Women in Circuit Racing

[DAVID PATERSON]

On a more positive and constructive note, the last round of the Qld Motor Racing Championship was a celebration of the Women of Australian Motor Sport.

The Assistant Clerk of Course, Chief Flag Marshall, Chief Fire Marshall, Chief Scrutineer, Chief Paddock Marshall, Chief Medical Officer, Course Car Driver, Safety Car Driver, both timekeepers and all of the Stewards were women.

The meeting was very successful and I for one was not at all surprised by that outcome. In fact, I expected it.

[Umai Naa]

You don't have to win to be successful.

[seniormax]

There is a female who has won a national championship outright. That person is Abbie Eaton and she won the 2014 UK MX5 Supercup one make championship against male opposition numbering about 25 guys. She takes the view that first and foremost she's a racing driver, then a female, some females tend to take the opposite view. For a female racer to standout, let alone win, they have had to be very determined to succeed, due to that thing called the male ego, so their racing apprenticeship has been harder from the get go. Abbie progressed into GT racing in 2015 driving a BMW M3 GTR, so jumping from 160bhp to 550bhp, winning her class on occation and setting fastest laps during the season. The aim for 2016 is to progress into the British GT championship and use it as a shop window to show what she is capable of achieving given the chance. As per some of her male counter parts, talent sometimes is not enough on it's own, if the monetary backing is not available, but if the passion is there, you keep chasing the dream.

[BertMk2]

Jamie Chadwick won the GT4 class in British GT - does that count?

[seniormax]

Forgot to mention, V8 Supercars are proper touring car racing and Abbie Eaton will get the opportunity to sample driving a replica Marlboro Holden Commodore Group C circa 1983/84, which we will be racing in historic events in the Uk and Europe in 2016.

[seniormax]

Of course it counts, Abbie would jump at the opportunity to race Jamie in equal equipment, bring it on. Who knows what the future holds ???

[rich07]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Jamie Chadwick won the GT4 class in British GT - does that count?

I would say so. She also got a test with the Aston Martin young drivers programme at Bahrain in a GTLM Vantage with the winner getting a works contract for next year. Apparently she did quite well. Good on her.

[peckstar]

Im not sure that it counts. (but i dont set the rules ) secondary level cars behind the main GT3 cars, If she had have won GT3 then i reckon it would count

[seniormax]

Here's an interesting puzzle that I have not been able to find the answers...

Can anybody name any females other than Abbie Eaton who have won a ciruit racing championship outright in the last 20 years with mixed grids of 15 plus drivers....not female only..... not class winners.... not as a co driver. That can be a national championship or an International championship ( sometimes the national championships are harder fought, with no quarter asked or given )

1......Abbie Eaton 2014 UK MX5 Supercup champion.

2..... ?

3..... ?

[m00neelee]

And as summer approaches Dasher's misogyny rears its ugly head again.

The goal post have again moved to another location on the field, although why Dasher is playing lacrosse on a netball court is beyond comprehension.

The new Criteria:
Major,single seat, Circuit racing Championship.

Previous criteria:
Major Championship on a flat track bitumen or oval in a car like F1, F2, F3, Indy Car, Nascar, V8 Super Cars, DTM, British TC, Le Mans, Sports Cars etc.etc..

So F2, Indy Car, Nascar, V8 Super Cars, DTM, British TC, Le Mans, Sports Cars have now been dropped from the relevant criteria.

As well as country based championships so four of the five F3 championships are invalid.

So what Dasher is asking is "Why did a female not win F1 or the FIA European F3 championship this year?

[Umai Naa]

Nicely put.

[Mixer]

Really if not for a couple of points Leanne Tander would have won the F3 championship (she came second 2 years running, by a total over the 2 years of only 6 points), not to mention she placed 3rd in the Formula Ford in 2000, beating home Will Davison & Will Power.

[Umai Naa]

Mrs Ferrier nee Tander did quite well in the '01 DVS (Konica) series, running 5th overall with numerous top 5 and podium finishes. Not bad for her first year in tin tops.

[Mixer]

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

Mrs Ferrier nee Tander did quite well in the '01 DVS (Konica) series, running 5th overall with numerous top 5 and podium finishes. Not bad for her first year in tin tops.

