This was the 4^th year Terri Sander has held a Mini-Field of Women breast cancer tribute at Willowbank Raceway. The support from the drag racing community again was awesome and gets better each year.

The Schluter family even went as far as donning pink ribbon stickers on the Junior Dragster and golf buggy with Corrine taking out the prize for the female wearing the most pink.

A gift voucher from the Ipswich Muffler & Mechanical Shop and t-shirts from Rocket Industries were the prizes for the giveaways from tickets handed out at the gate. Breast Cancer Network Australia and other items were on sale at the base of the tower and combined with donations on the night and the generous gift from the Classic & Muscle Car Club of Ipswich $1040 was raised. While breast cancer awareness was the aim all donations were greatly appreciated and the night a huge success.

Thanks to the support given by Really Natural Skin Care.com.au and family, friends, Willowbank Raceway and track staff.

A huge thankyou to Rocket Industries and Ipswich Muffler & Mechanical Shop.       

PHOTO COURTESY: dragphotos.com.au

WILLOWBANK RACEWAY WILL ONCE AGAIN TURN PINK FOR A CAUSE!

START TIME: 4 PM      

For something a little different we will have some AWESOME GIVEAWAYS ON THE DAY.

Ladies remember to wear pink!

Mini-Fields are designed to pay tribute to women who have suffered from breast cancer with the planting of 100 Pink Lady Silhouettes that serves as a display of support for women and their families affected by breast cancer.

This event will be run in conjunction with Willowbank Raceway's Test'n'Tune meeting with the gates opening at 4pm.

For Test'n'Tune information visit:

www.willowbankraceway.com.au

There will be minimal disruption to the testing of your vehicles.

Planned activities for the Mini-Field are:

1/ The planting of 100 Pink Lady Silhouettes...this will be done by us prior to the gates opening.

2/ The girls will be given a pink momento from the day upon entering at the gate.

3/ Our race vehicle will be on display decked out in pink, as I'm a breast cancer survivor and happy to say it's been 8 years

since I was first diagnosed.

4/ I will give a 3-minute talk on breast cancer awareness.

5/ AWESOME GIVEAWAYS to be presented after talk.

6/ Breast Cancer Network Australia merchandise will be for sale at the bottom of the tower along with donations tins and

BCNA leaflets.

7/ A shout-out will occur for anyone interested in a group photo with the Pink Lady Silhouettes.

Ladies if you have a pink top, pink shoes, pink cap etc we would love to see you in it on the day.

Together we can make a difference in the lives of these women and their families.

I'm hoping once again you will open your hearts and come support this very worthy cause.

Thanks and see you at the track!

Terri

Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) is the national voice of all Australians personally affected by breast cancer. We represent more than 250 Member Groups and over 46,000 individuals, who have been affected by breast cancer.

The women, who are our members, are the human faces and stories behind breast cancer.

Our Vision

BCNA works to ensure that women diagnosed with breast cancer and their families receive the very best information, treatment, care and support possible - no matter who they are or where they live.

We are represented by the Pink Lady Silhouette, which reflects our key focus - women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Our Mission

BCNA's mission is to inform, empower, represent and link together Australians affected by breast cancer.

Our Resources

BCNA provides a number of resources for women and their families:

My Journey Kit

Is a comprehensive information and support pack, free for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. The Kit provides information and practical advice from women who have experienced breast cancer and includes a Personal Record, where women can record important details such as appointments, treatment and results.

Women can order a My Journey Kit by visiting the BCNA website

www.bcna.org.au or by calling 1800 500 258.

Hope & Hurdles Pack Is a free information resource for women living with secondary breast cancer. The pack contains booklets, brochures, magazines and CD's that offer information, support and hope for women and their families. A Personal Record is also included, where women can record important details such as appointments, treatment and results. Women can order their Hope & Hurdles Pack by visiting the BCNA website www.bcna.org.au or by calling 1800 500 258 My Care Kit Is a free kit containing a specially designed Berlei bra and soft form/s (if required) for women who have recently had breast cancer surgery. The My Care Kit is available via breast care nurses or other related health professionals. The Beacon With over 46,000 readers the free BCNA quarterly magazine includes information of research, treatment, support options, events and personal stories from women affected by breast cancer. The Inside Story Is our four-page supplement to the Beacon, for women living with secondary breast cancer. It features women's stories, new resources, book reviews and issues relevant to women living with secondary breast cancer and their families. BCNA e-Bulletin Is a monthly email, which provides women, and health professionals with summaries of the latest breast cancer research findings, including electronic links to abstracts and research journals. Visit the BCNA website: www.bcna.org.au or call 1800 500 258 to subscribe to these free publications. BCNA Website - www.bcna.org.au BCNA website is a comprehensive resource for those wanting to learn about activities, initiatives, support groups, programs and services offered by BCNA. It features stories written by women who have experienced breast cancer, with tips on how they coped. It also has links to other trusted websites and resources. Field of Women - a way to pay tribute to those affected by breast cancer For further information Telephone: (03) 9805 2500/ Fax: (03) 9805 2599 Freecall: 1800 500 258 / Email: beacon@bcna.org.au

             CASTROL EDGE WINTERNATIONALS 10TH TO 13TH JUNE!

