MORE PLEASE, SAY THE INSTRUCTORS
Every racing driver likes to see women in the pit lane - but it's not always for glamour-based reasons.
"99% of racing drivers are broke - so they finance their racing by any means they can, and that often means instructing people who're taking to the race track for the first time," said Ian Raybould of Trackdays.com, promoter of the Trackdays.com show.
"And they like nothing more than to see women signing on for instruction, because if they're instructing newcomers to trackday or race circuit driving then they know they're in for a smooth ride if it's a woman at the wheel.
"Trackdays are growing massively because more and more people are taking their road-going cars on to race tracks, and while many blokes see a circuit for the first time and come over all Juan Pablo Montoya, the women listen - and learn."
"Women pay close attention to the safety briefing, ask questions and take fewer risks. Yes, that means they're initially going more slowly, but it means they've more time to listen, more time to take in instructions and guidance, and develop a smooth rhythm to their circuit driving.
"Every top racing driver will tell you that smoothness and rhythm always lead to speed: the reason for this is that the basics - for instance, which direction the circuit goes next - becomes instinct even after only a few laps. That means the driver can concentrate on building speed while the subconscious takes care of the basics. Women will often gather speed faster than men.
The Trackdays.com Show - the first-ever trackday-focussed event of its kind - is on Sunday, April 30, 2006, at Rockingham Motor Speedway, Northants. It will be preceded by the Trackdays.com trackday on Saturday, April 29, run by Easytrack.co.uk.
Ian Raybould said: "We'd really like to see more women on track - they genuinely have fantastic potential because of their ability to listen and learn."
The Trackdays.com show is totally focussed on trackdays, trackday and performance products and driving experiences. It will cater for people who want to find out more about trackdays as much as it will for experienced track users.
"There are thousands of people who want to participate in trackdays, but who are perhaps curious, mystified or even intimidated by the thought of venturing out on to a race circuit. But by visiting the show they will discover and learn a great deal from other new or experienced trackday fans," said Ian Raybould.
Tickets are priced at £12 in advance or £15 on the day. The on-track action will include opportunities for visitors to drive a Porsche 911 Turbo, Ferrari 355, Lotus Elise or MINI Cooper S subject to availability and at extra cost in addition to entry ticket prices, plus demos and displays by manufacturers and tuners. High-speed passenger rides will be also be on offer.
There will also be displays by clubs and event organisers and a retail area featuring enhancement, parts, tuning, clothing and equipment specialists.
Tickets for the on-track experiences are available in advance via trackdays.com, where they can also be purchased as Gift Experiences.
Full details and tickets are available from trackdays.com. Club and trade enquiries should be made to sales@trackdays.com.
