Professional motorsport team R A Barnard t/a RABsport Racing is preparing for the next stage of its growth after securing a £14,975 grant from Cumbria Business Growth Hub to invest in vital transport equipment.
Operating for around three years in its current form, RABsport Racing competes in the highly competitive Ginetta Junior Championship, supporting young driver development and managing demanding race schedules across the UK.
As a professional racing team, transporting vehicles, tools and equipment safely and reliably is central to day-to-day operations. The team’s truck also acts as its mobile base during race weekends, making dependable transport essential to the business.
RABsport Racing’s ageing tractor unit was becoming increasingly costly and unreliable, creating mounting repair bills and operational disruption.
With the team handling an increasing number of events and planning future expansion, downtime caused by vehicle faults presented a growing risk to business continuity.
Without investment, the business faced the prospect of continuing to spend heavily on repairs while relying on equipment that was no longer fit for its ambitions.
Support from Cumbria Business Growth Hub enabled the team to invest in a new, more efficient tractor unit, replacing its older vehicle.
The upgraded truck provides a more reliable, fuel-efficient solution for transporting race cars and equipment to events across the country.
Since making the investment, RABsport Racing has seen a significant reduction in fuel costs and vehicle downtime, helping the business operate more efficiently and sustainably.
The improved reliability has supported the team’s growing operational demands and contributed to job creation, including several contractor opportunities and a new full-time mechanic role within the workshop.
The new vehicle has also enhanced the team’s professional appearance within the paddock environment, strengthening its brand image as it seeks to attract future customers.
A spokesperson for RABsport Racing said:
"The truck is essential to what we do, we need it to transport all our cars and equipment and act as our base of operations while away, so reliability is critical. The new vehicle has reduced our running costs, improved efficiency and put us in a much stronger position moving forward."
RABsport Racing is now preparing to expand into higher levels of competition and European racing events.
With longer travel distances and increased operational demands ahead, the new tractor unit will play a critical role in supporting the team’s continued growth and future ambitions.
