A quartet of fleet industry motor sport fanatics raised thousands of pounds for charity after covering more than 1,500 kilometres in a European 24-hour kart race.

The team led by Mike Smith, joint managing director of Fleet Assist, included industry colleagues Duncan Metcalfe, international remarketing manager at business mobility specialist Alphabet, Alan Green, remarketing manager at leasing and fleet management company LeasePlan UK, and Fleet Assist senior service booking co-ordinator Alex Marwick.

The 24-hour event took place at the Alain Prost Circuit next to the Porsche Curves at the famous Le Mans race circuit in France.

It was organised by Teeside Karting and was the European round of its 24-hour Endurance Karting Championship featuring some of the UK’s top teams.

The team has so far raised more than £2,300 to help fund a new minibus for the Nene Valley, Northamptonshire, branch of PHAB, a national charity dedicated to the integration of people with physical disabilities in the community, with the aim of promoting and encouraging people of all abilities to come together on equal terms.

Smith (57), who in his spare time drives a PHAB minibus, was competing in the 24-hour kart race for the fifth time.

Competing against a host of professional teams, as well as two British Touring Car Championship drivers, numerous young and lightweight teams, a very quick all-female quartet and Kartforce, a team comprising serving and ex-serving injured troops, the Fleet Assist team faced tough competition.

The team covered 1,348 laps of the 1.1 kilometre circuit in the 24 hours at an average speed of 66 km/h. That meant, including qualifying, the team completed more than 1,500 kilometres.

Smith, who holds an international rally licence and has a lengthy motor sport career behind him, said: “We finished a very respectable 26th out of 38 starters , which we were very happy with. We have already completed our entry for next year’s race and have all committed to be fitter and lighter.”

The PHAB branch where Smith helps as a volunteer driver operates two minibuses, which are a lifeline for members and transport people, many of whom are wheelchair bound, from their homes to weekly meetings as well as to national events, residential breaks and other activities.

He said: “One of the minibuses is no longer roadworthy and the condition of the other means it is close to turning its wheels for the final time thus restricting the length of journeys made.

“The branch does not have enough funds available to replace the defunct minibus which means we can no longer collect some people.

“Therefore, the money raised will go towards funding a new minibus, which will help to make a big difference to the lives of many disabled people who without the vehicles would have a very limited life.”

Fleet Assist has business partnerships with a significant number of the UK’s leading contract hire and leasing companies collectively operating some 700,000 vehicles.

It provides clients with a nationwide network of more than 7,000 service outlets which undertake service, maintenance and repair work on vehicles supplied to customers across the UK.

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