Is there a future for Formula Ford?

[Russ Noble]

In my opinion the primary problem is not with the cars, it is with the fact that there is not a decent North Island FF series where the young guns can get relevant competitive racing and seat time before embarking on the National Championship.

Also there are not that many young guns coming through each year so the rest of field has to be filled with enthusiasts who will race for their enjoyment, year in year out. These guys can still provide good racing amongst themselves, even if they are not competitive with the front runners. All too often the also-rans are overlooked in the Championship focus and only belatedly given enticements to compete to swell the fields at the eleventh hour. That needs to change. And a means also needs to be found to instigate a series similar to SIFF in the North Island. However this probably needs to be driven by potential competitors rather than dictated by edict from the top. The question is where to race, without races you won't get competitors, and without competitors you wont get races!

There is a good historic series going in the NI. I wonder whether modern FFs could run in that, but maybe off the back of the grid, on 30sec delay for instance, until their numbers build sufficiently to warrant their own races?

There may be practical reasons why none of this can happen but I'm sure someone will quickly tell me.....

Edit. And talking about also-rans, the racing at that level can still be close and competitive and the costs are very reasonable. But they need a local NIFF series to compete in to make owning a car worthwhile. IMO