Junior Series

[Robin_D]

After dealing with the incident and the reading the star letter in Autosport this week about a junior Ginetta driver who broke his leg and and ankle in a smash at brands, I was wondering what was the general thought on these junior series?

I'm not out to bash them in anyway but I wondered what the masses thought.

Is 14 too young to race cars?

[tim dodwell]

Personally, I don't agree with it. The pressure seems to on youngsters nowadays to join adulthood too early - probably by those who want to tap into the over-stuffed wallets of some parents.
Also in this case, I suspect motorsport is trying to fill the void that has been created by so many competitors leaving - due to the extreme costs now faced (high entry fees, bodywork and component repairs, tyres, annual "safety" upgrades, and performance upgrades needing to keep up) plus aggro with all the work and traffic jams to + from meetings. However, how much younger can they go?
We ought to leave the kart formulae for those kids (with wealthy parents) to have fun in - it has worked fine for many years. The whole idea could backfire if the youngsters see all the aggro we face, and decide not to go much further!

[R59]

What he said!

[carrera]

Originally Posted by Robin_D

Is 14 too young to race cars?

Isn't it absurd that they are not allowed to walk in the pit lane or stand and watch others from the pit wall, but they are allowed to race cars!

[Col_Rugby]

Originally Posted by tim dodwell

However, how much younger can they go?

Maybe a pram/buggy series or championship is not that far off?

It's not just motorsport that is pushing for next generation of competitors to be younger & younger. We read of professional football clubs "signing" 7,8,9 year olds to their acadamies. Swimmers are getting younger & younger, IMHO in some sports when you reach 18 or 20 you're over the hill & past it.
Totally agree with Tim that there is too much pressure to become an "adult" too young.

On the flip side it does give them an interest to focus their energies on. Stops the chance of falling foul of the law for some. I know there will be exceptions to this.Hopefully some mechincal skills that can be carried through to a career? Driving skills that will stand them in good stead for when they get a road licence. An understanding of how dangerous a vehicle/speed can be. A respect of other drivers/people that they come into contact with.

It's an excellent question Rob & one that has very good arguements for & against. I hope this turns into a good debate.

[tim dodwell]

There is also another danger - increasing the number of young "joy"riders, when some that do not have rich parents see what their peers can do.

[nyssa7]

As someone whose 8 year old has just started karting (indoor only but already wiping the floor with me), I guess I have some interest in what options I might need to budget for in the future if the little blighter keeps getting faster

From what I can tell, injury accidents of this ilk are thankfully very rare amongst the "kid" racers or I suppose this incident wouldn't have been highlighted. Told the missus about this, she cried the first time littl'un went karting, panicked when he drove into the all at the end of the straight - but as she said to me, how many kids break legs playing football? Hell, one of his mates broke his leg last year playing tennis!

Whether we like it or not, if someone has talent in any field, be it sporting or academic, surely the earlier this is nurtured, the more chance of success that person will have? I'm more worried as to how I can fund his driving in the future when I have enough trouble funding my own

I have no aspirations on him being the next Master Hamilton, LH's a one-off, but if it helps him have a successful club racing career, who wouldn't have wanted the best start possible. And if he loses interest in driving along the way, at least he's got something now I can use as an incentive/bribe to get extra homework out of him

[Kieran20]

with respect i think what has been said here personally is poor to doubt young racers when this kind of accident that happened to cavan corcoran (Ginetta Driver who broke his leg and ankle) could have happened to anyone racing in any series in that situation.

unfortunatley for cav he came down paddock to find cars going left right and centre, and with in a spit second he had hit a stationary car at 90mph.

Cav has been my team mate this year in Ginetta, im 17 and only just made it into the series this year, cav turned 14 in august, and was automatically within a second of my pace, when testing first time out. he is a very talented driver, and unlike the others his age is up there middle to the front end of the grid, knocking in cosistent laps.

The safety of the Junior Ginetta has been questioned by many who have looked at his car, however i am aware that Ginetta are stepping up on this for the 2008 chassis next season.

Cavans injuries were caused by his feet being trapped by the pedals, as a result of the foot well caving in.

Having raced this year in the junior series, the mojority of drivers are very fair, clean and sensible, and i find nothing wrong with how the season has been, this one incident is all that happened, and in reality could have happened in any race, as everyone makes a mistake!

ive seen others spin at paddock hill bend, some of the experianced drivers, if they were collected the same could have happened, i see it no reason to start laying in to junior racing.

i wish Cav a speedy recovery, his leg is already healed and his ankle which is in a frame will hopefully be free after christmas, which is far earlier than estimated by the doctors, who esitmated 3 - 9 months.

