This past Sunday, December 8th, the Simracing.GP based community RacingStronger hosted a heart-pounding charity endurance race in aid of Andy's Man Club, raising an impressive £1,200 for the cause. Held at the high-speed Circuit Paul Ricard, the 3-hour event was live-streamed on Twitch, where the audience could directly impact the drivers' strategies and race results through donations.
The format encouraged fun and chaos as viewers donated to impose penalties, with drivers having the option to reverse them by matching the donation. These penalties ranged from drive-through penalties (£8) to the dramatic drop to last place (£50). Even more entertaining options included making drivers sing on stream for £12—a challenge embraced by Daniel Lindblom, who treated viewers to a rendition of ABBA's Dancing Queen, arguably the highlight of the stream.
Despite the unpredictability, the racing remained fierce throughout. Ollie Knowles emerged victorious after a dramatic race that saw him reverse nearly £70 worth of donated penalties, and overcome a drive-through for track limits. Jon Earle crossed the finish line first but was relegated to fifth place following a 15-second penalty awarded by the stewards.
The event was only possible thanks to the incredible support of sponsors and partners. Special thanks to:
The community's generosity and creativity shone throughout the race, with penalties like the Safety Car (£10) and wet tyres for two laps (£15) keeping drivers on their toes. All funds raised will go towards supporting Andy's Man Club, a charity dedicated to improving men's mental health.
Thank you to everyone who participated, donated, and watched the event. This race was not just a testament to the talent and sportsmanship within the sim racing community but also to its capacity to rally behind important causes. RacingStronger and Simracing.GP are proud to have supported Andy's Man Club and look forward to hosting more events like this in the future.
RacingStronger was set up to promote the benefits of sim racing on mental health. For drivers and organisers alike, many of us have directly felt the impact that having a safe escape like sim racing can truly have.
Beyond promoting the hobby, RacingStronger also aims to provide a safe space on Discord for people to offload how they are feeling and offers signposts to professional help when it is needed.
Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming events and initiatives. Together, we can continue to make a difference both on and off the track.
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