KUTUKA MOTORSPORT

ROGER WEBSTER

The most bearded driver on the Jaguar grids, our esteemed drivers' rep, and the proud owner of the greenest XJS for the third year in succession.

Also getting faster with every race in 2010!

The Bearded Wonder in new, lightweight class E form. Well, the car is at any rate...

So far as we can tell, Roger was born aged 45, fully grown, with a beard, in about 1760. He has failed to age since.

With a garage full of Jaguars and a belly laugh that can be heard from 30 miles, the Bearded One is also some sort of local celebrity in Jaguar circles, but we don't really care about that, Jags are all well and good but there's much more fun to be had on track without worrying about what sort of polish to use, so we're pretending he's only a racer.

Starting his Jag career in '07 with the ex-Gail Hill class D car, resprayed like Kermit, (see right) El Webster lost the car in a blameless shunt at Castle Combe late '08 when Ian Drage span into his path in a monsoon.

Rebuilt as a new class E car the fuzzy-chinned one has his fair share of adventures, and has the rare distinction of never actually dropping the car off the track by himself, but does get helped now and then - see Philip "Filipe" Comer's little "oops" moment on the right here.

His run of solid results would realistically stand Roger and his face fungus about 3rd in class, but with a bizarre belief that there's more to life than just racing he's prone to sitting the odd race out now and then from time to time to enjoy life outside the circuit. Very strange.

Competing in the least-powerful class E car on the grid, he does tend to bring the car home better than last, which isn't to be sniffed at, and he's game to try his hand at new things, Kutuka forced him into a 2-driver race in their red devil "Megan" in '08, partnering Andrew to a solid 2nd place in the 40-minute Jaguar challenge.

Confusingly painted nearly the same colour as Simon Seath, you can tell them apart because he's the one in front, though both wear the open-face helmet only one of them does so to protect their facial grooming.

Standing some 8 feet tall Roger was elected drivers' rep because we're all scared of him.

Pour enough red wine into him and he will dance to pretty much any music, and sadly we can't count on spousal restraint to stop him because it was probably her suggestion in the first place.

Plans for 2010 include a lot more horsepower and a secret campaign to burn down the Gillette factory.