RSS Share 14/09/2005
For those who thought speed was a male-only pastime think again

Renaultsport’s track days have seen their fair share of girl-racers including Emma Squire and her Clio Renaultsport 172. “I suppose I’m an adrenalin junkie,” said the 29-year-old, who uses the track time to practice for the Formula Woman Championship selection trials – a one make championship for women, televised on ITV1. “It’s the thrill of just being able to chuck the car around and see how far you can actually take it.”

Emma, from Surrey, first entered Formula Woman in 2003 when her instructor on the assessment day was Ed Pead, one of the ELF Renault Clio Cup front-runners. She says the experience will come in handy at next month’s track day at Cadwell Park, which is the last time Renaultsport owners will be able to take their cars onto the track in 2005. “They are just so well organised,” said Emma. “You can either use the Renaultsport cars they bring along or you can go out as a passenger with a racing driver, which is a real eye opener. Even taking the Clio Renaultsport V6 255 around and then driving your own car again is always strange.”

Kathy Davies, from Milton Keynes, says advice she received from racing instructors has helped her push her Clio Renaultsport 182 Trophy to its limits. “They force you to do the lines correctly,” said the 48-year-old. “They tell you what speed to be doing and what gear to be in. I always brake too early. I can put my foot to the floor on the straight but then I take it off too soon whereas you should be going from one extreme to the other – full acceleration to full brake. They push you that bit further. I think it’s just immense fun. It puts a real grin on my face.”

“At Brands it was throwing it down and I felt the Clio Trophy move a bit coming out of a bend but I’ve so much faith in the Clio Trophy that all it does is make you smile even in the wet. It handles so wonderfully.”

To book your place on the next Renaultsport track day, go to  www.renaultsport.co.uk/trackdays - Kathy says it is definitely value for money. “You can’t drive cars like that on the road,” she said. “On the track days you can push the car and yourself - learn more about the car and your own driving ability. It’s so much fun. On the track is where these cars excel.”