RE: Win a drive in the 2013 Caterham Academy

RE: Win a drive in the 2013 Caterham Academy

Wednesday 19th December 2012

Win a drive in the 2013 Caterham Academy

Buy a ticket to Autosport International and you could win a race drive worth £25,000



We all want to be a racing driver, don’t we? We’re pretty handy on a track day, we’re not too shabby on the B-roads, we criticise the F1 racers from the sofa and our lap time around the local ring-road is pretty respectable.

Actual racing is something different, mind you. We all think we can, but not so many of us get the chance. A year or so ago, though, Riggers headed off to the Caterham Academy and raced on behalf of PistonHeads. To say he enjoyed the experience would be an understatement; the bloke talked of nothing else, and he didn’t do too badly, either.

Now it’s your turn. If you’ve ever fancied taking part in the Academy, we’re offering you the chance to race in the 2013 series. We’ll pick up the entry fee, and you’ll even get to drive the car on the road for the year too. As we type, a green Caterham Academy car is awaiting PistonHeads racing livery and a driver name; it’ll even be on show on the Caterham stand within Autosport International, taking place at the Birmingham NEC on the 10th – 13th January.

If you win, we’ll take care of the £25,000 entry fee, and the road-legal but fully race-prepared Caterham will be ready for collection at Caterham HQ, kitted out with all you need to pass scrutineering at the track. That’s the easy part. The hard work will then begin. Your journey to becoming a racing driver includes:

  • Entry into the Caterham Academy (including car) worth £25,000
  • Passing your ARDS test and gaining your racing licence
  • Gaining experience and tuition on track to get the confidence levels up
  • Competing in 7-rounds throughout the year, across the country
  • Writing a race report for PistonHeads.com after each event

We need to stress a few points before we carry on, as while we are covering entry, and providing the car with full road insurance from Adrian Flux for the lucky winner, there are expense and time commitments the winner needs to be aware of and agree to.

  • The car is insured for road use only; track insurance needs to be sourced
  • Racewear, helmets and other safety equipment are not included
  • You will need to attend practise sessions and all 7 race meets; events can’t be skipped.
  • Damage to the car (along with replacement tyres) is not included
  • Travel costs to race venues, and accommodation, are at the winners expense
  • This is an amateur championship that is only open to non-race licence holders.

Racing is a game that requires commitment and passion, but if you’ve got both of those things, you’ll love the Academy. Not only will you be competing for your own glory, you’ll also be carrying the PistonHeads name on the car, so we’ll all be rooting for you too.

If you’ve got to this stage and feel you have the commitment and skills required, you’ll be asking how you win this prize. As a racing enthusiast, you are probably already planning a visit to Autosport International, and all you need to do to be in with a chance of winning a season of racing is to buy a ticket to the Performance Car Show or Autosport International (£33.00 including booking fee, see links below), submit the ticket code to the entry website, and answer a few questions.

If you need convincing to attend, may we suggest a quick look at this website for more details? We’d also remind you that you can visit the PH team on our stand within the Performance Car Show hall. If you have already purchased a ticket you are already eligible to enter.

A shortlist of ten finalists will be chosen, and they’ll join us at the Caterham F1 HQ for a full briefing on the Academy series before undertaking a series of driving tests throughout the day. The winner of the driving heats will be declared the overall winner, and will get the car and the 2013 Academy drive.

To enter the competition click this link

Competition closes at midnight January 13th 2013.



Before you enter, it’s worth reading the full terms and conditions, as there are a lot of rules and regulations that go with a prize of this nature. We urge you to be fully aware of what you are entering into. To read them please click this link


For further details regarding Autosport International please click here

To purchase Autosport International tickets please click here

To Purchase Performance Car Show tickets please click here

To read some of Riggers’ racing tales please take a look at these links

Caterham Academy Handling Day

Caterham Academy Round 1

Caterham Academy Round 2

Caterham Academy Round 3

Caterham Academy Round 4

Caterham Academy Round 5

Caterham Academy Round 6

Caterham Academy Round 7

Author
Discussion

soad

Original Poster:

32,825 posts

175 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
That's one hell of a prize! biggrin

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

203 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
No true petrolhead would be intrested

Its only a 4 pot and the dashboard plastics are terrible

Big Fat Fatty

3,303 posts

155 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
thinfourth2 said:
No true petrolhead would be intrested

Its only a 4 pot and the dashboard plastics are terrible
No true petrolhead is interested in dashboard plastics wink

FWDRacer

3,564 posts

223 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
Not open to licence holders? Booooo. Hiss.

