Coutts Woman

Second is not an option

When Helen Ray lines up on the grid for the Radical British Enduro Championships this April she will be making history. Not only will she be the first woman to race a Radical sports car but she will also be the first woman to race in the championship. When she talks about it she bubbles over with excitement saying, “I can’t believe how it’s taken off for me.”  And when you realise two years ago she had never been behind the wheel of a sports car, it becomes even more remarkable.

Helen was always sporty and a keen horse-rider. She says, “I’ve got seven brothers and we’ve always been a competitive sporty family. I did a lot of show jumping and then I met my husband.” It was her husband’s interest in car racing that was the spark for Helen’s meteoric rise in the sport. She says, “I’m an adrenaline junkie. I absolutely loved it. I did rally days and go-karting. One day I was watching the Formula One women’s championship and there was an advert saying, if you think you can do this apply.” Helen grabbed the opportunity and joined 4,000 other women. After a series of written, driving, reaction, and fitness tests, followed by an interview, she became one of 100 short listed drivers. Next followed an elimination camp which culminated in driving in an unknown car on an unknown track, and finally Helen became one of 16 chosen drivers. After that selection, every race she took part in during her first year she either “won or took pole position.”

“People say it’s just girls driving. But I’ve sat on the grid with those girls and they are extremely competitive. There’s absolutely no reason why women can’t compete with men on a level playing field.”

Helen’s life before the racing bug hit was much more home based. She primarily looked after the five children she and her husband have between them, and did voluntary work for Rugby Youth for Christ, which involves visiting schools and teaching children. She still does this today, squeezing in the all-important training necessary to give her that winning streak. “I go to the gym as often as I can and obviously have to concentrate a lot on upper body strength and fitness. But to get out on the track is the most important thing. I do that in a road car and then take the racing car out at a late date.”

The media attention she’s generated she says, “Has been incredible. Television, magazines, radio stations, it’s been brilliant and that’s really worked for sponsors.” She recognises that, “I probably get more media interest because of being female, but I want to be known for how I drive and I want to be respected as a driver, that’s really important. Maybe there’s a little bit more pressure on because I’m female.” She says, “People say it’s just girls driving. But I’ve sat on the grid with those girls and they are  extremely competitive. There’s absolutely no reason why women can’t compete with men on a level playing field.” When she does her testing she says, “The blokes go, ‘you’re a woman you can multi-task’ and I say bring me your ironing and I’ll just do that when I’m whizzing around.”

One ‘bloke’ who has great faith in her abilities is her co-driver in the Enduro championships, Nigel Greensall. The drivers change half way through the race in the pit stop.  Helen says, “I’m very lucky to have Nigel. He says I want you to do your talent justice.” He also says that Helen is ready to consider racing at Le Mans. And he should know, as he’s been a champion ten times in British and European races. For Helen this is a dream come true. She’s set her sights on Le Mans and wants to be the first British woman to race an Aston Martin there. She says, “I used to think that was a dream, that it wouldn’t happen, but the type of car I’m driving now, the next step is Le Mans.” Her hero is the late Ayrton Senna. She says she really relates to “the way he could feel the car, just everything he was doing,” because that’s what she experiences as well. Helen says, “You have to be part of the car, to feel it. That’s the beauty of the Radicals. I felt like I was in the track, connected to the car and I absolutely love that.”

Once Helen lines up for a race she says, “The most nerve-wracking part is sitting on the grid waiting for the lights to go out. It’s really important to become focussed. I go through the first lap in my head, exactly what I’m going to do at the first corner. It’s important to be calm.” It’s all the training that kicks in at this point. She will have learnt the track, looked for the braking point, found the apex on the corner that has to be hit, and on the day take into account wind and weather condition’s. It’s a fast sport in many ways and Helen says, “You have to have aggression to learn things quickly and feel what the car’s doing. You also need patience, and that’s never been one of my strongest points. That’s something you have to learn and never get frustrated.”

Helen may say patience is not her strong point but considering her busy lifestyle with work, family, motor racing and the training that goes with it, she seems to manage things extremely well. Her faith is important to her and she says, “I often pray when I’m driving around. It’s – please don’t let me die. That’s quite an important part for me during the countdown.”

It’s an irony that with seven brothers, Helen’s the racing driver. One brother is a driver instructor and Helen comments, “He says ‘I just can’t watch because you should be checking your mirrors.” But she has the support of all her family and the kids love the racing.  And the support of her sponsors has been particularly welcome. One major sponsor, Hardinge-Bridgeport MachineTools bought Helen her bright yellow Radical, making that next step to Le Mans a reality.

Helen says, “I see no reason why I can’t beat men and be as good as men. I can train as well as anybody else. It’s time that more women get involved.” She’s come along way from enjoying a fast, but legal drive in her road car. And as befits her new role has swapped the Golf for a Mazda RX8, which is “her baby.