If it was an advertised all-male racing series, liberals would be raising hell!

But racing designed specifically to promote female IN-equality is OK.....

FREE ENTRY FEE FOR WOMEN!!!!!

All-female W Series to launch in 2019

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By: Mark Glendenning | 12 hours ago A new female-only open-wheel series has been launched in the UK with the aim of clearing a path for women to compete in top-level racing.Scheduled to start in 2019, the W Series arrives with the backing of multiple Grand Prix winner David Coulthard, designer Adrian Newey, former McLaren and Manor team manager Dave Ryan, and journalist/communications professional Matt Bishop.

FREE ENTRY FEE FOR WOMEN!!!!!

The series will be free to enter, with 18-20 drivers unnamed having been selected based on what the series describes as “a rigorous pre-selection process involving on-track testing, simulator appraisal, technical engineering tests, fitness trials etc”. It will use identical Tatuus T-318 Formula 3 cars, powered by identical Autotecnica Motori inline four-cylinder 1.8-litre turbocharged engines, using Sadev six-speed sequential gearboxes, and fitted with HALOs. A prize fund of $1.5 million is on offer, including $500,000 for the series winner and payouts down to 18th in the standings.

Although the schedule is yet to be released, the inaugural series is slated to take place across Europe, with events in the Americas, Asia and Australia planned for forthcoming seasons.Initial reactions have been mixed. The series itself preempted backlash against the idea that females can’t compete against males wheel-to-wheel with the following statement:

“At the heart of W Series’ DNA is the firm belief that women can compete equally with men in motorsport. However, an all-female series is essential in order to force greater female participation. W Series is therefore a mission-driven competition, the aim of which is not only to provide exciting racing for spectators and viewers on a global scale, but also to equip its drivers with the experience and expertise with which they may progress their careers, racing and honing their skills in W Series before eventually graduating to existing high-level mainstream racing series.”This was reinforced by Coulthard.

“In order to be a successful racing driver, you have to be skilled, determined, competitive, brave and physically fit, but you don’t have to possess the kind of super-powerful strength levels that some sports require,” he said. “You also don’t have to be a man. That’s why we at W Series firmly believe that female and male racing drivers can compete with one another on equal terms given the same opportunity.” But the series will only be open to females.“At the moment, however, women racing drivers tend to reach a ‘glass ceiling’ at around the GP3/Formula 3 level on their learning curve, often as a result of a lack of funding rather than a lack of talent.”

ALL FEMALE MOTOR RACING IS REQUIRED?????!!!!

“That’s why an all-new all-female single-seater motor racing series is required – W Series – to establish a competitive and constructive motorsport habitat in which our drivers will be able to equip themselves with the necessary skill-set eventually to move on up to existing high-level mainstream racing series and compete with the best male drivers on equal terms.”That argument was given short shrift by six-time Indy 500 starter Pippa Mann, who used Twitter to speak out against the initiative:

“What a sad day for motorsport. Those with funding to help female racers are choosing to segregate them as opposed to supporting them. I am deeply disappointed to see such a historic step backwards take place in my life time“I wrote this last year when this series contacted me, trying to prey on the fact I do not have the funding to compete full time without them. I stand by everything I said. Sadly the #HandmaidsRacingSeries now lives.“One more tweet on this subject. For the record, I stand WITH those who feel forced into this as their only opportunity to race. I stand AGAINST those who are forcing the above mentioned racers into this position as their only solution to find the funding to race.”

Mann’s sentiments were echoed by TV presenter Katie Hargitt.“Why not use the money to help fund that same core group of women drivers in series that already exist?,” she tweeted. “Want to be the best? Beat the best.” British transgender racer Charlie Martin also spoke out against the idea, which she said institutionalizes discrimination.

