Dunlop prize drive - racers can register at Pistonheads show
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New Dunlop Race Academy Format Revealed - Full season in Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup for the top driver!
Motorsport’s version of the ‘X Factor’ has rung in the changes for 2009. This year the Dunlop Race Academy will focus on developing drivers aged between 16 and 30 who have already made a start in their race careers.
The competition has also introduces a new geographical element, dividing the UK into 6 regions, pitting drivers from each region against each other.
Dunlop’s Communications Manager James Bailey said: “More people race on Dunlop tyres than any other brand and we are committed to developing racing talent.”
“During the course of the Dunlop Race Academy we will be looking at the talents of racing drivers from all around Britain. Six of them, one from each region will have the opportunity to develop their driving skills with the Dunlop Race Academy experts. That is a prize in itself, but three of those will go on to the next stage; a drive in a round of the 2009 Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup. The best performer will get a full season of racing in the 2010 Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup. Whatever stage our regional finalists get to, they will have the opportunity to improve their craft.”
“Undoubtedly, race winners are skilled and talented, but today’s world of media, drivers need to show some personality and presence if they are going to make it right to the top. ”
“The selection process should ensure that our winner not only has the skill and talent to make it to the top, but we can help develop their all-important media skills”
Entrants must have a valid national A or B race licence. Those who visit the Autosport and Pistonheads Show on Thursday will be able register and take advantage of the services of a professional camera crew to help them compile the video audition element of the competition.
Although we'll only be filming on Thursday, Entry will be open throughout the course of the show on the Dunlop stand and entrants will be able to upload their own video profile in February.
Those who can’t make it to the show will be able to enter online at Dunlopdriversclub.co.uk throughout February and March.
The Dunlop Race Academy Judges will closely monitor the performance of the nominated drivers in the opening races of the season in April and May 2009. The public will be able to keep abreast of their favourite driver online and will have the opportunity to add their vote to those of the judges.
In June, the top driver from each of six regions of the UK will be announced and invited to a full day of assessment, evaluation and coaching with the Dunlop Race Academy judges and experts.
The top three drivers from the Dunlop Race Academy evaluation day will each win a drive in one of the final three Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup races of 2009. These are BTCC style triple-header events, so each contender will have three attempts at impressing the judges.
The top driver from these three races will win a season in the 2010 Dunlop Sport Maxx Production Cup, an opportunity to showcase their talent in one of the UK’s most prestigious saloon and sports car racing championships racing on the Dunlop Great and British Festival promoted package. It could also be the opportunity of a lifetime.
The Four Stages
February & March
1. Entry with video auditions online (with pre-registration at Autosport in January)
April & May
2. Assessment of early season drives around the regions by Dunlop Race Academy judges and online voting to find 6 regional finalists
June
3. Assessment day with winner from each region
July August & September
4. Each of top three drivers show their skills in a round of Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup with their race results revealing the winner
Motorsport’s version of the ‘X Factor’ has rung in the changes for 2009. This year the Dunlop Race Academy will focus on developing drivers aged between 16 and 30 who have already made a start in their race careers.
The competition has also introduces a new geographical element, dividing the UK into 6 regions, pitting drivers from each region against each other.
Dunlop’s Communications Manager James Bailey said: “More people race on Dunlop tyres than any other brand and we are committed to developing racing talent.”
“During the course of the Dunlop Race Academy we will be looking at the talents of racing drivers from all around Britain. Six of them, one from each region will have the opportunity to develop their driving skills with the Dunlop Race Academy experts. That is a prize in itself, but three of those will go on to the next stage; a drive in a round of the 2009 Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup. The best performer will get a full season of racing in the 2010 Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup. Whatever stage our regional finalists get to, they will have the opportunity to improve their craft.”
“Undoubtedly, race winners are skilled and talented, but today’s world of media, drivers need to show some personality and presence if they are going to make it right to the top. ”
“The selection process should ensure that our winner not only has the skill and talent to make it to the top, but we can help develop their all-important media skills”
Entrants must have a valid national A or B race licence. Those who visit the Autosport and Pistonheads Show on Thursday will be able register and take advantage of the services of a professional camera crew to help them compile the video audition element of the competition.
Although we'll only be filming on Thursday, Entry will be open throughout the course of the show on the Dunlop stand and entrants will be able to upload their own video profile in February.
Those who can’t make it to the show will be able to enter online at Dunlopdriversclub.co.uk throughout February and March.
The Dunlop Race Academy Judges will closely monitor the performance of the nominated drivers in the opening races of the season in April and May 2009. The public will be able to keep abreast of their favourite driver online and will have the opportunity to add their vote to those of the judges.
In June, the top driver from each of six regions of the UK will be announced and invited to a full day of assessment, evaluation and coaching with the Dunlop Race Academy judges and experts.
