Racing School in the Offing

Posted by Motorista on July 29, 2013 in Motorsports, News, Opinions | Leave a comment

Congrats to Lewis Hamilton on his win at the Hungaroring yesterday. He better savor this victory, because I start racing school on Saturday. I will take no prisoners. (Or…I will gain even greater respect for the skills racing requires and walk away quietly and humbly.)

The course on Saturday is called Foundations of Road Racing, and is one of several sequential courses I have to take before I can qualify for a racing license. Of course, I am already mentally designing my racing helmet. Priorities!

I’m only half-joking about my intent to get a racing license and see where this whole thing goes. There should be more female drivers! And we should hear more about the ones who are already here! I’m tired of going to events, or looking at photos of events, where the only role for women is to wear low-cut tops and stand next to the race cars with staged pouts. Sex marks the spot. Blah.

Now, I don’t think women – whether in racing or in any other arena – should get special treatment or attention for being women. When it’s historic, when you’re one of the first to do something, then it matters. Otherwise, show us respect for being good at what we do, not for being women while doing what we do. I want to give racing a shot, and I intend to succeed or fail based on my own merits, not because I’m a girl playing a boys’ game.

Really, at the end of the day, we women who happen to be interested in things traditionally labeled as “male,” such as cars and racing, just need to show up. We don’t need to make a big deal about it. We shouldn’t ask for or expect special treatment.

We just need to show up and get in the car. And if we have some really killer shoes off the track, that’s okay, too.

Stay tuned!