AUTOGRASS racers from Herefordshire are steering their way to success on a completely different kind of track.

No fewer than 75 drivers all over the country as well as a number from the county have exchanged their crash helmets for songsheets.

Since the Autograss Allstars took to the airwaves, a substantial £28,000 has been raised for Cancer Research UK and what’s more the bunch of ‘mud-slinging, clutch bleeding’ racers now have a double A-sided single in the charts.

Autograsser Sue Herdman, who hails from Kington, is described as the brains behind the operation.

Her major £1.2 million Lottery win in 2010 has allowed her to spend “lots of time” to help with charity events, explains Sue, who now lives in Yorkshire.

“The songs are sensational,” she says. “Who would have thought that 75 people who can’t sing would end up with three-part harmony and a single at number 57 in the iTunes charts.”

‘See you Again’ has proved a real winner for the autograssers, as well as their cover of the 2000 Josh Groban hit, To Where You Are, the tracks produced in Llanelli recording studios, Sonic.

Sue’s cousin, Sandra Jones and her stepson Cameron Mills with his girlfriend Kate Lockwood are part of the choir as are a number of people from Herefordshire.

Sue claims that singing her own solo on the record proved extremely nerve-racking.

“I was much more nervous doing that solo than racing in the national final of autograssing in Herefordshire last year!” she admits.

But she is moved to point out that her own voice and a solo by her son, Jake Herdman are now both in the charts.

Sue “started the ball rolling” during the championships at the Cwmdu Racing Club site at Lyonshall last August. “We had a raffle and an auction for charity and ended up having a rehearsal weekend in November.”

By December, the voices had gathered for the professional recording.

Sue praises Class 5 autograss racer Lewis Richards, a primary school teacher whose previous successes with choirs have included winning the Urdd Eisteddfod on three consecutive occasions and BBC Songs of Praise Choir of the Year in 2015.

“He took 75 people who couldn’t sing and turned them into a full-blown professional choir,” said Sue.

The Autograss Allstars have been booked to give performances at various autograss venues around the country.

In the meantime, CDs are available to buy from their website.

“We’d like to make the figure up to £30,000,” says Sue.

When the autograssers return to Lyonshall this summer, there might even be the chance of a performance.

Sue added: “Even if they’re not live, I can absolutely guarantee we shall be playing the songs over the microphone!”