GP Tough Monkeys

GP Tough Monkeys was the collaboration of two teams that first came together in the winter of 2007/2008 when original race partners Ian Charles and Miguel Morland approached sprint expert Barry Cooper and Tough Monkeys founder Craig Laws to form a new team. The winter Team of Steel series was a 2 hour split class championship for both the Thunder and Club Pro karts at the UK's leading kart circuit, Buckmore Park. The idea was for two teams racing under the names of GP86 and GP07 to compete in the two classes with the goal of taking both titles, and that's exactly what happened. The final race saw a stand-in for Craig in the guise of club superstar Steve Brown Jnr after a freak pillow related incident left Craig with a damaged neck and unable to race. All five of us who contributed to the two titles can be seen in the photo to the left.

The 2008 summer series saw the same two teams entered, but with only one class of karts (Thunders) this time the aim was to take first and second in the championship. Sadly we were to miss out on this aim by just one place, being beaten only by a team comprising of two of the best young talents in the country, Jack Harding and our previous stand-in Steve Brown Jnr. Although disappointing, we realise it was no disgrace to come home second to these two fine racers. The team faced a massive loss mid season when Ian was forced to step down following his acceptance of the role of Race Director at Buckmore which meant that due to conflict of interest he was unable to compete in championship events anymore. We kept the two teams running and it was Craig that took the role of sole driver and competed in three of the 2 hour events on his own, winning one of them. The final two rounds of the season saw the talented Lee Belbin step in to help finish the season strongly. At the end of the 2008 summer season it was announced by Buckmore Park that a new championship was to be introduced for 2009, the Elite Team Endurance. In association with Club 100 the most experienced hire kart enthusiasts who had reached the top of hire kart ladder were offered the chance to compete in a unique club series. Entry was only possible to Elite Permit holders as this was a Five Star event. Drivers eligible for permits would have already competed in Buckmore 4 star events regularly, raced in Club 100 series or be experienced owner/drivers. The races were run by the Buckmore Park Kart Drivers Club (BPKDC) and featured the Club 100 Birel/BT82 100c two stroke karts. The format was: 40 minutes practice followed by a ten minute qualifier preceding a two and a half hour race. Four compulsory stops and minimum weight requirements made this probably the closest and fairest series ever offered by BPKDC. The best six results out of eight counted towards the championship. The team of Barry, Craig and Miguel announced that they were remaining together as a three man team, despite offers by several other top drivers to join the crew. Also, to welcome in the new venture the two teams merged to become known as GP Tough Monkeys, taking advantage of the infrastructure of this website already in place to bring full reporting to friends, family and fellow enthusiasts.

Joining Barry, Craig and Mig on the pit wall for each race was "technical race director" Bianca, Barry's far better looking other half, armed with a stop watch to ensure that the gang stuck to the latest tactics dreamed up by Barry, our very own Ross Brawn. Mig's wonderfully supportive father would usually appear to cheer us on (or pick us up if the race hasn't gone to plan) and Craig's own lovely pit girl, TC, who gave encouragement along the lines of "that was rubbish, I could have done better". She probably could.

As it transpired though, despite being one of the most successful and experienced teams on the grid, the season was to prove frustrating. Numerous reliability issues robbed the team of strong results, and the weather played against them too. Mig and Craig are especially known for their wet weather abilities and in the entire season there was just half an hour of a single race where rain fell. In that time though Craig took an uncompetitive kart from 14th to 2nd in the space of only a few laps while others struggled with the conditions. It was a rare highlight in an otherwise unsuccessful season, at the end of which Craig called time on his racing career to concentrate on funding a new house purchase. Despite being approached for availability for the 2010 season by the 2009 championship winners Craig is no longer actively competing and has continued to decline offers of temporary drives for the 2010 season and full team seats in 2011. Miguel is expecting to continue racing sporadically around the commitments his new father status brings, which means he won't be defending his Man of Steel championship. Barry has accepted the offer to drive for another Elite team in 2010, alongside his roles as Lancia specialist, F1 souvenir parts dealer and officer of her majesties constabulary.