Diary
Tuesday 17th August 2010: Jaguar Academy Race Day at Silverstone
Hey everyone! I thought I should give you a few more updates and more regularly as I have been a little slack lately- sorry!
Well as an Ambassador of the Jaguar Academy, I was invited to attend one of the Jaguar Academy of Sports race days which was held at Silverstone Race Course.
The Academy of Sports aims to recognise, celebrate and inspire the very best of British sporting talent and success. Today’s event was arranged as an opportunity for some of us sports personalities to have a bit of fun,whilst hopefully motivating and inspiring (or at least making them laugh) the Academy’s most promising young talent being produced in the UK when they see it online!
I do still really have a competitive streak, so to be racing against the likes of Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Chris Hoy, Tasha Danvers, Andy Turner and pro-boxer James DeGale got the competitive juices flowing that little bit more.
Sir Steve Redgraves team had already beaten mine on the TV show Superstars before, so I could not let him beat me! So, after psyching myself up prior to the challenge of the track at Silverstone, I was all set for a days racing.
The days activities were all set out:
Talk with the team
Lessons with pro-driving instructor
Learning track (and all corners!)
Timed lap against fellow competitors (Hot Laps)
Results of Hot Laps
So, after now being completely terrified but kitted up I was off in a top-spec Jaguar XKR for my lap. Today was a great opportunity and I was in my element, racing fast cars!
The boys were to be first on the track (90% in the dry) and I was anxious to get on there too. The black race suits were massive, being petite (5ft 3 and 3/4) was not an advantage for the day. See on the right a picture of me against the huge suit!
As the day went on I could feel people gearing up for some serious driving. When it came to mine and Tasha’s turn to race the heavens decided to open up and rain. The road was wet and to perform to my best I needed that road dry! I would have liked 2 or 3 more laps around the track so I could get more confidence with the speed and be comfortable on the wet track, then with no doubt I would have come 1st!
Unfortunately, I had a dramatic stop on the first leg of the racing. I……..ahem…..went off into the gravel pit, which I think annoyed the instructor a little bit as we had to wait for recovery to come tow us out! I was fine though.
Apparently the boys were cheering inside and hoping I couldn’t race! But oh no, you can’t stop me! When I finally could, after the gravel was cleared from the car, I got straight back out there, refocused, listened more to the instructor and burned some serious rubber, which in the end got me 3rd place, which I am very proud of.
1st place went to Sir Chris Hoy (who had practised last wednesday), with 2nd going to James DeGale. I‘m going to go for my racing license soon, so watch out boys, next time I’m going to get you!
Kelly x
More photos… (the cute little man on second pic is Tasha’s son Jaden)
Visit http://www.jaguar.com for more info on the Jaguar academy of Sport