Wednesday, July 24, 2002
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Wednesday, July 24, 2002 |
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Fayettevile's Sharp dispels myths about girls at Thursday Thunder
The bumper of Bre Sharp's Bandolero car warns "Stay back - girl driver." The inside of her car sports a square of shiny tape, supposedly a mirror for putting on her makeup. The work of a group of boys trying to intimidate the girl driver? Hardly. The extras are thanks to her family's wicked sense of humor. "My mom thought the bumper sticker would be cute, so she made one up on her computer before my first race," said Sharp, a Fayetteville resident. "My dad put up the tape in my car and called it my makeup mirror after a couple of guys were teasing me about putting my makeup on in the car." Sharp, a self-confessed tomboy who at 11 years old wouldn't even consider wearing makeup yet, takes the joking in stride. As one of only two girls in the Bandits division, a class made up of 8- to 12-year-old drivers, at Atlanta Motor Speedway's Thursday Thunder, Sharp expects the ribbing. And it doesn't bother her too much, since she's been beating most of them. "Some of the guys kind of joke about me being a girl driver, but I know now that they're just kidding," Sharp said. "When I first started I was kind of intimidated, but then we started talking and got to be friends, and they're all really nice. I get along better with guys anyway." Sharp is enough of a tomboy to feel right at home bumping fenders with the 16 other young drivers, but also enough of a girl to admit that the reason her family bought their gigantic 150-pound Great Dane was to keep her from getting scared at home. "I was scared of going upstairs, so my parents got a dog to keep me company," Sharp said. "We were going to get a poodle or something, but we saw Max, and he just walked up to us and acted like he wanted to come home with us." That was 5 years old, and now the Great Dane Max is part of the Sharp family. "He's just like a human," Sharp said. "We celebrate his birthday and Christmas, and he can even open presents by himself. He tears the wrapping paper off with his mouth. And he has his own twin mattress that he sleeps on every night. And I'm not scared anymore." Sharp and her fellow Thursday Thunder drivers compete each week at Atlanta Motor Speedway's Thunder Ring, the frontstretch quarter-mile track. This week will be extra special as there will be double feature races in all categories to make up races that were cancelled due to inclement weather. Thursday Thunder is a fun and affordable activity for the whole family. Tickets are available at Gate 13 the night of the event and are just $5 for adults, $1 for children (5 and under are free). Parking is free. Spectator gates open at 6 p.m. with preliminary action starting immediately Feature racing begins at 7:30 p.m. and will conclude by 10:30 p.m. Contact the speedway ticket office at 770-946-4211 for information, or visit www.atlantamotorspeedway.com.
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