in front of 7 times Bathurst champ
In a disappointing result for the girls, Motorsport journalist and the competitions last female driver Samantha Stevens was sent home on this weeks Shannons Supercar Showdown. After a few too many errors in both the simulator and driver-change challenges, Stevens was eliminated in front of her motorsport hero, guest judge and seven-times Bathurst champion, Jim Richards.
That hurt, I wont deny it, the guys my hero I did have a chance to drive at Bathurst, and now it's gone, it's a hard way to go out, says a shattered Stevens.
As one of Australias leading female automotive experts and the first woman to win a national rally event outright in Australia, Stevens was hoping to use the competition as a platform to promote women in motorsport.
I'm certainly in this competition to show that women have a place in motor sport, a big place We've just got to get more women off the couch and into the drivers seat, it's a hard step to make when it's such a male dominated sport."
Although disappointed with her performance, Stevens is looking forward and remains optimistic.
Do I feel like Ive done female racers proud by getting as far as I have? No. Weve got to be twice as good, every time, because it's just so easy to write us off.
The funny thing is out of all of this, I dont feel like Ive lost anything, I feel like Ive gainedIm ready to do more things and keep on racing, she says.
Showing much less poise, several Supercar Showdown competitors were happy to deflect all responsibility for their own average performances this week.
Queensland fashion designer Ryal Harris questioned the competitions merit after he was disqualified in the simulator reward challenge.
"These little exercises and challenges are sometimes a little bit pointless," says Harris before turning on his co-driver motoring journalist Andrew MacLean, in the elimination challenge.
Amac wasnt up to scratch, I was a bit peeved off about that."
Texan-native Edward Sevadjian was also looking for someone to blame in the racing simulator challenge, after 17 year-old Jack Le Brocq shunted him in to the barrier.
Jack was eventually given the win, after my protest to the stewardI'm not here to charm people and unfortunately my competitive side is exactly that, its not very charming.
After Sevadjian and co-driver Stevens were named as the worst performing pair in the elimination challenge, a brazen Edward again deflected all responsibility.
I figured I was going up there because Sammy had made a few minor mistakes, arent you supposed to shift responsibility for your short-comings onto other people?"
At the end of this weeks Shannons Supercar Showdown episode, seven contestants remain in a race that is separating the men from the boys!
Shannons Supercar Showdown airs Saturdays on 7Mate (check local guides for times), and is jointly produced by WTFN and The Media Mix.
The ultimate winner will co-drive in this years Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1,000, with Sunrise weatherman Grant Denyer, in the Shannons V8 Supercar, prepared by Kelly Racing.
