18-05-2008 Formula Vee fills a piece in the motorsport jigsaw

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Formula Vee is many things to many people. Some people love it so much they spend a good portion of their adult life involved, while for others it forms a part of their motorsport jigsaw puzzle.

Over the past twelve months three former NSW drivers have taken the lessons learnt in Formula Vee competition, and adapted them to new challenges, moving on to different categories of Motorsport.

Former NSW and National Formula Vee Champion Ryan Simpson made the switch to Formula Ford for the 2008 season, joining the Anglo Motorsport team in the NSW State Series. On debut, Simpson took pole and won all three races, continuing the success shared by the Parramatta Smash Repairs crew in NSW Formula Vee. “I certainly wasn’t expecting the weekend to turn out like it did, but after qualifying on pole position I knew I had the pace to challenge for race wins, so to come away with three wins from as many starts is wonderful” – said Simpson.

For 2005 NSW 1200cc champion Mitch Abrahall, a change of scenery was in order after several years of competitive circuit competition. Co-driving in the Victorian leg of the 2006 Dutton Rally in an R32 GTR Skyline, Abrahall set fastest time outright at the Sandown Raceway circuit sprint, ahead of none other than Peter Fitzgerald in a Porsche GT3! For 2007, Abrahall purchased a wild Ford Escort MkI to compete in the East Coast rounds of the Dutton Rally Series, citing the friendly atmosphere and challenging special stages as the reason for the switch.

Former NSW Vee driver Adam Brook not only changed classes, but changed surfaces, moving to Speedway Racing in an EB Falcon Street Stock Sedan. After only four meetings, Brook scored a surprise heat race victory, before backing it up with a 5th outright at the 2008 RSA Australian Street Stock Championship. “Heading into the Australian Title the goal was to just make the feature race, but to come away with a Top 5 result as well as a heat race win was well beyond my own expectations” expressed Brook. In the process Brook became the top Rookie, as well as being only the second local driver across the line.

The success of these three young drivers post Formula Vee proves that the category remains a cost effective stepping stone in any serious drivers aspirations in motorsport. Will they be future racing T-Vee stars? such are Mark Winterbottom, Cameon McConville and Jason Bargwanna. We'll have to wait and see.