IS THE RACING INDUSTRY STILL A MAN'S WORLD?
Recently, WOW was invited as a guest to Dunlop‘s official announcement of its big investment plan together with Sumitomo.
However, it wasn’t just all work no play, in fact it was a lot of play as Dunlop had hired professional racers to take us around the track and burn some good quality Dunlop rubber at Killarney in some really exciting racing cars to demonstrate the durability and strength of its tyres. Not only did I learn a lot about the safety and regulations regarding Dunlop tyres, I also had great fun racing around the track.
As a woman-based brand, it was a lovely surprise to find a female racer/drifter among the wild pack of male racers – a sport that is often misjudged as a man’s world. So, I hopped in the Nissan GTR with said female racer, Firdous Asmodien, and off we went.
Later on I managed to obtain a quick, yet informative interview with her about her journey as a female in the racing industry, and some of her answers really did surprise me. What a great inspiration she is to all females, and especially aspirational female racers/drifters.
How did you get into Racing and Drifting?
Growing up ,I’ve always had a love for fast cars and motor sport. My first car, which I got at the age of 18, was a highly modified VW Golf. When I got married, my hubby and I both shared the same passion for motor sport and he encouraged me to compete as an athlete in motor sport.
Is it a tough industry to be in as a female? Yes, it is a male dominated sport and its tough to go up against men , because men have been doing this since the inception of the sport, so the skill level of men is pretty high due to all the seat time, but I’m hoping to catch up with boys soon.
Was it hard to break into the industry as a woman? I wouldn’t say that its hard. Generally women opt not to participate, as they are not naturally drawn to it and there aren’t too many female role models in the sport. But when I decided to take this sport seriously and give it a good go, I found that I was rather welcomed and encouraged to do so by several people, both males and females.
What do you enjoy most about Drifting? I’m always up for a new challenge and drifting is a fun , exciting , exhilarating way of challenging myself. I also enjoy the adrenalin rush, but mostly I enjoy being in control of a situation that almost seems uncontrollable.
What are your top safety tips for racing and drifting?
Never race or drift on the streets. Rather do this in a controlled , safe environment e.g a racing track. Wear your safety gear, e.g helmet, racing suit, racing gloves, racing shoes and seatbelt/harness. Make sure your car has all the necessary safety components such as a roll cage. Keep your fire extinguisher at hand , just in case.
Would you encourage other women to take up racing/drifting as a sport? Yes, there aren’t too many females in the sport and it is something I believe women would enjoy and actually be really good at, if they gave it a chance. I also believe that we will, in time, be able to give the boys a run for their money.
What is your favourite car to race in?
My favourite car that I have Raced in is a GT-R35. My favourite Drift Car that I have drifted, is a Toyota Supra.
Have you ever been in an accident/bad situation while racing? The only time I’ve actually experienced a bit of an accident, was a couple of months ago, while doing some drifting training at Monstermob Raceway in Kimberly. With drifting you always have to push yourself to new limits in order to improve and in order to do this you need to be fearless. On this particular day I pushed myself a little too hard and ended up on the curb , breaking my steering rack and suspension. Luckily I was still in one piece. But that’s the name of the game. You shouldn’t be afraid to explore new things, even it means you need to fail at it at first, but keep trying and persevere and surely with focus , determination and practice, you will eventually get it right and master it!
Original article: http://www.womenonwheels.co.za/news/dunlop-racing-interview/
