Juniors go long distance
JUNIOR SALOONS
Junior drivers are set to get the chance to compete in endurance races for the first time next year as part of a new initiative from the Junior Saloon Car Championship.
The series, which is open to drivers aged between 14 and 17, plans to hold three standalone one-hour endurance events in 2019. It intends that drivers will be able to either compete individually or share a car between two. The category uses Citroen Saxos and its regular races last 15 minutes plus one lap.
“It gives our existing kids more track time and it gives drivers who don’t have the budget for a full year, but can do three races, a chance,” explained series coordinator Dave Beecroft. “It’s costeffective for a driver wanting to put a toe in the water and the emphasis is on fun and fair racing.
“There’s nobody who’s been doing anything similar – I don’t think they’ve thought of it! If it is popular we will do more of these races in the future.”
Beecroft said that with more and more drivers going down the endurance racing route, it would be good for them to have experience of longer car races from an earlier age.
“I think with endurance racing being so popular, and single-seaters being so expensive to break into, this will help young drivers,” he said. “We’ve already got JSCC drivers like Ed Moore, Marmaduke Hall and Lucas Nannetti who have gone into Britcar so we can help drivers on their way.”