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Future in Safe Hands
Young drivers learn all aspects of road safety at latest Academy workshop.
The latest workshop of the FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy
has focused on one of the most important aspects of the programme: road
safety.
For the last five days the drivers have been learning about all aspects of road safety, with each of them expected to become safety ambassadors for this cause during their careers.
To help with this, the Academy has been making use of the resources and coaching available at Test & Training International's Road Safety Training Centre in Teesdorf, Austria. Here the drivers have been educated in all areas of safety from learning the right mental approach to understanding the engineering advances such as anti-lock braking and stability control.
They then took to the track to further increase their knowledge with tests on variable road surfaces to demonstrate how to deal with driving hazards. The emphasis throughout has been on behaviour-orientated training for the drivers so they can convey passive and active road safety information in both a practical and theoretical form.
FIA Institute experts were also on hand to provide further education. FIA Institute Medical Advisor Dr Paul Trafford gave a presentation on all areas of motor sport medicine, including driver preparation, accident response and vehicle extraction. FIA Institute Sustainability Advisor Even Wiger gave a presentation on environmental developments in motor sport, a subject that will become increasingly relevant for the young drivers.
Equipping them with this knowledge will not just help them on a personal level but also give them the ability to deal with sensitive questions about safety and sustainability in motor sport.
The drivers themselves have embraced this education, with some of them already actively participating in road safety campaigns in their own countries. Rally driver Craig Breen, for instance, is an ambassador for Motor Sport Ireland's Road Safety Initiative. Race driver Gabby Chavez has been leading a campaign in his home state of Florida to encourage people to stop texting whilst driving.
Chavez said: "After I was selected for the Academy, the Florida Highway Patrol heard about it and invited me to help out with their drivers' ed programme in high schools. They then thought I would be an ideal person to front a campaign to encourage teenagers to stop texting whilst driving.
"The Academy opened that door and gives me credibility to do this. It has helped me to be a better teacher and this will benefit me in the future."
Australian rally driver Brendan Reeves added: "The road safety training will help in our careers not just in terms of being safe, but also in that we can pass on this education in our countries and participate in important campaigns. This may have the extra benefit of giving us exposure to potential new sponsors.
"After this workshop I will certainly be more encouraged to get involved with safety campaigns at home because I think there is a lot I can teach people and there is a potential benefit on both sides."
Ricky Carmichael to Run Suzuki Training Camp
American Suzuki Motor Corporation is offering Suzuki amateur motocross
racers the chance to attend the first-ever Suzuki Camp Carmichael - a
special riding school with legendary Motocross and Supercross racer Ricky Carmichael at his private training facility in Tallahassee, Florida.
The event is being run in conjunction with Suzuki's recently-announced
$4.2 million Motocross Contingency Program and scheduled for the week
prior to the 2012 Winter National Olympics (Mini O's). For racers that
will be going to Mini O's afterwards, there will be space reserved for
Suzuki Camp Carmichael riders at Gatorback.
Said Carmichael: "I'm really excited to team up with Suzuki and have the opportunity to put together such a great program as Suzuki Camp Carmichael. Suzuki's RM and RM-Z product is the best out there and the Camp is a great chance for riders of all ages to race, have fun, earn contingency and hone their skills at my track. I'm really looking forward to my upcoming Daytona Amateur Supercross event and the Suzuki Camp Carmichael later this year."
ASMC amateur race support manager Pat Alexander added: "We at Suzuki are very excited about Suzuki Camp Carmichael. Over the years, Suzuki has enjoyed a very special relationship with Ricky Carmichael; who definitely is the Greatest Of All Time. Our factory-supported Supercross and Motocross teams have benefitted greatly from Carmichael's talent and training; and now we are delighted to share that with our amateur racers. Our hope is that Suzuki Camp Carmichael will be a unique and valuable experience for a select group of young riders fortunate enough to train directly with the GOAT. No doubt about it, 2012 is the year to race a Suzuki!"
