The young drivers aged between 14 and 17 years were Jessica Sergo, Geoffrey Dowdy, Joshua Sharkey, Amanda Healy, Brandon Arnold, Sarah Arnold, Georgia Heeley, Chloe Trevanion, Josh Newman, Byron Van Der Plaat and Jacob Umback. 

The training program for the day, based on a CAMS (Confederation of Australian Motor Sport) program comprised an introduction to basic car maintenance and then participating in three separate motorkhana courses with and without an instructor in the car. 

The motorkhana courses are known as “Historic Straight Slalom’, ‘Cloverleaf’ and ‘Hopkirk’ named after the legendary Mini rally driver Paddy Hopkirk.

After an initial instructed drive through each course, subsequent runs were timed by Chief Instructor Peter Heeley, and although this was not a competitive event, Peter Heeley awarded unofficial ‘winners’ non-trophies to the Most Improved driver over each course, who were Geoffrey Dowdy who improved his time by 33.3 per cent in the ‘Slalom’, Jessica Sergo who improved by 22.6 per cent in the Cloverleaf and Josh Newman who improved by 28.5 per cent in the ‘Hopkirk’. 

The young drivers did take a keen interest in each other’s achievements, and from enquiry at the end of the day, all are looking forward to the second event (of the Junior Development Program) which will be a Hillclimb at Mt Gladstone in Cooma on Saturday, November 26.  

The young drivers will receive a CAMS L2SJ licence, allowing them to enter any similar events in the following 12 months including the Hillclimb at Mt Gladstone in Cooma on Saturday November 26. 

In this event, the young drivers will learn about and experience car control at higher speeds in a safe controlled environment, with an instructor in the car with them until they feel confident enough to have a solo run.

Participants may supply their own vehicles, which are only required to meet basic safety standards, or may use one of the several club cars that will be made available.