zipford champs '03

[Super Tourer]

ghetto

I don't disagree that dedication is a vital factor. But motorsport is probably one of the few sports, where you can put in 110% effort and still get kicked in the teeth.

Certainly the young kids today are much more streetwise, and confident enough to keep knocking on doors - but it's soul destroying, it takes a very special person to keep picking themselves up from that - maybe they are the ones who will make it?

From a teams point of view, I think just about everyone in the paddock has taken a 'flier' on a quick determined kid with enough budget to last till the end of this post! Only to see them go off at the first lap, take three corners off the car and no money to fix it.

I do admire the really dedicated racers but however motivated they are, they still need the cash and the higher you go the harder it gets. The jump from FRenault to F3 being the usual stumbling block, as then we are going from a decent fFord budget plus a bit, up to serious money territory......

[ghettosuperstar]

I see where you are coming from - particualarly when you pointed out that the ones that keep picking themselves up are the ones that will make it. They may not be the ones that make it but that is certainly a needed strength to get to the top. The point I have been trying to prove is that this is not a poor persons sport it never has been and never will be. the point I make about determination being the number one factor is shown very well by Mohammed ali. He said - " I am the greatest golfer to have ever lived - I just havnt played the game yet". Stirling Moss makes a similar point - (30 years ago) " I know I can run the four minute mile - I am no athlete in any sense of the word but i know that if i dedicated everything I had, I could do it".

[Super Tourer]

Fair comment, but you can buy golf clubs for £100 and practise your swing on your front lawn day and night for free. Similarly you buy a set of trainers and pound the pavements for free - all these take dedication and effort, but are ultimately acheivable and accessible by anyone.

The progression is also easy, you can tool up at your local golf club to measure yourself against other's for £20. You can join your local running club to measure your pace.

This is where motorsport differs. You can't compete fullstop without a substantial outlay, and the costs rise the further you want to go. Dedication won't pay for a season of FRenault.

Whereas if you want to run a 4 minute mile, you dedicate and train until you can either do it, or you can't.

You're right, motorsport is not a poor man's sport, never has been. Which is why I am mystified why kids with no money want to race, and more to the point expect someone else to pay for it......

I know seveal examples of kid's who didn't have the price of their petrol home (literally), who fruitlessly pursued their dream - this is where the difference between dedication and reality is important. Many of them sacrificed their education for racing, and have no qualifications. Now they are in their early 20's, stuck in dead end jobs, or will spend the rest of their day's instructing.

[powerflowmotors]

So how about answering the originalo thread!!? Who is going to win the zipford championship next year? The cars certainly are going to look a hell of a lot better than they did this year!

[holaguapa]

they say that thers going to be a few of the top kartists going to zip next year so its going to be very intresting! I know that ian parsons may be comming in, he did well in the winter series, but i think some people are staying on for a second year, Chris dent, has had some reasnoble results, Tim Bridgman has faired quite well and if he stays on, he sgould be a force to be recond with. There is some of the jica kartists coming in, so there going to be qiuck too, it should be intretsting to watch. well see next year!!!!

[powerflowmotors]

There were a few drivers that looked strong in the latter part of this season including Bridgman and also Fisher and even Redfern got a result at Brands Hatch which made zips look a bit bad as he couldnt drive a lawnmower but I think next year is going to be a real close battle because of the drivers staying on for a second year which means there isnt going to be anyone learning faster than anyone else as the learning has ben done.

Parsons certainly goes well in a kart I hear, but I dont know if that really means much just by looking at his performance in the fford winter series....