VXR Racing Driver Of The Year Crowned

Mortgage consultant beats thousands to win 2008 race seat

The hopefuls were tested physically and mentally

We are all familiar with shows like X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, where a member of the public is turned into a star in a matter of weeks, but is it possible to find a competitive racing driver in a similar way? The VXR Racing Driver of the Year is a competition that attempts to find out, sifting through hundreds of hopefuls to find one person to represent Vauxhall in the 2008 Dunlop Sports Maxx Cup.

After 2,000 applicants tested their skills at six UK venues the competition was whittled down to just 12. Those 12 went to Bedford this week to battle it out for a seat in a race-prepared Astra VXR. The dozen finalists were from all walks of life and had no real racing experience.

Winner John Allison tackles the Caterham

On Sunday they arrived at the Holiday Inn Milton Keynes thinking this would be their base for the next few days, but within minutes an army van turned up and whisked them off to a TA centre in Kempston, which offered more basic accommodation. Throughout the next two days of boot camp the hopefuls took part in various tasks and fitness assessments, all designed to find out who is the strongest both mentally and physically.

By Tuesday it was time to go to the track and, under the watchful eye of the judges, the drivers were given a series of tests in Caterhams, Astra VXRs and Jaguar JP1s. Vauxhall BTCC drivers Matt Neal and Fabrizio Giovanardi were on hand to help judge the competitors and told PistonHeads what it takes to be a racing driver.

‘The most important thing is speed,’ said Neal. 'You have to be fast, but with a good sense of balance and an ability to feel what is going on with the car.’ Giovanardi added: ‘Racing is not a personal sport. You need to be quick but also good with the media and also able to help develop the car as well – you need the whole package.’

Allison is VXR Racing Driver of the Year

After an afternoon lapping the track everyone waited patiently for the judges to decide who they thought should get a fully-funded race seat in the 2008 Dunlop Sport Maxx Production Car Championship, worth £80,000. After almost two hours of deliberation the judges decided it should be 34-year-old married mortgage consultant John Allison who would race for Vauxhall in 2008. After the announcement, an emotional Allison told PH what the prize meant to him.

‘I am ecstatic,’ he said. ‘It’s a total shock because I struggled on one aspect of the training and on the last lap in the Astra I ran out of brakes a little. I thought I had blown my chances, but this is a dream come true.’

VX Racing team boss Ian Harrison, who was one of the judges, said Allison was without doubt the man for the job. ‘It was his all round performance. He has a steep learning curve but he will listen and learn. He is mentally very strong.’

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