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| Thunder Car Gal
To Test Waters Of Challenger Division |
| AURORA, ON
- Having driven from behind the wheel of a thunder car for the past three
years at Sunset Speedway, twenty-two year old Amanda Connolly intends
to drive into 2002 from the drivers seat of two different cars. At least
on a part time basis. |
Considered a veteran
driver to many of her colleagues, Connolly has her eyes set on both the
Challenger and Thunder Car divisions at Sunset for next season, but realizes
how hard it would be for many reasons.
Plans to run the full time challenger have been scratched. "We realized
with the way the schedule is going to be it will be too hard to do," she
says. "In order to not lose my rookie status, we plan on bringing out
the car twice throughout the year. We're hoping to have both the cars
ready for the Performance World car show coming up in March" says the
Aurora resident. |
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Sunset's #16 , Amanda
Connolly
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She has been racing since the
age of 19 when in 1998 she raced a thunder car that 'Daytona'
Bob Phinnemore was offering for rent at the track.
She only raced the car on two nights that season, but the experience
resulted in her buying her own car for the start of the '99 season.
That was her rookie year and she promptly went out and placing
5th in the points, captured the Rookie title over several other
promising drivers.
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| "Rookie
is an important title to win, but I have already one that title in Thunder
car in '99. I want a championship right now more than another rookie plaque."
she says, referring to Challenger. "It would be totally cool to be able
to win a challenger championship and rookie in the same year, but I don't
think i'm that good yet." |
| Amanda comes
from a racing family with her father John having raced for ten years at
the same track. "I remember coming here (Sunset) for many years when my
Dad raced" says Connolly. Simply put, "I got hooked and I love going fast".
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| She obviously
has her father's racing genes. Besides 1999 Rookie of the year at Sunset
Speedway, Amanda took the checkered flag at Flamboro in 2000 for the Ocktoberfest
Feature for Thunder Cars. She was second in points (1491) this year at
Sunset and last year (2000) was the first woman to ever win a race at
Kawartha Speedway (including heats). In 2001 she promptly went back to
Kawartha and was the first woman to win a feature race there. |
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| Amanda and her #16
Thunder Car accept congratulations as well as the checkered flag, from
representatives of Star FM on September 15th, 2001. She won the season-ending
Thunder Car Championship Feature that night, adding to her points-total.
Connolly finished the season with 1491 points in 2nd place. |
| She has
won races at Sunset, Sauble, Flamboro and Kawartha Speedways. However,
for some reason unknown to her, she has yet to win anything at Peterborough
Speedway. "I'm not sure why but I've never won there yet" says Connolly.
"I've finished second many times there but never first. And the things
is, I love that track". |
| Next season
she intends to race across southern Ontario at invitational events when
they don't coincide with Saturday nights at Sunset Speedway. "Home track
points will take precedence over the invitational events" she says. As
well, "if it comes down to it (Thunder Car feature vs Challenger feature)
I will race the thunder feature before the challenger feature (on the
two nights where both cars will race)." |
| When asked
about the future and where she's headed in racing, Connolly says she may
head towards the Late Models, but "only when I feel I'm ready and the
time's right". She does have a dream however, of touring with the American
Speed Association (ASA) one day. But for now she has her hands full preparing
her cars for the new season fast-approaching. Come next year, Amanda Connolly
should have her hands full - at least on two nights! |
During the 2001 season, Amanda earned honourable
awards in the following Thunder Car categories; Appreciation, Best
Appearing Car and was the recipient of the Roy Seyrl Sportsman Award.
Banquet summary here.
>>> Anyone wishing to contact Amanda to show her your support,
may do so through her email at connollyracing16@hotmail.com
More Ladies of Sunset ..... Jane
Harris, Melissa Long |
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