Just about the time that 97-year-old Prince Philip, aka the Duke of Edinburgh, was crashing his Land Rover on a British road, one of the UK’s track-day specialists “Elderly (are) living life in the fast lane,” and offered the evidence that track day bookings for those 65 and older increased by 29 percent during 2018.
“Forget your preconceptions as our data suggests that elderly Brits have no intention of slowing down but, instead, would rather put pedal to the metal in an awesome supercar around a world-class race circuit,” said Dan Jones, operation manager for Trackdays.
Founded in 2004, Trackdays offers a fleet of modern vehicles from Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Ferrari, McLaren — but also Mini — and offers them up on circuits including Silverstone, Brands Hatch, Snetterton and Donington Park.
“Whether it’s in a fast Ferrari, an awesome Aston Martin or powerful Porsche, I’ve no doubt that some of our more senior customers could probably teach a few younger drivers a trick or two,” Jones added.
In its announcement, Trackdays suggested that the increased bookings by seniors is further proof of what it being termed the “Grey Pound,” an increase in the spending power of older Brits, which some estimate to be more than £200 billion (more than $260 billion).
“With an increasing elderly population, we can only expect more driving experience bookings from those aged over 65 who want to live life to the full,” Jones said.
By the way, almost immediately after Prince Philip’s motor mishap, the local council lowered the speed limit on A149, a road known for its blind corners and for high-speed driving.
