A group of 16 independent service station and coach operators showed just how competitive they could get at the inaugural Wilcomatic Car Wash Go Karting Tournament. Operators came from as far afield as Scotland, Leicester, Yorkshire, Derby, the West Midlands, to join battle at the Three Sisters Race Track, Wigan, Lancashire.

The group was divided into two bands, the A and the B groups, with eight racers in each. They battled through heats for four hours, until only the top two remained. Peter Dorlin, DT Filling Stations, was crowned winner of the A series and Marc Ford, senior business development manager of Wilcomatic won the B series, having beaten Khalid Mohammad into second in a very tightly contested race.

Some competitive instincts were stronger than others. Spinning around backwards in an attempt to gain third place in one race, Jay Gohill, managing director of JSK Services, came crashing off the track. Meanwhile Simon Mackay of Carsley Group, was named reckless driver of the day.

"Getting second place was great, albeit by default, but most satisfying as the winner races saloon cars!" says Eddie Bright, director of Brobot.

"It was a nice way to mingle with other like-minded people and compare notes on our market sector, while competing in a friendly way. Good fun, with a relaxed atmosphere."

Jay Gohill said: "I am quite new to the industry, and didn’t know anyone there, so this was an interesting way to network and share ideas. It would be good to take a few people from my company next time too."