Excel drivers Dakota Masters from Darwin and Misty Grimsley from the Gold Coast, are preparing to take part in a 90-minute Enduro at Hidden Valley this weekend and will have an all-female team

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now this weekend the Locomotorsport Club North Australia Motorsports is

(00:05):
holding an event to add Hidden Valley in preparation for
the upcoming supercarts. The event is going to include an
in duro race. Now in one of the categories, the
Circuit Excel, there will have They're going to have a
full female run car including both drivers in the ninety
minute in duo finale. Now joining me in the studio

(00:29):
right now is Dakota Masters and Misty Grimsley. Good morning
to you both.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:37):
Oh, it's lovely to have you both in the studio. Now.
I took you both by surprise by turning the microphones
onto some moment ago you're all expecting, you're expecting a
bit more prep time, but not, We're straight into it now.
I am. I am really keen to find out, firstly,
a little bit more about the category of racing that

(00:57):
you're both in. Tell me a little bit about it.

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Go on.

Speaker 1 (01:02):
They're pointing at each other, Dakota, you first.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
We raced in the XL category yep against yeah, other
exls the same.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
Yeah. So to people out there listening that do not
know what that means, that are not motorsport fans, what
is the XL category.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
It's just like a roadcar basically, but we race it
around the track. It's a high enday excel.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yeah right, And so it's obviously been what's I don't
know that pimped up the right word, but it's obviously
been pumped up. Hotted up is what my producers just
told me. It's the right word for it. Mister. You
tell me a little bit about how fast it guys.

Speaker 3 (01:44):
Well, depends what track you're on, yep, but I would
say usually around one hundred and sixty k's would you say?

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (01:50):
Yeah, yeah, right, So you two are racing together, aren't you.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yeah? Now, talk me through like how long this It
sounds like it's going to be quite a long race.
Ninety minutes and what's you know, what's the aim to
get around the track as many times as you can,
try and win.

Speaker 2 (02:07):
Try try and win within the ninety minutes, but not
running out of field.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
Now, mister, you're here to obviously race with Dakota from
the Gold Coast. Ye tell me a little bit about
some of the racing that you do well.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
I also do exls down on the coast. Is definitely
more competitive. Here was around thirty to thirty five cars
in each race, and I just went to Bathurst a
few weeks ago and there was fifty one cars, so
that was a lot different. It was the car was straight,
so it didn't crash or anything. That was the main part.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
But yeah, are you like either of you when you
go away to race? Are there many other cars that
are all female run?

Speaker 2 (02:51):
No?

Speaker 3 (02:52):
There's never barely any girls really really.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
So how did both of you get into motorsport?

Speaker 2 (03:00):
Well, my dad used to race, and then he finally
convinced my mum that it wasn't that dangerous when I
was seven and I started racing go karts, and then
when I was fifteen, I got offered to drive the car.
And yeah, I just started doing it and I'm so grateful.

Speaker 1 (03:14):
How awesome? Now do you mind if I ask how
old you both are? I'm seventeen, I'm eighteen, so both
old enough obviously to have a driver's license. But I'm
guessing that you're probably on the track well before you're
old enough to drive on the road, Is that right?

Speaker 2 (03:28):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (03:29):
And so how about you, mistery, how did you get
involved in motorsports?

Speaker 3 (03:32):
So pretty much my dad's always loved cars. Yep, he
collects them. And then when I was seven, I started
go karting, never got to race because he was too busy,
and then when I was seventeen, I started racing XLS.

Speaker 1 (03:45):
So how good? Now? Talk me through what you're expecting
on the weekend with this race. You're the only girl, like,
you're the only all female team. I'm talking like female mechanic,
female owner. It's like it's all females, right, yeah, so
talk me through what's what's going to happen on the weekend?

(04:05):
This race a ninety minutes. How many laps do you reckon?
You'll be able to get done?

Speaker 2 (04:12):
I don't even know.

Speaker 1 (04:13):
I'm not that smat to how fast you go at home?

Speaker 3 (04:19):
I do like thirty minutes and that's usually around eighteen laps. Yes,
so yeah, see.

Speaker 1 (04:25):
See here you go, Like, how good is it?

Speaker 2 (04:29):
You?

Speaker 1 (04:29):
Girls must be like you must feel pretty pumped that
you are the only all female team. Exec you're excited
and like you're fully mixing it with all the blokes.
I would imagine, Yeah, yeah, you reckon, you can win, Yes,
you can. You can. You can now talk to me
as well, Dakota, I know that you're heading to Phillip
Island later this year to race in the circuit. Is

(04:52):
it called Circuit Excel Nationals? So when are you going there?

Speaker 2 (04:58):
In August? I'm pretty sure.

Speaker 1 (04:59):
Yeah, yeah, so August. And do you need some support
from the community. I'm like, I know you've got some
wonderful sponsors already, some awesome sponsors, but I'm assuming that
you know that any further help is definitely appreciated.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
Yeah, we're always looking for sponsors to help with like
cover of the car, like the costs and everything.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
And I know, well I know Gary Dempsey and also
Megan and they're are you know, they are super proud
of what you guys are doing. What you girls are doing,
I should say, but but yeah, they are definitely some
major sponsors and own the vehicle, don't they. Yeah? So
how long how long has it taken for you to

(05:45):
get to the point where you are obviously going to
Phillip Island later in the year to race in this race.
Is it your first time or you've done it before.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
It'll be my first time going away and racing away
from home.

Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah, how cool? I reckon, It's awesome what your girls
are doing. I mean what's you know, like, what's it
like to just fly around the track at the speed?

Speaker 3 (06:03):
Look?

Speaker 1 (06:03):
How fast are you going? Hundred and sixty? What's it
feel like?

Speaker 3 (06:08):
It feels normal, to be honest, and then you get
in the road cade, it's like everyone's going so slow.

Speaker 1 (06:14):
Yeah, oh goodness, mabe, I reckon. It's awesome. I love
seeing young people do great stuff. I love seeing young
women doing great stuff. So what's your next race, Misty?
After this one on the weekend.

Speaker 3 (06:27):
Queensland Raceway for Series x three, and then the week
and after I'm doing Track Attack as well, Queensland Raceway.

Speaker 1 (06:34):
Good on you girls. Wonderful, wonderful stuff and you know,
it's so great to hear that it is an all
female lineup. I hope you'll win on the weekend. Can
you keep me up to date and let me know
how you go.

Speaker 3 (06:46):
We definitely will.

Speaker 1 (06:47):
Oh, thank you both so much for joining me in
this studio. Lovely to talk to you. Thank you, thank you.