Beechboro resident Andrea Kahle keeps a diary a bit different to most. In it are her medical appointments and different contacts, part of keeping organised for when she was battling breast cancer.
And sitting in pride of place at the front was a picture of her Holden Torana drag car, providing inspiration to get an all-clear so she could get out on to the track.
“Everybody at the hospital knew about it (the car); I told them that was the reason I needed to get better,” Kahle said.
“I’m all clear now, but I still have some more surgery to go.”
When the drag racing season fired up in October at Perth Motorplex, it marked the first time Kahle was able to go for her Australian National Drag Racing Association licence.
“Shortly after buying the car I was diagnosed with breast cancer. So the car went under covers on stands and sat there waiting for me to get better,” she said.
“Finally, I’m better and stronger and itching to get the car down the track.”
Then in a miracle performance at her debut race event, Kahle managed to stun the ultra competitive Super Sedan category as she made it all the way to the final, collecting a runner up trophy.
“I was shocked to get to the final, along with everyone else,” she said.
“Now I’m a little bit under pressure to perform.”
After such a strong start, Kahle now wants to settle in to racing and be a contender for Rookie of the Year.
“Hopefully by the end of the season I’ll have some good points,” she said.
“I was so concerned about getting everything right that it was only after the fifth or sixth run that I was able to enjoy the ride.”
Kahle will be competing this weekend at the Goldenstates event this Friday and Saturday at Perth Motorplex in the Genie Performance Exhaust Super Sedan category.
Alongside will be national championship rounds for the Top Doorslammer and Top Alcohol categories.
The main program of racing starts from 6pm on both nights.
