Schoolgirl drag racer gearing up for season

THE 14-year-old daughter of a Notts drag racer is set to follow in her dad's slipstream.

Laura Turboville, who lives in Valley Road, Carlton, with her dad Ian, is gearing up for her first competitive race at Easter.

The schoolgirl took up racing on her birthday last year after Ian rented out a dragster for her.

He said: "She's been going all her life and showed no interest whatsoever. She's always been a girly girl but when she came along on her birthday, something just clicked.

"She came back with the biggest smile on her face and said 'it's in the blood'."

Laura said her trip in the dragster at Santa Pod had been the "best birthday present ever."

The year 10 pupil at Gedling School said: "It's so different from any other kind of activity I'd done. I just like the adrenalin."

Laura can reach up to 85 miles per hour.

She said: "You get nervous at first but when you get lined up you just get excited and can't wait to get on the track."

Ian has taken a back seat from racing this year due to the expense of the amateur sport.

"Laura will contest her junior dragster in the national championship while I take the year off to try to recover from all the expenses incurred this season.

"This is an amateur sport, but with professional gear and the associated costs. So the upper levels of the sport suffer, leaving only independently wealthy teams, or those with big sponsors.

"I have been banging away for a lot of years, non stop, now, and it can't go on."

Laura, who has received her licence, will compete in her first competitive race at the start of the season at Easter. She said: "It's been torture waiting for the season to start. I really can't wait. My friends think it's great and want to come and watch. We don't know of any other junior racers in our area."

Ian and Laura are building a 21ft long car to replace her 15ft junior car when she turns 16 next May. He bought her junior dragster from Germany after selling his own street bike and rebuilt parts of it himself.

Laura, also a keen horse-rider, is looking raise funds to allow her to keep drag racing – but has also decided to use the sport to raise money for charity.

Ian said: "Laura is also in need of sponsors, but has concentrated her efforts so far in sponsoring others.

"She is registered with Help for Heroes and will be a great advert for them throughout the year. We will also collect for them at our pit in buckets."

Laura chose to support injured troops because she thought it was a worthy cause and because one of her drag racing heroes, American Tony Schumacher, is sponsored by the US Army.

She said: "I'm looking for sponsorship for myself but hope I can raise a lot for them as well."

Team Sponsors so far for 2010 are:- TURBOVILLE.COM, CUSTOM CHROME EUROPE, GATES BELTS, RED LINE OIL, FAST LANE RACING, RUSH RACING UK, SPRINT DAMPERS, BUTLER FABRICATIONS, EGT, TIMTIME.CO.UK, YOU???

Faster, quicker, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death. Or you run out of money !

Mr.Spokehead, a tribute to Jim McClure.
Laura Grace, racing for heroes.

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