Dentist is driven to raise funds

Chris Shorrock is revving up for the Mongol Rally, a 10,000 mile driving challenge that will take him from Goodwood racing track, near Chichester, to Ulan Ude in eastern Russia.  Along the way Chris and his partner Rico Pena will drive through Europe – including Luxemburg, Lichtenstein and Macedonia – and cross Georgia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan before reaching the dusty Mongolian steppe and heading north into Siberia.

The intrepid adventurers will set off on July 16 and expect their challenge will take about six weeks. Although many teams take part in the event, they all have to plot their own route and take their chances on the torturous roads. And, because there is no mechanical back up, Chris has attended a car maintenance course, swapping his dental drill for a spanner and learning some essential new skills.

“The car we’re driving used to belong to my Grandma who used it as a run around, so it’s going to be quite a challenge for us and the car,” said Chris.  “I’ve learned some mechanics and we’re strengthening the bottom so it doesn’t get torn apart by rocks. We’ll take plenty of repair kits and hope for the best.”