Image courtesy of the Cloverdale Reporter
This summer, Automotive Training Centre will be the proud sponsor of a 1993 Honda Civic racecar. Behind the wheel is Cloverdale’s Karen Wilkie, who will be competing in a challenging 100-lap race on June 20th at the Agassiz Speedway.
This is Wilkie’s first season driving the ’93 Civic, which was built using parts from her previous ’91 Civic. The car falls into the Hornet class at the speedway which consists of 4-cylinder cars with no modifications other than for safety.
Read on to find out more about Karen’s story, and how you can also pursue a career working with vehicles!
Karen’s Story: A Love for Cars Fuelled her Passion for Racing
In a recent interview with the Cloverdale Reporter, Karen Wilkie described how her love for cars and motorsports started when she was young and from then on, directed the course of her life.
During her youth, Karen used to go to the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) with her family and it was there that she fell in love with the demolition derby. She was exhilarated by the roar of the engines, the smell of exhaust and the determination of the drivers who took part in the carnage of the last-man-standing events.
By grade 12, Karen signed up for an auto mechanic program at school, where she excelled. By 1995, she had a rollover stunt car of her own, so that she could participate in the derby she’d always loved. “It was a dream come true,” she stated. She then tried her hand at stock car racing at the PNE’s final derby in 2000 and loved it.
Karen took a hiatus from racing for 12 years to raise a family and when she came back in 2014, she raced in every event she could. After competing in 9 events, Karen earned enough points to rank 8th out of 24 drivers, becoming the top female driver in the standings.
Karen’s story – from spectator, to car enthusiast, to motorsports competitor – is inspiring to anyone looking to pursue an automotive career.
ATC Offers Automotive Training Programs in Surrey
Whether you have a love for motorsports or just cars in general, ATC’s Surrey campus offers a wide choice of programs. With ATC, you can guarantee that the training you’ll receive is tailored for the specific auto career you’re interested in. You can choose from one of our many programs, including:
- Compliance and Safety Specialist
- Auto Body Technician
- Automotive Service Consultant
- Auto Body Collision Estimator
- Auto Sales and Leasing
At our campus you’ll find classrooms, auto garages and paint training shops, all containing a range of equipment to give you the relevant, hands-on training you’ll need in the job market.
Visit our website to see a full list of our available programs, or to learn more about how you can launch your own auto career!
