About Ashley

Beginning her car-racing career in 2000, after several successful years racing karts, Ashley Taws became one of Canada's most popular racers. Girls, boys, women and men would line up for her autograph and she received fan mail from all over the world.

Sadly, as her star was rising rapidly, her career came to a halt in December 2002 when she was a passenger in a car that was involved in a head-on highway collision.

Although she attempted a comeback in July 2003, she lacked endurance and suffered setbacks that forced her to give up racing. At the time, she thought that decision was permanent, but in June 2007 Ashley showed up an an oval track driving a brute of a stock car – which, by the way, was pink.

The Awakening: Go-Karts
Unlike most race drivers, Ashley did not grow up dreaming of driving fast cars. She fell it to it quite by chance in 1992 when her dad, Peter, bought a racing kart for her brother, Doug. Not wanting Ashley to feel left out, Peter encouraged her to come along and give it a try. Nine-year-old Ashley showed little interest in the kart, but eventually she gave the kart a try... and took to it instantly.

Every Sunday the Taws family went racing at the Toronto Kart Club and every other weekend it would be Ashley's turn. Despite running only half the races, Ashley placed seventh in her class. The following year, with her own kart, she raced the full schedule and finished second in the Novice division, beaten only by the track owner's son.

Ashley grew into a formidable competitor, becoming a force at club and regional races across Ontario. She finished second and was Rookie Of The Year in the Toronto Kart Club's Junior Championship; claimed third in the Ontario Trillium Series; and won a Canadian Grand National Championship.

Faster Karts
In 1998 Ashley graduated to powerful and fast two-cycle karts which race at heart-pounding speeds. She continued adding to her trophy collection, taking second in Ontario's Formula 100 Junior championship and claiming another Canadian Grand National Championship. There was no doubting Ashley's speed and determination.

Ashley started to wind down her kart racing activities in 1999 while she investigated car racing. Spending lots of time researching options, she still found time for the Canadian Grand Nationals where she ran one of her most memorable kart races. Competing in the Junior Pro class, trouble before the final saw her start the race from 36th, last place. In a race just fifteen laps long, Ashley brilliantly gained 28 places to finish eighth!

Formula 1200
Sixteen-year-old Ashley made a big impression in 2000, her first year racing cars. Driving the Maximum Benefit / Big Sisters Formula 1200 car, she won two races and scored five top-three finishes. She was third in the Isseco/Kumho Formula 1200 Championship, second in the CASC-OR (Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs – Ontario Region) Race Ontario Sprints and second in the BARC (British Automobile Racing Club) Formula 1200 Championship. In addition she was awarded the Muriel B Knap Trophy for "sportsmanship, ability and sparkle" and the BARC Bob Attrell Award for "best new driver".

In 2001, Ashley began her association with Barbie, rolling out the "Be Anything With Barbie At Wal*Mart" race car. Decked out in pink and purple, the car attracted a lot of attention both on the track and in the pits. Aiming to win the championship, Ashley was in the thick of the title battle throughout the season and took the fight all the way to the final race of the year. Falling just short of the championship, she finished second in the final standings and won the Muriel B Knap Trophy for the second year running.

Formula Ford
After two years of Formula 1200, Ashley was ready to move up. With continued support from Barbie, she entered the 2002 Canadian Formula Ford Championship, a high-profile Formula 1600 series with races at some of Canada's premier motorsport events. Ashley and the "Be Anything With Barbie At Wal*Mart" car were crowd favourites everywhere they went. On the track, Ashley smashed records for female racers and in the paddock she spent hours meeting fans and signing autographs. Beginning the season with a third-place finish, she became the first woman in the history of the series to stand on the podium and later in the year she upped that mark by finishing second.

The highlight of 2002 was the Toronto Indy where Ashley dominated both qualifying sessions, taking pole position to the delight of thousands of fans. In the race, a series of problems in the opening laps saw her fall to dead last, but a stellar drive saw her make a thrilling climb back through the field. With her race crew and fans biting their nails and cheering her on, she finished fourth, nearly taking third as they raced to the finish line.

Disaster Strikes
Sadly, as 2002 drew to a close, Ashley was badly hurt in a traffic accident and for many weeks there was great concern that she may never walk again. The support from fans and media was simply overwhelming and Ashley was determined not only to walk, but to race again.

Gradually, her legs began to move and after several months of determined hard work, Ashley walked... and then raced! Just six months after the crash, Ashley was at the Toronto Indy and back in her race car. She made an impressive return, finishing fourth at the Indy and third at the Grand Prix de Trois Rivieres two weeks later. But she fatigued easily and was then plagued by a series of problems – legacies of the accident – that sapped her strength and saw her return to hospital frequently. Ashley announced her retirement. Her racing career, it seemed, had ended.

Back to Race Again
Having had her final surgeries in the summer of 2006, and feeling fit and healthy, Ashley entered the 2007 CASC-OR Ice Racing Series and won the Long Wheelbase Street Stud Class. Among those who watched her race were Jordan Marrison and Brock Gilboe of Vertex Fabworx. They were impressed and offered her a race in their Super Touring BMW. One thing led to another and within a few weeks, Ashley was back with Barbie not only driving three races in a Barbie At Wal*Mart BMW, but trying her hand at oval racing with the Barbie At Wal*Mart Dodge Charger stock car in the Ontario Sportsman Series.

Ashley poses with her Barbie At Wal*Mart stock car.

Ashley began racing in a kart she shared with her brother, Doug.

In 1998 Ashley won her second Canadian Grand National Karting Championship. Second was Winnipeg's Ward Imrie (center) and third was Matt Champagne of Fonthill, Ontario.

The original Barbie car, Formula 1200 in 2001.

The second Barbie car, Formula Ford in 2002-2003.

Along with the Barbie stock car, Ashley drove this Barbie Super-Touring car in 2007.