Why no recognition for this project?
Discussion
Having followed Cassey Watson's racing since I saw her in T-Car a few years ago, when I saw she had signed for Lunar Racing I looked into the team.
On seeing her and the team at MG Live, I was amazed to find out that the MG ZS BritCar she will be driving for the rest of this season was built from an old Rover 400 Diesel by school & college kids aged 14 - 17. The kids also run the car at the track.
My only question is why don't Lunar Racing get more recognition for this project?
I spoke to Cassey's father at Silverstone and he was telling me when Cassey had her first test with the team a bearing failed in the gearbox and the Students removed it, split it, rebuilt it and refitted it in time to get back out and on track. Try finding a garage willing to repair a gearbox these days we are becoming a nation of fitters so to see kids being trained to this level thanks to Motorsport is superb.
On seeing her and the team at MG Live, I was amazed to find out that the MG ZS BritCar she will be driving for the rest of this season was built from an old Rover 400 Diesel by school & college kids aged 14 - 17. The kids also run the car at the track.
My only question is why don't Lunar Racing get more recognition for this project?
I spoke to Cassey's father at Silverstone and he was telling me when Cassey had her first test with the team a bearing failed in the gearbox and the Students removed it, split it, rebuilt it and refitted it in time to get back out and on track. Try finding a garage willing to repair a gearbox these days we are becoming a nation of fitters so to see kids being trained to this level thanks to Motorsport is superb.
Good practice indeed. I spent 3 years at college studying a course in motorsport engineering and i wasnt once shown/told how to rebuild a gearbox. Good job i found a decent work experience placement who took the time to teach me these things.
Good project and being an MG fan i wish them every success.
Good project and being an MG fan i wish them every success.
I hate to say it, and in no way wish to degenerate the project, but surely the lack of recognition is partly driven by a lack of self promotion from the team themselves.
With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
Red Firecracker said:
I hate to say it, and in no way wish to degenerate the project, but surely the lack of recognition is partly driven by a lack of self promotion from the team themselves.
With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
The BBC, as part of its charter should televise the series to reach out to a younger audience, complete with educational documentary pieces covering the young behind the scenes mechanics who enable the track heroes to do their thing. Instead we get crass, spivvy, self-promoting garbage like 'The Apprentice'.With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
As a part of lunar racing I can tell you the only thing that has held us back is a lack of funding. Its not about self promotion its about helping Kids attain proper qualifications and become infinitly more employable young people. Anybody that wants to learn about the project just go to the website www.lunarracing.com,
and see what we do. We are now after working at this for 5 years are opening our own full time education centre at Rockingham, where we will be working with local schools. there are 2 major differences between us and all the other Motorsport biased programmes one is that we are working with school age students some of which would or have been excluded from school, we have one in particular this year who was exluded and is now studying for a Btec and wants to go on to University. The other is our students actually build and crew on the cars themselves, we get reduced very quickly to passing spanners and offering advice. anyone that sees them at work will tell you how dedicated they are, they even turn up during holidays and on weekends not just to go racing but to prepare the cars.
With respect to promotion we always send out race reports and news to the motorsport press which mainly gets ignored although this year they are finding it harder to ignore us. We can't force the press to give us coverage.
If anyone wants to support us we have a group on facebook as well where you can read all of the latest updates and news which is getting more and more exciting.
A comment to s3fella: whilst i find your comments quite amusing anyone that sees our students at work will tell you that they are not like any students you will have met before.
Feel free to critisize us but not our students!
and see what we do. We are now after working at this for 5 years are opening our own full time education centre at Rockingham, where we will be working with local schools. there are 2 major differences between us and all the other Motorsport biased programmes one is that we are working with school age students some of which would or have been excluded from school, we have one in particular this year who was exluded and is now studying for a Btec and wants to go on to University. The other is our students actually build and crew on the cars themselves, we get reduced very quickly to passing spanners and offering advice. anyone that sees them at work will tell you how dedicated they are, they even turn up during holidays and on weekends not just to go racing but to prepare the cars.
With respect to promotion we always send out race reports and news to the motorsport press which mainly gets ignored although this year they are finding it harder to ignore us. We can't force the press to give us coverage.
If anyone wants to support us we have a group on facebook as well where you can read all of the latest updates and news which is getting more and more exciting.
A comment to s3fella: whilst i find your comments quite amusing anyone that sees our students at work will tell you that they are not like any students you will have met before.
Feel free to critisize us but not our students!
eddie454 said:
As a part of lunar racing I can tell you the only thing that has held us back is a lack of funding. Its not about self promotion its about helping Kids attain proper qualifications and become infinitly more employable young people. Anybody that wants to learn about the project just go to the website www.lunarracing.com,
and see what we do. We are now after working at this for 5 years are opening our own full time education centre at Rockingham, where we will be working with local schools. there are 2 major differences between us and all the other Motorsport biased programmes one is that we are working with school age students some of which would or have been excluded from school, we have one in particular this year who was exluded and is now studying for a Btec and wants to go on to University. The other is our students actually build and crew on the cars themselves, we get reduced very quickly to passing spanners and offering advice. anyone that sees them at work will tell you how dedicated they are, they even turn up during holidays and on weekends not just to go racing but to prepare the cars.
