Crowle 11-year-old Ellie may make it big in world of banger racing
AN 11-YEAR-OLD schoolgirl is ready to put her pedal to the metal after following her family into the sport of banger racing.
Ellie Fowler, pictured above, from Crowle, had never been behind the wheel of a car before June last year.
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New recruit: Ellie pictured with her brothers Ben and Jake
But now she is preparing for her first race representing the family team.
Ellie has watched her older brothers Ben, 22, and Jake, 18, race for the Fowler Boys over the last two years at Hot Rod meetings.
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And after practising hard over the last six months, she is now ready to follow them onto the track.
Ellie said: "I decided it was something I wanted to do as soon as I watched my brothers racing.
"It made me really excited to do it myself.
"It looks like fun and there would be so much adrenaline.
"I am glad that I am part of the Fowler team, especially because I am the only girl.
"It wasn't scary to start driving, I just wanted to learn and it didn't feel that hard.
"I doubt I'll win anything in my first race but I'm just excited to be involved. I don't feel nervous at all and I know my brothers and family will be there cheering me on."
Outside of banger racing, Ellie is a year 7 student at Axholme Academy in Crowle.
She will drive a classic Mini in her first race, which will take place in March at the Eddie Wright Raceway in Scunthorpe.
Her father, Stephen Fowler, taught Ellie to drive in fields.
He said: "Ellie has been getting used to the car with me but her type of banger racing is different to the type that her brothers do.
"Because she is below 16, she will race in Junior Rods, a non-contact form of banger racing where 15 to 20 cars do 10 laps of the track.
"It is a similar format for novice young drivers to go round the track.
"Until June, she couldn't drive at all and she has come on leaps and bounds.
"She is on a bit of a downer at the moment because the fields are too wet for her to practice.
"She loves watching her brothers and cousins race though.
"It is always a slight worry for me because she is my only daughter and a lot younger than the others. I am confident that she will be OK though.
"All she wanted for Christmas was safety gear and equipment for racing."
Comments
by Wise Owl Private Day Nursery
Monday, January 21 2013, 1:12PM
“It is really nice to see families following in the footsteps of their older siblings and sharing the same interests. We wish you good luck in the Junior Rods races Ellie and hope you go far. Hopefully, this will encourage more girls to get involved in sports that may stereotypically be thought to be male orientated.”