Profile: Rachel “Beersy” Beers

Sport:       Improved Production Over 3 Litre | Activity:   Driver

We all have a midlife crisis, but it’s pretty serious when you decide to take up racing a 5.7ltr V8 VE Commodore at 43yo, because you’ve had enough of sitting on the sidelines watching your partner have all the fun.

While Rachel thinks racing is a total rush with the bonus of being able to just shut everything else out and focus on the race, some of her friends think she may have gone a little insane. For now, she’s happy to race locally (with the occasional Collie meet) and to hang out with the other racers, volunteers and officials, with plans to take a freshly stepped up 6ltr Commodore to Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin later in the year to support the V8’s.

Improved production is a very diverse circuit racing category with under 1600’s through to V8’s. In Western Australia drivers aged 18 through to their 60’s compete in what is quite a physically draining but adrenaline rush filled sport.

It’s a great atmosphere and the people are amazing.

Rachel has been racing now for about 4 years, but still recalls vividly that very first race, sitting in the dummy grid trying not to throw up in her helmet thinking, “what the hell was I thinking”.  But she owes her current race confidence to having amazing support from Wayne (her partner who also races) and daughter Kahala, and credits actually going out on track for that first race to mentor Tony James.

Rachel now holds a State Championship 3rd place in her category, with many other very close races under her belt. But she still looks at the whole experience as a bit of fun.  Her advice if you’re thinking you’re too old to start a new hobby?

“We all have a midlife crisis. This is mine. You only live once. Stop procrastinating and get out there and have some fun.”

You can cheer for Rachel in person at Barbagello Raceway as well and showing support to her sponsor Detectadrug.