“This series is founded on segregation, and while it may create opportunities for some female drivers, it sends a clear message that segregation is acceptable,” Martin said. “We no longer discriminate in sport based on race, so it is particularly jarring that we feel it is acceptable to do so based on gender in 2018. As racers, we want to compete against the best drivers – regardless of age, race, sexual orientation or gender – and prove we are the best at what we do.”

Female drivers have earned some degree of visibility – and a considerable amount of success – in the U.S., however only two women have ever lined up on a Formula 1 grid. The last was Lella Lombardi, who wrestled an uncompetitive RAM Racing Brabham BT44B to 12th at the 1976 Austrian GP.

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Leah Pritchett Clinches NHRA Factory Stock Showdown Championship

By dragzine October 09, 2018 https://www.speednik.com/files/2018/...76-960x664.jpgLeah Pritchett clinched the 2018 NHRA Factory Stock Showdown championship in her Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak at the AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals near Dallas, racing to her third consecutive win of the season and earning her first championship in her first full year in the class.

The NHRA Factory Stock Showdown title is the third for Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) driver Pritchett, who also captured 2000-2001 Jr. Dragster Division 7 championships and the 2010 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Racing Series Championship in the Nostalgia Funny Car class.We came in with a chance to win the championship, but our mentality was one round, one burnout, one line at a time and that’s what it took, so thank you to everyone that made this happen.

Pritchett’s event win at Dallas was the fifth in the seven-event NHRA Factory Stock Showdown season for the Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak, the brand’s modern-day “package” car, and also the fifth in a row for a Mopar Dodge Drag Pak driver. The crown was the second earned in less than a month by a Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak driver, following the championship claimed by Geoff Turk in the National Muscle Car Association (NMCA) Factory Super Cars class on September 23.“This championship ranks at the top of the list,” said Pritchett. “I might be holding this Wally right now, but 100% this is Dodge and Mopar and the technology they pour into this class. I just get to drive the car. For Kevin Helms, Terry Snyder, all of Don Schumacher Racing, powered by Pennzoil of course, this is absolutely incredible. We came in with a chance to win the championship, but our mentality was one round, one burnout, one line at a time and that’s what it took, so thank you to everyone that made this happen. I know I probably speak for the whole class, but a huge thank you to SAM Tech for sponsoring the Factory Stock Showdown Series. It’s really become one of the most exciting, grassroots classes out here. I get to hold it, but this Wally is definitely going home to Mopar.”

https://www.speednik.com/files/2018/...86-960x840.jpgPritchett entered competition at the Texas Motorplex facility coming off victories at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in early September and at the NHRA Midwest Nationals two weeks ago, where she became the first NHRA driver in the Factory Stock Showdown class to make a pass in the seven-second range. She qualified No. 10 and posted her quickest pass of the weekend, an 8.079-second elapsed time (ET) at 169.64 mph, to defeat Aaron Stanfield in the opening round of eliminations on Sunday.

After advancing past Randy Taylor in the quarterfinals, Pritchett moved on to a dramatic semifinals grouping that also featured co-points leaders Stephen Bell and Arthur Kohn, with Pritchett trailing each by a single point. She squared off against Bell with her season on the line, leaving first with a clutch .038-second reaction time and recording a winning 8.107/169.00 mark. Kohn was up next, needing to win his semifinals match against Kevin Skinner to extend the championship battle to the final round. Skinner took the win, crowning Pritchett as the 2018 NHRA Factory Stock Showdown Champion. She would add the cherry on top by taking out No. 1 qualifier Skinner in the final with an arrow-straight 8.106/169.02 pass down the track to earn her third consecutive win. https://www.speednik.com/files/2018/...64-960x640.jpgIn Top Fuel, Pritchett overcame a No. 9 qualifying spot outside of the top half of the field to defeat the higher-qualified Kebin Kinsley, posting a 3.831/324.20 run en route to leading from start to finish. In the quarterfinals against Clay Millican, the Mopar Dodge Top Fuel driver matched her opponent’s .072 reaction but dropped a cylinder right at launch, ending any chance at a deep Dallas run. Pritchett is fourth in the Top Fuel standings with her hopes for two titles still alive heading into the all-important final three-race stretch.

