It was a great weekend for women who race. Brittany Force won the Top Fuel Crown in drag racing – the first female champ since 1982.
I was racing my little blue Austin Healey bugeye sprite at Willow Springs and there were two female winners there too over the weekend. One won the Big Bore Bash Pursuit race (Tara Para), and the other won my group race, Kiem Tjong, in her Mazda Miata. Such a cool chick!
I had issues with my car over the weekend and didn’t get to race on Sunday, but told Kiem, “That’s racing!” to which she replied, “Great attitude Shelley! So happy we had another woman join us.” So this is also to encourage more women to get into racing, or to do something that challenges you, from which you can learn life lessons and keep growing as the empowered kick-ass goddesses we are!
It is such a thrill to be behind the wheel, especially as a woman in a very much male dominated sport. I love it! Makes me feel like I have balls! And it is such a personal challenge. I have never raced before in my life. I am a city girl and don’t know much about cars at all. But I am learning!
I did the Vara (Vintage Auto Racing Association) High Performance Racing School at the beginning of this year in my 2002 Porsche and got the opportunity to also take the Austin Healey bugeye sprite out on the track and fell in love with it. I wanted to keep the cute little blue one for myself! And I did!!
Highly recommend doing the school, even if just to become a better street driver. Check out
https://www.vararacing.com/university-of-vara for upcoming driving school.
Got to watch a fabulous movie at the racetrack over the weekend called, “The Art of Racing in the Rain” that had lots of wonderful snippets of wisdom. One of which I did get to practice before my car broke…
“The car goes where the eyes go.”
― Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain
Like riding my Ducati motorcycle… the bike goes where the eyes go. I found myself intellectualizing too much on the line to take on the corners while in my little race car. When I relaxed into the drive I allowed my eyes to lead to where I wanted to go and the car followed.
Same is true in life. Focus on where you want to go and don’t get caught up too much in the little stuff. Allow more flow. Let life be a dance… and manifest your own reality!
“Such a simple concept, yet so true: that which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves.”
― Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain
I also realized that “shit happens” – that’s racing! So shifted my mood from being bummed that my car broke to enjoying just being at the race track and witnessing great achievements! Girl power!!
Dr Shelley
