The “Ride Of Your Life” For Camp Quality

A 200 km/h ride in an unlimited-class offroad racing truck is on offer at the 2010 Whitianga Festival of Speed as the Baker Offroad Racing Team raises funds for Camp Quality.

The team is offering a unique opportunity to sit alongside champion offroad race driver Gary Baker in an actual championship race at the festival on April 10.

No other type of motorsport in New Zealand offers a member of the public the chance to take part in an actual race simply by being the successful bidder for a “Ride of Your Life” and signing an indemnity on race day.

The ride is being auctioned on www.trademe.co.nz to benefit children aged between 6 and 15 who are living with cancer through registered charity Camp Quality (www.campqualitynz.org.nz). The team’s fundraising is officially endorsed by Camp Quality, and has already attracted support from other major organisations including TradeMe itself.

“Offroad racing is the most exciting, spectacular type of motorsport there is. Every time I fire up the truck’s big V8 engine I’m just flooded with adrenalin, and the feeling of racing in total comfort across rough terrain at speeds that would destroy regular trucks is just amazing,” says Bay of Plenty-based driver Gary Baker.

“Now we want to share that experience with people, and it’s all in support of children living with cancer – I can’t think of a better reason to go racing!” The proud father of two young daughters, Baker says the project is about “giving something back”.

“Every parent thinks ‘what if’ – and families who find themselves affected by child cancer need all the help they can get. So if we can help Camp Quality add a little bit to quality of life for these kids then it’s a very worthwhile project. If we can scare the pants off a few auction winners in the process and get them hooked on adrenalin, so much the better!”

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The ride opportunity is “live” on TradeMe and searchable under the title ‘Camp Quality Ride of Your Life’.

Two other teams have offered rides in support. All three drivers now involved in the project are current or recent champions: Aucklander Anthony Hewitt is the New Zealand production class champion in his massive red Dodge Ram 1500 4WD; Clive Thornton of Whakatane is the winner of the sport’s toughest race, the two-day, 1000 km Asset Finance Taupo 1000.

Race helmets and overalls are supplied for each ride, and auction winners receive a team T shirt and cap and have their photograph taken with their “ride”.

Like Baker’s Nissan Navara, Hewitt’s Dodge and the Southern Cross of Thornton are all V8 powered.

“These rides are the ultimate race experience. There is nothing like offroad racing, and no other way to get an authentic race ride in New Zealand motorsport without buying a car and doing it yourself!”

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