Peterborough-based racing driver secures Radical SR1 Cup Third Overall in his first Championship year

Peterborough’s Ross Elliott took four podium finishes across the twelve-race series, including a second place in the final round at Norfolk’s Snetterton Circuit last weekend (19th), to clinch Third Overall in the Championship.
 
The 25 year-old Avidity Motorsport driver, backed by Peterborough and Bourne-based JC Couriers Ltd, braved torrential rain, heatwaves and tough competition in his first full season in the open-cockpit sportscar series.
Heading into the weekend finale, Elliott was in fifth position in the Championship standings.  But two determined drives – which included a second-place podium – sealed his Third Overall honours for the season.

As one of the fastest and most exciting series in UK club racing, the Radical SR1 Cup is a proven formula for aspiring sportscar drivers using Le Mans-style cars with their distinctive mid-engine configuration and full aerodynamic bodywork.

An ex-King’s School pupil who lives in Castor, Elliott learned his race-craft in karting from the age of eight, racing in two-stroke championships before moving into saloon cars in 2014. He made the transition into a Radical SR1 during the 2018 season.

Commenting after the champagne-spraying celebrations, Elliott said: “Avidity Motorsport has provided me with an outstanding car this year and their meticulous preparation has allowed us to take on the big budget teams and be competitive.  The support we’ve received from JC Couriers has been key to our successful season and I’m delighted to have delivered a top three position in the first year of our relationship.”  
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Amanda Chappell, Managing Director of JC Couriers added: 

Guest blog by Gary Elliot of Avidity Motorsport
You can follow Avidity Motorsport on Facebook and Instagram here: 

​Driving for a living can mean that keeping fit and healthy is a bit more difficult. Limited time to exercise and reaching for fast food can lead to weight gain. Here are a few tips that can help improve your concentration and stay healthy if you have to spend most of your time on the road.

As a team we will be sure to try to incorporate some of these over the next few months!

• Be sure to take 5

Whenever you aren’t actively driving, try to have a break and get out of your vehicle to stretch your legs for a few minutes. If you’ve got a bit more time, enjoy a brisk walk and really get the blood flowing. More ways to Stay Fit if You Drive for a Living.
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• Pack Lunch

Make sure you have healthy food for snacks and lunches. Not only will it save you money but you will also save on calories.
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• Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can actually affect your driving ability so it’s really important to stay hydrated. Try to keep a bottle of water with you so you don’t get thirsty. Feeling thirsty can also make you eat more so another good reason to keep up the fluids!
 
While we’re talking about eating and driving it’s worth pointing out that it is not actually illegal to eat or drink behind the wheel but you could be prosecuted for careless driving if you are not in proper control of your vehicle, so use your common sense and only eat or drink if it’s safe to do so!

So Sally and myself (Mario) made a bet! We’ve challenged each other to lose as much weight as we can between now and my birthday (8th October). Our target is to lose 7kg and whoever loses the least weight by 8th October will pay £100 to our chosen charity The 3 Pillars Feeding the Homeless.
 
The 3 Pillars Feeding the Homeless is a charity that devotes their time and resources to helping the homeless in Peterborough and the surrounding areas. They provide food, clothing and bedding for over 60 homeless people a night.
 
If we can generate enough interest to motivate us we can start a Just Giving page to really maximise our fundraising for this fantastic local charity.
 
The stats so far! 
We started our weight loss challenge back in April.
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• April: No change for either of us
• May:  2.26 kg (5lb) loss each
• June: Mario - 6lb loss | Sally - 1lb loss
• July: Mario - 10lb loss | Sally - 4.5lb loss
• Aug: Mario - 7lb loss | Sally - 2lb gain
• Sept: Mario - 7lb loss | Sally - 1.5lb gain
• Oct: Mario - 7lb loss | Sally - 3lb gain

3 Pillars Feeding the Homeless
The weather is getting wetter and colder, The 3 Pillars Feeding the Homeless are accepting donations of food, blankets, tents, clothing (coats, shoes, gloves) waterproof clothing and waterproof bags. Join the group - 3 Pillars Feeding the Homeless: https://buff.ly/2XeZpfp

In March 2019 drivers will be faced with a list of new road laws and changes to the MOT system. Courier drivers across the country will be affected so it pays to get up to date with the new legislation.

