Perkins proposes plan to promote V8 Supercar rookie drivers

[Chatters]

Read the story here.

I thinks its a good idea, an all new take on cost cutting. Like he said people are looking at cutting the costs of the mechanical side of the sport, so this is a new direction. I think it's very smilar to the Formula 1 friday test sessions this year where the test drivers get to have a run around in their cars.

[retro]

Originally Posted by Chatters

Read the story here.

I thinks its a good idea, an all new take on cost cutting. Like he said people are looking at cutting the costs of the mechanical side of the sport, so this is a new direction. I think it's very smilar to the Formula 1 friday test sessions this year where the test drivers get to have a run around in their cars.

Already been done.....

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...t=85232&page=2

[peckstar]

i think this is a better spot for it, because it is worthy of discussion and dosnt really fit in with the other thread and is at least worthy of its on thread

I have been watching the craftsman trucks this year and they have a short 20 mins rookie session each round. its gives the rookies a chance to get out there learn the track without having to worry about the non rookies breathing down there neck.

I have become a big fan, it means we can have a more competitive race as there are more drivers closer together with the rookies not being penalised as much by their in experience. the cars are there the teams are there, the cost is minimal (bare incidents, but that may offset less incidents in the race)

think larry is onto something (although the boys doing the 07 list dont have too many rookies on their list)

[spectator22]

Hmmm. MN today says that this fits in with Perkins 'plan' to run young drivers in the Jack Daniels Team (when Richards leaves at end of year). Sounds like LP is planning to go with Dumbrell and Shane Price next year and wants to make sure the young guy gets enough testing.............. Seems LP doesnt want to pay drivers the mega$ they are geting elsewhere.

[retro]

.............

Perkins's proposal has drivers split into three groups: rookies, midfielders and top shelf.

Rookies would be drivers with less than two full seasons of V8 Supercar racing, midfielders between three to four seasons and top shelf drivers include former champions, round winners and successful drivers with more than four seasons of experience.

The six-time Bathurst champ believes by giving rookies greater time on track each round they would ultimately bridge the gap on the top shelf racers such as Mark Skaife, Craig Lowndes and Garth Tander.

"The rookies need experience and test days are irrelevant. You've got to have them on the field with other drivers of the same calibre," said Perkins.

"If a new driver comes along in his rookie years and wins races because he's excellent, he shouldn't be penalised. We want to encourage excellence, not penalise it.

"All rookies in the main game need miles. This would increase their confidence and avoid crashes that are happening which are caused by not having enough experience."

[GTRMagic]

So these rookies that Mr Perkins wants to run in test sessions.. presumably they shall run the main series cars that will run later in the weekend...

Now can you imagine the established stars being in raptures if the team hands over his championship contender to a young driver with limited experience... and he wrecks the car during his session, and it is damaged beyond immediate repair... and ruining the megastar's event...

Or they bring the whole workshop full of people to the track so that every single contingency of failure can be repaired, and tear up even more dollars...

Or they could bring a spare car for the youngsters to drive... and drive up costs considerably in extra trucks, spares and people...

I understand what Mr Perkins is attempting to do, but quite how you do it without driving up costs is actually difficult to fathom?

[Rombles1]

Paying a driver $75K per year, instead of $750K per year, would go a fair way toward that!

[Boxy]

[QUOTE=GTRMagic]So these rookies that Mr Perkins wants to run in test sessions.. presumably they shall run the main series cars that will run later in the weekend...

QUOTE]

Surely Larry has to be talking about rookies that are actually driving in the main game.
I think it's a great idea to give these young blokes that extra session on a race weekend, because experience is everything in these type of racecars.
Plus, surely it must raise the level of talent and professionalism in the series.

[Chatters]

It may need some refining, sure, but the concept of it is pretty good.

[Sparklehorse]

so richo is going to FPR?

thats how i read this.

[racer69]

So how serious is Larry about winning with proposals like this? No matter how good his rookies are, they will inevitably be able to secure more lucrative deals the longer (and better) they are driving.

[emjaya]

Once upon a time there used to be a Touring car championship.Any one with a racing licence and a racecar could run in this championship.If they could only afford to do a couple of races a year that's all they would do and no one thought any less of them for doing so.

This championship had three classes of racecars, small, medium and large, which was good because it allowed young inexperieced drivers to race small low powered race cars in the championship.

This gave these young inexperienced drivers experience in racing in the big league without the pressure of having to perform.Also as they were for the most part driving their own cars, of which they had to pay for any damage, the young inexperienced drivers took a little more care about how they drove.

This was motor racing as I remember it from the 70's and 80's.Rookie drivers learnt by driving in the smaller classes and they either moved up into bigger cars or stayed in the smaller ones as their budget allowed.Or their talent, the Nissan Team spring to mind: Skaife and Seton both started out in Nissan Exa's for the factory team after driving their own small cars.Both moved up into more powerfull cars for the team after a couple of seasons.

This is one of the things about V8 Supercars I have a problem with, there is no natural progression up a horsepower ladder that you would get with a couple of classes.

The problem of driver skills and experience all can be traced back to the amount of money the V8's pull out of the motor racing in Australia and not putting back into the ground roots.If the price of running in smaller catagories is being driven up by the cost of the V8's, then there will be less and less younger drivers able to afford to race.Less and less drivers with experience with the cars and the circuits, both take time to learn.

The way Larry's talking, they'll be grabbing 16 year olds out of Karts and throwing them in a V8.Swim or sink, sonny.

Long pockets and short arms, has Larry.
Old timer rant over.