Before champagne breaks cork and the AF3 winner gets to unfurl the checkered flag, let's take a look at the two young woman racers from the Philippines, their chances on the new season of the AF3 in China, and see if there's any possibility that the race between them can turn into a cat fight.
Gaby dela Merced
Speedtech Asia
Car No: 89
Car and Engine:Dallara F398 / TOM’S Toyota
Birthdate: June 10 1985
Birth Place: Manila
First Race: Slalom
First racing vehicle: 1982 Toyota Starlet
Favorite car: McLaren F1
Favorite track: Sepang
Racing Heroes: Kimi Raikonen, Fernando Alonzo, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jojo Silverio, Kookie Ramirez
Hobbies: Flag football, adventure racing, violin, ultimate frisbee
Achievements:
2000 Philippine Slalom Championship, Class wins
2001 Philippine Slalom Championship. Class wins, Ladies Champion
2002 Philippine Touring Cars, Novice Production Class, 3rd overall
2003 Philippine BRC Production Touring Car Championship, 3rd overall
2003 Philippine Petron GP Touring Car Series, 2nd overall Production Class
2004 Philippine Formula Toyota Championship, 3rd overall
2004 Formula BMW Asia Scholarship Driver
Michelle Bumgarner
Team Goddard
Car No: 28
Car and Engine: Dallara F398/TOM'S Toyota
Birth Date: September 02, 1989
Birth Place: Mandaluyong City , Metro Manila, Philippines
Hobbies: Dancing, Listening to Music, Volleyball, Skiing, Water Sports
Racing Coach/Trainer: Terry Fullerton (former World Karting Champion)
Racing Debut: National Karting Series, Philippines 1999
Favorite road car: Toyota Previa
Favorite track: Sepang
Racing Heroes: Danica Patrick
Achievements:
2005: Asian Zone Karting Champion, Open Class
2005: Karter of the Year, Philippines
2005: Italian Open Masters
2005 BMW Scholarship Award by Formula BMW Racing School in Bahrain
2004 Overall Champion Asian Karting Zone Championship for Open Class
2004 Runner-Up for Super Series Karting Philippines Open Class
2004 Recipient of GOLDEN WHEEL for Motorsports Driver of the Year
2004 Runner-Up for Formula Toyota Championships BRC
2004 Automobile Association of the Philippines Motorsports Award
2003 Karter of the Year, Philippines
2003 Motorsports Driver of the Year, Philippines
2003 Asian Intercontinental Junior Karting Champion
Enties 89 and 28, am sure we're gonna be hearing them mentioned in the coverage.
Not exactly a come-on for woman drivers that picture below, it is only in so far as it signals the start of the Asian F3 Pacific Series races. This is an event I follow religiously, I do over the Internet. I tell you, that side of the world called Asia has lots of kick-ass women racers.
This season’s AF3 pits Filipino riders Michelle Bumgarner and Gaby dela Merced against one another. Not only for the coveted 2007 cup, I suppose, but for the hearts of their countrymen as well. Last I heard, the 5’9” 2004 Asian Karting Zone Champion Michelle unofficially launched a series of charm attacks on local TV as product endorser. Speedtech lass Gaby, however, will not hear of any “changing of the guards” yet.
This season’s AF3 launched last Nov. 25 will be the sacred ground for these two young and promising young women. The initial race will kick-off at Zhuhai China in January 2007 before teaming up with the Australian Championship at Melbourne in March for the F1 GP support race. It will then move to Oran Park in Sydney in April before the final round back at Zhuhai in June.
What’s more fun than having wheels? Being a girl as you drive them along the streets and highways! It’s been said thousands of times. Men and women just don’t see eye to eye on a number of things and that includes driving issues. Couples around the world would agree. Arguments run from the common “turn left, no don’t, turn right, no, left, no, right” refrain to questions inquiring into the validity of the driver’s identity himself “why do you always have to drive? Because you’re the man?”
That and more, are the stuff most driving issues are made of. And what, at one time or another, most of us women drivers would have to contend with. This, too, is part and parcel of the driving experience. And if you’d like to read up more on some of these wonderful experiences, and see what other women drivers get themselves into, just do regular ride-alongs with me here.
Careful Driving!
p.s.
No to Drunk Driving!
