BECK CONNELL SECURES WAMS SCHOLARSHIP

Beck Connell is the recipient of the 2016 WAMS Junior Development Scholarship (Pic: Coopers Photography)

The Women of Australian Motor Sport (WAMS) committee has confirmed that 23-year-old New South Wales kart racer Beck Connell is the 2016/2017 recipient of the WAMS Junior Development Scholarship, supported by CAMS.

A competitive racer for over a decade, Connell currently competes in the NSW Karting State Championship and the Australian Kart Championship Series. Most recently she won Round 1 of the NSW Championships in KA3 Senior Light, and has multiple other wins, pole positions and podium finishes to her credit from competing all over Australia. Her focus this year is to aim for the 2016 NSW Karting State Championship title, before wanting to step up to either sedan or open wheeler racing in 2017 on her way to the highest ranks of race driving in V8 Supercars later in her career.

“The opportunities this scholarship has to offer will benefit me greatly as I am always eager to listen and learn from those with lots of industry experience,” said Connell. “I believe that what I can learn from this scholarship will help me not only grow professionally as a person but also help me to become a very successful female in motorsport. Skills I will gain from the scholarship will no doubt help me and my racing career for the rest of my life.”

“Winning the WAMS scholarship means a lot to me. Especially given over the past year I have worked very hard to achieve some top results. In fact, one of my goals was to win this scholarship. It was my third time applying so to win it this time round is very special for me and I couldn’t be happier.”

“A lot went through my head in such a short period of time after I was told I had won the WAMS scholarship. At first I really didn’t believe it but as the conversation went on it started to sink in that I had actually won it. From then on I was just super excited and happy and couldn’t wait to tell my family and friends.”

WAMS Chair, Sam Reid, was quick to praise Connell for making the necessary improvements in her race craft that has lead her to receiving this opportunity.

“We have watched Beck really step up in the past 18 months after attending a WAMS fitness camp,” said Reid. “The improvements she has made off track in her mental and physical preparation have made a huge impact to her on track performances and she’s now genuinely contesting for race wins in her karting races. We hope the scholarship can help her take her motorsport to the next level and attract the much needed funding that will assist in securing a solid racing future.”

Connell will attend the CAMS Winning Formula Fitness Camp this week (July 4-6) with other up-and-coming talented drivers selected by CAMS including fellow JDS applicant Charlotte Poynting.

With four seasons of the Junior Development Scholarship completed so far, the program has proven to be a successful training ground for many future Australian female racing stars including Caitlin Wood (2013/2014 recipient) who is now having strong success representing Australia in the European GT4 Series and currently leads the ladies Championship in the Reiter Young Stars Series.

Additionally, outgoing 2015/2016 JDS recipient Alexandra Whitely has found success in the SsangYong Actyon Racing Series Championship in New Zealand where she finished sixth overall out of 45 drivers in her last season, as well as race and round wins.

The honour roll for the WAMS JDS program include off-road racer Kristy Hedley (2012/13), Caitlin Wood (2013/14), WA state Formula Ford driver Tayla Dicker (2014/15) and Alexandra Whitley (2015/16).

The program offers one up-and-coming female junior driver each season the chance to learn the necessary tools on and off the track to strengthen their chances of a successful career in motor sport, from media training, fitness, sports psychology and potentially CAMS Academy camps to develop their driving skills.

For more information head to www.wams.org.au