We’ve put together a useful list of all the changes set to take place to help get you up to speed:

• Overtaking Cyclists 
  Be sure to leave enough room when overtaking a cyclist; The Highway Code says motorists should leave 1.5 metres (about the width of a car door). Failing to leave enough room could result in £100 fine and 3 points on your licence!
  
  
• Smart Motorway Fines
  Driving in a closed lane on a Smart Motorway could see you facing a £100 fine. Lanes shown with a red X in the automated signs above the motorway must be kept clear due to a blockage or accident and it’s expected that the government will announce a £100 fine and 3 penalty points if the lane closure if ignored.
  
  
• Newly Qualified Drivers
  At the moment new drivers face harsher penalties in their first 2 years of passing but it’s expected that more restrictions could come in to force. The RAC predicts these restrictions will focus on curfews (times new drivers will be permitted on the roads), limit the number of passengers the new driver is allowed to have, enforcing separate and lower speed limits to other drivers, limiting the engine size they can drive, introducing mandatory P plates and introducing lower alcohol limits. A pilot scheme for graduated licences is going to be trialled in Northern Ireland over the next year and if successful it could rollout across England.
  
  
• New MOT Rules
  In 2018 the MOT test was overhauled and new categories were introduced (Dangerous, Major, Minor, Advisory and Pass). Further requirements are being included in the test such as checking for under inflated tyres, contaminated brake fluid, brake pad warning lights and missing brake pads or disks, reversing lights (cars newer than September 2009) and daytime running lights (cars newer than March 2018). Remember, driving without a valid MOT could result in a fine for £1000!

 
It’s up to all courier drivers to make sure their vehicle is roadworthy and passes all the legal requirements. Keep up-to-date with all the latest changes to road laws and MOT tests, head to the Gov.uk website and The Highway Code.

The winter weather is certainly upon us and many of us will have already seen the snow. The media tells us there is more snow and colder weather coming so it’s likely we haven’t seen the last of the tricky winter driving conditions so we thought we would share some top tips with you to help you drive safely in winter conditions.

Firstly, as much as you may have heard it on the media, it really is true – when the road is snowy or icy and the weather is bad for drivers only drive if it is really necessary. If you go out you risk being stuck on roads for hours on end due to bad weather or accidents ahead, and you risk being in a serious accident yourself.

If there is an urgent order, package or confidential document that really must get to someone today then why not call in a courier, like JC Couriers Ltd to deliver the urgent package for you? Couriers like us have been doing this job professionally for nearly 30 years now. We are very experienced drivers and know how to drive safely in dangerous winter conditions; so pop the kettle on and book a courier to get it delivered to save putting yourself at risk.

However, if you do decide that you must drive in winter conditions then please follow these tips to help you stay safe on the roads this winter;

• Pack supplies such as a blanket, warm clothing, a snow shovel, ice scraper, de-icer, a torch and similar so if you do break-down, have an accident or get stuck on roads you are prepared; make sure your mobile phone is fully charged too.
• Make sure your route is planned in advance and try and stick to major roads that will have been cleared or gritted; do not rely solely on your satnav but instead have a rough idea of where you are going.
• Ensure you have a full tank of fuel before you head off, this will help put your mind at rest if you get stuck in traffic, a petrol station is closed or you want to run the engine to keep yourself warm.
•  Before you leave double check the tyre tread depths, they need to have at least 3mm tread to cope in slippery conditions; if you are driving a lot in wintery conditions it may be worth investing in winter tyres for improved grip and traction.
• Also check your fluid levels in the car before you set off; especially the screen wash as lots of road muck sprays up on your windscreen and you will go through the screen wash quicker than normal.
• Double check you know how your car heaters work to not only warm you up, but also to clear mist from your front windscreen; if you are not sure then take a few moments to check your cars manual.

Like we said at the beginning, avoid driving in bad weather conditions wherever possible, but if you must drive then please take care and allow yourself extra time to get to where you are going.