When I arrived at CAR’s 2011 Performance Shootout at Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria last month, I had no idea what I was in for. I figured it would pretty much be the same as last year, but no, this year I got thrown into presenting each car in a unique and somewhat questionable way.
It began with hauling Sabine Schmitz out of each car she tested and asking her how it went, “catching the moment” so to speak. The only thing that made my job easier was the fact that Sabine is not only professional, but also she is really good on camera and, of course, knows exactly what she is talking about.
I watched as each member of the CAR editorial team sped around Zwartkops with Sabine in each of their test cars. Whilst I had an idea I might be next, nothing could prepare me for the nerves that strangled the breath out of me as I stepped inside the BMW M3 Frozen Edition with Sabine.
The worst part about this; it was ALL caught on film. A GoPro miniature camera was being fixed to the windscreen as Sabine and I sat waiting to go. For whatever reason I had every racetrack incident I could recall playing through my head and my mother asking why I thought motoring journalism was a good career path – all of which was clearly etched on my ashen face.
It is the waiting that kills you really. Not knowing what to expect and of course trying to remain calm and keep yourself together. Place a camera in your face and you try looking confident. Then we were off. I might have screamed around what I thought was the first corner only to be told by Sabine that we were not even on the track yet… Um, yes, as we were still driving out of the pits. I’m so glad that was caught on camera.
Looking back on it all now, that was one of the best experiences of my life. I wasn’t scared so much as excited. All I kept thinking was, “I want to be her!” I have never felt so safe: 1) with a woman driver and 2) going 170 km/h into a corner. The only near-fatal (in my head that is) moment we had was when a stupid bird decided to chill in the middle of the track as we came out the last corner. I think we both knew (and by both I mean the bird and yours truly) who was going to come off second best here…I was thinking us, but the bird was thinking of itself.
But I survived it, loved it and cannot wait to get onto a track again… but as the driver of course! If you haven’t done so already, click on the VIDEO tab above to view my 4 minute and 14 second ride of a lifetime with Sabine in the BMW M3 Frozen Edition… In other words, get ready to laugh!