Drag racer Woudstra drives with speed, ambition
by Justine Baskey
The Ontarion had the pleasure of sitting down with Shawna Woudstra, a first-year student at the University of Guelph who is in the Family Studies program. What separates this bright-eyed newcomer from her peers is her unique interest in drag racing. Woudstra hopes to be like her role model, Shirley Muldowney, the first big name female racer who gave the men a run for their money.
Justine Baskey: How did you get involved in drag racing?
Shawna Woudstra: My dad used to race when he was 16. He dated my mom for a really long time and they eventually got a house together and he had to give [racing] up, he had to sell his car and his trailer and everything. But then when I was eight years old, he came upon these two cars…I was in ballet at the time and he didn’t think I would want to do it. I kind of looked at the car and was like, ‘I want to try it,’ and I started to practice. I really liked it and I’ve been going since then.
JB: What kind of training do you do?
SW: When I first got the car, I had to start from scratch. I had no idea what I was doing. I didn’t know what drag racing was. So my dad took me to the GO station parking lot on holidays and Sundays when it wasn’t busy. I would get my helmet on and my dad would teach me. Now I’ve got a new car, a faster car, and I had some professionals help me with that. We have a practice “Christmas tree” [the series of vertically-arranged lights that start a professional race] at home that I can actually get in the car and sit and watch and practice pressing my gas at the perfect time.
JB: What is an Ironman? (A trophy Woudstra has won twice already)
SW: Each season in the Ontario racing circuit, there are specified race days where there are Ironman races. Everybody wants one so it’s the hardest to win because there are more cars there and it is only once or twice a year.
JB: Have you experienced having to balance drag racing and school yet?
SW: I’m actually doing that right now because I am working on some sponsorship stuff. I won’t have to really worry about racing and school at the same time but I still have other things to worry about that comes with racing, like sponsorship proposals, car shows, community events and stuff like that.
JB: What kind of things do you foresee yourself doing with drag racing in the future?
SW: I’d really like to be a professional drag racer. There are a few shows on TV that have professional racers, like John Force. He started his own company, he’s sponsored by Castrol, which sponsors me too. He’s made it really far in the business. I’d love to be able to drive a top fuel dragster (which costs $1.5 million).
JB: What would you do if you had to quit racing for school?
SW: I guess for my mom’s sake I would have to put racing on hold, but only for the four years. It’s kind of in my blood now.
JB: What made you choose family studies?
SW: I really want to help people. I would love to work in a school or a hospital. If I can’t become a big head honcho [drag racer] in the States then I would definitely be doing both [drag racing and working in health care.]
JB: What’s it like to drive at the speeds you do (upwards of 160mph)?
SW: I like to call it a natural high. Even before the race you get so amped up and excited for what’s about to happen. It all just happens so fast I’m not even sure if I’m breathing, it’s addictive.