Taws finishes sixth in F1200 in Winnipeg

Taws finishes sixth in Winnipeg

Formula 1200 racer Ashley Taws finished sixth at Motorfest Manitoba yesterday, soldiering through much of her race with just one gear. The seventeen-year-old driver of the "Be Anything With Barbie" car, was competing in a street race through Red River Exhibition Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The sixth-place finish was somewhat anticlimactic for the personable Mount Albert, Ontario, resident who quickly won favour with local fans and media during the weekend. She set the second fastest time in Saturday's qualifying session to start Sunday's contest from the front row. Taking full advantage at the start, she gained the upper hand and led the fourteen-car field through the first half-dozen laps of the 30-lap race.

On lap seven, however, Ashley lost the lead when she missed a gear shift and fell back to third. A few laps later, following a restart after a full-course caution, Ashley's car was hit from behind as she went through one of the turns.

"I messed up the corner," she admitted. "I lost speed and got hit. I guess I was a bit lucky not to have been bumped out of the race."

Although the contact was light and did not knock either car askew, the gearbox linkage at the tail of Ashley's car was bent and she only had third gear at her disposal.

"After that, all I could do was try not to lose too many places," commented the young racer. "I couldn't keep up on the straights because I didn't have top gear and I was really slow out of the corners because I couldn't use the low gears. I was disappointed because I had a good chance of winning, but overall, I had a lot of fun this weekend.

"I met a lot of great people here in Winnipeg and the gang at corner seven were awesome," she continued. "The Barbie car was a big hit and even though I couldn't fight for the win, I'm glad the rest of Formula 1200 drivers put on an good show for the crowd. I really have to thank the Vallis Motor Sport crew for all their work this weekend. The car broke down several times and the guys were constantly busy fixing it."

The winner of the race was one of Ashley's Vallis Motor Sport stable mates, Louey Jabouri.

Ashley now returns to Ontario for her next championship race which takes place at Mosport International Raceway, August 11-12.

-MJC-