EDD STRAW IS TRIUMPHANT AT MONZA, 27TH/28TH OCTOBER

Speedworks Press Officer had a fantastic weekend with Ferrari GB in Monza. He and co-driver Piers Ward of Top Gear Magazine finished a fantastic 4th place in both races. This has broken Straw's run of bad luck with race finishes and broken cars! Onwards and upwards from here, looking to a successful 07 in his newly built Ginetta!

MPH SHOW OPENS WITH A BANG (LITERALLY!!)

Last weekend saw the opening of the MPH Show at Birmingham NEC. It has been a fantastic weekend with lots of people coming to speak to us about the scholarship. The live theatre is fantastic, with loads of action, helicopter chases, blowing up cars in fact lots of big bangs!

It will be going to Earls Court in London on Thursday (2nd Nov) until Sunday and the show just keeps getting better. Not to be missed...so see you there!

STRAW TO RACE FERRARI AT MONZA, 27th-28th October

Speedworks Motorsport’s Edd Straw will make his European Ferrari Challenge debut at Monza this week.

Straw, who is contesting the race for Ferrari GB for a feature for Autosport Magazine, will be competing in the Shell Cup category of the challenge driving a Ferrari 360.

He will share the car with Top Gear Magazine’s Piers Ward, a regular in historic racing.

“When you’re invited to race a Ferrari at Monza it doesn’t take you too long to decide whether to take up the opportunity,” says Straw. “It’ll be an uphill battle, because we’ll only have half-an-hour each in the car before going into qualifying, but hopefully by the end of the weekend we’ll be on top of it.”

Straw will take to the track for the first time on Thursday morning, with two races taking place on Friday and Saturday.

2006 SCHOLARSHIP WINNER DAVID EASTWOOD GETS TWO AWARDS

Last weekend saw the end of series awards dinner. David Eastwood picked up two awards, Best Novice and Best Rookie of 2006. Speedworks Motorsport Scot Kirlew also picked up 3rd in the Championship and Most Fastest Laps whilst the Speedworks Motorsport award for Best Improver over the year went to Andy Coombs who will also be contesting the AVO Ginetta Championship next year! Congratulations to all!

SPEEDWORKS BOSS SECOND IN GINETTA DEBUT AT DONINGTON PARK, 21ST-22ND OCTOBER.

Speedworks Motorsport boss Christian Dick laid down a marker for the 2007 Speedworks Ginetta Scholarship winner with a sensational AVO Ginetta Championship debut at Donington Park last Sunday.

Dick was only denied victory in the second of the day’s races when it was red flagged while he was reeling in race winner Dave Devine. In treacherously wet conditions, Dick set a fastest lap a massive 1.2 seconds faster than anyone else in the field.

“This race meeting was all about finding where we were in terms of pace and I’m pretty happy with our showing,” said Dick. “I got away with a spin in the Craner Curves on the first lap, which was an interesting experience. The red flag was a bit disappointing, because we had a good chance of winning.”

Dick had earlier finished fourth in the first race of the day after a spin while trying to take second pace from Mark Wania at Goddards. A spectacular recovery meant he only dropped to fourth place and he was able to hold off Devine to the finish.

Team-mate Edd Straw endured a torrid weekend, with gearbox problems in practice and the first race restricting his running before he was eliminated in a startline accident in race two.

The winner of the 2007 Speedworks Ginetta Scholarship will win a completely free season in the AVO Ginetta Championship as part of Speedworks Motorsport's line-up. The prize is worth over £30,000 and includes all costs.

SPEEDWORKS BOSS RACING THIS WEEKEND - DONINGTON PARK, 21ST-22ND OCTOBER

This weekend sees Christian Dick racing his recently purchased Ginetta at the final championship race at Donington Park as part of Dunlops Great and British Package. He fully intends to make an impression on the Ginetta pack prior to his assault in the winter series and of course next years Championship. This isn't Christians first outing with the Ginetta's, he made a massive impression by finishing in 3rd place for both support rounds for the DTM at Brands Hatch. He was racing the Ginetta guest car (see picture).

