Fabienne Lanz's blog

All the top guns, from allover the world, were here at South Garda Karting Track in Lonato, Italy to compete for the Vortex Super Rok title. There were 68 competitors in the Super Rok category of which 6 of us were from South Africa.

We were quickest on Friday morning and were in the top 5 for the rest of the weekend. Qualifying is very important as we get split up into groups and go through elimination rounds. So a quick time is vital to be able to start in the front of the grid and to stay out of the mid pack crash zone. It started raining as it was our turn to go out for qualifying. I was in group 1. It was so slippery I thought I would be way down the field. To my huge relief, we qualified 5th in our group. It had started raining a lot after our qualifying, so group 2 was totally in the wet. So we qualified 5th overall out of 68 competitors. I felt so blessed and knew that I will be starting on the faster lane of the track and the races should be fine.

The first heat went well. The start was brilliant as I made my way through to 3rd position. I then found a good, comfortable pace and finished 4th. The start of the 2nd heat was also great as I made one position and another further down the lap into 3rd position. 2 laps from the end the engine cut out. This meant that I finished 30th and put me way back on the grid for the final.

So we fiddled with the wires to see if it was that. One team member in the camp said it might be the fuel pump, so we changed it and thereafter the engine ran fine, never cut out again.

At the last minute we decide to change a setting at the back of the kart as the track conditions have changed and some adjustments were necessary to stay on pace. I don?t think I prayed so much for anything else before?the one bolt which holds the engine in place was damaged from people who used it previously, which we did not see, stripped at this critical moment?

So we needed to change the engine mounting at about 3 or 4 minutes before our race? we were busy missing our last heat in order to qualify for the final, which was on Sunday of which only the top 34 best finishers of the 3 heats qualify to compete for the World Title. My class was on the grid and I prayed for a miracle and never gave up. We got the miracle as the race never started until we got there.

The time went so slow, my heart was pounding and finally I sat on the grid, overwhelmed, everyone looking. I want to say thanks to all the Italians from our tent who helped, the owner of PCR and all the fellow South Africans who helped as well. I am so grateful for them.

So for the 3rd time the start was good. This race felt so quick as so much was going through my mind. I was praying that my kart would stay together as the previous heat it did not. To my relief we finished the race in 5th position. I was so exhausted after that heat. Unfortunately the 2nd heat pushed us right to the back of the field, but that is racing I suppose, it happens.

So we started 21st out of the 34 competitors who have made it to the Final on the Sunday. My fellow South African Team mates started 17th (Ian Young), 22nd (Philip Viljoen), 23rd (Alex Jacovides), 27th (Shaun La Reservee) and 33rd (Ernie van der Walt). So we were basically all together on this. The start did not go according to plan and for the first 8 or 9 laps I was dodging one accident after another. It was chaos trying to get through the field. Eventually I was in 14th position, but the front bunch had pulled too big a gap for me to catch up within 10 laps. So we ended 14th overall for the race.

I would like to thank my Sponsors, team and all the wonderful people who have helped me in every way before and at this event and to all my friends, fans and family for their support. It is really so much appreciated.

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The Bridgestone Cup European Final is a well known international event, where most of the top competitors, such as Alessandro Vantini, Paolo Baselli and Massimo Aceto, who compete here also compete in the Vortex Super Grand Final (19th 0 25 October).

We pitted in the PCR factory tent for this race together with other PCR drivers. The PCR owners came to the race to watch us compete. The experience was incredible! I gained so much once again. I can?t get enough of these races in Europe. I absolutely love them.

Qualifying went well as we qualified 3rd on the grid, which is the prefect position to start for a race, I think. At the start of the pre-final I overtook the 2nd driver at the start and put the pedal to the metal to keep up with the leader. The kart found grip quicker than I though and I was all over the back of the leader. I then overtook in lap 5 and went into the lead. I lead the race till 2 laps from the end. It was an amazing feeling to lead the pack on their home turf. My kart lost some pace and I made a mistake in the one corner and was too late to defend the line, so I got overtaken and finished 2nd, only to find out that the winner had an illegal clutch, which is a performance enhancer. So this meant that we won the pre-final. I was over the moon. I got goose flesh all over. I could not believe my eyes! I got so much respect from the other drivers for my performance, it was overwhelming. I felt so blessed.

