Over £60,000 raised in memory of racer Henry

Henry Surtees Headway Karting Challenge

Johhny Herbert, Laura Tillett and Barry McGuigan

A host of celebrities both from inside and outside of the motor racing world, joined family and friends of Henry Surtees in a celebration of his life, and in support of a local charity at Chatham’s Buckmore Park International Kart Circuit on the 12th July. Henry was tragically killed in a freak motor racing accident at Brands Hatch on 19 July 2009.

Henry’s Headway Karting Challenge was held in memory of Henry and in support of The Headway Charity (Tunbridge Wells & District) to assist them in re-location, and in construction of a new centre.

The event on Monday (12th July) featured 35 teams who raced in a two and half hour karting enduro event which was totally sold out. The teams comprised a mixture of professional drivers and business people, as well as friends and colleagues of Henry. Nearly 180 drivers took part in the race. Each team donated a large sum to The Headway Charity, and other Kentish and National companies donated funds for advertisements in the race programme. An auction of memorabilia took place between qualifying and the start of the race further boosting the funds. A further auction will follow on-line over the coming months.
John Surtees – Henry’s father and motoring legend – who was the driving force behind the event, said…
“We decided to form the Henry Surtees Foundation after the tremendous feeling and generosity that was shown at the time of his death. We had at that time asked for donations to be made to Headway instead of flowers. The Foundation’s objectives can be found on the John Surtees website. “

“What was fantastic about the Buckmore karting event was the atmosphere. You had amateur drivers rubbing shoulders and wheels with some of the finest young racing talent that we have at this moment. Talent from whom the next Button or Hamilton will emerge. The spectrum of guests and competitors covered professional drivers, keen amateurs, politicians and celebrities. Despite the competition it was a fun day and a very successful one in that we were able to raise so much money for a worthy cause.”

Buckmore Park Kart Circuit is the venue where Henry spent much of his youth racing in karts, and was in fact at the circuit when he first sampled the excitement of driving a kart as an eight year old.

Buckmore Park is holding a further competition kart race meeting event in support of The Headway Charity and in memory of Henry this Sunday (18th July), where John Surtees will re-name a bend on the circuit into ‘Henry’s Bend’.

Racers, enthusiasts, politicians and friends

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