S&D Sealants MD, Nick Jones, has swapped the stresses and strains of the boardroom for the high-octane thrill of the racetrack this summer to take part in a national motor racing challenge around some of Britain’s best known circuits.
Nick has always has had a passion for fast cars and raced in Formula Ford 1600 for 13 years, finding the sport a welcome distraction from the pressures of day-to-day business life.
However, this season he has taken it to the next level and will be racing his Radical SR3 RS against some of Britain’s fastest drivers, beginning with the first race of the season on April 26th at the Donington Park National Circuit.
Nick, who lives in Chepstow and is married with two children, has already tested out the car which performed well in pre-season testing.
The Radical SR3 Challenge involves eight rounds, each comprising of a 40 or 90 minute endurance race for one or two drivers per car. Nick’s co-driver is Scott Malvern, a professional driver who has a raft of accolades to his name. He’s a past Walter Hayes Trophy Winner, Protyre Formula Renault UK Champion and Autosport Club Driver of the Year 2012.
Nick said: “This is something that I’ve wanted to do for a while and it felt like the timing was finally right. Working with Scott has been a great experience and a real learning curve. I’ve picked up a lot from him already.”
Scott said: “This is a great competition and I’m thrilled to be a part of it. Testing has gone really well with both Nick and myself recording some competitive times so, fingers crossed for a good season ahead.”
Nick’s racing season is being supported by local businesses including his own companies, S&D Sealants and Solseal, and Newport-based accountancy specialists Kilsby & Williams.
Nick said: “I’m really looking forward to the race series. It will be something very different from my day job of running the S&D businesses which are currently performing exceptionally well and are expected to continue to grow this year as the construction sector across the UK picks up.”
There are eight races in the Grove & Dean Motorsport Insurance Radical SR3 Challenge. As well as Donington Park, Nick and Scott will be racing at prestigious racetracks like Brands Hatch, Castle Combe and Silverstone.