So we started on Prime number 1 spot for the Final. I was quite nervous, excited and totally ready to rock and roll. I remember the 2nd driver trying to trick me on the start as he accelerated and then suddenly stopped in order to create confusion I guessed?I got him as I had a superb start. Lead the race for a lap or 2. Then got overtaken and pushed wide and fell back to 3rd. I did notice my kart did not want to come up to pace, which we later discovered that our tyre pressure gauge was faulty, which meant that our pressures were higher than we thought. So the tyres overheated and got damaged. Anyway we managed to finish 5th in the end, which is great. We are 5th in the World! I am so blessed about that!

I was very happy with the general performance of this weekend as we were on pace with the top competitors in this Super Rok category and we are now number 5 in the world for the Bridgestone Cup Super Rok series. Now I was ready for the Grand Final.

Thank you to everyone in the team! you guys do sucha great job!

Thank you to all the Sponsors! I am very grateful for your support!

Thank you family, friends and fans for backing me!

Fabienne

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Hey guys =)

Hope you all out there are doing GREAT!!!

I am very blessed to say that I have great news!

I got interviewed by G sport and they have published an article about myself and my racing on their website!

A sneak preview:
“Many people have told me to hold on, no matter how bad it might seem at times as it does not always go your way. If you love it and it gives you butterflies, you can?t stop thinking about; all you do is talk about it? Then I am telling you girls out there, no matter what your sport or desire, if it does all what I have mentioned just now, THEN HOLD ON TO IT”

I don?t wanna give any more as the article is really cool, so please go to:

Fabienne eyes international success

and check it out!!!

Fabienne

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In among trying to get Votes in for the shootout, the SAKRA (South African Kart Racing Academy) Academy invited me to help one of their students, Chad Bell with some set ups for his kart as he, like myself struggle to get the kart set up to an absolute perfection as the two of us carry a lot of ballast on the kart to make up the minimum weight of 165 kg. The SAKRA Academy is such a wonderful organization. It is an academy for children of all races who can not afford to race. So kids who are really interested in racing get interviewed and then accepted accordingly. The academy is based in Cape Town and I feel so blessed to have met the students and am so happy for them.

I arrived in Cape Town this past Thursday and spent the day plus the whole of Friday to set the kart up and help Chad. It took me a couple of laps to get used to the kart as the seat, steering and pedal position is set up for Chad. Then, World Champion Claudio Piazza ? Musso and my engineer got stuck into Chad?s Kart and started making some set up changes on Thursday. We carried on, on Friday morning before Chad came from school. We made some very good progress. Chad then arrived, jumped into the kart and improved his time by about .5 of a second from the day before. I then showed Chad how to do the one left-right corner complex. We then we put new tyres on, the race engine and I was so happy and pleased that Chad was brining his time down and he improved once again. When he got out the kart, his smile went almost right around his ears. LOL We did one more change for the day and voala? Chad was on pace! I could not believe my eyes! I was so happy that I, together with my team of engineers could help a driver get onto pace.

He is still very new to the sport, so I think more help is going to be needed as he learns and walks on his path of racing.

I also had a little fan, Savannah. She was so adorable and was so happy to personally meet me. I felt so grateful to have such a big fan! I appreciate all of my fans out there! I hope to meet all of you one day!!!

Thank you so much for your support!!! You guys ROCK!

Please keep the voting up for the Shootout!!! Your VOTES are much appreciated!!!

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Racing can get so busy sometimes and with everyone involved putting a lot of attention on me to help me perform, to market me and to help move my career forward, that sometimes I love to put some attention on others.

A month or two ago a father from Michigan, USA with such a big heart for his kids sent me a mail and asked me if I can send his son something as I am a racing driver and his son is such a big fan of racing. His name is Little B. he is 7 years old and has terminal illness. He is so cute; I have attached some pics of him, really adorable. So I put a little something together for Little B and sent it last week. He has not received it yet, so I can?t tell what it is.

The point is that one should think about others as well as we are not on this earth on our own, so I am so blessed to say that it fills my heart with great warmth to make a person?s day a happy day.

I hope you like your gift Little B! If any of you out there want to send Little B something, please do not hesitate to mail me on fabienneracing@hotmail.com and I will gladly send you Brian?s (Little B?s dad) e-mail address once he gives me approval of your mail.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the wonderful people in my life that put in so much attention and effort into me and my racing.

