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The racing driver who dares to be different

After recently obtaining her ARDS National B Licence, Jennifer won the opportunity to develop her race craft with the UK’s leading provider of dynamic racing tuition to the world of motorsport.

A keen member of the Scottish Lotus Community and a huge Formula One fan, Jennifer developed her love of cars by getting involved with performance car set-up, marshalling and automotive photography. 

Pixctured: Jennifer Marr.

“During my time at local track events and working with a supercar experience company, I found the confidence and support to take my racing ambition seriously but didn’t know where to start,” she explains.

“Despite rarely seeing women behind the wheel at the events I attended, I was inspired by the increasing visibility of female racing drivers in top-level motorsport. 

“I decided to join the Dare To Be Different community. Along with the support of my friends in motorsport, this empowered me to obtain my racing licence, seek sponsorship and enter my first competitive race in 2019.”

The Dare To Be Different initiative, founded by racing driver Susie Wolff and Motorsport UK, is a community for women who already work, aspire to work, or be involved in any aspect of motorsport. 

“Jennifer’s story demonstrates how the D2BD community is facilitating unique opportunities for women of all ages,” Susie tells www.businessmk.co.uk.

“Our sport is performance based so for women looking to race, opportunities to train with driving specialists such as CAT Driver Training are priceless when it comes to gaining a competitive edge.”

Chief Instructor Colin Hoad spent half a day coaching Jen in preparation for entering her first competitive race. 

We are really inspired by the work D2BD are doing to encourage more females into all areas of motorsport,” he says. “As a company, we like to give back, especially to individuals and initiatives that share our passion for driving.

“Jen has wanted to enter racing for a long time and her dedication has really impressed us.’

Based at Millbrook Proving Ground near Ampthill, CAT trains track enthusiasts looking to prepare for competitive driving, as well as professional racing drivers seeking dynamic understanding to optimise car and driver.
“In Jen’s case, we quickly discovered that her instincts and experience so far had taken her to 90% where she needed to be in order to competently drive on circuit,” says Colin.
“Working on techniques such as high-speed driving, trail braking, steering input and sighting, Jen then applied her new dynamic knowledge to the psychological aspects of racing, such as having confidence in the car to push on the gas through a corner. Jen really impressed us.”
So much so that CAT has  invited her back for further training in October.
Jen is currently testing to find the right series and is seeking sponsorship to support her racing ambitions next season. She is sharing her racing journey through blogs and social media to encourage other aspiring racers, that it is never too late to pursue your passion. 
“I made it a priority to spend every spare minute I had around performance cars, track and anyone involved in motorsport,” she says. “As a musician and school tutor, it wasn’t always easy but I soaked up so much knowledge from the people around me.
“Joining the D2BD community was a game changer for me as it gave me a sense of direction and exposed me to opportunities I wouldn’t have had anywhere else.” 

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