Reno5gtt
Active Member
Hi guy's
Sorry I haven't been on in a while...
I was dying to mention it but unfortunatley if I did before I went I was going to be diqualified
Basically what happened was I got selected for that "make it your race 2012" TV show over in Italy with Team Abarth.
From 5000 uk applicants I made it into the top 17, then the top 8, then 5th over all and the top 4 went through to the next round.
I went over to Italy thinking it was abit of a joke (I was doing it for a laugh nothing serious) but found out the people who I were racing against were all pro go karters/semi pro circuit racers and this was there dream to get through and race for Abarth so you can imagine what sort of competition I was up against, They were pretty much as far as you could go without a full racing license.
The cars we started off in were the new punto abarths 1.4 turbo's 165bhp, then the racing fiat 500's then the asseta corsa's a stripped out 500 with 200bhp and weighing 900kg (220bhp per tonne).
I gave it all I had and was the quickest round the track alot of the time, I even passed a couple of lads in asseta corsa's when I was in a racing 500 with 160bhp when both cars were on track at the same time. The asseta corsa was quick but no where near my old 5 (of course
) but the handling was a million times better obviously because it was race spec.
In the end the abarth picked the 8 best drivers and knocked us down to the last 6, then guess what? It was the TV crew that picked the best for TV on interview qualities. When I was filmed/interviewed I was always myself and didn't put on a show at all, just plain and simple, I never put on a show... For the others they were well excited and chatted on for ages saying about how they'd won races from being a young age and I must admit they weren't camera shy at all, plenty of cash, and had a real passion for the event. I just wasn't good for the show even though I could drive, so it's not always the better drivers that get through and it shows that TV is fake as i've learned.
I wish them all well because their heart is in it
and in some ways it's a shame lads like this spend all their years trying to get somewhere and don't because motorsport is so hard to get into and they have to resort to events like this to get noticed. If any of them can't make it for the next round I get first offer of the place, I would take them up on the offer but unfortunately the dates land around the 17th of June and guess what I would rather take my 19 to Donnington for french car show with you guy's
Other than that it was a good few days, and it goes to show normal people can enter a race with pro's and get to the top with no racing experience only road racing under there belt. I remember some lads were saying "people who think they can race on the roads know nothing, they should come here and try this, this is real racing" My personal opinion of that is that road racing is alot more dangerous and you need bottle to do it (use too I am no longer that way inclined, grown up alot) and track racing is miles easier.
My summary is I would like to buy a track car at some point and take it to track days, this was the only race experience I have had and really enjoyed it, can't wait for Donnington.
Hope you have all been well.
sent from the bar in London Heathrow airport whilst waiting for my connection to Manchester airport.
Sorry I haven't been on in a while...
I was dying to mention it but unfortunatley if I did before I went I was going to be diqualified
Basically what happened was I got selected for that "make it your race 2012" TV show over in Italy with Team Abarth.
From 5000 uk applicants I made it into the top 17, then the top 8, then 5th over all and the top 4 went through to the next round.
I went over to Italy thinking it was abit of a joke (I was doing it for a laugh nothing serious) but found out the people who I were racing against were all pro go karters/semi pro circuit racers and this was there dream to get through and race for Abarth so you can imagine what sort of competition I was up against, They were pretty much as far as you could go without a full racing license.
The cars we started off in were the new punto abarths 1.4 turbo's 165bhp, then the racing fiat 500's then the asseta corsa's a stripped out 500 with 200bhp and weighing 900kg (220bhp per tonne).
I gave it all I had and was the quickest round the track alot of the time, I even passed a couple of lads in asseta corsa's when I was in a racing 500 with 160bhp when both cars were on track at the same time. The asseta corsa was quick but no where near my old 5 (of course
) but the handling was a million times better obviously because it was race spec. In the end the abarth picked the 8 best drivers and knocked us down to the last 6, then guess what? It was the TV crew that picked the best for TV on interview qualities. When I was filmed/interviewed I was always myself and didn't put on a show at all, just plain and simple, I never put on a show... For the others they were well excited and chatted on for ages saying about how they'd won races from being a young age and I must admit they weren't camera shy at all, plenty of cash, and had a real passion for the event. I just wasn't good for the show even though I could drive, so it's not always the better drivers that get through and it shows that TV is fake as i've learned.
I wish them all well because their heart is in it
and in some ways it's a shame lads like this spend all their years trying to get somewhere and don't because motorsport is so hard to get into and they have to resort to events like this to get noticed. If any of them can't make it for the next round I get first offer of the place, I would take them up on the offer but unfortunately the dates land around the 17th of June and guess what I would rather take my 19 to Donnington for french car show with you guy's Other than that it was a good few days, and it goes to show normal people can enter a race with pro's and get to the top with no racing experience only road racing under there belt. I remember some lads were saying "people who think they can race on the roads know nothing, they should come here and try this, this is real racing" My personal opinion of that is that road racing is alot more dangerous and you need bottle to do it (use too I am no longer that way inclined, grown up alot) and track racing is miles easier.
My summary is I would like to buy a track car at some point and take it to track days, this was the only race experience I have had and really enjoyed it, can't wait for Donnington.
Hope you have all been well.
sent from the bar in London Heathrow airport whilst waiting for my connection to Manchester airport.
Last edited by a moderator:
. I don't think I appreciate the chance I had to be honest because it was just for fun for me compared to some people. Took it for granted really but I don't think I would ever get a chance at it again. I hate being on camera!! 