Also was not disgraced in TCM either, I absolutely believe she was the real deal. No token female sponsorships or anything, race car driver who is actually good - not just good "for a female"

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by seniormax

Here's an interesting puzzle that I have not been able to find the answers...

Can anybody name any females other than Abbie Eaton who have won a circuit racing championship outright in the last 20 years with mixed grids of 15 plus drivers....not female only..... not class winners.... not as a co driver. That can be a national championship or an International championship ( sometimes the national championships are harder fought, with no quarter asked or given )

1......Abbie Eaton 2014 UK MX5 Supercup champion.

2..... ?

3..... ?

Alice Powell, won British Formula Renault several years back.
Not sure how many other drivers took part, I don't usually bother with anything lower than F3 on the single-seater ladder to be honest.

Sarah Moore also, won the Ginetta Junior series on the BTCC bill in... 2011?

Not sure if Formula Renault or Ginetta Junior count towards your puzzle though?
I'd say they do, if the Mazda MX5 Supercup counts.

[seniormax]

They all count, because it's a very small number of females who want to try their hand at racing the guys on equal terms, so the ones who win, I would suggest are more determined, because they have had to fight and race harder to make their mark against the guys..... Talent alone in racing has never been a guarantee of progression up the racing ladder, without the nessarcey funding as well.....I am sure when one of the girls achieve a level of results that can't be ignored any longer, a team/manufacturer will employ them, because the marketing and promotional positives would be huge... It will happen sometime in the future, it's just a matter of when and who.

[bludvl_x19]

Originally Posted by alfacors

Sheer numbers is the key as mentioned before. Besides, there's plenty of male racers who will never win a Championship either..... Mark Webber never won a Championship yet he's an F1 driver

Plenty of guys will never achieve what plenty of female racers have either.
Maybe there never will be a female champ, but it shouldn't stop them from trying (and at least winning races and putting noses out of joint )

I dragged this from the first page, maybe Webber getting himself a World Championship is a sign that next year a woman may satisfy Dasher and his ever narrowing goalposts.

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by m00neelee

And as summer approaches Dasher's misogyny rears its ugly head again.

The goal post have again moved to another location on the field, although why Dasher is playing lacrosse on a netball court is beyond comprehension.

The new Criteria:
Major,single seat, Circuit racing Championship.

Previous criteria:
Major Championship on a flat track bitumen or oval in a car like F1, F2, F3, Indy Car, Nascar, V8 Super Cars, DTM, British TC, Le Mans, Sports Cars etc.etc..

So F2, Indy Car, Nascar, V8 Super Cars, DTM, British TC, Le Mans, Sports Cars have now been dropped from the relevant criteria.

As well as country based championships so four of the five F3 championships are invalid.

So what Dasher is asking is "Why did a female not win F1 or the FIA European F3 championship this year?

I think you have misinterpreted what Dasher said. Just some bad grammar in his latest post . Pretty confident he would stand by description as there is no reason to change it, because its still true.

[m00neelee]

Originally Posted by peckstar

I think you have misinterpreted what Dasher said. Just some bad grammar in his latest post . Pretty confident he would stand by description as there is no reason to change it, because its still true.

Six words, two commas and a full stop.

Sorry, but there is not a lot to misinterpret.

Although redefining MAJOR as to not include the primary class in a country renowned for motor sport is just another way of excluding any and all female drivers who fulfill the criteria originally set.

To quote the Desire Wilson biography
"She was the first woman in world-wide racing history to win a major National single-seater championship. She had won four races, finished second three times and earned two lap records. She had run fastest laps eight times, but suffered three engine failures in the 11 race season. She was the acknowledged rising star of South African racing."

[GTRMagic]

Erebus #4 Now Has Female #1 and #2 Mechanics...

[mayhem]

Geez, Reynolds cant escape these pussy wagons, can he?

[Casper]

Originally Posted by mayhem

Geez, Reynolds cant escape these pussy wagons, can he?

And we can't escape trolling just to get a bite, it seems to be your favorite troll subject or have you another?

[mayhem]

No, that's about it, I still find it to be one of the funnier comments with one of the more hyper over reactions I've ever seen in sport.

[Umai Naa]

*ovary-action

[mayhem]

Originally Posted by Umai Naa

*ovary-action