Oliver Gavin will run a marathon of his own in Long Beach as he cannot take part in this year's London Marathon due to the clashing American Le Mans Series race on the Californian street track.
The Corvette racer was the best-placed of the group of British Racing Drivers' Club drivers who contested last year's London Marathon in aid of CLIC Sargent children's cancer charity. But this year he will be unable to join Jamie Campbell-Walter, Peter Dumbreck, Stuart Hall, Jonny Kane, Robin Liddell, James Matthews, Andy Meyrick and Richard Westbrook in the April 17 London event as he is racing in the ALMS in Long Beach the previous day. He has instead decided to run a marathon distance in Long Beach while his colleagues are running around London, this year to support the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.
"I'm really hoping to twist the arms of Guy Smith and Marino Franchitti, two of my teammates last year who will also be in Long Beach, to run a bit of the distance with me but they're showing some reluctance!" said Gavin.
"I really feel an affinity to this year's charity as one of my daughter's best friends suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, and I was determined to do my bit to raise money for the Trust. I'm sad I'll not be in London for the lunch or to run with all the other guys, but at least I can do my bit while in California."