Without the usual free practice sessions on the Friday it was straight into qualifying on Saturday morning. Lightwater Valley’s Coates found the pace to put him 3^rd on the grid in what was his first wet experience in the Ginetta G50 car he has graduated to this year. (more…)

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…)

“We couldn’t do it without the help of the guys and gals in orange who volunteer their time”…. etc. It’s not uncommon to hear drivers and commentators talk about the marshals at race weekends in this way. In fact, it’s the last thing Titch (see our Q & A – 10,000 races) says at the end of every BTCC meeting if you’re still lurking around circuit waiting for the traffic to subside when he knocks off air.

We all think we know what the marshals do, what they get out of it and that it’s a volunteer position but there’s a bit more to it and it’s as steeped in history and as governed by politics as the on track activity.

Long time YRC member Graeme Fowler is typical of many marshals. They have very little in common with one another but a love of motorsport – brought together by a keenness to be more involved in a race weekend than watching from the grassy banks.

(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’.

Lightwater Valley and Coates partnered at North Yorkshire’s Croft venue last year when Max was racing in the Ginetta Junior Championship.  Following on from this successful event Lightwater Valley have decided to come onboard as one of Max’s sponsors for a season long campaign in the Ginetta GT Supercup. (more…)

It’s difficult to stand out from the crowd these days. Everyone’s offering discounts – if you’re like us, you’ll check for voucher codes and special offers on almost everything you buy online and with websites specialising in collating all the discounts available, it’s even harder to be heard!

We’re lucky. We’ve had great feedback from YRCers about the perks we offer and when we started our mission to fan-fund a racing team in 2009, we had no less than 20 perks on offer! Well – you voted with your feet and some just weren’t relevant to you so we whittled away and this year we’ve got offers that mean something to you, the British Touring Car Championship fans.

So far (we’ve got a few in the pipeline), every YRC member gets proper tickets discounts on BTCC entry for Thruxton (Hampshire) and Croft (North Yorkshire). What’s more, not one YRCer will pay for a tea, coffee or hot chocolate trackside in 2012.

Add to this that we’ve now got an unbeatable perk from Red Letter Days who have offered YRC members a whopping discount on over 150 driving experiences starting at just £17 and you’ve got pressies for your friends and family sown up this year!

A big thanks to our partners who not only believe in us, they believe in BTCC fans.

You can check out the details of the perks here and see how your YRC membership will pay for itself as well as helping young British driver, Max Coates in 2012.

Generating funding in motor racing often depends on a considerable amount of networking, selling the benefits of TV exposure and trying to make an emotional connection with people by showing them a jolly good day out at the races.

It’s a tough sell and ‘sponsorship’ has taken a massive hit in recent years. A wobbly economy, the Olympic Games and super-tight marketing budgets mean that we, like others on the British Touring Car Championship package, have certainly been feeling the strain – more than ever.

So, as well as putting in the hours on the phone and trying to come up with more innovative ideas to get the pennies coming in, we tried a little closer to home and pestered some friends who have been working hard and thugging it out during the last few years. (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…)

It’s just five weeks to go until the British Touring Car Championship season starts so now’s the time to get kitted out!

Our YRC merchandise is a bit different from the big motor racing teams in that the proceeds really do make a big contribution to our racing budget. That means that every item you buy ends up helping to fund a tyre (approx £2oo each!) a litre of race fuel or a roll of gaffa tape for Max’s car this year (hopefully not too much gaffa tape!).

YRC Hoodie

On offer in the clothing range are t-shirts, hoodies, caps and beanies and we’ve also got some new nifty gifts to tickle your fancy – mugs, key rings and more.

See Clothing here

See Gifts and Accessories here

Unlap Tour T-shirt

In celebration of the launch of this year’s kit, we’re running an offer in conjunction with Unlap.

Any merchandise orders over £20 placed with us on or before Sunday 11^th March will get a special voucher code to buy the Unlap British Touring Car Championship tour t-shirt for just £10.

 Browse and Buy

It’s the 13^th of February and you haven’t got your beloved a Valentines gift yet. We’ve got the solution – save yourself a trip to the petrol station or Halfords in favour of a YRC Gift Membership! YRC membership is just £30 and for any racing fan and the subscription goes to a worthy cause – getting a young racing driver on the grid for 2012.

Buy a gift now – Click here

Be My YRC Valentine

Anonymous gift members?!

Every gift member signing up today and tomorrow will receive a special Valentines themed gift certificate for their grease monkey partner or, why not send an anonymous membership to someone you’d like to know better!

All you need to know is their email address, Facebook profile name, where they work or their Twitter name – we’ll do the rest and get in touch with them to tell them someone likes them enough to give them the gift that keeps on giving!

Adult membership is just £30 including postage and packaging and every gift recipient will have a certificate for their membership by tomorrow!

So, if you do know anyone who likes to get their backside trackside*, give them something that will last them for the whole racing season, gets them lots of discounts and perks and they’ll even get to chose a picture for the roof of our racing car.

*Bestest Ted Kravitz quote ever