The race is on for a group of Angus young people hoping to make the start line of a major motorcycle event on the Isle of Man.
No strangers to the legendary TT circuit on the island, the Hedz Up race team now have their sights set on the Jurby four-hour endurance race, but are already up against the clock in their bid to raise thousands of pounds to make the trip.
Hedz Up has established itself as a thriving diversionary project for Angus teenagers, who spend evenings and weekends involved in all aspects of running a motorcycle race team.
The youngsters tackle everything from raising sponsorship to preparing the machines and then working as pit crew on race day at circuits such as East Fortune, near Edinburgh.
Their presence in the paddock at the Manx GP over a number of years has generated major interest in the project, and Hedz Up founder Ian Pert said the initiative is now set to broaden out beyond the bike team.
“We are now working with Angus Council on developing a stepping stones programme that will take participants beyond the school set-up, but our first job is to get the money to take us back to the Isle of Man for the Jurby endurance race,” said Mr Pert.
“Unfortunately we weren’t able to get back to the Manx GP this year so I’m really keen that we make this one, and hope there may be someone out there willing to help out with a bit of sponsorship.”
Mr Pert is also keen to inject a bit of inter-team rivalry into the latest adventure with a plan to run boys and girls crews at the event.
“The Jurby is a four-hour race on an airfield circuit, and while it’s not as famous as the TT or the Manx GP it’s a really popular event,” he continued.
“The boys are building a Honda Fireblade donated to Hedz Up by Nicky Strachan and that will be ridden by our three regular team riders myself, Derek Wilson and Colin MacDougall.
“The girls are busy building a Yamaha R6 and we’re planning for that to be ridden by three racers from the Isle of Man.
“The team is quite well known over on the island now and it’s something exciting for the kids to aim for because we didn’t get to the Manx GP, so hopefully we will be able to make it there.
“The kids also have their own fundraising ideas they’re determined to get us back to the Isle of Man.”
Mr Pert went on: “We’re working on starting up groups in Dundee and Perth through ties with the criminal justice service and that will involve over-16s to take us beyond the schools.
“There are a lot of exciting ideas floating around, a lot of it to do with the outdoors, which is where I started my involvement as a project leader.
“Hedz Up has always been a not-for-profit scheme, we raise money to run the team and go to events and we’ve had some really fantastic support from companies and individuals which has helped us get where we are.
“There’s a lot of interest in the scheme now, well beyond our own local area, so hopefully there will be bigger and more exciting stuff ahead.”