mot-hub.co.uk

We recently caught wind of a team of young enthusiastic lads from Co. Down that were planning an adventure of a lifetime and immediately got on the case with catching up with them ahead of their trip which will thunder 10,000 miles across the mountains, desert and steppe of Europe with the finish line in Asia.

According to the Mongol Rally official website: “There’s no backup, no support and no set route; just you, your fellow adventurers and a tiny car you bought from a scrap yard for £11.50.

If nothing goes wrong, everything has gone wrong. Bollocks to tarmac, ABS and gadgets that help you find your navel.

IMG_2120

The Mongol Rally is about getting lost, using your long neglected wits, raising shed loads of cash for charity and scraping into the finish line with your vehicle in tatters and a wild grin smeared across your grubby face. Neither your car, nor your life, will ever be the same again.”

Twenty One year old pals Matthew Gourley, Andrew Bennett and Jordan Barr who went through school at Down High together have since progressed into different areas of further education however have stayed as very close pals all coming from the Ballygowan and Ballynahinch areas.

Around eighteen months ago Matthew found a promotional video for some event called the “Mongol Rally” and after sharing with the other lads they all knew immediately that this was something they HAD to be part of.

This brings us to now and just a few weeks ago the lads sorting out funding and sponsorship to enable them to not only take part in one of the biggest adventures of their lives, but also raise money for Tiny Life in the process.

IMG_2083

On researching the event and chatting with past participants they soon realised that a Nissan Micra would be the best steed for the journey as they are reliable and parts are easily gotten when in the Asian areas as well as throughout Europe.

A Micra was found on Gumtree and a deal was struck, the car has since been to Blackwater Graphics in Comber for an outstanding livery and the lads have made an agricultural sump guard and put all the brake and fuel lines inside the car to prevent damage on what can be described as “non roads” once you get past Russia.

This comment of “non roads” came from Chris Clugston of Bangor Tyre & Service Centre who actually completed the event way back in 2008 in a VW Polo Derby and commented “No other words can describe the rally than EPIC, it is a once in a lifetime trip and I would even go as far as saying the trip of a lifetime”.

The rally leaves from Goodwood Race Circuit on the 18th July where team “Car of the County Down” will set a hot lap of the circuit before setting off on the adventure. It will then take around six weeks to get to the finish line in Mongolia.

This is going to be a summer never to forget for these boys and we would like to take this opportunity to wish them the best of luck and if anyone would like to donate to Tiny Life via team Car of the County Down, we hope to have a link available soon for this.

Share.

Graham is a photojournalist and motoring writer with over 20 varied years of coverage from manufacturer press launches to international motorsport and motoring events throughout the world. Graham is a full member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and Ulster Motor Writers Association.