This year’s Greenpower International Final took place on the 20th anniversary of the first ever Greenpower race. And, if that wasn’t historic enough, the race was also the final appearance for Megazord, Bristol Grammar School’s ten-year-old Greenpower kit car.
There was great interest in Megazord during the event at Silverstone on 17 October; our car was the first Greenpower chassis sold, numbered 002, and was proudly displayed alongside the 1,000th chassis to be produced.
In Race 1, a short qualifying race, Megazord came in second, giving the BGS team a strong starting position on the grid for the race final. And what a final it was! Crashes, set-backs and nail-biting drama ensured that Megazord’s final race was one to remember.
With over 100 cars racing together in the final, there was an inevitable degree of mayhem. The first lap saw cars collide and cones get scattered, with one becoming lodged between the wheel and body of the BGS car, causing us to loose over two minutes on the second lap. Megazord plummeted to 72nd and emotions were high as the BGS team resigned themselves to it just not being their day.
However, they didn’t give up. Greenpower races are all about gaining the greatest distance over a ninety-minute period. As the time elapsed, our team could see the positions being regained and, at sixty minutes into the race, BGS was back up to fifth but still several minutes behind the lead three.
As the cars in front faded rapidly, at eighty minutes Megazord took third place. However, while each lap for BGS was still consistently at four minutes, the top two cars were typically at 3 minutes and 45 seconds. With it looking like there would be time for just two more laps, the second-placed car faded, taking six minutes for the penultimate lap and BGS took the place.
Just the lead car remained and it began to struggle too. Coming into potentially the last timed lap, Megazord overtook the lead car and completed the race still maintaining its earlier consistent pace. This was enough to take victory – by a mere six seconds after ninety minutes of anguish and excitement – and for BGS to be crowned again as the International Kit Car Champions.
We think you’ll agree that Bristol Grammar School’s Megazord has earned its retirement after a decade of success, and will always hold the title of the most successful kit car, along with being the oldest to exist. Congratulations to everyone on the BGS Greenpower dream.