With respect to promotion we always send out race reports and news to the motorsport press which mainly gets ignored although this year they are finding it harder to ignore us. We can't force the press to give us coverage.
If anyone wants to support us we have a group on facebook as well where you can read all of the latest updates and news which is getting more and more exciting.
A comment to s3fella: whilst i find your comments quite amusing anyone that sees our students at work will tell you that they are not like any students you will have met before.
Feel free to critisize us but not our students!
As someone who is off to University next month to study Motorsport Engineering I fully support what you do and take my hat of to you guys for having faith in kids. This gives kids the chance to show that they are just as passionate and committed to the sport as someone triple their age and get rid of the idea of "their only kids they can't do it". I would've loved something like this at school to get more interest in the field and show my enthusiasm for the sport. This kind of opportunity as you said can completely change peoples lives for the better.and see what we do. We are now after working at this for 5 years are opening our own full time education centre at Rockingham, where we will be working with local schools. there are 2 major differences between us and all the other Motorsport biased programmes one is that we are working with school age students some of which would or have been excluded from school, we have one in particular this year who was exluded and is now studying for a Btec and wants to go on to University. The other is our students actually build and crew on the cars themselves, we get reduced very quickly to passing spanners and offering advice. anyone that sees them at work will tell you how dedicated they are, they even turn up during holidays and on weekends not just to go racing but to prepare the cars.
With respect to promotion we always send out race reports and news to the motorsport press which mainly gets ignored although this year they are finding it harder to ignore us. We can't force the press to give us coverage.
If anyone wants to support us we have a group on facebook as well where you can read all of the latest updates and news which is getting more and more exciting.
A comment to s3fella: whilst i find your comments quite amusing anyone that sees our students at work will tell you that they are not like any students you will have met before.
Feel free to critisize us but not our students!
Good luck to you guys and I hope you continue it for many years to come.
Police State said:
Red Firecracker said:
I hate to say it, and in no way wish to degenerate the project, but surely the lack of recognition is partly driven by a lack of self promotion from the team themselves.
With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
The BBC, as part of its charter should televise the series to reach out to a younger audience, complete with educational documentary pieces covering the young behind the scenes mechanics who enable the track heroes to do their thing. Instead we get crass, spivvy, self-promoting garbage like 'The Apprentice'.With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
I think this kind of stuff is really important, however the kids will be getting plenty out of it without the need for TV coverage etc.
I would think the reason the media interest is perhaps limited is that there are actually quite a lot of talented youngsters around the motorsport scene, some going through programmes like this, but others finding their own feet. One of the teams I have did some work with is run by a 19 year old with 16 and 15 year old support mechanics! I find this extremely impressive because they are not just building cars, but they are also running themselves a pretty successful business!
I guess all I'm trying to say is that I suspect the reason for the lack of public recognition is that young people doing well in motor sport is not as rare as many would think. This programme is clearly a massive benefit to the youngsters which take part in it and so should be applauded - the people coming through it will no doubt have very strong careers in the industry! I would suggest they are learning far more by running on budget than they would having money thrown at them from various sponsors!
I would think the reason the media interest is perhaps limited is that there are actually quite a lot of talented youngsters around the motorsport scene, some going through programmes like this, but others finding their own feet. One of the teams I have did some work with is run by a 19 year old with 16 and 15 year old support mechanics! I find this extremely impressive because they are not just building cars, but they are also running themselves a pretty successful business!
I guess all I'm trying to say is that I suspect the reason for the lack of public recognition is that young people doing well in motor sport is not as rare as many would think. This programme is clearly a massive benefit to the youngsters which take part in it and so should be applauded - the people coming through it will no doubt have very strong careers in the industry! I would suggest they are learning far more by running on budget than they would having money thrown at them from various sponsors!
Red Firecracker said:
I hate to say it, and in no way wish to degenerate the project, but surely the lack of recognition is partly driven by a lack of self promotion from the team themselves.
With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
Just had a look into Formula Student, not sure you can compare building and racing a remote control car, and building and racing a BritCar. With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
Although is good to see any kind of engineering projects for our youth.
kwikbelle said:
Red Firecracker said:
I hate to say it, and in no way wish to degenerate the project, but surely the lack of recognition is partly driven by a lack of self promotion from the team themselves.
With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
Just had a look into Formula Student, not sure you can compare building and racing a remote control car, and building and racing a BritCar. With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
Formula Student is single seaters - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_Student
Edited by Gold on Sunday 26th July 14:09
kwikbelle said:
Red Firecracker said:
I hate to say it, and in no way wish to degenerate the project, but surely the lack of recognition is partly driven by a lack of self promotion from the team themselves.
With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
Just had a look into Formula Student, not sure you can compare building and racing a remote control car, and building and racing a BritCar. With large scale educational motorsport events/series such as Formula Student being popular with industry, one would have thought they'd have been falling over themselves to push the project both through traditional and more inventive means. Surely it's an ideal extra educational module for the curriculum.
Although is good to see any kind of engineering projects for our youth.
Lunar Racing have some impressive company logos on their website, there's always room for more and something even more different than what they are currently offering has got to be worth exploring.
As I say, very best of luck to them.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.p...
The Lunar Racing Facebook Page
Seems there is more happening for them than I first thought so congrats and best of luck.
The Lunar Racing Facebook Page
Seems there is more happening for them than I first thought so congrats and best of luck.
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