Also out racing for Speedworks this weekend, is press officer and Autosport journalist Edd Straw. Edds car has literally only just been finished after virtually a complete rebuild. Edd bought the car from Ginetta regular Phil Greenway after it had had a heavy smash at Silverstone ending Phils season. So with a new chassis, Christian has rebuilt it and it really looks good! Lets hope it stays that way!


http://www.donington-park.co.uk/

LONDON MOTORSPORT AND KART SHOW - EXCEL, DOCKLANDS, LONDON - 9TH & 10TH DECEMBER

The Speedworks Ginetta Scholarship will be on the road again, this time to Excel to exhibit the car at the London Motorsport and Kart Show. It will be a great show to visit and will cover all types of motorsport from F3, rallying, track days, oval racing and karting, there will also be motorsport clubs and circuits there as well all providing an excellent overview of British Motorsport!

http://www.londonmotorsport.co.uk/

SCHOLARSHIP ON CHANNEL 4 WEBSITE

Read how Channel 4 features writer Craig Thomas goes on behind the wheel of the Ginetta G20 at the Speedworks Press Launch at Llandow. See the link below for more info.

http://www.channel4.com/4car/ft/feature/feature/4374/

MPH SHOW - BIRMINGHAM NEC 26TH-29TH OCTOBER AND LONDON EARLS COURT 2ND-6TH DEC

Speedworks Ginetta Scholarship will be attending the MPH Show with the scholarship car, come and see us for special show offers and to see the car YOU could be racing in 2007!

http://www.mphshow.co.uk/

CALLING ALL FEMALE DRIVERS!

Organisers of the Speedworks Ginetta Scholarship are looking to draw in a strong contingent of female competitors for 2007.

Approximately 10% of entrants in the 2006 scholarship were female – including finalist Helen Gardener – and Speedworks Motorsport Team Manager and co-owner Amy Leigh is hoping to improve on that this year.

“We know that it’s difficult for women to break into motorsport,” says Leigh. “The scholarship is all about getting new people involved, and as far as we are concerned it’s all about how you perform on track, not about whether you’re male or female.

“There have been some schemes around exclusively for women, but we’re looking on getting drivers involved in the motorsport mainstream.”

The AVO Ginetta Championship already has one regular female competitor – Sarah Franklin – who has posted some impressive results in the category, and Speedworks is looking to promote the fact that men and women can compete on equal terms in motorsport.

“Motorsport is one of the few sports which doesn’t have gender divisions,” says Leigh. “We’re actively encouraging women to enter, but we have no preconceptions as to whether our winner will be male or female. The scholarship offers a level playing field, which is a rare thing in motorsport.”

Eastwood out of luck at Silverstone

Speedworks Scholarhsip winner David Eastwood finished the MaX5 Championship season on a low note after being taken out of both races at Silverstone last Sunday.

The 20-year-old needed only one strong finish to be sure of remarkable fifth overall in the championship, but could only manage a 31st and a retirement after twice being hit by rivals in the complex in the double-header meeting.

In race one, a punt approaching Brooklands corner put him into the gravel. Despite doing a superb job to get back on track, Eastwood was forced to pit with a puncture before rejoining. In the second race, a tap at Luffield on the opening lap left him in the gravel.

This double disaster dropped him from fifth to ninth in the overall standings.

“It’s gutting,” said Eastwood. “I knew I only needed to pick up a good result in the first race to secure fifth, which would allow me to really go for it in the second race and get that first win. Unfortunately that wasn’t to be, and to have the same thing happen in race two on the first lap is a horrible feeling.

“It’s a bad way to end what has been a fantastic season, but that’s motor-racing. The only thing to do is to pick yourself back up and start it all again next year.”

Speedworks Motorsport boss Christian Dick paid tribute to his charge’s performance. “David has had a fantastic season,” he said. “To have achieved the results he has done in his first season of racing is testament to his talent. It’s a shame that his championship position was so badly harmed by what happened at Silverstone, but it wasn’t any fault of his.

“He’s had a remarkable year, and has been a real credit to the Speedworks Scholarship.”