Herbie rides again

Racegoers at Oulton Park on Easter Monday (9 April) will need to check closely that one of the Beetles competing in the Volkswagen Racing Cup events has a driver at the wheel.

For film star ’Herbie’ - famed for taking his drivers for a spin, rather than the other way around - will be taking to the track in the opening rounds of the championship, complete with ’53’ number panels and fetching off-white livery.

The man who will be attempting to control the wayward Beetle is Steve Chaplin, a 42-year-old former motorcycle racer. ’I have the perfect excuse if I get into trouble with the clerk of the course - I can just tell him that Herbie was doing it himself...’

Steve, boss of Gloucestershire engineering firm Complete Utilities, spent the winter refurbishing the car and wanted to give it a new livery to finish the job. ’It seemed too good an opportunity to miss, so we decided that it had to be Herbie. It’s already proving a major head-turner and a favourite with the kids.’

Herbie, who packs a 2.8-litre V6 punch in his latest incarnation, was prepared for the circuit by the Volkswagen and Audi Centre at Stonehouse, Gloucestershire.