WOMAN CRUSH WEDNESDAYS!!! On our quest to find other CARIBBEAN women who are making waves in Motorsports, we stumbled across this young ladys page (who happens to be following our page as well) and decided to ask her if she would like to be featured on this page. Without hesitation, she agreed and sent us the following information!!! Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the lovely Vienne Kwidama...and this is HERstory!!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------- About me: My name is Vianeline (Vienne) Kwidama, 26(I’ll turn 27 this October), I am the driver of Revolocean,Chrysler Le Baron.(Former Mr.Holley). In 2012 my father, Ali Kwidama, a well-known drag racer, passed the wheel on to me. With being the only female in my category Heavy Bracket Box, I appreciate my femininity, in spite of the male domination of my sport, and I am confident enough to be myself. Women can admire and relate to me. I compete with men on equal footing and succeed. With my best time of 8.53, ¼ miles that makes me the quickest female in door-slammer in the Netherlands Antilles. I grew up watching my dad race and I knew that was what I wanted to do. Its something Ive been waiting to do, it’s not something I just popped up and did. My mom and I moved to Holland when I was about 10 years old. So I got to follow my dad steps from the internet. Watching videos and winning-pictures and I remember talking’ to him on the phone and preparing him for the time I came back to live here in Curacao to take over the wheel (hahaha). All he did was laugh it off. I went to school in Amsterdam (Holland) and I got a degree in Hospitality. Right now I’m working at a bank. This is completely a different area as a studied for. At age 21 I moved back to Curacao, on this particular day (28th of Sept 2008), the moment I stepped of the plane a family friend took me straight from the airport to the strip! I didn’t even make a stop at home first! If I remember correctly there were the National Races this day. Kind of ironic isn’t it? (Haha) First time: I believe due to my last name, the respect of the majority was automatically there and for some I had to earn it and some just wanted to see if I did better than ‘’the old man’’ (my dad)Which is completely normal, I believed I got them all from my first test run! Haha I showed them that I wasn’t afraid and that I was ready for this. I could see how proud my dad was. But I’m still a new driver so every time at the track and off I learn more and more, so I’m not the type to walk around bold headed and cocky, you never stop learning! I always try to perform better than my last, but the key is to stay consistent (with RT for example). In my rookie season, we picked up a win; I ended 2nd Place in my First official race, at the International Drag Fest 2012 Curacao and that year I also got an award for Rookie of the year. Unforgettable moments: At one event not so long after my debut, I went trough a severe spinning with my car, I crossed the line to the other lane and I spun in total 4 times. Luckily enough I got the car out safe and myself without a scratch! After this I earned some more respect, because at this time I wasn’t just the pretty-girl reaching for the finish line-driving a consistent car-girl! I could really keep this beast in track.I really got a standing ovation for this one, was pretty cool to see. So you can say in a short time, I experienced quite enough. But with this sport, I think you have to be mentally prepared for all this. I love to see the look on people faces when I get out of the vehicle. (After some time on the track.. I still get those look from people especially from those who are new to the track) “is SHE the one driving this thing???!!!’’…or the famous one… YOU seem MORE LIKE A MODEL to me’’. But I guess they all love the idea of a model-looking-female in an 8 second car. Hahaha Advice/motivation: Being a race car driver is only part of the job. Being able to manage everything else is the difficult part. You have to be able to handle being pulled in multiple directions, keep it under control and ALWAYS keep your focus. Its about being a strong woman from within to achieve your goals and having the strength and passion for what you do. Don’t just talk about it BE about it! As a matter of fact…don’t talk at all.. Just BE about it. There will be many struggles but its the ones that are motivated and strong enough to handle the set backs that will come out on top in the end. Once at the start it’s everybody’s race. You just have to keep believing in YOU no matter what.You can do whatever you want in this world! Don’t let anybody tell you..You can’t. I went in with that attitude, and that’s’ how I will advice any girl/female who really wants this to do so. ------------------------------------------------------------ Whoa!!!! See now...this is why Vienne is our #WCW this week!!! We are so proud of you girl! Keep up the great work!! The team may even try and make it down for one of your events in the not so distance future!!! xoxox #LadyHorsepowerFarm #ItsHERstory
Posted on: Wed, 20 Aug 2014 20:51:04 +0000