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Adelaide driver Samy Reid has scored her best ever qualifying position since joining the Australian Formula Ford Championship, following today’s qualifying session at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide.
19-year-old Reid, the only female driver in the Australian Formula Ford Championship and the only female racing at the Clipsal 500 event, will start the first race tomorrow from ninth position (in a 25-car field) after setting a strong time in qualifying this morning.
Reid was the leading competitor driving a Van Diemen Chassis and was just a second outside the best time of the day set by Tim Blanchard.
Racing on a limited budget and with only half a day of testing under her belt prior to this weekends meeting, Samy is aiming to make an impact with strong results this weekend to encourage some sponsorship support to enable her to complete the year.
At this stage she will only complete the first round of the championship unless further funding can be sourced.
Reid, who lives near the circuit in the southern Adelaide suburbs, was pleased with her performance but warned that there was more to come from both her and the car.
“It’s a good result but it’s still frustrating in a way,” she said.
“The car is good but I know that there is more time to come from me. It was hard to get a clear lap and the red flag interruptions (there were two throughout the session) made it hard to get a good rhythm up.
”I was aiming at a top five finish in qualifying but I know that the car has the potential to do the job.
“It’s been a good weekend so far. We have avoided any trouble and kept the car straight which is a positive thing. The car is feeling really good and I'm looking forward to racing it.
“There are three races which will give us a really good chance to get up the order. I’m confident that we can get into the top five by the end of the weekend, which would be fantastic,” she said.
Racing without major sponsorship this weekend, Samantha’s car is running with logos from Samy, a new brand designed to create and evolve an identity for the popular South Australian driver.
In the future the brand is set to encompass a range of merchandise, an interactive website and a supporters club.
More information can be found at www.samamthareid.com.au
The opening race of the 2007 Australian Formula Ford Championship will be contested tomorrow morning at 9:05am.
Samy Reid is proudly supported by Auto Focus Marketing, Leatt Brace, Inetpics.com, Chicane Racegear, Oakley, Race Torque Media and Penguinsuite.com.au
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