Pistonheads Race Tuscan

[TUSCAN 29]

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Following on from another thread regarding the low level grids and the future of Tuscan racing, here's an idea that subject to Petrol Ted's support might just work. How many young, under funded drivers are out there looking for a way to raise cash for a drive?, quite a few, yes!, well why not have a Pistonheads car, there's no need to buy one, as I can provide that, what we need are the funds to run it. Now, the driver/drivers that you decide to support must also be prepared to pay a pre set fee, say 25% of the costs, or what ever you decide, and they must insure the car or get insurance sponsorship, who knows, prehaps Pistonheads can get an insurance co or broker onboard!!!!! It will require 25 of you to find £200 each, yes I know it's a load of money, but we are talking Tuscan racing here, and it's bloody expensive!! and we want our driver to have a chance to do well....yes!, then that's what it will cost PER ROUND. All those that raise the required funds will be invited to the race they have helped to fund, and will be asked to "sign the car", be part of the team for the weekend and have a real involvement plus a bloody good time, evening entertainment is a must, but no drinks for the driver!!, team rules. The car will be in a full "Pistonheads" decal format, and with all the names signed on it , should look mega! 5 rounds would be a 1000 signed names!!!!!!!!!

Look guy's, this is just an idea, there may not be the kind of support we need to achive this, but it's worth asking. Let's also hear from the likes of Rocket Rob and the other young drivers that i know are keen to get out there, what do you think?, are you prepared to try and make this work? or is it just another half pissed idea?

[TUSCAN 29]

PetrolTed said: Variations on this theme have been suggested to me on numerous occasions. To make it attractive to people you'd need the following:

1) A driver who is capable of finishing in the top 5

2) A good looking car

3) A package that gives them something for their money.

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1) Agreed, but if i can come 8th, then as long as he/she is 20 years younger,and can see properly that will do it ( a Nat A and no brain will also help)

2) No problem here, and it's painted black, should work out a treat

3) Yes, the £200 needs to go on the car, so extra funds will be needed for accom, beer, food, beer, travel, beer, lap dancers, beer, bucket, detol, clean pistonhead polo shirts etc, and thats just friday!!!

The group per race must be 25, you can join in as many times as you can stump up £200 plus the ex's. I would say that you could blow £400+ but what a weekend!! Think of other ways to aquire funds, maybe bring a client or customer along, and get your office or work to pay, or at least get a contribution!! Maybe 2/3/4 of you can club together, share the driving and fuel/travel costs, bring a tent, whatever, all you need is the desire to do it, and you'll find ways to achive it.

For that weekend, you will be the team, we will ask those of you who wish to help out to join in, and your driver will benefit from all the attention, it will push him to do his best, trust me i know how drivers ego's work!! On track we will have our mobile workshop and hospitality unit, together with the basics, tea, coffee, etc etc, and we muck in and help out when we need to, otherwise we are free to watch all the other racing that's taking place, GT's F3, and some other crap, oops!! didn't mean that, sorry!

So what do you get for your money, a great expirience, the knowledge that without you your driver would not be racing, a load of fun , a good piss up or two and crabs, but I've got cream for those, 4 day course and no after effects, £3.50 a jar!!!

A lot of race fans talk the talk, but as they said in that great film "platoon", can you walk the walk??? Quite a few tvr owners club members have tried very hard to do this or something simular but nobody has really done it yet, can pistonheaders suceed where others have failed? It's up to you boy's and girl's or "are you gunna be happy to eat the peanuts out of my s***" ( platoon again, love that film!) no insults intended, just wanted to use the quote,

>> Edited by TUSCAN 29 on Sunday 27th April 01:12

[TUSCAN 29]

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Ted, judging by the responses so far, would you (a) take on the role of "Pistonheads race team co-ordinator, and (b) consider placing this project on the pistonheads home page so that we can reach as many people as possible? I would suggest that all concerned be prepared to allow Ted to set the framework for driver selection, entertainment, and fundraising/ distribution, but please bear in mind that a driver with Tuscan experience would be cheaper to insure then one that has never driven one,and if you want to see the Pistonheads car on the podium or on the top step for that matter, then you need to choose a driver that can win!In addition, he must have a national A licence, and be able to fund his 25% share of the costs which we will need to cover deposits,team costs,hospitality,car decals and one off preparation/race ready costs. Ted, there are a number of "T's" to cross and "i's" to dot relating to set up costs, driver insurance, accident damage, etc etc, and we need to be looking at the number of race weekends we can do, for the more we can commit to the cheaper it becomes. I don't want to jump the gun, or over excite everyone, but lets say that if one could set this up for the last 6 race weekends, be it with one driver or with 2 or 3 of your choice, we would need 6x25 sponsors, that's 150 @ £200, or 25 racing nutcases @ £1200. Just wanted to put that in everybodies mind, it's attention grabbing isn't it??

[TUSCAN 29]

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Two quick snippits to pass on, Petrol Ted and I have had a chat and we are now working on some of the finer details so we can present you with a more defined set of proposals, watch this or in fact a more prominent space within the next few days.

Thanks to all of you for the support you have given to this idea, it's still early days, with no guarantee of success, but your reactions have pushed us to the next stage, lets keep our fingers crossed!!!

My usual race partner, Jan Persson is unable to be at Croft, he's pissing about in the Middle East flogging oil pipe joints or something, anyway his place will be taken by Lawrence Tomlinson as a one off for the Croft race. LT has driven Tuscans in the past and knows what they are like so it shouldn't be too much of a shock to him. His main racing is in Radicals, umm! Still we will forgive him for that and wish him good luck and a safe weekend.

[TUSCAN 29]

PetrolTed said:

It's also important to me to secure a capable driver. I've dipped in my pocket before to watch someone tool around at the back of the grid and then crash.

29............... so you don't want me then!!!

PetrolTed said:

If we can establish the concept and credibility of the 'PistonHeads' car and perhaps gain some notoriety from the concept than future excursions may attract corporate sponsorship to make things cheaper.

29............... To get any type of additional sponsorship, we will not only require a driver that can mix it with the front runners, we need one that can win, that brings your choices of driver into very sharp focus, and since we would need to have a very expirenced Tuscan driver to keep the insurance down to an affordable level, only two or three come to mind.