Having fielded numerous inquiries about Formula Ford during the winter off season Motorsport Solutions plans a Formula Ford Expo Day at their premises adjacent to the Powerbuilt Tools Raceway at Ruapuna Park in Christchurch during September. The Expo will include advice on everything necessary to race in Formula Ford this season, either at national or South Island level.
By attending the Expo, aspiring drivers and their supporters will receive specialist advice on driving techniques from Crawford and also Andrew Neal (Canterbury Motor Racing School) who also offers a comprehensive one on one training program. Also there will be information available for the necessary budgets required and tips on preparing for the season.
Motorsport Solutions boss John Crawford, a former national Formula Ford Champion, says that the old route of starting out in tin tops and working up to a V8 Supercar drive is no longer the way to go. “Just look at most of the current bunch (of Supercar drivers). Formula Ford is the only place the teams over there are looking when they select their new drivers. Formula Ford still teaches the skills necessary to race a car at that level – Van Gisbergen, Gaunt, Reid for example – they’re all very versatile drivers and it was Formula Ford that taught them the skills necessary to race at that level.’’
Crawford is passionate about Formula Ford and his team has guided several drivers to New Zealand Championship honors, but he believes that the New Zealand Formula Ford landscape has become confused with a lot of misinformation circulating about the class.
“Formula Ford is here to stay, it’s the only place for a driver looking for a career opportunity,” he says. He also believes that karting is the ideal background for an aspiring Formula Ford racer. “Karting can be proud of the driving standards they’ve achieved over the past few seasons. Often drivers who are young are also impetuous and kart racing officials have clamped down on driving standards, which is good for Formula Ford with fewer crashes than in the past.’’
Motorsport Solutions personnel will be available at the Expo to advise on the different levels of support they can offer from the best-equipped Formula Ford workshop in New Zealand. Packages for the coming season are available to suit all requirements from a full “works’’ drive, through to a support package where your team runs the car with Motorsport Solutions guidance and assistance when required.
The Expo will be held on a date to be advised in September and for those seriously interested there will be cars available to drive. A number of key motorsport figures will attend, including a representative from Motorsport New Zealand, and there will be the opportunity to speak with past and present drivers.
Motorsport Solutions has recently been awarded the New Zealand agency for the championship winning Mygale chassis, and Crawford is working on creating an awards system similar to the Arrow Award in kart racing.
