JACKSON: I'M READY
Speedworks Motorsport's Dave Jackson has declared himself ready in mind and body for the start of the Texaco Havoline Ginetta Championship at Oulton Park on April 9.

The 37-year-old is starting his second season of motor-racing, and his first in Ginettas, but has left no stone unturned in preparing for the year ahead.

"I wanted to come into this season 100% ready having done everything I could over the winter," said Jackson. "I've spent a lot of time in the gym and I'm in better condition than I've been in for a long time. My body is ready, my mind is ready and the car is ready."

Jackson started racing in the MaX5 Championship last year, but has opted to make the switch to Ginettas with Speedworks Motorsport. Despite Oulton marking his Ginetta debut, he is hopeful of kicking off the season with top ten finishes.

"It's not unrealistic to look at the top ten," said Jackson. "I don't want to be big-headed because it's a high standard of competition. Until qualifying I won't know where I am, but right now I feel good and as long as I don't get any bad luck it's going to be an exciting weekend!"

For ticket information for the meeting, which also features the British GT and British Formula 3 Championships, visit www.motorsportvision.co.uk

MERRY CAUTIOUS AHEAD OF OULTON

Speedworks Motorsport driver Neil Merry is adopting a cautious approach to the opening round of the Texaco Havoline Ginetta Championship at Oulton Park on April 9.

Merry, who is starting his fourth year of racing, is keen to kick off the season with solid finishes rather than risk being caught up in other people's incidents.

“It’s a long season and there’s plenty of time to work my way up the grid over the course of the year,” said Merry. “With around 40 cars at Oulton there are going to be a lot of drivers eager to make an impression at the start of the season, but it’s important to set realistic targets.”

Merry, a former MaX5 racer, made his debut in the Ginetta Championship with a one-off appearance at Castle Combe last year. Despite only testing the car once before Combe, he was able to run in the midfield comfortably, meaning he already has a good measure of the level of competition he faces in 2006.

“The Ginetta G20 is fantastic to drive and the racing is very close,” he says. “It’s a step up from what I’ve raced in before, but with Speedworks Motorsport I know I have a well-prepared car and a wealth of experience behind me which will help me to move towards the sharp end as the season goes on.”

For ticket information for the meeting, which also features the British GT and British Formula 3 Championships, visit www.motorsportvision.co.uk

SCHOLARSHIP SEMI FINALIST TO GO RACING

Speedworks Ginetta Scholarship semi-finalist Andrew Smith will make his racing debut in the opening round of the Texaco Havoline Ginetta Championship at Oulton Park on April 9.

Smith, who will be the second scholarship competitor on the Oulton grid along with winner Gary Simms, has acquired the Ginetta G20 that Stewart Linn took to the 2006 championship title.

"We're thrilled to see another scholarship entrant on the Ginetta grid this year," said Speedworks Motorsport Team Principal Christian Dick. "The aim of the scholarship is to bring new people into motorsport and the championship, and to see Andrew in the series proves that the programme works."

SCHOLARSHIP WINNER EARNS HIS FIRST RACE LICENCE
Speedworks Ginetta Scholarship winner Gary Simms is ready to make his racing debut at Oulton Park on April 9 after earning his National B race licence.

The 20-year-old, who has won a free season with Speedworks Motorsport in the Texaco Havoline Ginetta Championship, completed his ARDS test at Oulton under the watchful eye of former British Touring Car Championship racer Nick Beaumont.

“It was a bit daunting at first,” said Simms of the shorter Fosters configuration of the classic Oulton circuit. “But it was a good chance to get an idea of the circuit that I will have my first race at!”

TEXACO HAVOLINE GINETTA CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE LAUNCHED AT SILVERSTONE

A media day for the Texaco Havoline Ginetta Championship will be held at Silverstone on Tuesday April 3. Competitors in the championship will have the chance not only to present themselves to the press, but also to participate in the official pre-season test around Silverstone's National circuit.

The 2007 Scholarship winner, Gary Simms, will also be presented with his high specification mountain bike by Neil Merry of Hot Wheels during the media day.

SIMMS WINS SPEEDWORKS GINETTA SCHOLARSHIP

Novice racer Gary Simms has claimed the final seat in Speedworks Motorsport’s 2007 driver line-up after winning the Speedworks Ginetta Scholarship.

Simms, 20, prevailed in the ten-driver scholarship final held at Llandow, earning a completely free season with the team in the Texaco Havoline Ginetta Championship. As well as an on-track assessment with two instructors in the morning, the contenders all completed a four flying-lap timed run with Team Principal Christian Dick scrutinising them from the passenger seat. They also had to present a sponsorship proposal to GT bicycles representative Neil Merry.

After a lengthy deliberation period involving all the scholarship team members, it was Simms who was selected.

“We stressed throughout the scholarship that we were looking for the driver with the best potential to be the complete package,” says Team Principal Christian Dick. “There were some very strong contenders in the final ten, but Gary stood out as the driver with the best all-round attributes.”

Sprint competitor Rob Way will be the scholarship’s reserve driver in 2007.

SPEEDWORKS GINETTA SCHOLARSHIP FINAL

The final of the Speedworks Ginetta Scholarship will be held on Wednesday March 14. Ten hopefuls will fight it out to win a completely free season in the Texaco Havoline Ginetta Championship with Speedworks Motorsports.

Speedworks wishes all ten finalists the best of luck for the final.

SCHOLARSHIP FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

We are pleased to announce that the following drivers have made it through to the final of the Speedworks Ginetta Scholarship to be held at Llandow on Wednesday March 14 2007:

1. Rob Boston


2. Pete Bullock


3. Lloyd Eveleigh


4. Dan Malkin


5. Stuart Parker


6. Alex Ponting


7. Simon Rowley


8. Ben Sherry


9. Gary Simms


10. Rob Way