To be eligible, riders must purchase a new RM or RM-Z motocross bike, sign up for the 2012 Suzuki Motocross Contingency Program at www.suzukicycles.com/racing and then go racing. For every contingency dollar they earn, racers also earn one point toward the Camp. At the end of the racing season, the 24 riders - twelve 85cc riders and twelve 250/ 450cc riders - with the most points will win a spot to Suzuki Camp Carmichael and receive one-on-one instruction from Carmichael himself. Throughout the season, racers can monitor their contingency dollars and Camp points by visiting www.suzukicycles.com or Suzuki Scoop on Facebook.
Points for Suzuki Camp Carmichael will be awarded based on contingency earned from November 1st, 2011 to September 30th, 2012. Any event that Suzuki pays contingency for during these program dates will earn points towards Suzuki Camp Carmichael and ASMC will announce the winners on October 15th.
About Ricky Carmichael:
Ricky Carmichael won 102 American Motorcycle Association (AMA) Motocross Nationals and 48 AMA Supercross Main Events for a record 150 major wins between 1997 and 2007. The Tallahassee, Florida resident won 10 AMA Motocross Championships and five AMA Supercross crowns, giving him a record 15 major titles in his career. After retiring from professional motocross racing, he began pursuing a career in auto racing and was named the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver.
Currently, Carmichael is a regular in the TV booth providing co-commentary on CBS and Speed Channel's Supercross coverage. As for motocross, he will forever be known as "The Goat" which stands for Greatest Of All Time. www.rickycarmichael.com
Said Carmichael: "I'm really excited to team up with Suzuki and have the opportunity to put together such a great program as Suzuki Camp Carmichael. Suzuki's RM and RM-Z product is the best out there and the Camp is a great chance for riders of all ages to race, have fun, earn contingency and hone their skills at my track. I'm really looking forward to my upcoming Daytona Amateur Supercross event and the Suzuki Camp Carmichael later this year."
ASMC amateur race support manager Pat Alexander added: "We at Suzuki are very excited about Suzuki Camp Carmichael. Over the years, Suzuki has enjoyed a very special relationship with Ricky Carmichael; who definitely is the Greatest Of All Time. Our factory-supported Supercross and Motocross teams have benefitted greatly from Carmichael's talent and training; and now we are delighted to share that with our amateur racers. Our hope is that Suzuki Camp Carmichael will be a unique and valuable experience for a select group of young riders fortunate enough to train directly with the GOAT. No doubt about it, 2012 is the year to race a Suzuki!"
To be eligible, riders must purchase a new RM or RM-Z motocross bike, sign up for the 2012 Suzuki Motocross Contingency Program at www.suzukicycles.com/racing and then go racing. For every contingency dollar they earn, racers also earn one point toward the Camp. At the end of the racing season, the 24 riders - twelve 85cc riders and twelve 250/ 450cc riders - with the most points will win a spot to Suzuki Camp Carmichael and receive one-on-one instruction from Carmichael himself. Throughout the season, racers can monitor their contingency dollars and Camp points by visiting www.suzukicycles.com or Suzuki Scoop on Facebook.
Points for Suzuki Camp Carmichael will be awarded based on contingency earned from November 1st, 2011 to September 30th, 2012. Any event that Suzuki pays contingency for during these program dates will earn points towards Suzuki Camp Carmichael and ASMC will announce the winners on October 15th.
About Ricky Carmichael:
Ricky Carmichael won 102 American Motorcycle Association (AMA) Motocross Nationals and 48 AMA Supercross Main Events for a record 150 major wins between 1997 and 2007. The Tallahassee, Florida resident won 10 AMA Motocross Championships and five AMA Supercross crowns, giving him a record 15 major titles in his career. After retiring from professional motocross racing, he began pursuing a career in auto racing and was named the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Most Popular Driver.
Currently, Carmichael is a regular in the TV booth providing co-commentary on CBS and Speed Channel's Supercross coverage. As for motocross, he will forever be known as "The Goat" which stands for Greatest Of All Time. www.rickycarmichael.com
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