With a need for speed – and a raw talent for it too – Jodie Sloss is the latest racing driving sensation to come out of Oban.
The 21-year-old who grew up on a croft had no racing experience.
But she beat 1,000 drivers from all over the world to become the first Scot to win the Formula Woman Competition.
The prize? To race a McLaren 570FGT4 in the UK’s 2022 GT Cup championships.
The former waitress and marketing executive said: “It was life-changing. Before I entered I had never had any track experience at all.
“From seeing an ad from my croft, to driving at some of Great Britain’s most iconic racetracks, it was surreal.”
During the gruelling qualifying rounds she competed at Silverstone, Snetterton and Oulton Park to name a few.
And she wasn’t slow to show her style during the GT Cup championships.
She said: “I was the least experienced out of the winners. I took home the best finish the team had achieved that year at Silverstone.”
Motorsport notoriously expensive to get into
Now the only thing holding her back is money. Motorsport is notoriously one of the most expensive sports to get into.
Where she competes this season depends very much on financial backing.
To pursue her dream of continuing to race 160mph cars, she needs to find sponsorship deals worth a six-figure sum.
For a small Argyll town, Oban has produced a considerable number of high-profile names in the sporting world.
Susie Wolff MBE (née Stoddart) made history at the 2014 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, becoming the first woman to take part in a Formula One race weekend in 22 years.
The 40-year-old is currently managing director of the F1 academy.
John McPhee, 28, is a Scottish Grand Prix motorcycle racer, competing in the World Supersport Championship for Vince64 by Puccetti Racing.
And Robert MacIntyre, 26, is a professional golfer who plays on the European tour. He is making waves all over the world, currently ranked 82.
Susie Wolff: ‘An inspiration that is very close to home’
Jodie said: “Susie is an inspiration that is very close to home for me.
“Her career has paved many paths for females in motorsport, which has been very empowering and encouraging for me to follow.”
A television crew has been following rising star Jodie, from her first time on track and throughout the GT Cup rounds.
She can’t reveal the details yet but it is expected to be aired sometime this year.
Describing her experience, she said: “It is the weirdest feeling. I look back at it now and it’s very surreal.
“For every single difficulty or pressure I have been put under, it has been so natural for me to overcome.
“I have developed so much as a person and a driver. And it has made me way more confident for my next success.”
So, what does a typical day involve for Jodie Sloss?
She said: “The main thing I feel people don’t know about being a racing driver is there is so much to it about being outside the car.
“I do a lot of work on PR, promotional collaborations, go to simulator places and do physical and mindset training.
“Right now, my day-to-day life is about focusing on building my brand, and coaching.”
In future years she wants to enter Le Mans and compete in the 24-hour endurance race.
When it comes to endurance, wild horses couldn’t keep her away. With a natural love of horse power, she had several successes in the British Eventing competitions.
Eventing is best described as an equestrian triathlon and is one of the most gruelling challenges in the world of horse contests.
She said: “I do miss the horses, but I feel like racing is my calling. I have found my purpose. I could not imagine myself doing anything else and I have never felt like that before in my life.”
Jodie passed her driving test at 17 and her first car was a Ford Fiesta. At 18, she upgraded to the BMW E36 she still drives today.
Brands with an interest in helping Jodie pursue her dreams can contact dan@driventalent.co.uk
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