Anna
Walewska may not be a name racing fans in the U.S. are familiar with,
but the 20-year-old standout is hoping to change that.
In
2007, Walewska raced in the Britcar championship driving for BMW. She
finished third in that series. This season she will once again race in
the Britcar series, driving for Geoff Steel Racing in a BMW M3 3.2ltr
360bhp.
Walewska’s racing skills started in the typical fashion.
She began racing in go-karts at an early age, and moved into the saloon
car series, T-Cars, at 14. From T-Cars, she moved up to Britcar, where
she claimed numerous podium finishes.
In 2006, Walewska
entered the prestigious 24-hour race at Silverstone, where she earned
the pole. For her car racing achievements in 2005, she was awarded the
2005 Driver of the Year Trophy.
Anna competed in the NKRA (National
Kart Racing Association) Championship along side her Britcar racing.
She had two fastest laps, four wins, driver of the day and numerous
podium finishes and was nominated for 2006 Lady Driver of the Year.
Anna
is qualified as an Advanced Fitness Instructor which helps her keep at
the optimal level of fitness for her sport. She is a top Racing
Instructor at Thruxton and Brands Hatch, and also works for
manufacturers like BMW on corporate days.
How did you first get into racing?
I
started in karts at 100-years-old and moved to car racing at just
14-years-old, racing in T-Cars. I then moved to single seaters Formula
Renault for a year and now race a BMW in Britcar.
My father
introduced me to karting, he is a car enthusiast and use to race
himself. I have always been interested in cars, push cars and
scalextric were my toys as a child, and dolls got pushed to one side! I
have been brought up around racing, my father always had sports cars
and I would spend all my spare time tinkering about with engines in
our garage.
My
first race was in karts, I took to it like a duck to water and have
never looked back since. I have always been very competitive and crave
speed, racing ticks all those boxes for me.
What is your greatest accomplishment in racing so far?
I
broke the record of becoming the 'youngest racing driver to hold a full
car racing license’ at 14. Also, I won at Snetterton in Britcar driving
the BMW. I lost second and fifth gear whilst in second place, I had to
pit and lost a lot of places. There was nothing the team could do, I
could have just retired, but I decided to rejoin with only three gears.
I was so hungry for the win, knowing the car had the pace. I drove
hard, taking the car back up to the lead and took the win on the last
lap. This is a race my team and I will never forget.
What are your plans for 2008?
I
am racing in Britcar driving for Geoff Steel Racing in a BMW M3 3.2ltr
360bhp. I finished third in the championship last year, so I have to
win it this year. I am working on sponsorship to race a Dodge Viper in
British GTs, as I was offered the drive last year. I am a fully
qualified ARDS racing instructor. working for Thruxton and
manufacturers. This year, I have set up a driver development track day
business giving tuition in a Lotus Elise. This is open to anyone,
racing drivers or not, who want to have taste of what driving on a
track is really like and improve their skills.
I am also
training a racing driver, Zoe Wenham, who has been karting for many
years and is now stepping up to car racing. I will be working with her
throughout the year, so she can make the transition from karts to cars
as easily as possible.
What is your ultimate goal in racing?
To
be winning in whatever I am racing, and have a long successful career
as a racing driver. My ambition is to race in WTCC (World Touring Cars)
as a works driver, and I would also like to race at Le Mans.
Is it hard to balance a busy racing schedule with a personal life?
It
can be difficult, but I am lucky to be surrounded by people who believe
in what I am doing, and have great patience and understanding that my
racing always comes first. It does take up a lot of my time, I am at
the gym five times a week to keep my fitness to its optimum level, I
never stop working on sponsorship and keep in touch with the media
24/7. It's all part of being a successful racer; I have to work just as
hard if not harder off track as I do on! My friends and family are very
supportive; if my social life has to go on hold for a while they
understand – phew!
Do you think there are as many opportunities in racing for women as there are for men?
Yes,
I do. Motorsports is heavily dominated by men; which perhaps seems
intimidating to women who want to start out in the sport. There are
only a handful of women who compete in motorsports but the
opportunities are endless if you are a quick, female driver finishing
at the front. Motorsports is one of the few sports where women can
compete against men. There are always a few sexist men who don't
believe a woman should be competing in the sport, and if they are then
they won't be quick, but you get that in any sport. I've never felt
different from the 30 odd male drivers I race against on the grid, once
my helmet goes on I am a competitor -- male or female -- it doesn't
matter. I just want to win.
The marketing opportunities for a
quick female in motorsports are endless, my sponsors enjoy the exposure
from the racing itself, TV coverage, and all the press -- but also get
the added exposure from backing the only female on the grid. The media
attention I get can be overwhelming especially when I'm finishing at
the front and my sponsors love it. Motorsports is as much a business as
it is a sport, and having a unique selling point helps finding
sponsorship.
Have you ever thought about racing in any of the series in the US (NASCAR, ARCA, IRL, etc)?
I
have considered racing in NASCAR in the U.S., and if the opportunity
comes up I will grab it. I would like to make my name in the U.K.
first, and then look at moving to the U.S. if that is the best career
move me at the time.
What are your goals for this season?
My
goal is to win the PS1 (Britcar) championship, and find the funding to
compete in British GTs next year. I would also like my track day
business to expand and work with more up-and-coming racing drivers.
That's enough to keep me busy!
Lotus Experience Track Days
www.anna-racing.co.uk
by Linda Przygodski
Contributing Editor
AskPatty.com