Promising young British driver cash strapped. The sad thing is, apart from the occasional attention seeker, it’s nearly always true. There are of course varying degrees of cash strapped – it’s hard to feel sorry for the racer who pleads poverty but turns up trackside sporting the latest designer ‘sunnies’ in his customised Range Rover!

However, for the most part, ‘skint’ and ‘not racing unless there’s a miracle’ means,

“I’ve sold everything I own, there’s nothing left so can anyone help…please?”. (more…)

MSA Newsletter

Times are changing and sports governing bodies are taking notice.

Recently, the MSA (Motor Sports Association) which is responsible for regulating motor racing activities in the United Kingdom issued a set of guidelines relating to the use of social media by its members. What’s more interesting is that rather than reading like a collection of suggestions and recommendations, it culminates in what can only be interpreted as a threat, indicating that these aren’t recommendations, they’re rules.

“Any breach of these guideline may result in disciplinary action being taken under the established judicial process, as laid down in section (J) of the MSA Competitors’ and Officials’ Yearbook”

It makes interesting reading (click here).

I wonder how many competitors will read it?

Not a moment too soon

It seems that other sports have been ahead of the game in terms of issuing competitors with rules on what they can and can’t say and do on social media – many Olympic teams for example, have strict guidelines and this was highlighted earlier in the year in a BBC article (read here).

The message to athletes and sports personalities is clear, ‘engage with social media but, do it mindfully’.

Social media is a relatively new method of communicating with fans in sport and its technology and influence is moving at a rate of knots. In our own sport, The British Touring Car Championship and support series, we’ve seen our fair share of competitors ‘getting it wrong’ on Facebook and Twitter in the 2011 season but it seems that it doesn’t take much of a slip-up for users to recognise just how powerful these communication channels can be.

I’ve done it myself. In frustration, in anger, in jest and possibly once, with a gin and tonic in hand! It’s all too easy to do. You don’t even need to be sat at your desk anymore – you can play the social media game from your phone or tablet, wherever you are at whatever time.

Having made the mistake of reacting hastily and without the benefit of the most powerful social communication tool, facial expression, I’ve learned a lot and every day’s a school day as they say.

Fans take note

It’s all very well lecturing participants of sport on how to behave through the issuing of these guidelines and regulations but there’s something bothering me. Does anyone remember the phrase ‘do as you would be done by’? Well, it’s about time some fans took notice because it’s a jolly good lesson and it’s stood the test of time.

It’s not all fans. Most are hugely supportive of their favourite driver or team – some to the degree of being classed as board line cyber-stalkers (you know who you are!).

It’s a shame however that some fans seem to chastise, criticise and in some cases, simply abuse the opponents of their chosen team. For what purpose, I’m not sure. How would you like it if someone you don’t know and have never met hurled cyber abuse at you (true of not)? Pretty upset I would imagine.

It’s not new. This banter used to be confined to the pub – well out of earshot of the target of said abuse and it was part of the rivalry between fans.

It’s now got out of hand and fans can proclaim their thoughts on certain drivers directly to them, and the rest of the world. And the most important bit? It’s not all forgotten after a few more pints. It’s on record, forever.

It’s only a game

This is not the first time I have said this. IT’S ONLY A GAME. Sport has been the catalyst for great union (e.g. Olympic movement) and great segregation (See post: Something to aspire to) but as the UK starts to celebrate a year of sport starting this week with one of the greatest National charity activities this country stages, Sport Relief, let’s set a standard for fans of other sports to adhere to.

We can poke fun at our opposition without stepping across the line into personal insult. We can adore our idols without freaking them out and pestering them for attention. We can comment and debate without talking nonsense or making ourselves look foolish (some can anyway!) and most of all, we should ‘do as we would be done by’.

There’s nothing drearier than tolling through the tripe that some people write on the internet, trying to find useful information. Some motorsport fans excel at typing crud, misinformation and what in any other world would be considered libellous nonsense.

It’s fortunate therefore that we have the BTCC Barmy Army knocking about the forums and social networks as well as the track.

As an organisation that attempts to service fans of motor racing here in the UK, it’s vitally important that we at YRC spend time trying to work out what it is people want from us; from drivers; from teams and from their motorsport experience. Not as simple as it sounds. (more…)

Armed forces charities have become increasingly high profile in recent years thanks in large part to Help for Heroes. However, whilst many of the smaller military charities and support groups have benefited from the distribution of funds from what is now seen as THE Armed Forces charity, others have suffered. Competing against such a successful and professionally run outfit, the more specialist and often local organisations have struggled to get their voice heard over the cacophony of the slick media and buying power of HfH.

NGVFA Staff

The National Gulf Veterans and Families Association (NGVFA) approached YRC last year with a request for assistance. They needed not only to generate funding but more importantly to reach the people that they’ve been established to assist. (more…)

Your support has been fabulous but if you haven’t already, please join YourRacingCar.com.

Wowzers. What a day Friday was! We had a huge (and very positive) response to the news that we’ll be supporting Max Coates for the 2012 season. There are lots of new people talking about YRC who haven’t heard of us before so that’s all good news.

I thought I’d take the opportunity to shed a bit of light on how YRC works and try to encourage those of you who’ve been supportive in your tweets, to put your hands in your pocket for Max this year. It’s just £30 for an adult membership (click to join!). (more…)

Forget NASCAR. The British Touring Car should be aspiring to the heights of popularity of Roman Chariot racing. With weekly audiences of a quarter of a million spectators, highly talented and skilled racers throughout the field and prize money that would make Tiger Woods eye’s water, this is the sport to emulate. (more…)

The Donington Park round of the British Touring Car Championship has finally been released for the 14^th and 15^th April 2012.

There are no doubt various reasons why this date has been chosen – to avoid clashing with other major sporting events, to fit in with Donington’s own commercial needs and many more that we as racing fans aren’t privy to.

However, seeing as we haven’t, at this point, been informed of any further reasons for this date being positioned between two others in one month, a grumble is in order. (more…)

Well that makes a bit of a mockery of the education system doesn’t it? Presumably by this they mean knowing people who will, without question or expectation give you oodles of money for your racing? What twaddle.

I have been privileged enough to go to one of the ‘famous five’ great British public schools where legend has it, your classmates are supposed to be the ‘right people’ and help you be monstrously successful and rich in the future. (more…)

Most people who’ve been involved in motor racing for any period of time will have been affected in some way by a nasty crash (mine was 2009 when our team mate Carl Breeze had a shocker at Oulton). The kind that has two outcomes – ‘blimey, that was lucky’ or ‘what a tragedy’. There’s not much in between those two states it sometimes seems.

That’s how many days it is until the BTCC opener at Brands Hatch. Subtract the weekends, holidays and a couple of weeks for the pre-season shenanigans and you’ve got yourself a truly terrifying number. Take around £250,000, divide it by that terrifying number and that’s how much money I need to raise each and every day between now and then to even get a place at the BTCC table *stomach lurches*.