A Welsh business-woman aims to be one of the fastest drivers in next weekend’s Brighton Speed Trials, after setting fastest female time of the day 12 months ago.
Liz Pearce runs her own IT company and took up motorsport only eight years ago in her road-going Subaru Impreza Turbo.
She uses it as her everyday car but with 400bhp under her right foot and an adjustable competition suspension is the first to admit it’s not as comfortable for her business use and driving over 50,000 miles annually.
She said, “ I have always been a petrol head but until eight years ago never thought about taking part in races myself, but once I did I became addicted.
“I thought about whether I wanted to have another car and drive the Subaru just 10 or 12 years a year in competitions but I enjoy it so much it’s worth putting up with the ride on the road,” said mother of two Liz.
Son David also competes and is hoping to get into a sports car series if he can find sponsorship while his sister Amy is also a racer, but downhill on a bike.
Liz has been working on her Archgate Computers business this year with blue-chip clients and the classic Brighton event, which attracts drivers and riders from all over the world to the oldest motor sport event after 110 years, will be her first of the season.
She goes to it as the current title holder for the fastest woman at the sprint meeting and wants to defend her title and get her hands on the trophy she won last year but in a mix-up did not take away.
“I learned I won the trophy only when I entered this year and the organisers asked me to return it and I told them I had never been given the award. I want to win it again just to get my hands on it and have a photograph with it.”
Liz and David are thought to be the only mother and son racing team and she said that her love of speed is what keeps her taking part under the Pearce Racing team banner.
“When I started a number of men thought I was not serious but when I started winning races and awards they altered their minds and now see me as a threat to them. I love the sport.”
David has had some trials in a variety of cars and hopes to take part in the Ginetta series if he can find a backer for 2016.
In 12 sprint events he has won eight of them and was second in the rest in the Subaru Impreza Turbo.
“Racing drivers I know and respect have said he’s a natural and very quick and he really needs the right car to get on in the sport,” added Liz.
The south coast speedy weekend event is held over the traditional quarter-mile straight on the seafront and is organised jointly by the Brighton and Hove MC and Sprint Section of the Vintage MCC, who adjudge the two-wheelers. By Robin Roberts Miles Better News Agency
