Driver Talent V's Daddy's Cash?

[krusty1]

AFL many years ago introduced a salary cap for teams to limit the money grabbing from players and clubs to give themselves an advantage. I know that the Team Budget Cap has been discussed but will this stop drivers from being catapulted into top teams and top drives based on the amount of cash that they or their parents can bring to the team.

Who has driven their way to their position and not relied on the 'talent' shown by their bank balances??

Are we missing out on seeing an array of amazing driving talent just because someones wallet is full?

[Armco Bender]

Try racing a V8 without a full wallet.

[pink_bits]

What a great thread to start, I think you have opened up many avenues of duscussion here.

There are A LOT of talented drivers out there aiming for the top that just simply do not have the money or resources to help them, or parents business's etc.
There should be more programms run like Cams Rising star, but is more aimed at talented young drivers that do not have the money or sponsorship backing, to get into V8's. A classic exapmle of someone who has had to work their way to the top simply by working hard and prooving talent is Autobarn driver Steve Owen. His come a long way, there is an interview Steve did in 2004 which really opens your eyes up to the struggle of trying to get a drive in V8's. I will try and get the link.

Also Im not 100% on Jason Brights story but I believe when he was young his family re mortgaged the family home to help him. Hows that for dedication. These are the boys that we should really be congratulating on their efforts and struggle into V8's.

Does anyone else have story's like this that shows of someone's pure dedication and talent?

[pink_bits]

Originally Posted by Armco Bender

Try racing a V8 without a full wallet.

Yes and there out there believe it or not!

[Armco Bender]

Full Wallets?

[pink_bits]

Noooo I mean there are drivers out there in V8's and other categorys that have not always had full wallets or who have sacrificed heavily to get there..

[krusty1]

there is a difference between working your way to the top and ensuring you have a drive based on cash deposits.

How many drivers are generational drivers, daddy used to drive or daddy owns the team. Do you seriously think that Brad Jones would get a drive elsewhere? Do you think that Todd and Rick would both be in the top series at such a young age if there was less cash there?

whatever happened to doing things like Jason Bargwanna- news was that he used to work as a new car salesman while driving for GRM...

I think you need to earn you way... Not pay your way.

[Armco Bender]

Bags of money will always compensate for a lack of talent.

Speedy Thexton was a great example of that.......and it was his own $$$$$

[krusty1]

[QUOTE=Armco Bender]Bags of money will always compensate for a lack of talent.

Hopefully the realise that the only reason they are there is for the cash and there are no illusions as to their abilities...

It is nice to see someone like Steve O getting into a car that is worth driving and him earn his way there. I am a true Blue Blood Ford but I admire his determination and hope that he does really well. Professionally I think he deserves it!!

[Armco Bender]

Murph is a good example of getting there on talent not money.

[krusty1]

Isn't Murph related to the owner of the Tasman motorsport team?

Who else?


Maybe there are more than I think, maybe I just don't like Tod or Rick.

[Bimmerhead]

You've forgotten junior Johnson.......

[krusty1]

Yeah true, junior would have been given his marching orders by now had it not been for daddy!! Right...

[Silver 3]

The money relate far more to creating the opportunity to show and develop your wares. If you are able to fund a top class Kart campaign the step into Formula Ford with the resources to use the best support available you are a long way ahead of somebody stuggling to even but a car let alone campaign it at the required level to show any talent.Even better if you can keep funding a development series car or spend even more in Carrera Cup.Start a list of under 30 y.o. drivers that fits into these catgories - or should I say name some(one) that does not.

[Onlooker]

News Flash : People int he world with resources do better than those that dont


Ahh Tennis ,Golf, sailing, olympic athlete ,University etc , it always comes down to those that can and those that cant.

It is one thing to have the oppurtunity handed to you on a plate, how pathetic if you even still dont have hte talent to make it work for you




Good post for a bunch of jeleaous people who would not have cut it even if they had the chance to vent their feelings.

Do you think Peter Brock would have been able to drive if the old man didnt run a garage, or seto if the old man didnt have a race car, or what a coincedence that all the Brabhams drive blah blah blah

[tiko]

Originally Posted by pink_bits

What a great thread to start, I think you have opened up many avenues of duscussion here.

There are A LOT of talented drivers out there aiming for the top that just simply do not have the money or resources to help them, or parents business's etc.
There should be more programms run like Cams Rising star, but is more aimed at talented young drivers that do not have the money or sponsorship backing, to get into V8's. A classic exapmle of someone who has had to work their way to the top simply by working hard and prooving talent is Autobarn driver Steve Owen. His come a long way, there is an interview Steve did in 2004 which really opens your eyes up to the struggle of trying to get a drive in V8's. I will try and get the link.

Also Im not 100% on Jason Brights story but I believe when he was young his family re mortgaged the family home to help him. Hows that for dedication. These are the boys that we should really be congratulating on their efforts and struggle into V8's.

Does anyone else have story's like this that shows of someone's pure dedication and talent?

I think what many people fail to understand when discussing this topic is that motor racing is nothing like football, cricket or any other profession for that matter. The most any mother or father will have to do in football and cricket is buy equipment to get going and generally not many large costs are required after the principal purchase.

I dont think there are any drivers in the V8Supercar pitlane where their parents bought their first go-kart or their first race car. You see with a sport like cricket a cricketer can make it to the top with the same, bat, the same pads etc. But a in motor racing you cant. It is completely unrealistic to think that any more than 20% of the field actually used their own money earnt by working in the workforce to pave the way for a racing career!

