Emma Eyeing Off Victory

AKA press release

After finishing runner-up in last year’s inaugural All Female event at the Lithgow Kart Raceway Castle Hill’s Emma Brown is determined to go one better in 2008.

Next Sunday Brown, along with almost 100 fellow female racers, will take to the circuit for the Ladies Only event that is aimed to raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Last year over $10,000 was raised.

Above: Sydney's Emma Brown will compete in next week's All Female Race Day at Lithgow.
Pic: snapshotsa.com

Brown, who finished just outside the top ten in the last year’s National Championships, is striving for success in the event - both on and off the track.

“Every time I race I’m out there to do my best and after finishing second last year I’m very determined to win this year’s event. In saying that though, it is a great cause and if we can raise more money for breast cancer research then everyone is a winner,” said Brown, who will this year complete Year 12 at The Hills Grammar School in Kenthurst.

“I’ve had friends who’s Mother’s and relatives have had breast cancer, some of which have died because of it, so it is something that has touched me and if I can do my bit to help raise awareness and money I will. It is something that can affect any one of us girls.

“While motorsport is normally dominated by males, hopefully this type of event will also bring more awareness of the sport to other girls and ladies which will lead to more female competitors over the coming years.”

Racing is something that is in Brown’s blood with her father, Jeff, a regular competitor in the New South Wales Sports Sedan Championship and after a number of year’s watching from the sidelines Emma first got behind the wheel of a kart in 2003.

“Dad has raced cars for all of my life and our neighbour used to race karts, so I’ve been around motorsport for a long time, you could probably say that it was inevitable that I would race something one day,” said Brown.

“I had my first race in 2003 and to start with racing was just about the enjoyment, then my competitive side began to show through and I always want to prove that I can beat the boys.”

Ultimately Brown aims to gain a career in motorsport and step up the ranks to follow in the footsteps of fellow female drivers Leanne Tander, who will this year compete in the Asian Formula Three Championship, Danica Patrick and Katherine Legge who compete in the Indy Racing League and Champ Cars Series throughout America.

The January 27 event is the only one of its kind in Australia with female competitors coming from various parts of the country to race in a variety of categories from Midgets, aged between seven and ten years, through to the senior ranks where some ladies over the age of 50 will take to the wheel.

Other aspects to the event include a go-kart charity Queen Pageant held in conjunction with the charity dinner and auction on Saturday night 26th January 2008 at the Lithgow Workers Club.

ABOUT KARTING
Karting is a sport for people of all ages - from as young as seven to over 70 years old, everyone can enjoy it!

With children racing at speeds up to 80km/h it is a sport that teaches these kids, both boys and girls, basic driving skills well before they are able to obtain their road licence.

There is no doubt karting is competitive but it is also fun and family orientated, with involvement in the sport both on and off the track giving it a strong feeling of community. It teaches driving skills and offers people an opportunity to gain a career in motorsport, all in a safe and organised environment.

Kart meetings take place at circuits across Australia every weekend and are either a club, regional, state or national level meeting. There are 92 clubs across Australia affiliated with the Australian Karting Association.

These clubs are mainly sprint kart clubs which race on bitumen circuits however, some regions also have dirt and speedway tracks which drivers can race at. An alternative to the traditional style of karting is a recent addition to Australian circuits, endurance karting.

A full list of clubs and contact details for karting clubs across Australia can be found at www.karting.net.au

ABOUT THE NATIONAL BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION
The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) is Australia’s only national not-for-profit foundation established to promote and support research into every aspect of breast cancer.

Since being established in 1994, the NBCF has funded 160 research projects and provided research equipment in every State and Territory, to a total of $40 million.

The NBCF offers researchers a significant, substantial source of designated funding for projects that are of the highest order and have been assessed to be meritorious under the peer review system which operates for medical and health research in Australia. Researchers whose projects meet these criteria compete for available funding.

The NBCF provides everyone in the community the opportunity to contribute dollars towards research that will help find the answers to the questions about breast cancer.

The NBCF enjoys broad support from the cancer control community. It’s top researchers give their advice freely and some of Australia’s leaders in the health, business and legal professions donate their time and expertise, including members of the Board of Trustees.

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