The first time I ever heard of The Gentleman’s Guide to Racing was this YouTube video chronicling their participation in the 2011 SCORE Baja 1000. This race isn’t a spontaneous outing with your buddies, but the kind of trial that requires planning, practice and a near-flawless execution. That is if you hope to finish with all bits and pieces still attached to your body.
The video is introduced by the group’s cultural attaché, Spanish Tony. There are numerous groups of motoring enthusiasts but how many have their own diplomatic core, even if it consists of one man? Standing at 6’8” and always impeccably dressed, he’s a colorful character in his own right, best known for his dry wit and worldly charm.
“I was recruited in my local tapas bar by an undercover GGTR agent posing as a deranged alcoholic.” – Spanish Tony
The other character is Gumball 3000 veteran and notorious racing gentleman, Alex Roy. He is best known as the first to set a fast, furious and completely illegal lap around Manhattan, but smartly didn’t tell the world until his book came out years later. Roy acted as co-driver for My Life at Speed contributor and captain of this league, Michael “Skiny” Power. They beat the trail as much as the Class 16 Buggy beat the tar out of them. The result is a colorful, cheeky and entirely true film that served as a worthy predecessor, for this year’s grand Mint 400 adventure.
Check out their Kickstarter page and lend a hand, as they endeavor to take The Gentleman’s Guide to Racing to the next level. They’re also on Facebook and Twitter.
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Photo Credit: Zach Benge Photography