Fast and fabulous

BY STEVE HOPKINS

From grid girls to girl racers a new TV series has taken eight beauties more accustomed to makeup than motorsport and put them in the hot seat to find out who will spin out and who will speed their way on to the podium.

Girl Racers is a reality TV show that sees the head-turning contestants swap their skimpy promo outfits for flameproof race-suits and compete in seven high-speed challenges covering essential motorsport disciplines Formula Challenge, V8s, stock cars, rally, drag and that boy-racer favourite drifting.

More accustomed to looking hot than doing hot laps, the contestants a bevy of 20-something TV presenters, grid and promo girls had little motor racing experience leading into the series.

Some had restricted licences, others couldn't even drive a manual-transmission car.

For Miss Hawaiian Tropic New Zealand winner, Gale Chan, a self-confessed "nana driver with the ultimate nana car", the idea of appearing on the show was terrifying.

"I had only just learned how to drive a manual and the thought of going above 110kmh really scared me because I'm a really safety conscious driver. I check like right, left three times ... it takes me half an hour to turn right," the 21-year-old accounting and property student confessed.

For Sydney TV presenter Annette Melton, a "capable and confident driver" the decision to join was a no-brainer.

"As soon as I heard about the show I was like `Oh my gosh, I have to do it'," she said. The Girl Racer contestants' first challenge of the series which screens on Sky TV next week was to set the fastest lap time in a Formula Challenge race-car at Taupo Motorsport Park, home of the A1 GP.

In that episode Chan says: "There are some heinous Asian drivers out there but I'm here to prove that not all of us are so bad."

She then proceeds to stall the race car ... then spins out on a corner.

Melton considered that challenge child's play.

"I was thinking there was going to be lots of skill involved but when you're actually in there it's (the steering wheel) more like a remote controller, so you can just refer back to your gaming experience. It was a lot easier than I expected."

So easy, in fact, Melton didn't even know how fast she went.

"We went really fast in those cars. I wasn't even sure what speed I got up to because as soon as you take your eyes off the road you're going to crash," she said.

What Melton did find intimidating was the latter challenges involving the big cars, the V8s, although she used to get around Sydney in a Falcon before she bought a nifty Mazda2.

"When you hit those high speeds it's a totally different experience. You're pretty much flying and if you just accidentally oversteer you're a goner. Every time I got in a car I was out of my comfort zone. It was such an awkward position to be in," she said.

In Girl Racers the slowest racer is eliminated each round before the top three contestants return to the Taupo racetrack, where one will be eliminated and the two fastest girl racers will then go "head-to-head in the ultimate Kiwi challenge", Ford v Holden.

Chan who hasn't seen any of the series yet said normally motorists had nothing to fear from her driving.

"I think they'd probably be more angry at me for taking so long to turn right, or because I'm not driving fast enough," she said.

But on-screen Chan's worried about how her motoring mishaps will make her look.

"People have to understand that you might not be portrayed as you're known, as you really are. Things can be exaggerated. All the power's with the editors," she said.

"I'm definitely picking a lot of embarrassing moments and a lot of laughs. But I think it will be good TV."

Chan's previous TV appearances, doing bit-parts on Shortland Street, left her cringing.

"I hate even hearing myself on a phone recording, let alone seeing myself on TV. It was a horrible experience. I just hated it."

Chan said the show which finished filming in December was exhausting.

"It was really full-on. I think hardly any of us got any sleep because during the days you were just on an emotional rollercoaster adrenaline-wise," she said.

"Each day felt like a week because it was so up and down. And then at night you could hardly sleep because you're thinking of the next day's challenge or eliminations."

But despite this, the eight girls a mixture of Kiwis, Australians and recent New Zealand arrivals rarely fought.

"There's no way you can get eight girls together in a room for hours and hours on end and have no cattiness or bitchiness. I guess because of the competitive nature of the event there was a bit, but hardly any compared with what you'd expect," Chan said.

Melton said the only tension was on the track.

"We'd all get along really well then we'd get on the track and it would be `game on, now the claws come out'.

"I'm exceptionally competitive. It can be an advantage but it can also be a disadvantage because sometimes it clouds my judgment," psychology student Kate Hockly said during the first episode.

Promo girl Emma Britany was pedal-to-the-metal in the hope of securing the $20,000 prize-pack.

"I had to go first so I thought I might as well make it good and freak everyone out. As soon as I was going down the straight I just put my foot down," she said of the Formula Challenge race cars.

But of course, there's the odd bimbo moment.

Gemma Farrell, a so-called bikini model and social butterfly, said in the first episode: "I was just worried about my hair going flat in my helmet."

Both Melton and Chan said competing in the show had improved their driving skills, although neither would say how many rounds they survived.

"It's made me a lot more confident.

"I feel like if, God forbid I get myself in a tricky situation, I can get myself out of it and I do go a wee bit faster now when I feel like no one's watching," Chan said.

"And sometimes I do feel like I want to get a fast car and do some drifting."

Chan whose new favourite movies is Fast & Furious said despite being a girl racer she wasn't likely to join the boy racers.

"In my Toyota Corolla I think not. Perhaps if I upgrade my car and get my full licence. As soon as I finish uni and start earning some moolah I think I will upgrade to some Japanese sports car."

- © Fairfax NZ News