Life for team owners Ron Dixon and Kane Williams has never been dull, racing is in their blood but now it takes on a whole new meaning, the moving into a new race shop in Indianapolis, a two car Firestone Indy Lights Team entered for 2010 Championship and time rapidly approaching for the hosting of the Team PBIR (Palm Beach Indy Racing) first ever Rookie Challenge.
Commencing on the evening of March 16th in an official opening ceremony under lights in a big top erected trackside all the challenge drivers, local Palm Beach county council staff and stars will be gathered in attendance. The challenge will be held with the teams four fully rebuilt Formula BMW single seater racecars and will be run over a full week starting on track the very next morning March 17th. Drivers will have multiple runs in the cars during the challenge clocking over 150 miles in total track time around the 2-mile long 11 turn road course to find two up and coming stars for the world of Motorsports.
The challenge will push the entrants to the limit, with a large amount of seat time for the driver but also test them in their physical fitness with renowned driver trainer Jim Leo from Pit Fit in Indianapolis putting them through their paces in a far different way for a full day of the challenge.
Drivers will also go face to face with a panel of media experts including leading sports broadcaster Jack Arute, award winning Motorsport Producer from New Zealand David Turner and Chuck Elderd, Film Commissioner for the Palm Beach County who will be looking at their skills away from the track and their off track awareness along with a one on one interview situation. A panel of driver experts will be examining them on the track and in their actual driving techniques and feedback to the team.
Entries have now been received from as far a field as Ireland, Canada, New Zealand and the US and it is US based drivers that make up the biggest numbers so far but there are still places remaining for any driver from any where that has an interest in becoming part of the challenge. However when you look around at the overall lack of US born drivers in major open wheel competition currently this surely is a great way for them to become part of something that has a big future for the successful drivers when you consider the two great prizes options that are at stake. The first Rookie Challenge is certainly real, it is happening in just under two weeks time in what will be a great talent search and a chance for drivers to showcase their talents. No one else is running an event quite like this and the aim is to have every driver go away with something from the week that will assist them more in their driving career.
The Palm Beach Rookie Challenge will offer two drive options for the successful drivers. One in the younger age group of 15 – 18 years of age and one for the 18 and over. The younger driver will be presented with the chance to become a member of the team under a ladder scheme starting with US F2000 this season, while the second driver will become part of the Team’s Firestone Indy Lights program for 2010 and hit the track as early as the following week in St Petersburg * subject to Indy Racing League approval.
Team PBIR offers entrants the chance to participate in the challenge for a cost of just $7,500 USD per entry which will includes accident insurance limiting the competitor’s liability across the challenge. This is an extremely rare chance to be behind the wheel of a modern race car over many miles, become part of a television pilot show that is also been shot on location around the challenge and of course the two great prize options which make the 2010 running of the Palm Beach Indy Racing Rookie Challenge a stand out event for any driver wanting to progress their career. “I am extremely excited that this event is all go and to have it happen it’s now only weeks away. To be able to offer this chance to so many of the young drivers out there today is a great feeling and then to have two of them join our team for the balance of 2010 is just awesome”. said Team Co Owner Ron Dixon.
Drivers that are interested in entering the 2010 Challenge should contact Kane Williams Co Owner of Team PBIR directly on 561 797 3999 at the teams race shop in Indianapolis there are still some seats available and also check out the teams website for the latest news on the event and progress across the season.
www.palmbeachindyracing.com
