Ashley Q & A: First Stock Car Race

June 21 2007: Ashley Taws competed in her first stock car event on Saturday, June 16, taking her Barbie at Wal*Mart car to ninth place in a pair of Ontario Sportsman Series races at Mosport Speedway. The 23-year-old from Newmarket, Ontario, looked very smooth and showed potential even though her only prior experience in the car was a short practice session on Friday.

Ashley answered some questions about her first oval race.

Q: You were sort of thrown in the deep end because you didn't have much time in the car. Did that make you nervous?
A: I went into the race with very little time in the car. I had time on the track on Friday to do shakedown laps and get a feel for the car and the track. On race day I got two ten-minute practice sessions before qualifying. I was quite nervous before my two-lap qualifying run. I was alone on the track so there were no other cars to worry about, but I knew all eyes were on me so I really did want to mess up. I was pretty nervous about the first race too. I had to to give up my qualifying spot and start at the back because I was a rookie, but that was okay because got a good look at what the others were doing at the start.

Q: You tagged along at the back for nine or ten laps, then suddenly went roaring by the car in front of you and charged after the next one. You seemed to get in to it quickly. Is that true?
A: I felt more comfortable when I passed the first car. And the next pass was a nice one because I went low and got him going in to the corner. I was like, "Yeah, I can do this!"

Q: By the end of the first race you'd made some nice passes and got to follow the leaders when the eventually lapped you. Do you think it was a valuable experience?
A: For sure. It was 50-laps straight on the track so I learned lots. Following the leaders let me see their racing lines and what their cars were doing.

Q: For the feature race, you didn't have to start at the back. Were you nervous about starting in the pack?
A: No, I was comfortable and excited to race in the feature.

Q: You were running fourth for a while then fell way back after a restart. Are restarts new to you?
A: Actually, I've done restarts in karts and formula cars so it was nothing new except that it was on an oval track. I lost all the places at corner one after the restart. I was lined up on the outside when we got the green and went into corner one full throttle, as usual, but I missed the brake pedal! By the time I got the brake, I was too deep and going way too fast. The car got loose on all the grit and stuff at the top of the banking and the wall was coming fast. I was able to make an awesome save, but I was still up high where the track is dirty and slippery and lost a ton of places. The whole thing seemed like it was like slow motion because the car it so much bigger and heavier than what I've raced before.

Q: Other than that mistake, were you happy with the feature race?
A: Yes, I was able to hang with the guys for the rest of the race. If only I didn't make that mistake, who knows, I could have got fifth.

Q: Compared to formula cars and karts, there's more bumping in stock cars. Was that scary?
A: There's a bit of bumping and formula cars and karts, but you have to be careful because of the outboard wheels. You could get flipped up into the air. I only got into a little bumping in the stock car. I was trying to make a pass on the last lap of the feature, I braked late and tried to go inside at corner one, but I went a little too fast and bumped and rubbed the other car. I didn't get the position, but I got my first tire marks on the side of the car.

Q: So, overall, you enjoyed yourself?
A: Definitely. I am so excited about next week at Cayuga. I hear it's a faster track and I can't wait. I had a great time in my first race at Mosport. Thanks so much to Barbie and Wal*Mart for giving me the opportunity. And thanks to DJ and Doug Kennington for preparing the car, to my pit crew Bob, Dave, and Phil and to my spotter, Bubba, who helped guide me through traffic. All great guys who impressed me with their work. I think I impressed them too.