1,000 mile classic car 'adventure' organised by York businessman for a good cause
Keith Stewart is spearheading Banger Challenge 2025 which involves participants buying a pre-1980 car for less than £3,000 and then driving it 1,000 miles consecutively, starting today (Monday, March 17).
The drive, which set off from Fishergate in York before crossing the Humber Bridge and through the Lincolnshire Wolds, is in memory of Leeds Rhinos rugby league icon Rob Burrow and is raising funds for the centre which bears his name.
Keith Stewart is driving the 1953 Ford (Image: Sean Spencer/Hull News & Pictures) Keith said: 'They say the old ones are the best and we're hoping to prove that's the case when it comes to raising money for the Rob Burrow MND Centre.
'We're all car nuts who have been inspired by Rhinos legend Rob's bravery in the face of MND and the long-distance running fundraising efforts of his former team-mate Kevin Sinfield.
'The fight against MND is also a cause that is very close to my heart because I lost one of my best friends to the disease in 2018 so I know just how cruel it can be and what a devastating impact it has.'
The four-day, 1,000 mile event began today (March 17) (Image: Sean Spencer/Hull News & Pictures) The Banger Challenge 2025 sees a 1953 Ford and 1966 Singer head off on a 1,000-mile circuit in the name of the Seacroft Hospital unit which is due to open later this year.
A 1972 Saab left Bath on Friday to do the same distance.
All three cars are an unknown quantity as part of the challenge is to buy them, make them roadworthy and then sell them afterwards.
All three cars were an unknown quantity as part of the challenge was to buy them, make them roadworthy and then sell them afterwards (Image: Sean Spencer/Hull News & Pictures) There are a series of points they earn from how much older the car is than 1980, how much less they paid than the £3.000 target and how much money they make or lose when selling on their vehicles.
Keith is co-driving the Ford with friend Geoff Gray while fellow retired businessmen Harrogate-based John Vause and Philip Oldfield, of Wakefield will take turns behind the steering wheel of the Singer.
They will be joined by Saab duo Jon Langley and Geoff Pinch who headed up to Yorkshire from Bath to join their fellow motoring enthusiasts.
Keith said the aim was to breakthrough the £9,000 barrier in the fundraising drive for the Rob Burrow MND Centre (Image: Sean Spencer/Hull News & Pictures) Keith said: 'The Rob Burrow MND project still has a funding gap which needs closing in order for the centre to open in September and that's why we're determined to go the extra mile for everyone affected by MND.
'We got by with some ropey old cars in 2022 but this year we're going all out to smash the £9,000 barrier because it's such an important cause.
'We really hope that we can do the memory of Rob proud with our fundraising efforts because we know that every pound we raise will bring the day we find a cure for MND that little bit closer."
To support the Banger Challenge 2025 visit https://www.justgiving.com/page/keith-stewart-banger-challenge.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Move over, Patriots: Gillette Stadium's groundskeepers are getting their own sponsorship
'They are our athletes,' said Eric Girouard, Brunt's CEO and founder, of the stadium's field crew. 'They're the people that we get excited about behind the scenes, that maybe don't get noticed, don't get recognized, but part of what we're excited about this year is we're going to start putting those guys on a pedestal and seeing where we can take it.' The Gillette field crew is responsible for maintenance and upkeep at the Foxborough stadium and other training facilities, Advertisement 'We want them to choose what they need to be safe and comfortable,' said Girouard. Girouard launched Brunt in 2020 with the aim of offering an alternative to legacy workwear brands — one eager to jump on new apparel tech and digital-savvy marketing. When Brunt began talks with the Kraft Group and the Patriots, Girouard said, he wanted to make sure that the company's buy-in meant more than just another name emblazoned below the jumbo-tron. Advertisement 'How do we be authentic? How do we tie it back to what we know and what we believe in?' said Girouard. 'Let's focus on the field crew, the people that actually get the field in condition and keep it in condition.' Girouard declined to share the financial terms of the sponsorship. Brunt, which has just under 100 employees, has raised more than $44 million, according to Besides giving the field crew a new wardrobe, the sponsorship will also include three tailgate events hosted by Brunt at home games through the end of the year. Girouard also said he plans to spotlight the groundskeepers on Brunt's social media platforms. 'We love that Brunt Workwear is a New England-based company, and from the first meeting with their team, felt that it would be a good fit,' said a Gillette Stadium spokesperson in a statement. 'The field crew had the opportunity to try out several products and was impressed with the quality and comfort of the whole line.' Though the deal covers only the upcoming season to see how it pans out, Girouard said, he hopes the partnership will continue. 'The goal is, we want to do this for multiple years, if not in perpetuity,' he said. Dana Gerber can be reached at
Indianapolis Star
an hour ago
- Indianapolis Star
'Opportunity a lot of kids didn't get to have.' Indy baseball team competes in RBI World Series
