Media Release: Walkinshaw Fuels Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance At Knockhill

Oxford, UK – Friday 16 August 2013; FW Motorsport team owner and sportscar driver, Fergus Walkinshaw will be flying the colours for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) on his native home circuit return, as Knockhill (Dunfermline, Fife) hosts the Scottish leg of the British Touring Car Championship on 24-25 August.

While continuing his team’s Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup campaign, the Scotsman is asking BTCC fans to support Scotland’s only charity air ambulance. By texting ‘SCAA 01’ to 70070, BTCC fans can donate £5 to help meet the charity’s £29,000 weekly fundraising target. Just 100 donation texts will fund the fuel for one life-saving mission.

Launched in May 2013, the charity air ambulance has already flown over 100 missions from its base at Perth Airport, covering a wide variety of emergencies. The service’s main strength is responding in time-critical situations, or where a patient faces a lengthy and uncomfortable transfer to hospital by road ambulance, and it can fly patients to all major receiving hospitals in Scotland.

Walkinshaw will visit SCAA’s Perth Airport base on Thursday 22 August, ahead of the Knockhill race weekend. He commented: “It’s great to be working with Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance while racing at Knockhill. The SCAA provide a vital service across Scotland, but it costs £1.5 million per year to run and receives no government funding. I’m hoping Ginetta and BTCC fans will support SCAA and text to donate £5 to help keep saving lives across Scotland.”

Gavin Davey, the charity’s Chief Executive, commented, "As Scotland's only charity air ambulance we look forward to welcoming Fergus, as the Association of Air Ambulances Motorsport Advocate, to our base. We are also extremely grateful to Fergus for 'flying’ Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance branding on his racecar at Knockhill and wish him every success.

"We also urge motorsport enthusiasts to back his call to support SCAA which is funded solely by public donations. Our helicopter air ambulance is available to respond to remote and time-critical emergencies 10 hours a day, seven days a week, all made possible by their support."

Son of the late motorsport icon Tom Walkinshaw, from the Mauldslie Estate, South Lanarkshire, while Mum Elizabeth hails from Edinburgh, Walkinshaw returns to his homeland track equipped with his own sportscar team for the first time next weekend.

Walkinshaw heads to Knockhill determined to regain lost championship points following a disappointing last outing at Snetterton. Although forced to record two non-finishes due to a loss of power with a Ginetta loan engine, the Oxfordshire-based FW Motorsport team installed and tested a rebuilt engine within five days of the Norfolk event.

With the 22 year-old’s G55 ready to race again, and Knockhill ranking among his favourite circuits, Walkinshaw is aiming for a strong return to form. He said: “I always enjoy racing at Knockhill and to be at my native home event with my own team means a lot. We ran out of luck at Snetterton, but we’re determined to bounce back stronger with the rebuilt engine and put in some strong finishes in Scotland.”

Walkinshaw will complete the official TOCA practice day on Friday before undertaking qualifying at 11.35 on Saturday, followed by the first of the weekend’s three Michelin Ginetta GT Supercup battles at 15.50. Race two opens Sunday’s main event at 9.00, with the third and final GT Supercup race at 15.00, shown live on ITV4.

For Further information on how to support Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance visit www.scaa.org.uk

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FW Motorsport Press Office

Emma Spearing: +44 (0)7736 341828 | emma@fwmotorsport.com

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