Speed queen Geena Watkinson has her sights set on becoming a professional motorsports driver and carving a successful career for herself in this male dominated sport.
The 12 year old, who’s a pupil at Prospect Junior School in Worksop was hoping for a top three finish in her club’s championship, but it’s a tall order in her makeshift kart, which dad Steve has helped to build on a shoestring budget. Especially when she’s racing against competitors who have brand new karts, and who can afford to a new sets of tyres for every race meeting.
Despite having all the odds stacked against her, plucky Geena managed to finish 2nd overall in the Honda Cadet Championship in the Fulbeck Sprint series, is currently 4th in the same class at Tattershal and 4th also in the Cadet 200 Extreme Series at PFI!
Her fighting spirit and never-say-die-attitude brought her to the attention of Nile Henry from the Blair Project, who successfully mobilised the Facebook community to raise £1000 to help Geena purchase 2 x new sets of tyres, a new nose cone , kart graphics, and buy an MSA approved crash helmet.
Geena started driving when she was eight, after enjoying the children’s ‘Amen Corner’ track at Center Parcs. Dad Steve, a former engineer who acts as her mechanic says her love affair with the sport flourished from that moment.
“Geena could do nothing but talk about it all the way home and all the following week, begging me to take her back again,” he said.
The youngster’s persistent nagging led her dad to find Tattershal Kart Centre near Horncastle in Lincolnshire. Soon the Watkinsons were buying a kart for Geena, and not long after that she began racing.
Steve who’s registered disabled said: “ The Blair Project is a marvellous initiative that will give young drivers like my daughter Geena, hope that she can and will achieve her dreams.
As a parent, I am determined to do all I can to support my daughter. I am grateful to the Blair Project community for taking the time to donate to our cause. To show our appreciation, Geena will be racing in the livery of the Blair Project to help promote the cause.”
