The Junior Saloon Car Championship has announced that it will join forces with the MINI CHALLENGE and Goodyear to create a Driver Development Programme aimed at helping young drivers reach the pinnacle of British motor racing.

Currently bridging the gap between karting and cars, the JSCC offers aspiring racers aged between the ages of 14 to 17 with the opportunity to get behind the wheel and compete.

With several drivers having coming through the championship’s ranks already, the one-make series is aiming to continue that trend by creating a driver development ladder which will provide an opportunity for youngsters to move up into the MINI CHALLENGE and then possibly one day on into the British Touring Car Championship.

Dave Beecroft, Junior Saloon Car Championship Co-ordinator, said: ”JSCC has been going from strength to strength, year on year and it’s exciting to be able to offer this opportunity to our junior drivers.

“The MINI CHALLENGE is a great championship to progress to after JSCC and its brilliant to be a part of this development programme to aid young drivers to progress all the way through to BTCC.

“We’re very happy to be continuing our partnership with Dunlop/Goodyear who have consistently shown their investment in young drivers and we strongly believe this is the best opportunity on the market for juniors looking to achieve their dream at the top of British car racing.”

Mickey Butler, UK Event Manager for Goodyear and Dunlop, continued: ”We are proud to build a ladder into BTCC through Goodyear’s support of the MINI CHALLENGE and Dunlop’s investment in the teenage racers of the JSCC.

“By building a bridge from one of the UK’s strongest Junior series into the UK’s highest profile one-make touring car feeder series, we are supporting young talent in their goal of getting to the pinnacle of British racing, racing on the touring car weekends in either the MINI CHALLENGE or BTCC.”

Finally; MINI CHALLENGE Championship Director, Antony Williams, added: “I am delighted that the MINI CHALLENGE, Junior Saloon Car Championship and Goodyear have come together to create the all new Goodyear Academy.

“By working together with JSCC and Goodyear, we will provide young drivers with a clear route from Karting into their first steps in car racing with JSCC, on to the TOCA support package with the MINI CHALLENGE and then on to the BTCC.

“Goodyear and the MINI CHALLENGE are also delighted to offer the JSCC winner a prize consisting of a fully funded test in a MINI CHALLENGE Cooper Class car and free tyres for their first MINI CHALLENGE season worth £3,000. Lastly we will be making a further exciting announcement regarding the academy in due course.”