The top three drivers from the Dunlop Race Academy evaluation day will each win a drive in one of the final three Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup races of 2009. These are BTCC style triple-header events, so each contender will have three attempts at impressing the judges.
The top driver from these three races will win a season in the 2010 Dunlop Sport Maxx Production Cup, an opportunity to showcase their talent in one of the UK’s most prestigious saloon and sports car racing championships racing on the Dunlop Great and British Festival promoted package. It could also be the opportunity of a lifetime.
The Four Stages
February & March
1. Entry with video auditions online (with pre-registration at Autosport in January)
April & May
2. Assessment of early season drives around the regions by Dunlop Race Academy judges and online voting to find 6 regional finalists
June
3. Assessment day with winner from each region
July August & September
4. Each of top three drivers show their skills in a round of Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup with their race results revealing the winner
Edited by Redlake27 on Tuesday 6th January 14:03
congratulations redlake, you are the first person to actually get what is required to make these driver competitions worthwhile, by providing an opportunity to those who have already got up off their arses to go racing. None of this fan boy nonsense.
I wish you luck with your search, I am sure you will find a driver with allthe right attributes.
I wish you luck with your search, I am sure you will find a driver with allthe right attributes.
Edited by stockhatcher on Tuesday 6th January 21:52
Good luck with both the search and the ability to keep the ball rolling James.
Times too tough for me and food on my familys table is hard to find right now so all considerations of ever getting on track have finally ended for me thanks to the credit crunch.
I couldn't afford it before and I can less afford it now . . .
Good luck to all who put themselves forward.
Times too tough for me and food on my familys table is hard to find right now so all considerations of ever getting on track have finally ended for me thanks to the credit crunch.
I couldn't afford it before and I can less afford it now . . .
Good luck to all who put themselves forward.
stockhatcher said:
congratulations redlake, you are the first person to actually get what is required to make these driver competitions worthwhile, by providing an opportunity to those who have already got up off their arses to go racing. None of this fan boy nonsense.
I wish you luck with your search, I am sure you will find a driver with allthe right attributes.
I totally agree!I wish you luck with your search, I am sure you will find a driver with allthe right attributes.
Edited by stockhatcher on Tuesday 6th January 21:52
Sounds great, but isn't a little ageist? To get a racing career properly underway before the age of 30 normally requires rich parents, which isn't really much to do with talent or personal desire, but more to do with the family you're born into. Most people that I know in motor racing either have rich parents or are over the age of 30, and you seem to be excluding the latter group.
That's not a chip on the shoulder comment, because I was lucky enough to start racing at the age of 22, just a realistic observation!
That's not a chip on the shoulder comment, because I was lucky enough to start racing at the age of 22, just a realistic observation!
Rob
It was something we debated long and hard, and I probably was swayed by my own experience.
Twenty years ago, as a teenage club racer, I went into club racing on a shoestring. If I was racing today I could do a far better job as 1) I earn more than when I was 19 and 2) I know a lot more than I did the about car set-up.
(Also, These two factors would offset the 20kgs of 'ballast' I gained since I was 19!). My thoughts were that I would rather a 19 year old version of me win this than a current version of me.
There are a lot of very seasoned club racers, in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond , competing in everything from Britcar, Caterhams to 750mc and historics, who could undoubtedly do a fantastic job if we put them in our Sport Maxx Leon.
However we are looking for a driver that has the potential to use this as a step towards the BTCC. We want to use the combined experience of our coaches and teams to help three drivers this year and one next year raise their game, learn about the media and benchmark themselves on a quality grid that included eight former championship winners in 2008.
However, if there is enough demand, we'll get Saga on board to co-sponsor a new academy next year!
It was something we debated long and hard, and I probably was swayed by my own experience.
Twenty years ago, as a teenage club racer, I went into club racing on a shoestring. If I was racing today I could do a far better job as 1) I earn more than when I was 19 and 2) I know a lot more than I did the about car set-up.
(Also, These two factors would offset the 20kgs of 'ballast' I gained since I was 19!). My thoughts were that I would rather a 19 year old version of me win this than a current version of me.
There are a lot of very seasoned club racers, in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond , competing in everything from Britcar, Caterhams to 750mc and historics, who could undoubtedly do a fantastic job if we put them in our Sport Maxx Leon.
However we are looking for a driver that has the potential to use this as a step towards the BTCC. We want to use the combined experience of our coaches and teams to help three drivers this year and one next year raise their game, learn about the media and benchmark themselves on a quality grid that included eight former championship winners in 2008.
However, if there is enough demand, we'll get Saga on board to co-sponsor a new academy next year!
Only 3 weeks left to register! Go to www.dunlopdriversclub.co.uk
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