September 8, 2007Print this page
• “OPC Race Camp” candidates can fulfill their dream of becoming race drivers
• “An ideal project for club racing where Opel traditionally has been strong”
Opel is exploring unknown territory in motorsport with the “OPC Race Camp”. A professional casting enables ordinary drivers to discover and develop their motor racing skills. With this project, the brand with the sporty OPC model range (Opel Performance Center) is creating new perspectives for club racing, in which it has traditionally had a very strong presence. Candidates must have talent and the determination to achieve their goal of driving races. To allow them to do so, Opel is providing the cars, the professional training and the organisational support for the yet unknown talents. After all, many of them failed so far because of the high investments that are required to start a career in motor racing. Alain Visser, director of sales, marketing and after sales at Adam Opel GmbH, is considering the “OPC Race Camp” as a future-oriented involvement in motorsport: “The OPC Race Camp is an ideal project in club racing where Opel traditionally has been strong, because here, we can have even more direct interaction with our fans.”
The concept includes several new features. First of all, it is aimed at drivers who are looking for a special challenge, irrespective of their age, sex or current brand of car. The only proviso: previous experience in motorsport is forbidden. After all, the key question is: “Is it possible to train performance-oriented drivers in professional conditions to make them ready to take on a 24 hour race and maybe even bring them towards the dream job of a race driver?”
Another new element is the focus on people and emotions in the OPC Race Camp. The fortune of the candidates who are pursuing their dream in the various casting levels, is thrilling for media and interested observers. The high level of the selection and training levels provides plenty of entertainment and drama. As a result, the OPC Camp has strong media partners in print and television who are following the entire project with regular and extensive coverage.
The competition machinery for the Race Camp-candidates ensures dynamic driving excitement: several 177 kW/240 hp strong Astra OPC cars and a competition version of the new Corsa OPC with 146 kW/199 hp are being used for the selection and training levels while two race versions of the Astra OPC are available for competition use in the near future. Moreover, Opel has a strong link with the centre of the action. The Nürburgring, and especially the Nordschleife, is being considered as Opel’s home. And rightfully so, as this is also the place where production cars are being tested extensively during their development stage.
Because of the positive echo for the OPC Race Camp with over 18,000 candidates in the German-speaking region, Opel is considering extending the Race Camp concept to other European countries as well.
gmeurope
• “An ideal project for club racing where Opel traditionally has been strong”
Opel is exploring unknown territory in motorsport with the “OPC Race Camp”. A professional casting enables ordinary drivers to discover and develop their motor racing skills. With this project, the brand with the sporty OPC model range (Opel Performance Center) is creating new perspectives for club racing, in which it has traditionally had a very strong presence. Candidates must have talent and the determination to achieve their goal of driving races. To allow them to do so, Opel is providing the cars, the professional training and the organisational support for the yet unknown talents. After all, many of them failed so far because of the high investments that are required to start a career in motor racing. Alain Visser, director of sales, marketing and after sales at Adam Opel GmbH, is considering the “OPC Race Camp” as a future-oriented involvement in motorsport: “The OPC Race Camp is an ideal project in club racing where Opel traditionally has been strong, because here, we can have even more direct interaction with our fans.”
The concept includes several new features. First of all, it is aimed at drivers who are looking for a special challenge, irrespective of their age, sex or current brand of car. The only proviso: previous experience in motorsport is forbidden. After all, the key question is: “Is it possible to train performance-oriented drivers in professional conditions to make them ready to take on a 24 hour race and maybe even bring them towards the dream job of a race driver?”
Another new element is the focus on people and emotions in the OPC Race Camp. The fortune of the candidates who are pursuing their dream in the various casting levels, is thrilling for media and interested observers. The high level of the selection and training levels provides plenty of entertainment and drama. As a result, the OPC Camp has strong media partners in print and television who are following the entire project with regular and extensive coverage.
The competition machinery for the Race Camp-candidates ensures dynamic driving excitement: several 177 kW/240 hp strong Astra OPC cars and a competition version of the new Corsa OPC with 146 kW/199 hp are being used for the selection and training levels while two race versions of the Astra OPC are available for competition use in the near future. Moreover, Opel has a strong link with the centre of the action. The Nürburgring, and especially the Nordschleife, is being considered as Opel’s home. And rightfully so, as this is also the place where production cars are being tested extensively during their development stage.
Because of the positive echo for the OPC Race Camp with over 18,000 candidates in the German-speaking region, Opel is considering extending the Race Camp concept to other European countries as well.
gmeurope
