Le Mans Racer to Open Show

This May, Pendle Powerfest are bringing a class winning Le Mans driver and car to open the show and host autograph sessions.

Manchester born Mike Newton has raced all over the world in Le Mans Series GT racing and was class winner in 2005 and 2006 and the series championship winner in 2007, alongside teammates Thomas Erdos and Ben “The Stig” Collins.

Mike has followed a successful business career as CEO of Netvu holdings; a technology and video surveillance specialist. Mike is also the Vice President of the British Motorsport Marshalls Club and has been involved in marshalling since 1977.

His attendance is the spearhead of the show’s multi-million pound Celebration of Motorsport Paddock that will feature some rather special racing machines.

British driver Rob Huff’s World Touring Car Championship winning Chevrolet Cruze, British Touring Car Legend John Cleland’s Championship winning Vauxhall Cavalier and the jewel in the crown is the 2008 MG-Lola EX265C that he raced at Le Mans. With 500BHP from a 2.0 litre engine and a top speed of over 200MPH this is a truly spectacular machine.

Having been told about the show's intentions, Mike was keen to get involved:

"I am very pleased to be involved in this event, and helping to support the great work providing toys for children in hospitals. No one likes to see any child in hospital, so anything that helps to get them through that time is a very worthy cause worth support from all of us. There is a terrific range of cars planned for this great event, and I am delighted to bring our own part of motor racing history along

Mike is well known in the world of motorsport and recently worked with Sir Chris Hoy in his successful pursuit of racing at Le Mans, as covered in the 2016 BBC documentary: 200mph at Le Mans. Talking to the show organiser Sir Chris said:

“Mike’s a gentleman racer, a really nice guy”

These cars will be supported by lots of other racing machines of all types including two disciplines recently featured on Top Gear: An Off Road Ultra 4 Nissan and a Lofthouse R5 from local former Dakar competitor, Justin Birchall.

Mike will also feature on Mark Stone’s Sunday Driver Show on 106.7 Ribble FM on Sunday 21st May.