The 2011 Castrol Edge Winternationals is shaping up to be a grand event for the women with around 47 females entrants.    They will be coming from as far away as Western Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales etc.

 The girls will be competing in the following brackets:

 1 in Top Alcohol.

 2 in Outlaws.

 4 in Modified.

 4 in Super Sedan.

 8 in Super Street

 and about 28 in Junior Dragster.

Before this event is the Winters Warm-up on 4^th & 5^th June with 14 females trekking out to Willowbank Raceway for some track time. This will give the ladies time to sort their race vehicles and polish up on their reaction times.

The Winternationals will kick off with early qualifying on Friday 10^th June at 8am with an expected finish time around 8.39pm.

8.30am on Saturday will be the commencement of racing with our Super Street bracket up first followed by Junior Dragster etc.

This year the program is a little different with the 3 days of racing being Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

We will have the Australian Women’s Motorsport Network banner on display in our Super Street pit area, which is located on the back fence down towards the highway. AWMN merchandise will be for sale along with Mama’s Toy Racing items. 

Mama would love you to come on down and say hello!

We’re excited too…as we have new AWMN merchandise with Girls Torque Singlets and stickers at a great price.

GOOD LUCK to all the entrants and mama would especially like to wish our entire female competitors the very best of luck and hope to see you girls in the winners circle.

The Castrol Edge Winternationals is 4 days of adrenalin driven excitement with spectators having the opportunity to wander through the pits allowing them to check out the racers and their merchandise.

Come see the ladies and other competitors in action at the biggest and best drag racing event outside of America.

For more information on the Winternationals visit Willowbank Raceway.

http://www.willowbankraceway.com.au

May 2011

What's there to stop me from racing? About Terri Sander by Anne Burlinson / HubPages.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Terri-Sanders-the-mama-on-drag-strip

20th March 2011

Racing was to be at the Casino Airport in New South Wales…and here’s how our day and overnight stay panned out.

The alarm screams at us on Saturday morning at 4am. I bound out of bed and ready myself for the day’s events. Warren follows shortly after!

Col Murray gives us a wake-up call at 4.55am knowing we said we’d leave home at 5am, as we were to meet up at the Chinderah service station. We stuck to our word and left at 5am with a slight drizzle of rain on the windscreen. When we reached the Gold Coast it was raining full on. We arrived at the Casino Airport at 8.30am and it’s still lightly raining.

Our travellers from home consist of:

Our daughter Janine and her partner Michael. Our granddaughter Caitlyn. Friends and fellow racer Col Murray and his crew, Adam Foreman and his friend, Debbie Mackay and partner Fonz also Caz Thomas and her son. Trevor Davis (also a racer) made the trip down as well but didn’t hang around due to the light showers and knowing most likely the cars with slicks and a bit more power (then the road vehicles) would not have the chance of a run.

Sue Corbett (the national director of the Australian Women’s Motorsport Network) was there and I had the opportunity to chat with her about all that is happening with the AWMN. It was good seeing Sue and her partner Greg again and being able to catch up with things face to face. Then Col left with Sue and Greg to have lunch at their place and a good old chat before he headed on home.

Although we knew there was no chance of getting on the airport for the 1/8-mile run we still stayed around and spectated until the end. The organisers of this event let the street vehicles and bikes run in between showers and I believe everyone enjoyed himself or herself immensely. No traction but good fun all the same for those that did run.

After the event we headed back to our booked campsite at the Casino Village and RV Resort that happened to be right next door to the airport…very handy! We put the cover off the side of the truck for extra protection from the rain then erected two tents underneath. The rest of our fellow travellers stayed in their pre-booked cabins. We all chatted away for a few hours with much laughter then hit the sack with the rain pelting down most of the night.

We also met a lovely family camping in their bus at the resort that have been travelling around Australia for the past 6 years with their 9 children. They seem to be enjoying life to the max and I hope they continue to do so.

The trip home took 3 hours 15 minutes, which wasn’t too bad considering we were held up by traffic on occasion. It was good to get away for a while and great having everyone down there with us.

This is Terri aka mama…until next time!

                                                           AUSTRALIADAY- 26TH JANUARY 

We're Australians and proud of it!

                                                                                            OUR COUNTRY

Its magical appearance has you in a trance For low and behold it's giving you the chance To laugh and cry and shout out loud Because you are so very proud To be an Aussie through and through Come rejoice and don't be blue.

Australia is our country with all its beauty And I feel, that it's my duty To share with you how wonderful a sight Is this land that abounds with much wildlife

I cherish all the sights and sounds In the bush and all around Come see for yourself, I dare not lie It's truly exquisite and makes you sigh.

Written by Terri Sander - January 2011 for www.mamastoyracing.com.au  

THE RACERS INTERNATIONAL MOTORSPORT CONNECTION - Blog post - Terri Sander - An Australian Champion On and Off the Track.

http://www.racersimc.com/blog.htm

Thanks to Mike Dalenberg for this awesome write-up - January 2011

Terri aka mama

ANDRA PRO SERIES ROUND 1...scheduled for 2nd & 3rd January - Cancelled due to rain!

