AFM LADY RACING

[Deb Barton]

My name is Debra Barton and I've been riding motorcycles for going on 16 years and I've been racing for half that.  I've been following this thread and pondering my own thoughts on the subject, so here's my two cents... I don't think that the women's class is meant to be viewed as a 'handicap', because there are fast, competitive women out there who are faster then some of the men and it seems that perhaps it's time to have a class that would showcase that talent.  The Women's Cup Challenge (WCC) has had it's growing pains but they have come a long way.  They're a national organization running with the Parts Canada Superbike Championship Series.  The expert class is really fast and some of the top finishers in the WCC have finished in the top ten in the Parts Canada 600 classes.  These girls don't mess around.  And now WERA has introduced their women's class for 2009. If the women's class is going to be successful - and taken seriously - there are certain things that have to be in place... It has to be organized.  With rules and specific class structure, what ever that structure may be.  A 'run what ya brung' is not the answer.  You don't want Jen on her CB160 on the track with GSX-R1000's, the closing speeds are just too dangerous.  Having class structure will help to make it competitive - this is racing after all and everyone loves to see and be in a good close race regardless of who is under the helmet.  The WCC also has a spec tire (Pirelli). It has to have support.  Honda is a major sponsor of the WCC that provides $1000 in contingency along with Suzuki and Yamaha with their own contingency programs, and in the beginning, although I don't know if it is still the same, there were a group of men who volunteered to wrench on the bikes for the women to get them ready and safe for the track.  Which brings me to the point that Jen makes - racing is expensive and it takes a lot of effort, from setting up your pit to actually getting the bike on and to the track.  I work in the motorcycle industry as well and like Jen said there are a lot of men who are no more knowledgeable about motorcycles then women, but you need to be able to work on your bike or at least have some ability or someone to help with that aspect of it. Maybe the mentorship will include this kind of support?  Or do we want our women running around in the pits asking random guys for help?  I think not. My interpretation of the intention of the women's class is to provide a comfortable non-male environment for women, so they would be less intimidated and therefore more willing to get on the track and race.  There was also the argument about other sports like tennis, soccer, and softball/baseball separating into men's and women's leagues. A race track is intimidating all by itself.  You look at it and you watch other people on it and you try to picture yourself doing what they're doing and it makes your heart race and puts butterflies in your stomach and the thoughts come flooding into your head - can I do it?  What if this and what if that?  And so it begins. The ball and stick sports are introduced to every boy and girl at a very early age, it's an intricate part of society and widely accepted around the world.  These sports are also physical on a one on one basis, meaning that you run against each other or swim against each other - the differences in physical strength between men and women are undeniable  and therefore separate men's and women's leagues are necessary because there are so many people who want to participate in these sports.  Bicycling, track and field, basketball it's all the same.  I would not want to get in a boxing ring with a man but I would be more inclined to get into a ring with a woman...maybe a bad example but hopefully you get the idea. Motorcycling and motorcycle racing doesn't have the luxury of being so widely accepted or the problem of physical strength as a major defining factor in succeeding.  As fascinating as it may be most of society feels that we are hooligans, riff raff and just plane crazy to be riding the damn things never mind racing them! I truly believe that motorcyclists in general are a different breed from all others.  There are some people who should not be on a bike and never will be and others just gravitate to it and it's the best thing ever.  Everyone has their story on how they started - my mom, dad and my brother all rode, I grew up around bikes so it was never a big deal.  Not so for others who eventually knew people who rode and then wanted to ride - it's a whole new world that they discover within themselves. Racing it not for everybody.  Ask any racer and they'll tell you, 90% of racing is in your head.  Yes, you have to be fit and strong but you have to have mental strength and confidence.  When you race a motorcycle it's you and your bike with others on their bikes conquering the race track and if you have bigger balls (or ovaries) then the next rider and go deeper on the brakes into that turn or pass them like they're tied to a post then it doesn't matter if you are a boy or a girl...you are a stronger rider and being a strong rider is more than just physical stregnth. All of the men and women who race (and those who will) do it because we were - for whatever reason - driven to try it regardless of whether it was all men or only women.  It didn't matter, we made it happen and the only boundaries were the ones we made for ourselves.  And of course, once we did it we became addicted to it and now we're all in debt.  But I digress. My point is...that we can offer up the women's class and the mentorship (that hopefully will complement one another) but it doesn't mean that all of these women will come out and start racing.  The WCC has been around for at least five or six consecutive years and they only had seven women in the expert class and eight women in the amatuer class at the end of 2008. There are a lot of women at track days and there are hundreds of women that participate in the Femmoto event, not to mention all of the women that ride in the Bay Area alone, but that doesn't mean that these women actually have a desire to go racing.  Whether it's with men or women only - it's still racing.  Although, I understand the women's class concept, I am not convinced that a bunch of women will now be free from the fears that bind them and get on the grid.  If it does happen, that would be fantastic because it produces more racers and we must keep the species alive. It's all in your head, man.  If I'm racing with either men or women I'm still going to be going flat stick, passing up the inside, drafting on the straight and going WFO - isn't that part of the apprehension for people?  Once you're on the grid and the face shield goes down we're all the same. I encourage and support anyone - men, women and children to race motorcycles...to ride motorcyces.  It's the shit!

[Joy Higa]

hi Deb!
how are you?? :)

the WCC is our inspiration. 15 women in 1 race? who race on a
regular basis?? that's a huge number for us, and we hope to get those
numbers in a couple of years.
the AFM has been around since 1954 and we only have 6 or 7 women who
race on a regular basis. if we could double that number in 2 or 3
years, that would be great.
you know what they say, "a crowd attracts a crowd"
that's kind of what we're hoping for!

and as far as Jen's CB160, isn't Formula vintage an open class?

can't wait to see you again deb, been missing you! :)

[Jennifer Werkstatt]

Yes, the 160s are forced to race with the big bikes in vintage which is no
fun. We are working on getting a separate class this year, pending on
participation. We are also thinking about a loaner bike to get more people
racing 160s. This could serve as a women's loaner as well. Totally
non-intimidating class, low key, on a Saturday, runs with Clubman. I'll post
it here if that happens or feel free to email me I put you on a list.
Cheers, Jennifer

Jennifer Bromme
Werkstatt Racing and Repair
3248 17th St
San Francisco, CA 94110
Phone 415-552-8115
Fax 415-552-8182
www.werkstattsf.com
http://jenwerkstatt.blogspot.com/

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