Heinricher Racing to field all-female Acura team in GTD

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By: Andrew Crask 13 hours ago Heinricher Racing LLC has announced plans to field an Acura GT3 with an all-female line-up in next year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, in partnership with Meyer Shank Racing. The No. 57 MSR Acura NSX GT3 entry will be backed by Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) and make its debut at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January.

Katherine Legge, Simona De Silvestro and Ana Beatriz (Bia Figueiredo) will join Jackie Heinricher — a U.S. Air Force veteran and founder of biotech company BooShoot, who has raced in Ferrari Challenge, Lamborghini Super Trofeo and the Red Bull Global RallyCross Series — on the team. In partnership with MSR, Heinricher, Legge and Figueiredo will also compete in the 2019 Michelin Endurance Cup Championship rounds with De Silvestro confirmed for the season opener at Daytona. The Endurance Cup will also include events at Sebring, Watkins Glen and Petit Le Mans. The team will also include Lori Unser as a development driver.In addition to its full season IMSA campaign, Heinricher/MSR/CAT are targeting the 24 Hours of Le Mans next June. The MSR team last raced and led laps at Le Mans in 2016 competing in the LMP2 category. Legge and Heinricher will co-drive for the full-season IMSA GTD campaign.

“Caterpillar is committed to a diverse workplace that’s representative of the customers we serve around the world,” said Victoria Morrissey, Caterpillar’s Global Marketing and Brand Director. “Women are an important, valuable part of our global team and this all-female race team is an example of how we support them.”https://racerdigital.files.wordpress...pg?w=800&h=461“I am honored to partner with CAT and to have their support,” said Jackie Heinricher (pictured at middle, above, with Shank and Legge. “My vision has long been to bring together a diverse team of four female drivers, some of the fastest globally, to join forces to compete together, and with the support of CAT, I get to see my long held vision become reality.” I am excited to be joining Michael Shank and the entire winning MSR team in this amazing partnership and to have the honor to compete with Katherine, Ana, and Simona.”

“This is truly a groundbreaking effort for next year, not only for us as a team but for the series as well,” Mike Shank, owner of MSR. “It’s great to have Katherine (Legge) back with us, she has been doing great this season as we fight for the championship. I also want to thank Jackie (Heinricher) for developing the Caterpillar partnership and we are excited to have her on board. Simona (De Silvestro) and Bia (Figueiredo) are also very strong talents, and hopefully with them all joined together we can make a statement next year.”

“It feels great — I have always wanted to do something like this to show the appeal of racing to a wider audience,” said Legge. “Jackie (Heinricher) has done an amazing job to create this opportunity and develop this partnership. I’m thrilled to be working with Simona and Bia, and it is exciting to return to Meyer Shank Racing with the Acura NSX GT3. We’ve had great success and we are looking forward to building on that starting at Daytona.”

“It’s pretty exciting and I think for sure the line up that we have is really strong,” added De Silvestro. “All of us girls have a lot of credibility and I think it will be quite exciting so I’m really looking forward to Daytona. I think the team dynamic will be very strong. For myself, it will be a little bit of learning but I am looking forward to it. It’s quite a special feeling to be a part of such a good team that has had a lot of success so I think this is going to be a great car to be in and to give us all a strong shot. I just can’t wait to go racing in Daytona, which I have always dreamt about.”

“I never thought this could happen in my career if you were to ask me a few years ago but it feels pretty exciting,” said Figueiredo. “I’ve known Katherine and Simona for a long time and they had great success where they have raced. The MSR team is always fighting for wins and championships in IMSA and I am sure they will do the best they can to get this girl power team in high positions. I can’t wait to be in the car for such important races like Daytona where I’ve never raced before but I’ve always dreamt about.”