The Grid.co.uk    the national & club motor racing website - est1998          

  ^News

SARAH STEPS UP A GEAR FOR 2008 RACE CAMPAIGN

One of Britain's top female racers, Sarah Reader, is set to take a step up the motorsport ladder this season at the wheel of a British-built 250 bhp sports car. Twenty-five-year-old Sarah, from Stratford-upon-Avon, will race a Juno SSC-EN in the VdeV endurance events both in Britain and mainland Europe.

Reader has teamed up with experienced sports car exponent Ryan Hooker and they will share driving duties in the VdeV UK Championship, which features three-, four- and six-hour races at top British tracks, as well as a round at the Dutch circuit of Assen.

The Juno, with its aerodynamic body and 2-litre Honda engine, is a very different beast to the Caterham sports cars which Sarah has raced exclusively since she turned 17. "The downforce of the Juno is unbelievable," she said, "and it's taking some getting used to the car - it's like starting all over again. I'm confident that Ryan and I will be very competitive this year and hopefully we can spring a few surprises."

In addition to the UK VdeV series Reader plans to take in selected rounds of the European championship, where her recent European track experience at the wheel of a Caterham Eurocup CSR will come in very handy.

Sarah cut her racing teeth at the wheel of a Caterham in the Academy starter series in 2000. She progressed through the Roadsport Challenge to the Eurocup, in which she claimed third place in the Roadsport class in 2003.

In 2005 Reader claimed her maiden pole position at the wheel of a Caterham, going on to championship fifth at the wheel of her R400. The following season, with co-driver Olly Bull, she finished third overall in the Caterham CSR Masters, and last season, driving solo, claimed an impressive fourth place in the championship.

Essex-based Hooker has a long and impressive racing CV also. The 28-year-old began his career in karts as a schoolboy and from there he progressed to sports cars and then single-seaters. He won the Porsche 924 Challenge in 2002 and was an impressive third in Formula Palmer Audi in 2003. Since then he has contested British and International GT racing with success. Like Reader, Ryan is a race instructor by profession.

The Reader/Hooker Juno is prepared for the track by TFL Racing. The opening round of the VdeV UK Championship is at Donington Park on 13 April.

mail your news to editorthegrid@yahoo.co.uk

The opinions expressed on this site are not necessarily shared by 11/56 MotorSport or any of theGrid team

Material Copyright © 2005 11/56 MotorSport