LukeSi

5,753 posts

160 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
I will be able to enter in January. biggrin

Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
FWDRacer said:
Not open to licence holders? Booooo. Hiss.
Amateur championship sadly, ARDS is part of it

paulrussell

2,084 posts

160 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
I've just looked at the terms and conditions, and it appears there is no need for a driving licence.

Bill

52,472 posts

254 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
Garlick said:
Amateur championship sadly, ARDS is part of it
Probably for the best, if I did win I suspect the ensuing divorce would have to come out of my own pocket hehe

Grubbster

324 posts

169 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
I already paid for my place wink

RacerMike

4,192 posts

210 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
Fantastic opportunity. I loved the year I did the Academy.....and I'm still at it 4 seasons later, signed up to Supersports in 2013.

Whoever enters needs to be aware just how addictive it is!

vescaegg

25,489 posts

166 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
An amazing prize! But if you stuff the car you will face a big bill for repairs! Slightly scary...

RacerMike

4,192 posts

210 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
vescaegg said:
An amazing prize! But if you stuff the car you will face a big bill for repairs! Slightly scary...
Race insurance will limit the bill to £1500. Not that bad really considering it's motor racing. You could also take the risk...3years of racing in my car and it's not had anything big.

McSam

6,753 posts

174 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
Garlick said:
FWDRacer said:
Not open to licence holders? Booooo. Hiss.
Amateur championship sadly, ARDS is part of it
Does this mean that those of us who gained National B, but did not get a chance to use it and allowed it to lapse after three years, are still eligible? I was qualified, but now I would need to do the full exam again to regain my licence, and have never raced on it.

ETA - The form has a required checkbox "I have never held a competition licence before". Hmmm. Struggle to see how my situation differs from a "pure amateur" who never took the test?



To the above poster, you wouldn't need a driving licence for the Academy, in fact I got my ARDS licence at 16, it's not a prerequisite. Though I imagine it might take out the road insurance included in the competition hehe

Edited by McSam on Thursday 6th December 19:35

Alex Gurr

420 posts

246 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
What a fantastic prize.

Doing the Academy this year was one of the best experiences of my life cool

Bill

52,472 posts

254 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
McSam said:
Does this mean that those of us who gained National B, but did not get a chance to use it and allowed it to lapse after three years, are still eligible? I was qualified, but now I would need to do the full exam again to regain my licence, and have never raced on it.

ETA - The form has a required checkbox "I have never held a competition licence before". Hmmm. Struggle to see how my situation differs from a "pure amateur" who never took the test?
It'd be easy to prove you haven't had a licence, but less easy to prove you haven't used it.

paulrussell

2,084 posts

160 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
McSam said:
To the above poster, you wouldn't need a driving licence for the Academy, in fact I got my ARDS licence at 16, it's not a prerequisite. Though I imagine it might take out the road insurance included in the competition hehe
If I could get it transported to every race day, then I might of thought about entering. I would need to see the dates though, as my brother is getting married in the summer, and I don't think he'd be too happy if I told him I couldn't come as I've got a race to do hehe

Fury1630

393 posts

226 months

Thursday 6th December 2012
quotequote all
I was interested 'til I read that the car was green ........ Tch

mike88

362 posts

155 months

Friday 7th December 2012
quotequote all
Amazing.

I have no interest in the show but will be buying some tickets anyway just for the chance!

atom-ick

110 posts

193 months

Friday 7th December 2012
quotequote all
Amazing prize! I'm sold - I'll be entering and if I win and the wife doesn't like it I'll just grab myself one of those red-hot podium girls that frequent all forms of motorsport and drape themselves over any bona-fide racing driver... right?

All joking aside, the Academy is something i've been contemplating for many years but I have always found an excuse not to take the plunge. Riggers nearly tipped me over the edge with his articles, but how can I resist this!?! Well done PH - great work.

McSam

6,753 posts

174 months

Friday 7th December 2012
quotequote all
Bill said:
McSam said:
Does this mean that those of us who gained National B, but did not get a chance to use it and allowed it to lapse after three years, are still eligible? I was qualified, but now I would need to do the full exam again to regain my licence, and have never raced on it.

ETA - The form has a required checkbox "I have never held a competition licence before". Hmmm. Struggle to see how my situation differs from a "pure amateur" who never took the test?
It'd be easy to prove you haven't had a licence, but less easy to prove you haven't used it.
I wasn't really sure. I mean, if the MSA have records of who's ever passed the test - I'm sure they do - then I bet they have records of competitors in every race under their "jurisdiction", as it were. I wouldn't show up on any!


Whether or not I'm eligible, though, it's a fantastic prize and really is a great thing for PH to be doing smile