hidden racing talent returns
If you dream of taking the chequered flag or tasting victory champagne then your dreams could come true in 2008 as the VXR Racing Driver of Year competition returns.
Vauxhall are challenging people from all walks of life, including housewives, accountants or even vets to pull on a helmet and grab the opportunity to win a full season of racing in 2009 supported by the car manufacturer.
The prize, worth £80,000 will see the eventual winner take a coveted seat in the 2009 Dunlop Sport Maxx Production Car Cup, a major feeder series to the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC).
Not only that, the victor will receive expert mentoring and guidance from members of VX Racing’s BTCC driver line-up, which in 2008 includes touring car legend and reigning Champion Fabrizio Giovanardi, former double Champion Matt Neal and rising-star Tom Onslow-Cole.
Last year John Allison, a 34-year-old mortgage consultant from Beverley, East Yorkshire, beat more than 10,000 other competitors to become a Vauxhall driver and win a season behind the wheel of an Astra VXR. John is now making his final preparations as he counts down to the first round of the 2008 Dunlop Sport Maxx Production Car Cup at Snetterton later this month.
Vauxhall’s Richard Hughes said: “Opportunities to become a fully-fledged racing driver are few and far between, it’s not the kind of job you see advertised in your local newspaper! It’s all about finding undiscovered talent, with real potential – we’ll then turn them into the finished product.
“It’s also more than just being quick on the track. You must be able to offer excellent feedback to engineers and be confident with the media. In 2007 we discovered these qualities in John, and this year VXR aim to do the same again and offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to someone who has never had the chance to showcase their ability before.”
2007 winner John Allison said: “Signing-up for last year’s competition was the best decision I’ve ever made. In a matter of months I’ve gone from armchair enthusiast to racing driver, I cannot wait to make my debut on track at Snetterton later this month. Anyone thinking about entering should get online and submit their entry right away.”
Registration is now live, to do this, visit vxrdriver.co.uk. From this, 1,620 successful applicants will be put through their paces in the karting semi-finals, before 15 finalists are selected for the intensive three-day final.
VXR Racing Driver of the Year is open to enter for anyone over the age of 21, who has never held a racing licence. Full terms and conditions are available on the website.
For more information on the 2008 VXR Racing Driver of the Year competition, visit vxrdriver.co.uk. The competition is open to all drivers over the age of 21 who have never held an MSA racing license.
The VXR Racing Driver of the Year competition attracted more than 10,000 entrants in 2007. 2,000 of these went on to compete in regional karting semi-finals for one of the coveted 12 places in the Grand Final. The finalists headed to a special three-day boot camp, which included tasks at a Territorial Army centre, media training and press conferences, plus driving elements at Bedford Autodrome.
The 2007 winner, 34-year-old mortgage consultant John Allison from Beverley, East Yorkshire will represent VXR in the 2008 Dunlop Sport Maxx Production Car Cup. John will drive a Vauxhall Astra VXR prepared by the VXRacing team, Triple Eight.
The competition was filmed by ITV, who produced two one-hour programmes focusing on the final stages of the competition. The shows will be broadcast on ITV4 on the following dates:
· Episode 1 (repeat): Sunday 5 April, 17.00 – 18.00
· Episode 2: Sunday 13 April, 17.30 – 18.30 (after live BTCC)
· Episode 2 (repeat): Sunday 19 April, 17.00 – 18.00
