Mark 2 VW Golf GTI 1989
Discussion
Hmmm I'm afraid I may be responsible for the dissapearance of the forum.
I questioned the integrity of scholarships having had plenty of experience of them (5 in all) I felt qualified to raise some pertinent points...
With hindsight and experience now I would tell anyone over 30 yrs old that they are wasting their time and just making up the numbers. I know some people would wonder why I had said that as someone who is well over 30 and has made the semi final and therefore specially selected free rounds in every scholarship I have entered.
Sadly until proven otherwise I only have my own experience to go on.
Universally high praise from the instructors followed by non selection and a total lack of feedback or even requested feedback leaves me wondering where I am going wrong or if people are too embarrased to tell me I'm a good driver but we don't want you because you are too old...and as yet noone on any of the scholarships I have entered has ever come up with a reason why I have not been selected.
This is despite some instructors actually telling me I was the fastest on the day or that they are definately recommending me or that they aren't worried about my pace or would like to work more with me..
I won't be entering any more scholarships . . it seems my wife may have been right in suggesting they only wanted my money.
Sadly my experience in the last scholarship was soured when Gary Simms the scholarship winner let slip in conversation that he had been visiting Iain Cunningham the racing driver driving for LNT and therefore related to Ginetta (hence his appearance at the track)in South Wales during and prior to the scholarship selections.
I joked about him watching his ass and didn't really think anything of it. I assumed Gary had proven his worth on the track. However Gary's poor performance and his constant beating by another scholarship entrant who also didn't make the final has left more questions unanswered than I would like to have known about.
I actually don't need to enter any more scholarships to find out wether I would make a racing driver or not because I know that I would.
So I am not bothered about burning any bridges any more.
If I ever get on track in a race car other than my kart as usual it will be no different to me. I will focus on beating people as I allways have.
I can't imagine Gary being on track ever again next year after this years performance which is a shame as I would have loved to have raced against him.
I questioned the integrity of scholarships having had plenty of experience of them (5 in all) I felt qualified to raise some pertinent points...
With hindsight and experience now I would tell anyone over 30 yrs old that they are wasting their time and just making up the numbers. I know some people would wonder why I had said that as someone who is well over 30 and has made the semi final and therefore specially selected free rounds in every scholarship I have entered.
Sadly until proven otherwise I only have my own experience to go on.
Universally high praise from the instructors followed by non selection and a total lack of feedback or even requested feedback leaves me wondering where I am going wrong or if people are too embarrased to tell me I'm a good driver but we don't want you because you are too old...and as yet noone on any of the scholarships I have entered has ever come up with a reason why I have not been selected.
This is despite some instructors actually telling me I was the fastest on the day or that they are definately recommending me or that they aren't worried about my pace or would like to work more with me..
I won't be entering any more scholarships . . it seems my wife may have been right in suggesting they only wanted my money.
Sadly my experience in the last scholarship was soured when Gary Simms the scholarship winner let slip in conversation that he had been visiting Iain Cunningham the racing driver driving for LNT and therefore related to Ginetta (hence his appearance at the track)in South Wales during and prior to the scholarship selections.
I joked about him watching his ass and didn't really think anything of it. I assumed Gary had proven his worth on the track. However Gary's poor performance and his constant beating by another scholarship entrant who also didn't make the final has left more questions unanswered than I would like to have known about.
I actually don't need to enter any more scholarships to find out wether I would make a racing driver or not because I know that I would.
So I am not bothered about burning any bridges any more.
If I ever get on track in a race car other than my kart as usual it will be no different to me. I will focus on beating people as I allways have.
I can't imagine Gary being on track ever again next year after this years performance which is a shame as I would have loved to have raced against him.
Wow! a particularly good rant mate. I have to say that I tend to sympathise with you on this and I have only done one scholarship. I was not aware that LNT and others were also involved as you suggest.
I had to badger speedworks for feed back. It finally arrived last week!!!! I am taking a wild guess here but as it stated that my first session instructor (Ollie) had said blah blah blah! when actually my session instructor was a big welsh bloke called Steph!! I am a little doubtful that it actually refers directly to me through actual instructor input. More or less I feel that it has been made up for want of a better description. I found, as you did that the instructors feed back on the days was clear and acceptable, and encouraging, although mine doesnt sound as encouraging as yours did.
