08 Dec Speed Queen has racing in her veins
EPE receptionist Courtney Pinker was just 16 when she stepped behind the wheel of a V8 Dirt Modified.
But with speedway running in the family and a good number of her childhood years already spent racing go karts on dirt, it was a progression that was always in store for Courtney.
She’s since had various successes, including being selected among a small group of 16-25 year-olds to travel to Canberra in 2016 for a three-day camp for speedway competitors.
Now she’s been named an ambassador for Speed Queens Australia, which promotes females in motorsport and aims to encourage more of them to take on the males who to date have dominated.
With her Dad – a one-time speedway competitor himself – as support crew, Courtney remains humble about her successes, although admits she can usually hold her own against the blokes in the Open V8 Dirt Modified class.
“I give it my best shot and sometimes I do OK,” she says. “If I can bring the car home straight, we’re pretty happy.”
EPE’s management has faith she can do that and rise to the challenge of attracting more females into the sport, which is why we’ve jumped onboard to sponsor her.
We’ll be watching keenly to see the chequered flag fall in Courtney’s favour over the coming seasons.