Top 8 Racing Drivers selected for the next stage of Milltek's VW Racing 'Find a Driver' campaign

British exhaust manufacturer Milltek Sport has narrowed its search to find a fully supported driver for the 2014 Milltek Volkswagen Racing Cup. This amazing offer to one talented individual was launched at this year’s Autosport show, leaving whoever wins in the enviable position of a fully supported drive in this prestigious series, behind the wheel of Milltek’s own ultra-competitive Golf Mk6 race car.

Interest in the competition exceeded even the firm’s wildest expectations, resulting in hundreds of proven and able drivers applying to line up on the grid in the distinctive wide-arched machine. With a proven track record, championship wins, and more than a little silverware behind them, Milltek’s race crew knows how to prepare a front running machine, and the calibre of entrants clearly reflected this.

Milltek’s panel of judges, which includes BTCC ace Tom Onslow-Cole, had the unenviable task of whittling the hopefuls down to a mere 8 entrants, ready for a secret test day to be held in February. These 8 weren’t just picked for their speed… that always had to be a given, but points were also awarded for attitude, aptitude and even their awareness of sponsor-friendly opportunities like social media and promotion. After all, today’s great drivers need to be far more three dimensional in their skill set than their illustrious forebears.

After much deliberation, the final shortlist was honed down to:

• Paul Rees: FIA GT and GT Open
• Nick Ponting: Current electric land speed record holder
• James Walker: VW Cup
• Louise Richardson: Ginetta G50
• Jake Honour: Clio Cup Series
• Anna Walewska: Britcar
• Chris Knox: Mini Challenge
• Jamie Martin: VAG Trophy

Commenting on the search, Milltek Sport's Managing Director, Steve Pound, said “I have been both delighted and surprised by the sheer number of superb drivers that applied for this competition. It’s a great reflection on the state of British motorsport in general, and on the number of truly talented top-level club racers in particular. Getting down from over 200 possibles to just 8 has been no easy task, and for those lucky few, life’s about to get a lot harder before we can hand over the hot seat. We are expecting fireworks from these drivers during the test day, and we know that no-one is going down without a fight. I’m sure many of them will relish the chance to prove their worth in an identical car against other drivers and I really can’t wait to announce our 2014 driver and ambassador at the end of the test.”

Current Driver Standings