Thank you

Fabienne

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Hey Everyone!!!

I got interviewed by the “On the track Racing” magazine crew about a month ago. They did an article on me and my racing. They asked all these questions like how I started, what gives me the thrill for speed, as a girl what are the challenges I face just to name a few… WOW! almost more than in a university exam… LOL hehehe

They really did a wonderful job with the article. The layout is really great. I would like to take this opportunity to thank On the track Racing magazine for this wonderful article!

I am really grateful for the people involved in my racing and the people who support me. You guys help make this opportunity possible and make it all wothwhile and I am proud to share it with you guys!

The magazine comes out every two months and covers a variety of motorsport categories, national and worldwide.

Click on the following links to read the article:
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4

(with permission from On the Track Racing Magazine).

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Round 4 of the 2009 ENGEN Supa Karts National Series in the Vortex Super Rok will be this weekend at Vereeniging Kart Track, South Africa. It is a very fast, flowing track, which I love, so I am looking forward to some fast action.

We did some testing here about 2 weeks ago and gained some very valuable information on the set up on the kart. I am hoping these set up changes will work this weekend as the weather changes constantly and the track is never the same as another day. We did some more testing on the engine as well and gained some knowledge on the test days and the regional race a week ago. I always say, it?s the right decisions and right combinations at the right time that count.

I am lying 4th at the moment with 25 points separating me from the leader, Simon Moss. Ian Young is currently in 2nd position and Shaun La Reservee 3rd . All three of these guys are very fast and competitive. This race will be tough, but I think if I keep my head cool, I can pull it off. I always strive to do everything I can, to put the best I can together and then race it out on the track.

My engineer and race team have worked very hard to getting the kart and engine ready for the weekend?s race. I would like to thank them for their efforts.

I have to break my one engine tomorrow as I already broke in the first one on Tuesday. Then Saturday we do testing and set the kart up for the race on Sunday.

Anyway, I got to finish packing, so gtg.

Thank you for reading my blog and for your support.

Fabienne # 96

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Why do I call it mixed spices you may ask… Well it was full of hot, sour and very good spices all mixed together with a win in the end

The weekend definitely did not start on the right foot. I qualified on pole for the first heat only to discover that my engine ceased at the top end on the kart stand as we started it to check if everything was okay. Obviously everything was but okay? I feel blessed that this happened, so that I could change the engine in order to race in the first heat. To my disappointment that engine failed at the bottom end on the warm up lap and I had to retire.

In one way it was good I thing as I think we might have stumbled on something as we took the top end of the one engine and the bottom end of the other engine and combined it. The engine preformed very well at the top end revs.

We almost missed the 2nd heat as I rushed to the grid and off we went for the start of the race. I had to start last, had a very good start and was in 3rd position in turn 5. I struggled a bit with the kart as the tyre pressures were a bit too low and the kart was sliding excessively. The tyre temperature came up after a couple of laps and the kart was on pace. I then passed the two competitors in front of me and won the race!

The 3rd heat was better as I started on pole. The day started to cool already and although we lifted the tyre pressures, it was not enough and once again my kart was lacking the grip due to the pressures which were still too low. I was 2nd for a while, passed the leader and lead the race to the finish. It was a very enjoyment filled race, although I stressed in the last 4 or 5 laps as the engine temperature started to rise rapidly. I slacked down as I now had to bring the kart home. I was praying to God the whole time and I thank him as he kept my engine in one piece till the finish.

I would like to thank everyone in the team for their help and support. I would also like to thank my sponsors ENGEN Extreme, Southern Sun and 1st Race for their continuous support.

Thanx for your support, the enthusiast for your continuous support as well !

Fabienne # 96

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Round 4 of the NRKC Championship is this weekend at Zwartkops Kart Track.

I had training there today as practice for me only starts tomorrow. I got so itchy to drive my kart I almost jumped into my student?s mini kart just to do a few hot laps…mind you I do not even fit into his kart as its for 10 year olds… LOL

My main rival, Ian Young will not be competing this weekend in the Vortex category as he races Rotax DD2 as well this weekend. I would have wanted to do the testing in preparation to the Vereeniging National on the 8th and 9th of August compared to his pase. We will still do the tests we have in mind as we know what lap time we should be doing around Zwartkops.

I got to finish getting all my race gear ready for tomorrow now

Blog soon

Fabienne #96

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