Ladies Motorsport Development Program (Part 2)
23 May 2016 / Photos: Guy Coles, Words Steph Katz
Session 4: Motorkhana at Eastern Creek
Although my first time at this discipline of motorsport was several weeks earlier with the MX-5 club (no this was not cheating), the day started with prepping our cars for scrutineering then the president of the Road and Track Driver’s Club, who were organising the event, explained what a motorkhana is.
He went through the timing process and the penalties and time deductions that will affect your race time, for example moving a marker or overshooting the garage. They then explained the different type of driving styles that are shown commonly by the drivers that love this type of motorsport:
- Competition people that take the sport and timing results seriously and are there for the trophy’s.
- People that want to improve their driving skills and want to explore their limits.
- And people that want to thrash the crap out of their car while having fun with no interest in the timing results.
Next subject was the use of the handbrake, “you do not have to use the handbrake” WELL after this was said you could hear a big “Yay !” out of my mouth. Although the handbrake can be used this method does not necessarily give you a quicker and/or smoother run.
We then had our drivers brief and were introduced to the professional trainers who covered all types of cars in knowledge, front wheel drive, rear wheel drive and all-wheel drive.
It was time to start. I looked at the first course and thought I don’t need a trainer, this looks easy. It was a straight line where you had to weave through the markers, turn around at the end of the line and weave back through the same markers and stop in the garage area. Due to my pre-introduction to motorkhana with the MX-5 day, I handled this course quiet well. BUT the next course was just a bit complicated.
“I need help” I screamed out of my window to a trainer. I grabbed the first trainer I could see. I didn’t care what wheel drive they were expert in, I just needed a navigator. His immediate comment was “Will I fit in the MX5?”. I said “I’m 6 foot and I fit”. His response ? “Ummm, I’m 6 foot 5……” As I had my removable hardtop on, oh this may be an issue.
We were off, trainers knees planted into the dashboard (see….I knew he would fit). This course was so challenging I was all over the place. Second round on the same course the trainer asked if I would give the handbrake a go “NO!” was my answer. Although I do realise that I need to explore this handbrake technique but I will do this in my own time.
I absolutely loved this event, it was and is so much fun and my confidence in motorsport and my abilities is growing enormously. This type of event teaches you how to control your car at low speed (I never got out of first gear) through tight turns on a wet surface while having fun. I would seriously recommend that all club members give this a go for the fun factor and to improve their driving skills.
Session 5 : Driver training follow up at Marulan
This session was our final training session for the program and this was again with Barton Mawer. We arrived at the track and I jumped into gear, prepping my car for the day. The organisers at the start of the program recommended the use of a logbook to keep notes on car settings for each track. This came in use because Guy was off socialising and not helping his girl (I have always helped him prep his car on track days) BUT, I no longer had to ask Guy how many turns to adjust my coilovers and what should my tyre pressures be. <Guy’s note: She listens and everyone was impressed that she COULD do it by herself>
It was off to registration and to see what groups we were in. For Barton to help all of us we were split up into separate sessions, oh dear, panic “please don’t put me with a fast group”. We were off to the driver’s brief and then a walk of the track, Barton separated us from the other drivers (it was an open track day available to the general public) and he explained the track in more detail. One of his pointers for turn 5 and 6 was to have your right wheel in the gutter, “are you kidding me ???????”.
It was time to start, I was now in a panic because I was in group of total strangers and there was the right wheel in the gutter thing (those bloody Demons again). With Barton by my side we entered the track, nerves went away and I was off. This is not so bad, I have come a long way and can hold my own with strangers on the track, I even had my right wheel in the gutter at turn 5 and 6 on every round.
The second session out with Bart I explained to him that I start to get scared when approaching certain corners, I feel like I am not going to slow down enough for the corner and go in too hot. Bart then focused on my braking technique, he told me to come off the break slower as you enter the corner and this will settle the car (trail braking). Wow how smooth this made my race line, I was not fighting the car at the corners anymore and was using half the strength to go around the track. I said to Bart this is awesome, we are so smooth, he was stoked that I could feel at one with the car and the track. I have a long way to go with getting use to this technique but I now have the knowledge and just need the practice (track time)
Overall impressions so far
This training program has been unbelievably inspiring, I have gone from a nervous wreck to a genuine lady competitor growing in confidence and can’t wait for the next track day. I highly recommend any lady, girl, female, sheila, chick (or whatever you like to call yourself) to give this program a go. The support and structure of the program nurtures you through the different parts of auto racing and just promotes confidence through education and seat time.
Where this programme has been awesome has been the initial isolation from the other competitors and the gradual introduction into the general racing fraternity. I felt protected – the programme was there to help me and did so by arranging sessions exclusively for the development program which took all the pressure off me and allowed me to focus on what I had learned. As we progressed, we were introduced into more mixed competition as we grew in confidence.
My next and final session in the development program is at Sydney Motorsport Park, North Circuit at Eastern Creek where I will be competing in the SuperSprint series with the other girls but also with the SuperSprint regulars. All my training will be brought into play as suddenly the bubble wrap will be removed.
Stay tuned to this space ...
