Theft in Motorsports

[Jay]

This really ****es me off... This is going to be a major setback for these two drivers.
From Aim autosport:

>> Woodbridge, Ontario: Canadian Formula Ford Championship leaders AIM Autosport awoke this morning to find the team's transporter had been stolen. Gone, along with tools and equipment, are the cars driven by championship leader Louis-Philippe Dumoulin and the well-known pink Barbie race car driven by Ashley Taws.

The team had stayed overnight at a motel on the outskirts of Trois Rivieres, Quebec, after competing at last weekend's Grand Prix de Trois Rivieres, planning to head home to Ontario this morning. While the culprits managed to escape with their prime target, they were unsuccessful in attempting to steal a second truck and trailer carrying Ashley's show car and promotional items.

The race cars, a pair of Aeros, were built by AIM Autosport's engineering duo, brothers Ian and Keith Willis, in the early nineties and have been driven by some of Canada's top aspiring racing talents. While new equipment is often considered a must in motorsport, AIM has managed to keep their cars in winning form for over a decade, but the team is faced with the prospect of running new and unfamiliar equipment for the rest of the season. The next race, at Mosport, less than two weeks away.

This reprehensible act comes as a great shock to AIM Autosport and its drivers. It is hoped that anyone with information will come forward and that the cars and equipment can be recovered.

I never thought this was much of a problem here, but I guess was wrong. Does this kind of thing happen that often in the UK? Any incidents that you guys can recall?

[bella]

flippin' eck. they should be able to get at least some of it back through insurance, shouldn't they? i wouldn't like to see the state of their premium though...

[Francesca]

i think they'd rather have their stuff back though!

[Russfeld]

Happens a lot to drivers in the junior series. I remember one year (98?) at Road America during friday practice for Barber Dodge someone stole about 5 drivers wallets out of the transporters.

[Liz]

The car is 10 years old and is rather distinctive -- what are they going to do with it? Sure the insurance may be able to cover it, but in 2 weeks where is she going to get another car and have it set up and trimmed out to her specs? This isn't F1 we're talking here.

But my question is, why didn't they know that as soon as the racing ended, all the security people went home? I'd have put SOMEBODY on the site to keep an eye on the stuff. Two somebodies. Heck, if it were my car I'd stay on the site MYSELF.

[Jay]

There's quite a difference between a few wallets and a teams entire equipment.

Financially speaking, it's not the end of the world as those cars were probably seeing their last races anyway, and AIM, being one of the top teams in FF1600, has deeper pockets than most of the teams. Those cars aren't too hard to come by either. It's more a matter of two young drivers (one fighting for the championship and the other showing a ton of talent in only a few races) having to start from scratch...and possibly with uncompetitive equipment.

lol...I'm not sure what they'll do with Ashley's car though...it's without a doubt the most recognizable single seater in Eastern Canada! There are pictures on the best looking driver thread...

Liz, although they're one of the wealthier teams in FF1600, they still don't have budgets for luxuries like 24 hour security guards... Most of the teams don't even have marked trailers, so they don't look like anything special... I'm not sure about AIM though...

[theracegypsy]

It happens, I had my Sebring Sprite stolen from the lock up just outside Bristol in August '99. It was Bank holiday Friday, and I intended to move it on the Sunday as the lease was up. Coincidence , I think not!
The police were helpful, but reconed it was either wharehoused for breaking as spares, or was in a container and already moving across the Atlantic before I missed it.
Again a distincive car, what did they recon they were going to do with it, sell to the next racer who comes along?
I hope AIM can carry on the season, see you in Mosport.

[Russfeld]

What you guys dont realise its easy to resell the car. You pop the bodywork off and how can you really tell it from any other car? You could sell it for parts *easy*

Hell you could repaint the bodywork in just a few hours.

I dont see a problem getting more cars, its only Formula Ford.

[theracegypsy]

I doubt if AIM Autosport see it that way, and even with FF there are many unique features. I know I can tell exactly which car I am driving at Castle Combe Race School by the set up and feel of the chasis.
But it's not just FF, mine is a registered classic sports, and you hear of other marques going as well.

[Craig]

Sounds nasty to say it but they really shpuld have had someone sleeping in the truck if they were leaving it unattended.

Bad luck though guys

[DanFlag]

Just in case this might help find the thieves, car #72 has it was last Sunday:

http://www.olivierlambert.ca/img/200...e/P8040008.JPG

Car #99 has it was last Sunday:
http://www.olivierlambert.ca/img/200...e/P8040054.JPG

The rest of our pictures from this week-end:
http://www.flagworld.com/2002/gptr/

[Jay]

Nice photos Dan, wish I was there!

[DanFlag]

Originally posted by Jay
Nice photos Dan, wish I was there!

Like a friend once said, "I aim to please" when shooting pictures. So thank you for your kind words!

[Lola]

insurance!!!!!!!???????????

I dont have any!

[Liz]

Just heard on the news that they had found the car in a farmer's field! Didn't say anything about the other gear though.

I'm with Craig, I'd have slept in the trailer or made darned sure one of the crew did.

[DanFlag]

Originally posted by Liz
Just heard on the news that they had found the car in a farmer's field! Didn't say anything about the other gear though.

I'm with Craig, I'd have slept in the trailer or made darned sure one of the crew did.

At last some good news

[Jay]

lol....From tsn.ca:

(Aug 7) YAMASKA, Que. (CP) The stolen pink Barbie-sponsored Formula Ford driven by Ashley Taws was found by police in a corn field late Tuesday night in a rural community 50 kilometres northeast of Montreal.

The car was stolen Sunday night while Taws and the rest of her AIM Autosport team slept in a motel following a race in Trois Rivieres, Que. They woke to find the team's truck and trailer gone, along with two race cars, a scooter, tools and equipment.

The team's truck was also found earlier Tuesday by police near Cornwall, Ont., while the trailer, along with the car driven by Taws' teammate Louis-Phillipe Dumoulin of Trois Rivieres, were found in the afternoon on a farm near St. Aime, Que.

Taws, an 18-year-old native of Newmarket, Ont., became the first female driver to win a pole in a professional Canadian racing event, taking the honours in a Formula Ford race during the Toronto Molson-Indy weekend last month in Toronto.

She finished fourth in the race.

In less than two weeks, Taws and Dumoulin will participate in the Canadian Formula Ford Championship at Mosport Raceway in Bowmanville, Ont.

On the plus side, Ashley and Dumoulin have gotten a ton of publicity out of this... Not too many FF1600 teams get articles about them from the Canadian Press.. or even tsn.ca.

[Liz]

Boy they sure scattered the stuff from here to eternity, didn't they? I assume they rode off together on the scooter, carrying whatever tools they could stuff in their pockets. The team must be very relieved!

As another plus, they have now learned that security is not just an adjective that precedes the word "blanket." And so have all the other Formula Ford teams!

Not to mention the Circuit Trois-Rivieres.