March 2006: Shelley Smithies, 29 from Basingstoke, racked up an
impressive two thirds and a second last weekend in
her first completed race meeting in the passenger
seat of the Bruce Munro Formula 1 sidecar.
Shelley actually tried to begin her racing career
earlier this year at Pembrey, but a crash in qualifying
led to multiple breaks in her wrist and arm. Months
in a plaster cast didn’t quash her dream however
and she was fighting fit for her first race at the
BMCRC Championship’s annual trip to the Circuit
de Croix en Ternoise in northern France.
After only a day’s practice since returning
to the track, Saturday’s qualifying session
in damp conditions saw the pair put the outfit on
the front row for the first race. A gamble to go out
on slicks paid off, as although they lost ground initially,
the drying track played to their advantage and they
picked of the opposition to finish a fantastic third.
Race two saw an unfortunate DNF when avoiding another
outfit in trouble caused an uncharacteristic trip
to the Armco.
The first race on Sunday saw the pair starting from
the back of the grid due to the DNF, with a lot of
work to do on the narrow and twisty circuit. However,
spurred on by their earlier performance, they bravely
carved through the field for another third place come
the chequered flag and gained their fastest lap of
the weekend in the process.
Back on the front row for the final race, Shelley
and Bruce were determined to go even better and succeeded
in rounding off a fantastic weekend with a well-deserved
second.
Missing the first half of the season was unfortunate
in that, based on this performance, the pair could
have been firm contenders for the title. But there
is still some way to go and the top step of the podium
beckons. Shelley is learning fast and with Bruce’s
experience and guidance on hand, this weekend’s
results are surely only a taste of things to come.
Report and photos courtesy of the Wildcard
Photography.
Race report for Pembrey March
2006
Shelley broke her arm in 3 places in her first ever
race.
|
