It is the first time that there is such a Challenge, where teams are to be registered under an organisation. However, members of the team need not be employees of the company. That means, you can approach me to drive for your team!
Each team will consist of six drivers, two of which are reserves. Registration has already started and Toyota Asia, Aston Martin Singapore and Exklusiv Group have expressed their interest. There are only 36 slots available and organisations are free to enter as many teams as they want, as long as they can afford it.
These 36 teams will be randomly allocated to any one of the three elimination rounds and the top four teams of each round will then return for the Grand Final. It costs $3,500 per team to participate, but before you start widening your eyes, check out what this fee entails.
Usage of a brand new fleet of rental karts, fuel, tyres and helmets during the course of competition are included of course, but prior to the competition, there will be two practice sessions.
The first session is a pre-selection round where teams can bring down 10 drivers for example, and hold a time trial to determine which six fastest drivers will represent the team. If you already know who the six are, then you can just treat this as a practice session.
Once each team finalises its six drivers, these six have to attend a karting clinic where proper racing techniques and competition regulations will be learnt. Each team will also be given four complimentary racing suits which they may keep for personal use after the competition.
I think that’s a good deal – works out to almost $600 per driver for so much! It will be an even better deal if your team makes it to the top four of your round and return for the Final.
Prizes include $20,000 worth of track time across the overall top three teams and the ultimate winning team gets an exclusive race kart testing – the next level after rental karts.
The actual Challenge is a four-hour endurance race where the four main drivers have to rotate driving duties and aim to clock the most number of laps within the stipulated time. Reliability, teamwork and strategy are essential as it is an endurance race after all.
At the launch event last week, it was also announced that SJI International is the first school in Singapore to offer karting as a CCA. This reflects steady progress for the karting scene in Singapore, after it was revived with the existence of Kartright Speedway.
After the press conference, guests had the opportunity to team up in groups and experience a mini kart endurance challenge. Throughout the 50 minutes, drivers had to perform driver change and complete a driving stint each. Team Ben (which included Benjamin Kline of SGCarMart.com's editorial team) was dead last after the first stint, but managed to gradually catch up, finally finishing first! It was evident that karting is very addictive, especially in teams.
After becoming Singapore’s first competition-length permanent kart racing track and hosting the inaugural Singapore Karting Championship national series last year, Kartright Speedway has upped its ante by revolutionising the corporate realm and bringing a whole new angle to the basic level of motorsports.
There is no age limit to karting and no licence is required, hence all it takes is the guts and the heart to get into the seat of a go-kart. I hope to form an all-female team and participate in this Challenge if possible.
The first round only starts in May, with the next two rounds in June and August respectively. That should give us enough time to train right? Calling out to the ladies, anyone game on taking up this Challenge with me?
About The WriterCheryl Tay is a Singaporean writer who specialises in cars and motorsports. Young, passionate and living life on the fast lane, Cheryl hopes to share her passion with like-minded people through her writing and to get more girls into the driver's seat. More of Cheryl at www.cheryl-tay.com. Follow Cheryl on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lovecheryltay and Twitter (@cheryl_tay) or ask Cheryl questions on www.formspring.me/mscheryltay.
ocbc, kartright, endurance race and 2 more...
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