RAC Patrol of the Year joins MPG Marathon line-up

Charlie Harding, RAC Patrol of the Year 2016

RAC Patrol of the Year, Charlie Harding, will be joining the line-up of competitors for this year’s MPG Marathon, and says he’s looking forward to putting his new Ford Transit Custom through its paces.

Charlie, aged 28, from Swanley in Kent, has been an RAC Patrol for four years, and this year he was named as the RAC’s Patrol of the Year.

The annual award is made to the patrol that has given outstanding customer service and technical performance throughout the year, and entitles them to a new vehicle with the prestigious P1 RAC number plate.

Charlie, who ran his own garage business before joining the RAC, said he was looking forward to tackling the MPG Marathon challenge.

He said: “It’s great to have the opportunity as RAC Patrol of the Year to take part in events like this, and with the new Ford Transit Custom I’m really looking forward to seeing how it performs.

“As a patrol vehicle it has been great, but I’ve not done anything like the MPG Marathon before, so I think it will be really interesting to see the MPG results when fully laden with all 500 parts and tools on-board.”

Charlie will be joined by colleagues from the RAC Fuel Patrol team who will be supporting drivers throughout the event, which will see competitors taking on a course setting off from the stunning Heythrop Park Resort in Oxfordshire on October 18 and 19. The fuel patrol specialists will be positioned strategically around the course and on-hand to fill up petrol and diesel tanks as necessary, to keep the event moving.

The MPG Marathon is open to fleet managers, motoring journalists and key figures from the automotive sector, all striving to complete the course using as little fuel as possible.

Jenny Powley, corporate business sales director at RAC Business, commented: “This is the second year RAC Business has supported the MPG Marathon and we’re proud to be involved once again.

“As an event the MPG Marathon is really important in helping fleets understand the real world fuel efficiency of vehicles, in a range of classes, which is data that can potentially help manage fuel costs better.

“In addition it’s a fantastic setting among the Oxfordshire countryside, and a great opportunity for motoring industry figures to get together to share experiences and talk about the latest developments in fuel efficiency and emerging technology.”

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About RAC Media Centre

The RAC Media Centre provides journalists and news outlets with the latest motoring-related news, comment, data and research.

The RAC is an iconic British motoring organisation and has been championing drivers since 1897. Today it is one of the UK’s most trusted brands, providing complete peace of mind to over 15 million drivers across breakdown cover, insurance, and mobile servicing and repairs.

Its nationwide patrol force attends more than two million breakdowns every year, while its position as the UK’s leading independent insurance broker helps motorists find the right cover with confidence. The RAC has also reshaped the service, maintenance and repair market with its Mobile Mechanics, who carry out servicing and repairs at drivers’ homes or workplaces.

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