Martin Galpin | Racing Driver | number66.net

I’ve written a lot recently about the various motorsport scholarships on offer in British motorsport. Well, now there is a new addition (kind of) – The 2009 Dunlop Race Academy and the prize is a fully funded drive in the 2010 Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup.

I say “kind of” because the Dunlop Race Academy has in fact been around since 2004. This year, however, is the first year in which the academy will focus on drivers who have already started their motorsport careers (that is, competition license holders). In previous years, only drivers with no prior motorsport experience have been eligible.

Arguably the Academy’s leading light is 2005 winner Simon Shaw, who has since been class Champion in the Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup before finishing runner-up overall in this years Championship.

So how does the 2009 Dunlop Race Academy work?

Well, it is the self-proclaimed Motorsport’s version of the ‘X Factor’ and from what I can gather the application process reflects that.

Each applicant is being asked to submit an “audition video of themselves online”. The Dunlop Race Academy Judges (currently unannounced – although previous judges have included GT-racer Callum Lockie, Mark Hales and Simon Shaw) are then expected to monitor the early season performance of the applicants and together with individual online votes (the exact ratio has not yet been announced) select six finalist drivers in June, one from each region of the country.

Following this, the finalists will be subject to a full day assessment and evaluation by the Dunlop Race Academy Judges where the six finalists will be reduced to just three.

Lastly, each of the three finalists will receive a drive in one of the final three Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup races of 2009. Ultimately, the overall winner will be the driver who most impresses the Judges during their weekend in the Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup and the recipient of a fully funded drive in the 2010 Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup.

And what do I make of it?

Well, first of all I think that Dunlop should be applauded for continuing its support for young racing drivers during this time of economic disaster. I think also, they should be applauded for offering opportunities to those both complete novices and those already involved within motorsport.

The Academy’s ambitious, X-Factor style, application process is probably unlikely to capture the nations attention with the same fondness that Simon Cowell‘s and Louis Walsh‘s did. However, if it encourages public interaction with the sport, at any level, this should be seen as positive.

And what is more, by encompassing online votes, the process becomes more transparent than any other scholarship out there. Sure, the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award does, in theory, include an element of public voting but such votes are considered an “indication” of which drivers to consider, rather than a means of selection. Again, this is extremely positive from Dunlop.

And last, the prize of a fully funded drive in 2010 is very unusual indeed. In fact, the Racing Steps Foundation are the only other party to offer such opportunity as neither the BRDC Rising Stars, BRDC Super Stars, MSA British Race Elite nor the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholarship does so.

What next?

As more details emerge, I will start work on my own application. Until then, I will continue to concentrate on making a memorable start to the year when National Formula Ford 1600 kicks off at Anglesey in April. Having worked more than 60-days straight (no days off) up until Christmas last year, I’m working as hard as I can to make the most of 2009.

I’ve already won one championship with Dunlop tyres – I’d like the opportunity to win another.

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