BLANDBACKIN BMW 635i

Don ing ton return 17 years after monster accident

Shane Bland will race at Donington Park next month for the first time since breaking his neck in a British GT accident in 2001.

The Leamington Spa racer will return to the wheel of the Geoff Steel Racing Group A BMW 635i CSI at the Donington Historic Festival on May 4-6. He will again share the machine with Andre d’cruze, who he drove alongside at the 2017 Oulton Park Gold Cup where they failed to finish with a gearbox problem.

“I always wanted to race at Donington Park again just to finally put that bad memory to bed,” said Bland, who crashed an Eclipse Motorsport GTO class Marcos Mantis at Redgate when the brakes failed.

“I am not nervous about racing at Donington again – as soon as you get behind the wheel that is all that you think about and I am sure there will be nothing to spook me.”

Bland said taking part in the Gold Cup last season had rekindled his interest in long circuit racing, and he is partners in a three-litre Ford Capri that is being rebuilt by EX-BTCC Production class racer Matt Kelly. The pair aim to use that machine at the Silverstone Classic if it is ready in time.

“I just really enjoyed the atmosphere in historic racing, and you get to handle some really iconic machines,” added Bland. “It will be a hectic weekend for me because on Monday after Donington, I will be heading to Hednesford Hills for the next National Hot Rod round.”