Vauxhall's star of future bags podium

The 2007 VXR Racing Driver of the Year winner, John Allison, secured a podium finish in his second-only race meeting since winning a competition to become a professional racing driver.

The 34-year-old mortgage consultant finished third in race two at the Welsh circuit of Pembrey yesterday (Sunday 11 May), having only ever raced two weeks ago for the first time in race conditions at the season opener at Snetterton.

“It was a fantastic result and I was really pleased with it. I know I have got the speed and I’m sure it was not my last podium result,” said John, who lives in Beverly, North Yorkshire.

Vauxhall’s protégé proved his pace by qualifying sixth for both races in Saturday’s sessions, which saw the entire field setting times within a second of each other.

John, who finished in a strong sixth position in the sprint race earlier on Sunday morning, went on to secure his first-ever podium finish in difficult conditions in race two. “I consumed more than six litres of water on race day because it was so hot,” said John, who took the VXR Racing Driver of the Year crown, beating more than 10,000 initial entrants in last year’s competition.

“We had a compulsory pit-stop in the second race and my race engineer handed me a half-litre bottle of water which I drunk in seconds. It was extremely hot, but apart from that the Vauxhall Astra VXR was absolutely perfect.”

Following his impressive first two race meetings in his early career as a professional racing driver, John reflected: “I have a very good feeling about this season. I spoke to Ian Harrison [VX Racing’s Team Principal] and all I need to improve on is my qualifying performance. To be sixth on the grid is a good base, but I just need to improve by two or three positions and I can move up the field. This would enable me to get a better starting point and hopefully secure more podiums in the future.”

John’s next race meeting will be at his home circuit on 14 and 15 June at Croft in North Yorkshire.

If you would like an opportunity to live in the fast lane and become a racing driver, simply visit vxrdriver.co.uk for your chance to compete in Vauxhall’s search for the next VXR Racing Driver of the Year. The competition will see a member of the public win a race seat in the 2009 Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup. The competition is open to all drivers over the age of 21 who have never held a race licence.

From this 1,620 successful applicants will be put through their paces in the karting semi-finals before 15 finalists are selected for the intensive three-day final.