[Robin_D]

I was at paddock that day and agree that it could of happened in any series and more often than not has already. The car stood up amazingly well and Cavan was just unlucky that his feet were trapped.

Anyway I digress, I like the junior series (although T - Cars bore me) and the racing is generally great although there are one or two bad eggs that need showing where they are going wrong. Naming no names though.

I think we can see some future stars coming through the ranks and personally think that the Jun Gin's move into the Toca package can only make it grow.

Kieran, well done for the Winter Series victory and Good luck for next year.

[Kieran20]

Originally Posted by Robin_D

I was at paddock that day and agree that it could of happened in any series and more often than not has already. The car stood up amazingly well and Cavan was just unlucky that his feet were trapped.

Anyway I digress, I like the junior series (although T - Cars bore me) and the racing is generally great although there are one or two bad eggs that need showing where they are going wrong. Naming no names though.

I think we can see some future stars coming through the ranks and personally think that the Jun Gin's move into the Toca package can only make it grow.

Kieran, well done for the Winter Series victory and Good luck for next year.

having looked at cavs car the footwell appears to have crumpled a bit more than anticipated, which in turn did his feet. he is on his way to a full recovery however.

thanks Robin

[Alan Brown]

These young drivers are aping their older brethren in touring cars. Many of them overtake by barging their way through. Look at the dents and the discarded spoilers/rear valances. People who regularly stand on the inside of Druids at Brands will recall numerous occasions when drivers come up fast on the inside, partly on the grass, and then use their "opponent" as a means of stopping themselves going straight on into the gravel.

[Kieran20]

Originally Posted by Alan Brown

These young drivers are aping their older brethren in touring cars. Many of them overtake by barging their way through. Look at the dents and the discarded spoilers/rear valances. People who regularly stand on the inside of Druids at Brands will recall numerous occasions when drivers come up fast on the inside, partly on the grass, and then use their "opponent" as a means of stopping themselves going straight on into the gravel.

well, the Ginettas seemed to have been quite good this year, i know saxmax has its repuations, and t cars, well there just isnt a grid.

really, as always in motor racing, you get those drivers who try anything, and you get those who are decent and fair, in any series, at any age its the same. i think its too easy to critisise drivers because of their age, but really its the same in, many other series, including f1, champ car, indy car etc.

again, as having raced in the junior ginettas this year, i cannot express enough some of the quality that the majority of drivers are at such a young age, especially my team mate cavan, who im not just talking about because hes a good mate, but because he never threw it off the track, he was also quick, and very sensible. its sad that his first DNF was his crash at Brands!

again i fully support the junior series, i think its great to allow young drivers to drive cars and tracks like donington and brands at 14 years old.

[R59]

In one way, I fully applaud those that get into the sport at a young age.

However, I feel that much of the "problem" with junior series is a follow-on from "Karting Dad Syndrome" where the talented (or not) youngster is pushed to do things that the father wasn't capable of, but wanted to do.

Drivers like cav, and kieran are the future of the sport, but please oh please dads, don't push them too far too quick, let them develop, let them learn, help them learn.

Chucking them in at the deep end - sink or swim - in some ways, I don't think is fair in that it may not bring out the champions in them!

Rob.

[gravel_monkey]

this year i marshalled a test day and a race day for the ginetta juniors. my feelings are mixed really. i feel the idea of junior champs are good, get the guys used to car racing as early as possible to give them the best start in motorsport. i just think it needs to be looked after better. not in regards to the championship org but the drivers themselves. iam not bashing them as i know they they are inexperienced but i have to say some of the driving standards were close to being called dangerous. it did seem to be the same few cars through the whole weekend that were up to shannanigans shall we say, i do think them guys need to be sat down and just probably coached a bit more as they have the bottle for racing but at the moment not the brains. on the other side i will happily state in the same series i seen some great driving, car control and racing so i guess its like anything, rough with the smooth


on an edited point, it does seem that some of the guys in these series are making it, a certain mr palmer and brundle in fpa, even though their dads have a big say in that one but the kids were not slow by anymeans. mr bacheta along with them all in palmer audi. i have been told on good authority ( her dad) one of the girls from saxmax is going to asian formula renault and of course, correct me if iam wrong but mr chilton straight into f3 from t-cars! they are making it!