Racing with Jasmine Curtis-Smith

Curtis (second from left) celebrates a podium finish.

Racing requires a lot of patience because though you are moving fast, your technique is essential for every move you make. JASMINE CURTIS Actress

The last leg of the Toyota Vios Cup was held last weekend at the Clark International Speedway. A record number of 63 cars raced on the grid in front of thousands of fans.

It was an action-packed, drama filled, wheel-to-wheel and neck-to-neck battle. It was also the comeback race of showbiz darling Jasmine Curtis-Smith.

Jasmine came determined this leg. When she was racing last year, she had to settle in the back battle as Sam YG and Phoemela Baranda dominated the celebrity class.

This year, with Baranda and Sam YG graduating to Sporting Class, Curtis was swamped with work commitments throughout the whole year, allowing her to race only on the last and final leg of the series.

She surprised everyone during the race weekend when she clocked faster than the race leaders during practice, making her the most improved driver of the weekend and garnering most of the special awards plus a third place finish in Race 1.

We asked her about her racing experience this weekend on how being a racer has changed her.

Q: Please tell us how you got into racing.

A: It started when our general manager at Vidanes asked me if I would be interested. I was hesitant at first because I don’t know how to drive a manual, but decided to take it up and challenge myself for the new year ahead of me.

Q: How would you describe getting back into race car after a three-race absence?

A: Immensely empowering. I was so motivated to improve and give myself that fulfillment for coming back so late into the season. I didn’t want to come back just for the sake of it; I wanted more.

Jasmine joins her fellow celebrity racers in the beer-drenching fun after the awards ceremony.

Q: What goes through your head when racing?

A: Have fun. Don’t mess up your gears. And just follow the rules and racing line.

Q: Describe how different the racing Jasmine is to the actress Jasmine.

A: Actually, there’s a lot more similarities than differences. I love hearing feedback from my rides the same way I love hearing feedback from my performances. When I act, I don’t like to be disturbed if I am trying to study it. When I race, don’t bother talking to me when I’m about to get into my car. I will not mind you. Ha ha.

Q: Things you learned in racing that is applicable in driving on the roads.

A: Pass safely. Passing in a race track may be different from passing another car or making a turn on a street, but you still have to be aware of the cars around, or at least, of the incoming traffic.

Competitors in the Celebrity Class and their respective partners: Fabio Ide with Bianca Manalo; Jericho Rosales and Kim Jones; Jinno Rufino and Shawn Yao.

Check your car before going out. Make sure that everything is intact and working properly. You wouldn’t want to go out with something broken and cause any accidents for yourself or the cars around you.

Follow the rules. Racing is a fun sport, and it has rules in place in order to keep the sport as safe as possible for everyone involved, from the racers right down to the mechanics and audience.

On the road, follow the road rules and regulations.

Q: How did racing change you as a driver?

A: Not just as a driver but as a person, I’ve learned to become more patient. There are times I do lose my temper, but I let the steam out with the right people around me to ensure a healthy vent. Racing requires a lot of patience because although you are moving fast, your technique is essential for every move you make.

Drivers of the season’s final leg pose for a group picture.

Q: Advice for ladies who wants to go racing.

A: Bend the stereotype. Empower yourself. Join us.

For comments or suggestions, please email me at jnt@chicdriven.com. Follow @chicdriven at Instagram and Twitter, or like our page on Facebook/Chicdriven. Visit www.chicdriven.com for more practical life hacks.