When Dorothy Johnston’s father, Vern Roberts, asked her husband, Don, if he was interested in road racing a while back, she politely turned to him and said ‘wait a minute, what about me??
Johnston, a resident of Oxford and owner of downtown’s Johnston Photography, said she has always had a passion for cars and her need for speed had to be quenched.
‘You don’t have to worry about people running radar on you,? she said. ‘That sounded really cool to me.?
So, she decided to attend a special driving school for road racing from Waterford Hills Road Racing in Clarkston, where her father’s been racing since she was a little girl.
Driving a white C5 Corvette her father custom built, Johnston has been racing in the Improved Touring Endurance (ITE) class at the track every summer.
Last September 30, she became the first female at Waterford Hills to win the ITE Championship Trophy for her amazing lap time of 1:14.87. It just so happened to be on her birthday, too.
Battling Porsches, Cameros and Mustangs, Johnston drove her #26 car around the 1? mile long track and around 13 strenuous curves for the third place overall win.
‘It was like fighting tooth and nail that last race weekend,? she remembers.
Racing her car is ‘the most fun experience? Johnston said she has ever had.
‘The adrenaline and anticipation of starting the race. You’ve got all these great big cars ? they call us the ground-pounders because the ground literally shakes when we go by as a group,? she said. ‘It’s pretty intense.?
But don’t worry, road racing is safe. Just look inside Johnston’s car.
It’s equipped with roll cages, a five-point harness for seatbelts and even a fire extinguishing system. She also must wear a fire retardant suit, gloves and socks and a helmet when racing.
The scariest moment she’s ever had while racing was when she drove over the side rumble strips and accidentally turned her car sideways. She was eventually hit in the side by an oncoming car driven by her instructor.
‘It spun me around and shot me toward the crowd,? she said. ‘That was one of the more crummy experiences.?
She loves to take friends out for an exhilarating ride. ‘They get out and they’re like ‘woah!?? Johnston said.
Aside from getting her fix for extreme speed, Johnston believes road racing is truly a family sport.
Both her father and husband race alongside her, and her two sons, Aaron, 11, and Alex, 7, play in the same sand box she did as a child while the adults are racing.
‘It’s so much fun, and there is a little family competition,? she said.
Until she gets to hit the asphalt for her first race on May 3, Oxford residents can check out Johnston in action driving her 2005 VW Beetle convertible with the license plate ‘RACER? around town ? but don’t expect her to be burning any rubber down Burdick St.