On the right track

My daughter Hannah who is ten years of age has officially started to drive in the open.

On her first session she burnt her arm. On her second session she bumped another vehicle, and then she spun her “car” a full 360 degrees twice. While waiting for her third session, I’m contently writing this column while my wife Karen is busy listening to her Ipod and crocheting contently.

You would think we didn’t care about our child’s safety or maybe we are being recklessly tolerant of driving for minors. On the contrary we are not.

Our daughter is part of some 18 “kids”, between the ages of 7 to 13, who are participating in the first “CASTROL Champions of the future” go-kart clinic. To be honest, I know fully well that driving a go-kart can be just as dangerous as much as it can be fun.

But since the event was being managed by the Tuason Racing School or TRS, I was completely confident that our daughter would be in good hands. I have known both JP and Jeanette Tuason for some time and they are one of the very few couples I could entrust my daughters safety, especially on the track.

TRS and the Tuason Couple along with relatives and staff have been conducting training programs, clinics and events related to road safety, race driving and the promotion of motor sport for 12 years. They are also a very competitive team both in the local and international scene.

Far from being a Sunday fun-run, I knew in advance that our daughter would be taking home important driving lessons for life. I too have been a participant in the TRS FORD Challenge, and I came home a better and safer driver. That more than anything was what convinced me to enroll my daughter in this clinic.

Just think about it, many Filipinos spend anything from P3,000 to P10,000 to take driving lessons. But sad to say most graduates only end up learning how to operate a vehicle but don’t become good drivers. It also takes many years before they gain a decent level of confidence behind the wheel.

Most Filipino drivers start from a “Student permit” and after a month to six months they already get a non-professional license without even going through a real honest to goodness evaluation and actual driving tests.

Today, I saw for myself how valuable the go-kart clinic was to very young children. JP and his group composed of veteran drivers and managers immediately emphasized discipline. You can have all the money but if you or your parents show any bad attitude during the clinic, you will be evicted from the premises.

Safety was emphasized as JP sternly told the kids what to be careful of; such as don’t touch the engine because it will burn your hands. Unfortunately, Hannah was so excited about a good run that she forgot the proper way to get out of the go-kart and glanced the top of engine with her arm.

No I did not turn into The Hulk.

She knew it was her mistake and we calmly walked to the LIFE LINE Ambulance that was stationed Trackside. Nurse Coy applied the necessary first aid and Hannah was once again back in the fray.

I believe that this almost real-life driving experience is a very good investment because the kids immediately discover what they can do with a machine and what damage the machine can do to the driver and to others.

They discover that it’s not as simple as pressing the gas or the brake pedal. They need strength to turn the wheels, confidence to go through the curves and hairpins. And when they “crash” into the rubber foam barriers, it stimulates what they can experience in an accident.

The cute or funny thing about it is that the kids who do well get a “Star” stamped on their arm just like in school. If you get four “Stars” you stand to be accepted in the TRS Champions of the Future Racing program.

However if you damage any vehicle or equipment, the parents pay for it. If you bump, crash or run off the track, you don’t get any “Star”. The kids were oblivious to the cost for damage goods but they were upset if they didn’t get a “Star”.

Some people might have the opinion that starting them young may give the kids the wrong idea and would start sneaking Dad’s car out of the garage, but on the contrary, kids will be kids and as I listened to their post “race” reactions, one boy immediately took of his helmet and hollered: “daddy I want choco”, while another girl went to her parents and asked for her Ipod to listen to her audio book. Yes kids will always be kids.

During the event, a number of veteran car racers and industry leaders shared why organizations such as the Automobile Association of the Philippines and international race bodies were supporting the clinic and the entire program.

According to Mandy Eduque of AAP, it is vital to the sport of Motor racing that there are enough young people entering the program to insure the life of motor sport and for the country to be competitive internationally.

Another representative who oversees go-kart activities nationwide stressed: “We want to teach the young kids what they need to know before they learn all the bad habits in driving”. That more than anything is worth your time and money.

For inquiries contact 817 7795 or on-line at www.championsofthefutureph.com

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