Show Caption Indianapolis-based Indy RBI played in the RBI World Series last week, losing in the championship game. Notre Dame recruit Desmond Francis said it was "truly a blessing" after leading the team with a .447 batting average. Participating in the 2025 RBI Baseball World Series meant more to Park Tudor senior Desmond Francis than just playing baseball. Francis, Mayo Fernandez (Fishers), Maalik Perkins (Whiteland), Theo Kramer (Lawrence North) and several other Indy-area baseball players led Indy RBI to the championship game against Arizona Diamondbacks RBI at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex in Vero Beach, Florida on Friday. "Being able to play at the Jackie Robinson Training Complex was a blessing," Francis said. "I'd never been there. I saw it on social media, but I never really had a grasp of what it looked like. Going to the stadium, to the backfields, the complexes and facilities, it was truly a blessing. "Playing in the championship game, at night, with high energy, the crowd, TV (cameras), mics and everything. ... It's an opportunity a lot of kids didn't get to have. I'm happy that it's something my teammates and coaches got to share together." Indy RBI went 5-0 during regional play in Kansas City, Missouri, earning a trip to the World Series. Indy advanced to the championship game with wins over Detroit Tigers RBI and NOLA RBI before falling to D-Backs RBI 5-4 in the championship on MLB Network. Nick Johnson (Lawrence Central) led Indy going 1-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs. Over 11 games, Francis, a Notre Dame recruit, led Indy with a .447 batting average, one double, two triples, 11 RBIs, 10 runs scored and nine stolen bases. Jayden Adorno (Columbus North) was the team's top pitcher, striking out six over 13⅓ innings with a 3.67 ERA. "It was extremely fun. Some of the most fun I've had. We meshed really, really well on the field, and we meshed really, really well off the field," Francis said. "We treated each other like brothers off the field and played like we'd been together for 10 years. "It was a really good experience. Everybody was hyped, excited and wanted to play the game of baseball." RBI is a program run by Major League Baseball created to give youth from underserved and diverse communities the chance to play baseball. It uses the sport to teach life lessons while stressing academic success and core values like teamwork. More than 200 RBI alum have been selected in the MLB draft during the program's 36-year history, including active players Taj Bradley (Minnesota Twins), Lawrence Butler (Athletics'), J.P. Crawford (Seattle Mariners), Hunter Greene (Cincinnati Reds) and Michael Harris II (Atlanta Braves). RBI hopes to revive interest in baseball within diverse communities, reversing a troubling trend in participation among Black players. The MLB reached an all-time high in 1981 when 18.7% of the league consisted of Black players, according to By 2016, the percentage of Black players in the MLB had fallen to 6.7%. This season, 59 Black players appeared on Opening Day active and inactive lists, per "Throughout travel ball you don't get much experience with players that look like you," Francis said. "It's especially hard in Indiana, you don't see it a lot. Being able to play with guys that look like me, we've shared the same experiences, Black and Brown kids with different backgrounds, they go to different schools. That was really fun. "It was a really competitive tournament and there were a lot of great, talented players there."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ford's Latest Truck Patent Could Change the Camping Game for Good
The Blue Oval has published a design for an overlanding pop-top that's innovative in more ways than one. Like most OEMs in the industry, Ford typically leaves the development of overlanding equipment to aftermarket suppliers. After all, their specialization creates a competitive product. However, the Blue Oval appears to have had its eye on the pickup accessories market lately. As evidenced by a recently discovered patent, Ford's engineers are kicking around a few ideas that could change the camping game. Pickup pop-top As reported by Carbuzz, Ford filed a patent for a rooftop tent in 2024 — the 'Shelter System Having Deployable Platform' — that was published last week. While a pop-up sleeper in itself is nothing new, the Blue Oval's engineers have designed this particular patent specifically for use with a pickup. Rather than adapting an existing design developed for the roof of an SUV, Ford's concept takes advantage of a truck bed. When stowed, the tent acts as an angled aerodynamic tonneau cover — it packs flat and shields the bed while leaving its cargo area unobstructed. However, come time for deployment, it unfolds over top of the cab and creates a spacious overlanding shelter. In addition to a set of slippery side panels for extra wind-cheating abilities, Ford engineers also envisioned the system featuring some front struts for structural support. It's a slick system in that it forgoes the need for a rear rack common to truck tent setups. Electric implications Throughout the patent document, Ford made specific and multiple references to the fact that the pictured pickup was electric. After all, improving aerodynamic efficiency reaps significant benefits when it comes to EV range. However, even in the absence of its fancy bed-based tent design, the truck doesn't really look like anything that's in the Blue Oval's lineup. While there are some obvious similarities to the Ford Maverick, the F-150 Lightning is currently the only electric Ford pickup on the market. At this stage, the brand does have a hybrid Maverick, though it's a PHEV. Considering the recent rumors surrounding Ford's forthcoming affordable battery-powered truck, this patent may give an early look at a soon-to-be-announced vehicle. While you shouldn't hold your breath for a release because of a patent filing, past designs have made the jump to reality.
