
Knockhill - 0800h
Croft - 1230h
Oulton Park - 1630h
Tuesday July 9
Donington Park - 0800h
Mallory Park - 0940h
Silverstone - 1200h
Brands Hatch - 1500h
Wednesday July 10
Thruxton - 0800h
Goodwood - 1100h
Project 50 races at Brands Hatch