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American Woman Motorscene
You Already Own a Race Car
That's right: If you have a car, you're ready to
compete in an autocross one of the most fun, economical and safety-conscious
forms of racing.
by Rich & Marchell Fletcher
Limits. Constraints. Fun-seeking vehicles. They're
the elements of motorsports. Fun-seeking vehicles are the cars
(or trucks or motorcycles) that we gleefully push to their limits
within the constraints of a given track. Those who get closest
to the limits usually have the most fun. We call these people
winners, and racing is a passion they enjoy while most of us watch
. . . idly, enviously.
The limits most people ascribe to motor racing involve
fears of physical peril and financial insolvency. Thus, many prudently
believe they can never experience the incredible, adrenaline-charged
fun of motor racing. This is a shame, because the odds are that
right under their very toes is their very own race car.
The truth is, every weekend, across the United States,
people just like you are racing cars just like yours with little
risk to limb or ledger. The clubs that do this are legion, including
many single-marquee groups, such as those devoted to Porsches,
Mazda Miatas, Corvettes and BMWs. The largest such group is the
Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), and its events are open to
all types of cars.
The SCCA puts on a variety of races, but the type
that is most accessible to regular, daily-driven cars is called
autocross. It's just you and your car against the clock on a miniature
road course, usually defined by orange traffic cones. There's
no bumping fenders or frantic pit stops. You're racing solo. In
fact, in the SCCA, autocross is called Solo II. (Solo I is a hill-climb
or race-track variation.)
Your car is classed against others with similar characteristics,
and the driver who gets from start to finish in the least amount
of time (and runs over the fewest traffic cones in the process)
is the winner. It's safe, incredibly fun and inexpensive. It's
one form of racing that almost every woman can afford.
The apex of this type of racing for women is probably
the Honda Women's Challenge. As part of the SCCA's Pro Solo series,
the Women's Challenge boasts fields of more than two dozen women
who race to determine an overall winner at each of the tour's
10 to 12 weekend events. The series crisscrosses the country,
with events held in or near major metropolitan areas. While some
women choose to run only those events that are close to home,
others opt for following the tour, hitting many or all of the
Women's Challenge races.
Expensive? Well, did we mention thousands of dollars
in prize and contingency money for event winners? It's not enough
to make a living, but if you're good, the prizes can certainly
cover almost all expenses. How many hobbies do that?
Perhaps the nicest thing about this kind of racing
is the people you meet. Because the money involved is nominal,
the pressure to win is overshadowed by a camaraderie and kinship
among the competitors. As women of speed, so to speak, the Pro
Solo women are a very laid-back and lighthearted bunch. The only
time things get serious is when they're strapped into the car,
eyes focused on the course ahead, mind and body melding with motor
and metal to get 100-percent positive performance out of their
run through the course.
Then, too, there's the bigger target they're shooting
for. It isn't just winning, but the prospect of becoming one of
the best drivers in the country that hooks you. That's why the
Women's Challenge was created. The women in Solo wanted to become
as fast or faster than the men. For decades, competing in Solo
II, women's classes were separate from and not compared directly
with the corresponding men's or "open" classes. Men's
class times were typically much faster than women's class times.
Many half jokingly felt that testosterone factors were responsible,
but this performance-inhibiting perception was due for a change.
In the 1980s, what is now the Valvoline Pro Solo
Series was created to showcase the top Solo II drivers. Female
entrants were few because women had rarely beaten the best men.
After several years of falling short, the women proposed a challenge
within the Pro Solo series to spur the development of female drivers.
The program placed the women in a separate class with the men's
class time as targets to beat. The men (not threatened by the
thought of losing to these women) shared their secrets of speed,
and shared in the success of their female friends, who sometimes
happened to be related. With sponsorship and prize money from
Honda, the Women's Challenge has succeeded in attracting and creating
some of the best autocross drivers in the country. Some of these
ladies can now regularly beat the top men in their respective
classes.
The bottom line is, today, the number of women in
motorsports is rising. Of an average 150 competitors at each Pro
Solo meet, 27 are women. Five years ago, the entire series saw
only 11 women entrants. At last year's Solo II events, hundreds
of women competed. In other autocross and racing clubs, the story
is similar.
The attraction of autocross is found in a combination
of highly charged racing, safety-conscious administration, friendly
competition and nominal expense. So, if you've ever wondered what
it would be like to race, look no further than your driveway.
Chances are there's a fun-seeking vehicle awaiting your command.
If you'd like more information on Solo II racing,
call the SCCA at 303-779-6622.
Want more information? Search the web!
Search The Auto Channel!
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