The more I think about it the more racing the Golf sounds possible. I would love to think that I could beat other drivers to the final of a scholarship. I would prefer to be able to beat them onthe grey stuff fair and square. Gary does seem to be having one hell of a start to the season but lets not forget no matter how he got there he is there and has finally stuck a point on the board!
What ever you decide mate good luck. Watch out for me next year in the 750MC VW golf MkII season. I hope to be there cash permitting!
I had to badger speedworks for feed back. It finally arrived last week!!!! I am taking a wild guess here but as it stated that my first session instructor (Ollie) had said blah blah blah! when actually my session instructor was a big welsh bloke called Steph!! I am a little doubtful that it actually refers directly to me through actual instructor input. More or less I feel that it has been made up for want of a better description. I found, as you did that the instructors feed back on the days was clear and acceptable, and encouraging, although mine doesnt sound as encouraging as yours did.
The more I think about it the more racing the Golf sounds possible. I would love to think that I could beat other drivers to the final of a scholarship. I would prefer to be able to beat them onthe grey stuff fair and square. Gary does seem to be having one hell of a start to the season but lets not forget no matter how he got there he is there and has finally stuck a point on the board!
What ever you decide mate good luck. Watch out for me next year in the 750MC VW golf MkII season. I hope to be there cash permitting!
I have never recieved feedback from a scholarship even though I request it and even though other people I know get it back.
Last year I was so cheesed off I didn't make the top ten shootout because one of the instructors told me he was definately reccomending me for the final as I was 'in another league' to everyone else. Everyone acted as if they had discvered some real talent with the whole team speaking to me by my first name , then at the next round people seemed to be uncomfortably avoiding me. I guess they had looked into my age and got a shock.
I asked for feedback numerous times but it never came so I did a track day with proffesional driving coach and ex btcc driver eugene o'brien. he set a lap time for me to aim for and at my fist ever session at Donnington Park which I had never driven before i was only 1 second slower than him and there was pace to come and areas I could improve. he said I would make a front runner in fact my lap time would have put me second on the previous seasons grid.
That why I entered again this year and once again another instructor James littlejohn my instructor said I was the fastest driver he had taken that day..and once again I wasnt selected.
Jeez I don't smell and I don't look particularly old in fact my mates are all around 30 and I get more attention from 20something girlies than they do when we go on the lash.
I just hoped that since the Anti ageist Laws came in I would have a chance..obviously not.
I still race karts and I have still even managed to qualify on pole again this year .
Scholarships though....If they have no intention of taking anyone over 30 as the winner it should be made an age restricted competition..but oh how the cynic in me thinks they wouldn't get enough muppets entering to make the money if they did that.
I will try to get on track next year somehow and when I do I will look forward to kicking as much ass as possible.
Last year I was so cheesed off I didn't make the top ten shootout because one of the instructors told me he was definately reccomending me for the final as I was 'in another league' to everyone else. Everyone acted as if they had discvered some real talent with the whole team speaking to me by my first name , then at the next round people seemed to be uncomfortably avoiding me. I guess they had looked into my age and got a shock.
I asked for feedback numerous times but it never came so I did a track day with proffesional driving coach and ex btcc driver eugene o'brien. he set a lap time for me to aim for and at my fist ever session at Donnington Park which I had never driven before i was only 1 second slower than him and there was pace to come and areas I could improve. he said I would make a front runner in fact my lap time would have put me second on the previous seasons grid.
That why I entered again this year and once again another instructor James littlejohn my instructor said I was the fastest driver he had taken that day..and once again I wasnt selected.
Jeez I don't smell and I don't look particularly old in fact my mates are all around 30 and I get more attention from 20something girlies than they do when we go on the lash.
I just hoped that since the Anti ageist Laws came in I would have a chance..obviously not.
I still race karts and I have still even managed to qualify on pole again this year .
Scholarships though....If they have no intention of taking anyone over 30 as the winner it should be made an age restricted competition..but oh how the cynic in me thinks they wouldn't get enough muppets entering to make the money if they did that.
I will try to get on track next year somehow and when I do I will look forward to kicking as much ass as possible.
Gassing Station | Suspension, Brakes & Tyres | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff