Race The Sun – Saturday 23 June 2018
Discussion
If you haven’t heard of this event, it is a fun but rather frantic drive between Land’s End (Britain’s most Westerly point) and Lowestoft (Britain’s most Easterly point), overnight – on the shortest night of the year. The race starts at sunset – 21:36 from the car park at the Land’s End Visitor Centre and ends at sunrise – 04:30 at Ness Point in Suffolk.
Having topped up with fuel and just one more coffee, all competitors watch the sun set and then race drive off at a brisk pace, heading East. The aim is to arrive in Lowestoft before the sun rises on Sunday morning. This all started when Jeremy Clarkson attempted this on Top Gear in the new Jaguar XJR a few years ago.
The distance (445.5 miles) and time available (6 hours 54 minutes) mean that an average speed of around 65mph needs to be maintained. When you add in a fuel stop, speed cameras, getting stuck behind the odd annoyingly slow driver, this requires some concentration and making the most of the fast stretches.
There is no formal organisation of the event, but it is brilliant fun and great to meet like-minded people. Last year we had around 15 people, driving a complete range of cars, from a spanking new BMW M5 to a fairly aged Ford Fiesta.
Some purists undertake this event on 21st June – the actual Summer Solstice, but for those who have to work during the week, the nearest Saturday is equally as good – with identical sunset and sunrise times.
To take part, all you need to do is turn up before 21:30 on the day.
Hope to see you there !
Rod.
Having topped up with fuel and just one more coffee, all competitors watch the sun set and then race drive off at a brisk pace, heading East. The aim is to arrive in Lowestoft before the sun rises on Sunday morning. This all started when Jeremy Clarkson attempted this on Top Gear in the new Jaguar XJR a few years ago.
The distance (445.5 miles) and time available (6 hours 54 minutes) mean that an average speed of around 65mph needs to be maintained. When you add in a fuel stop, speed cameras, getting stuck behind the odd annoyingly slow driver, this requires some concentration and making the most of the fast stretches.
There is no formal organisation of the event, but it is brilliant fun and great to meet like-minded people. Last year we had around 15 people, driving a complete range of cars, from a spanking new BMW M5 to a fairly aged Ford Fiesta.
Some purists undertake this event on 21st June – the actual Summer Solstice, but for those who have to work during the week, the nearest Saturday is equally as good – with identical sunset and sunrise times.
To take part, all you need to do is turn up before 21:30 on the day.
Hope to see you there !
Rod.
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