SWAN Hill’s Zoey Salau will return to the racetrack this weekend to defend her VSC Marg Beattie Memorial title at the Rushworth Speedway Saturday night.
Salau will compete against 20 other female drivers for the right to defend her title, but regardless of the result, she is sure to walk away happy when she looks at her VZ commodore emblazoned with the Victorian Ladies 1 on it’s side.
It will be the third time the 30-year-old has competed with the artwork adorning her car, after Salau won the Victorian Speedway Council’s open state ladies title last month at Wangaratta Speedway.
It was the first time Salau won the highest honour for Victorian female speedway drivers, having been literally pipped on the finish line 12 months earlier.
Having led for 29 of the 30 lap race, Salau was overtaken by Felicity Roycroft on the last lap in a dramatic finish.
But rather than dwell on the result, Salau let it fuel her desire to go one better, with the newest VIC1 racer not letting the title slip this time around.
“It’s still quite surreal really to think that I won,” Salau told The Guardian.
“Going into the heats, I sort of struggled and I wasn’t sure how I was going to go in the final.
“I ended up changing my line in the final and it worked, so I ended up staying there.
“After being beaten on the last lap 12 months earlier, it was a really good feeling to get this one, especially considering how last year turned out.”
Her change of tactics worked wonders in the final, with Salau aware she needed to make the change during the race.
“I qualified third for the final, so I wouldn’t say I struggled, I just didn’t feel very comfortable,” Salau said.
“I usually like to run a little bit higher on the track, I just feel a lot more comfortable running up there and the car usually feels better.
“I sat back for the first couple of laps and sat behind the two front cars for a couple of laps and then I just changed my line.
“I thought let’s just see what it’s going to do and it really liked being up there, so I stayed there and the rest is history.”
With 23 cars taking part in the final, there was little margin for error, with Salau not only having to contend with Roycroft and Kayla Knox, who finished second and third, but lapped traffic on the crowded Wangaratta track.
Salau has found herself in the middle of a purple patch of form ahead of Saturday’s Marg Beattie Memorial, with the Swan Hill driver finishing second in the final on her home track last Saturday night, having one victory and two seconds in the heats.
That result was off the back a successful meeting at Moama earlier this month, where Salau finished seventh out of 33 cars in the final against the boys in the production sedans.
It’s been a remarkable month for Salau when considering her lack of racing this season due to other commitments, with Salau crediting her father Paul as her biggest influence.
“I actually haven’t raced a lot this year, which is surprised even me because I really do love it,” Salau said.
“Dad and I did a lot of racing last year, but this year I just haven’t done as I’ve been busy with work and what not, so when it came to the state titles I just thought we’ll go there with no expectations and it turned out really well.
“My dad used to race modifieds and he raced for well before we were born.
“He brought me up really with the sport. I grew up around cars and it was dad who got me interested in it.
“I’ve raced ever since I was old enough really.”
Although she will race against the girls this weekend, it’s against the boys that tends to bring out Salau’s best, with the title holder enjoying the increased competitiveness it brings.
“I actually prefer racing against the boys, I don’t know why but I think I just like the extra competition sometimes,” Salau said.
“There’s a lot of really good cars and really good drivers, and even though the boys are a lot rougher and you get a bit more damage, it just brings out the best in me.”
