Winning formula
For amateur racer Olly Samways, motorsports is life. From the age of seven, the speedster has graduated from grass tracking to go karting, and is now a regular on the podium at the UK’s leading racetracks.
His day job though, comes as somewhat of a surprise for those discovering what he does for the first time.
“I live and breathe road safety,” says Olly. “I’m the sales director at Westcotec, and I’ve built a career around reducing speed and promoting safe and sensible driving.”
The double-life of road safety by day and motor-racing at the weekend may seem paradoxical for some but, for Olly, it’s actually a winning formula when it comes to raising awareness.
“Road safety isn’t an exciting concept for young drivers,” he says. “I realised that racing and motor sports is a much better way to engage new drivers, and it’s become a means of educating them about speeding responsibly, reacting to conditions and keeping our roads safe.”
The approach has been so successful that Olly is organising his first ever Racing for Road Safety event in partnership with Fresh Drivers UK this October, using his racing prowess to promote the very ethos of Westcotec. Safe Street! will make its debut at the Morecambe FC Mazuma Stadium this October, engaging drivers with a full size F1 simulator courtesy of Go Race Events and Olly’s prize possession; his classic Mini in which has secured eight podium finishes this year alone.
The simulator has been organised in conjunction with Westcotec; Olly’s employer and a longstanding client of Smart Display. As the UK’s leading provider of vehicle-activated safety signs, Westcotec has road safety at its very core, and is a regular exhibitor at shows such as the Health & Safety event, Highways UK and the LCRIG Innovation Festival. The brand delivers its message through innovative stand builds, incorporating road safety signs designed to stop traffic in the halls and increase footfall to the Westcotec stand.
“We first started working with Smart Display in 2017,” says Olly. “We had exhibited before, but we were at the stage where we wanted our stand to look a bit more professional. Smart Display put together an amazing stand for us, and we have used them ever since, both in the UK and abroad .”
A shared interest in motorsports saw Smart Display MD Chris Stewart get more involved with Olly’s racing career, culminating in a sponsorship deal.
“I bought the classic Mini last August and Smart Display offered to sponsor me,” says Olly. “I had resumed my interest in racing during my apprenticeship at Westcotec when I purchased a Sylva Fury from a colleague and ran a few races, finishing 3rd overall in my first year with the 750 Motor Club. What followed was a MR2 Toyota V6, and 24 hour endurance races in a Citroen C1.
“My real love however came about when I attended the Goodwood Festival of Speed three years ago when watching historic Mini Coopers racing. I rented one which I raced at Pembrey and Silverstone, securing a podium finish at Pembrey and unfortunately sustaining a tyre blowout at Silverstone which meant I couldn’t finish.
“I finally got my own Mini last August and I’ve been racing it most weekends. I absolutely love it.”
Out of ten races this year, Olly has won six, secured a podium finish for two and failed to finish two. With four left to run, he’s got every faith that the Mini will secure him an overall winning result.
His career meanwhile is similarly on track to succeed. A director at 31, Olly has no regrets about the trajectory he took to get to where he is today.
“I had every intention of studying motorsport engineering at the University of Hertfordshire,” remembers Olly. “But I was invited for an interview for an apprenticeship at Westcotec and the prospects were just amazing; getting paid to study electrical engineering and having experience of all the departments within the business to see where I best fit. I had the interview on the Friday, I cancelled my UCAS application on the Saturday morning, I started work on the Monday and I have never looked back since.”
With both his racing and career on track for success, Olly Samways is set for pole position, and Smart Display is proud to be involved.
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