This Wacky Races inspired car will take a Gosport team across 9 countries in 4 days

After winning the Two Ball Banger Rally last year, a team from Gosport has decided to give the annual road trip another go in a Wacky Races inspired ride.

The keen team – made up of Steve Harding, Christopher Geary, Deana Geary, Jools Daines, Grant Sharley and Dave Harding – will each be dressed as a character from the cartoon series including Penelope Pitstop and Dick Dastardly.

Their creation, which features a fin and turret, has been turning heads around town and bringing a smile to people’s faces, according to team member Steve who owns Moreland Motor Services in Park Street.

Staff from the garage have teamed up with friends at The Junction Tavern in Leesland Road to take on the challenge, and were to leave this morning.

The event, which sees around 50 entries each year, is open to any car but points are awarded for ‘bangers’ which must cost less than £567 to buy, but any amount can be spent making it reliable to run.

The team’s Volvo S90, which started life in Scotland as a funeral car, was well within the limits costing £501 to buy, with about £600 spent getting it rally ready.

Steve said: ‘It's gone from carrying people with sad faces to carrying people with happy faces, that’s for sure.’

It is not a race, but the four days take competitors through fun challenges which they have to complete, including getting as many people in or on your car as possible.

The team is hoping to top last year’s effort when they managed to get 28 people in their Mercedes after a trip up the famous Stelvio Pass.

Covering 1,200 miles, the route will take the Wacky Racers through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Monte Carlo and back to France. Along the way they will pass through the Black Forest of Germany, Lake Como and Monaco.

Steve is looking forward to the friendly, community atmosphere of the whole event. He said: ‘If other guys are having trouble you help them out, ultimately you want everyone to have the full experience.’