Sure the CAMS rising start programs are great but little do many people relaise is that CAMS/AMSF contribute less than 20% of the the budget required to race the car. It just so happens that the two national CAMS rising stars this year, their families have and still contribute significantly to running budget of the racing car. The conditions of CAMS rising star are that the "star" has to be able to contribute significantly to the running costs!

In the case of Jason Bright, sure the family didnt have millions of dollars, but they may have re-mortaged their home, so without the help of his parents, Jason Bright wouldn't be a race car driver. Same with Greg Murphy, somehow the family found the funds to buy early race cars and karts. So just about every single driver has had significant support from their parents to get them to their current level.

Lets table the current drivers including co-drivers and their occupations:
Ingall - Race Driver Youlden - Driving Insturctor
Skaife & Tander - Race Driver
Ja Richards & A Jones - Race Driver
Courtney & Seton - Race Driver
Brabham & Halliday - Race Driver
Bright & Winterbottom - Race Driver
S Richards & Dumbrell - Race Driver
Wilson & Besnard - Race Driver
Bargwanna & Baird - Race Driver
Perkins & Price - Apprentice
B Jones & Bowe - Race Driver
Porter & Brede - Race Driver
R Kelly & T Kelly - Race Driver
Tratt - Race Driver Dalberto - Apprentice
S Johnson & W Davison - Race Driver
A Davison - Race Driver Denyer - TV/Race Driver
Marshall & Webb - Race Driver
Briscoe & Ji Richards - Race Driver
O Kelly - Manager Noske - Truck Driver
Luff - Race Driver Macrow - Go-Kart engine builder
Fernandez - Race Driver Ricciardello - Mechanic
Ritter - Builder Scifleet - Race Driver
Holdsworth - Mechanic Canto - Race Driver
Gurr - Signwriter Scott - Race Driver
Pretty - Race Driver/Instructor Weel - Fabricator
Murphy & McConville - Race Driver
Owen - Race Driver Longhurst - Entrepreneur
Morris - Race Driver/Pilot Ellery - Race Driver
Radisich - Race Driver Coulthard - Mechanic
Simonsen & Lyons - Race Driver
Lowndes & Whincup - Race Driver

However their are known driver who have made their way with minimal support from family backing:
Ingall, Winterbottom, Owen, Lowndes

[Pro Racer]

Murphy did it pretty hard i got a DVD where Brocky went to Murph's house and interviewed him last year and murphs cart was second hand and he didnt get new tyres for the cart him and his dad used to buy other peoples second hand tyres in reasonable condition and they used to get all excited getting the second hand stuff,so i would say Murph has done it largely on talent.

i don't know to much about other driver's but lowndesy started off as a carpenter or something like that.most of the other guys who have made it through talent had jobs as a mechanic.

Paul Dumbrell only kept his job at perkins through daddy's money but he has now matured in to a pretty goood race driver.same as paul weel he wouldnt of been racing for as long as he did if it wasnt for his and daddy's money.

[Chatters]

Good idea to start this thread.

Look, most drivers these days had to work their way up to be competitive. Most of those who aren't competitive are the ones who have cash behind them, and didn't need to hone their skills on a kart track to become who they are: A good driver.

[Pro Racer]

Marcus Marshall is a daddy's boy he was last in champ car and last in v8's the only one ive seen him at the front was in a1.

[Silver 3]

[QUOTE=tiko]I think what many people fail to understand when discussin
I dont think there are any drivers in the V8Supercar pitlane where their parents bought their first go-kart or their first race car.


You are kidding -right? The talent getting thru is in the minority and those that come thru without sheer money behind them come with a father with mechanical aptitude that helps to at least provide some of the opportunity.No one is going to fund a motor racing career on the basic wage and the are some great examples of those that beat the odds and good on them. Just spare a thought for the talent that is frustrated out of the sport thru lack of funds.Equally be a little mindfull that some would have never have even got close without the money behind them. As some one much wiser than me once said "motor racing is the most unfair sport man ever invented".

[buza]

Originally Posted by pwr fan

Paul Dumbrell only kept his job at perkins through daddy's money but he has now matured in to a pretty goood race driver.same as paul weel he wouldnt of been racing for as long as he did if it wasnt for his and daddy's money.

Money only get's you so far, I think it's far to say both Paul's, both had some talent to keep them there to, as much as "Daddy's Money" help's, if they don't have talent the team's wont be keeping them.

[Chatters]

That's also true. While some people pay their way into V8 Supercars, they can then gain an understanding of the sport and become much better. Look at Dumbrell, his effort this year is bloody brilliant, even if his dad did give him his first drive.

[Placebo]

Without a bucket of money behind you, it's hard to get to this level, and harder to stay there long enough to become established.
Canto is a classic example. Got there with talent but got dropped.
Went back to Development Series - won it again - and fortunately given another chance with GRM. Now he's showing enough to hopefully be given a chance to consolidate. And up until he moved to Melbourne this year to be a full-time driver for Garry Rogers, Dean worked full-time in his father's Smash Repair business.
Without Dumbrell's money, would Larry have been so patient while he got to where he is now? Who knows?

[Eng01]

The easiest way to make a small fortune in racinng is to start with a large one. Lets be serious here it take money to race, I enjoy the odd kart race and know of people who are spending $30K per year on their sons/daughters race career. There are so many frustrated race drivers out there who are now well off fathers that spend the money and if you are one of the ones who dosen't then your kid will always be slower.

I think some of you guys have it wrong, talent will only get you so far money will take you anywhere. Want to drive F1 bring $30M and an average driver and you are in.....

[RotorFan]

People need some perspective. Some of us didn't have parents with the ability to buy them karts, let alone first cars etc. Life is hard, but even the most impoverished, talented V8 Supercar driver is extremely well off!