The fastest female driver in New Zealand’s history and the first woman to power into the Kiwi elite 5-second club, Karen Hay breaks all possible barriers in drag racing. focus sat down with this queen of speed to talk cars and the advantages of being a woman in a male-dominated sport.
Where does this passion for chasing new records come from?
I think I got it from my dad. He used to compete in jetboating. His goal was to become the first person to get all six jetboating class records. And he did that!
When I started to compete in drag racing, I wanted to do the same. I wanted to break records!
In 2010, a friend of mine imported a 1927 Ford Roadster from the United States. Gorgeous but not really a quick car – its best result was more than 9 seconds over the quarter-mile. Typical Kiwis, we tried to make it go faster and faster. I’m lucky that my dad is such a great mechanic!
In 2014, I crossed the finish line at 6.61 seconds and became the fastest female driver in New Zealand’s history. Last year Russell Christoffersen offered me to pilot his dragster at Meremere Dragway and I nailed a 5.993 sec run and became the first woman in the country to ever finish in the ‘fives’.
Your dad is obviously a big part of your career. You used to be in his team when he was racing, now he helps you. What was the best lesson you learnt from him?
When I was new to racing I was really worried that because I lacked experience I might harm the car or would get into an accident and completely destroy it. Dad said, ‘They wouldn’t give you the right to drive it if they didn’t believe in you.’ That was really cool to hear!
Wise words from dad are sometimes all you need to win, right?
Mentally it helps a lot but technically this sport is so demanding. I had my licence but still had a lot to learn and made quite a few mistakes before mastering my skills. For example, at my first race in Tokoroa, I over-powered the track and ended up on two wheels. I thought the car would roll! I guess I just had a bit of a ‘male mentality’ back then.
What do you mean?
Well, what most guys want to do on the track is beat someone else – especially when there’s a girl in the next car. As a result, they put too much pressure on themselves and can, for example, jump the gun at the start and get disqualified. That’s it, I won the race before it’s even started! I was a bit like that at the beginning.
Are there other benefits to being a woman in this male-dominated sport?
The reason we do so well is because we’re great listeners. I listen to my crew, I listen to the car, I then go back to my dad and share what I’ve heard. It helps to improve the final results a lot! I don’t think men really like to be advised.
It’s really surprising to see the ‘I don’t want to lose to a girl’ type of thinking in drag racing, when it’s the only racing category where women were competing side by side with men right from the start.
You’re right, drag racing never had separate competitions for women but it’s still men who were winning the races, constructing the cars and ruling the teams. Even when I had just started, there were no more than three women on the track. And no one really believed in us. I was told that I would never run a car past the men! But things are getting better. I do have a lot of respect now and people are no longer questioning a woman’s ability to win. More and more girls are coming into this sport as well. I’ve seen a lot of amazing junior female drag racers aged 8-16 and they are doing really great.
‘After I ran that 5-second record, my dad had a tear in his eye and gave me a hug. He never shows emotion; obviously, that was a special moment for both of us.’
How do you train for races?
We don’t really train. We train and test car updates on race day. That’s the hardest thing about our sport – you never know if your mechanical improvements are for better or worse.
But you probably have your own ritual for getting race ready?
I just try to stay focused. In the pits, there are always lots of people trying to chat to you, but my crew know I need time on my own at this stage and they’re really good at keeping people away. I put on my fire suit and once I’m in the car, I’m in my world; I know exactly what to do. There is a lot to think about in those 5-6 seconds on the track!
Can you break down those seconds for us?
At first, you need to get the burnout right (*spinning car wheels to heat them up – Ed.). If you don’t warm up your tyres they won’t stick to the track properly. I’m known for my burnouts; learned them from my father! Then you need to react as quickly as possible to the track lights at the start. After that it all comes down to keeping an eye on a gauge and feeling the time. It’s not that easy to go straight! You need to hold onto your steering wheel like crazy. And finally, you have to remember to open your parachute in time, otherwise you’ll have problems stopping.
OK, you’re already the fastest female driver in New Zealand and the first woman to drive within the five-second zone. What’s next?
If I’m lucky to have another run in Russell Christoffersen’s dragster, I want to go even quicker. The goal is to reach the 5.7 sec mark. In the meantime, I will just keep on racing in my own Evil II Roadster.
Have you ever thought about trying a different type of racing?
I would love to have a go! I love adrenalin, but after racing in straight lines, I’m not even sure I could go around the corners! Still, I’d be keen to drive a saloon car at Baypark one day.