Everywhere around the world there seems to be some crazy weather happening...snowing in parts...heat wave in others and here where we live it doesn't want to stop raining and flooding in places. Lucky for our area no flooding just way too much rain.

However it looked like it was going to be a fine couple of days for our ANDRA PRO SERIES ROUND 1 scheduled for 2nd & 3rd January.

We got the qualifying in on the 2nd with a storm looming in the background but it eventually went around us. Next day looking good once again, so another qualifying session then the start of racing. Only a couple of brackets were run then down it came...the heavens opened up with heavy storm activity.

With the storm clearing we thought management might decide to get the jet-drier out and dry the track but the meeting had to be cancelled due to more rain on it's way!

The points accumulated by the racers this season are rather dismal to say the least with so many rain outs.

Our next attempt to compete will be 14th & 15th January for round 2 of the ANDRA PRO SERIES...everyone has their fingers and toes crossed for fine weather.

Hope the weather at your place is holding up!

That's a wrapt from mama until next time.

                                                              BREAST CANCER TRIBUTE A HUGE SUCCESS!  

Our Mini-Field of Women event held at Willowbank Raceway, Qld on 23^rd October 2010 (for the 3^rd year in a row) went to plan and was a huge success. It was so pleasing to see the ladies showing their support by wearing pink tops, shoes, scarves etc.

We began our day by setting up at the track around midday and were blessed with good old Queensland sunshine. Breast Cancer Network Australia merchandise was on sale at the bottom of the tower along with gold coin donation tins that quickly filled to the brim.

By giving a 3-minute talk I spread the message that those who are suffering can find all the information they need to help them through their tough times by visiting Breast Cancer Network Australia and by taking on the option of selling BCNA merchandise along with donations we raised over $1300. However this figure will change as we are still in the process of selling more merchandise. I was once again in awe of the generosity given by Willowbank Raceway, the officials, racers and general public.

My helpers on the day were absolutely marvellous and Caz Thomas kindly offered her time in taking photos of the occasion. Track staff went out of their way to be helpful and I’m so very grateful for all the support given for this very worthy cause.

From the bottom of my heart I thank each and everyone of you for coming along and showing that you really do care.

I’m now looking forward to hosting another Mini-Field of Women event in 2011.

Terri.

 www.bcna.org.au  

 Photos courtesy - Caz Thomas

Hope & Hurdles Pack Is a free information resource for women living with secondary breast cancer. The pack contains booklets, brochures, magazines and CD's that offer information, support and hope for women and their families. A Personal Record is also included, where women can record important details such as appointments, treatment and results. Women can order their Hope & Hurdles Pack by visiting the BCNA website www.bcna.org.au or by calling 1800 500 258 My Care Kit Is a free kit containing a specially designed Berlei bra and soft form/s (if required) for women who have recently had breast cancer surgery. The My Care Kit is available via breast care nurses or other related health professionals. The Beacon With over 46,000 readers the free BCNA quarterly magazine includes information of research, treatment, support options, events and personal stories from women affected by breast cancer. The Inside Story Is our four-page supplement to the Beacon, for women living with secondary breast cancer. It features women's stories, new resources, book reviews and issues relevant to women living with secondary breast cancer and their families.

BCNA e-Bulletin Is a monthly email, which provides women, and health professionals with summaries of the latest breast cancer research findings, including electronic links to abstracts and research journals. Visit the BCNA website: www.bcna.org.au or call 1800 500 258 to subscribe to these free publications. BCNA Website - www.bcna.org.au BCNA website is a comprehensive resource for those wanting to learn about activities, initiatives, support groups, programs and services offered by BCNA. It features stories written by women who have experienced breast cancer, with tips on how they coped. It also has links to other trusted websites and resources. Field of Women - a way to pay tribute to those affected by breast cancer For further information Telephone: (03) 9805 2500/ Fax: (03) 9805 2599 Freecall: 1800 500 258 / Email: beacon@bcna.org.au               Photos from 2009 Mini-Field of Women!

This is a short summary of our trip and two day race experience August 2010 at Benaraby Raceway.

It commences Friday the 20^th around 6am; we’re all packed and leaving from our hometown of Ipswich heading up north in Queensland. The trip will be about 570 kilometres and should take roughly seven to seven and a half hours maybe longer depending on how many pit stops we make along the way.

There’s a fair bit of dead wildlife off to the side of the highway these being kangaroos, rabbits, an echidna, a snake and some unidentifiable road kill that could be rats or the like.

We arrive in Benaraby at 2.15pm and check in at the Big 4 caravan park situated near the Boyne River. Warren and I erect our tent, freshen up then have a bite to eat and relax for a while before heading off to the track for the 6pm Test’n’Tune start. On the way the wildlife shows it’s splendour with a kangaroo hopping across the road in front of us near the track and my how it blends into the surroundings.

Our friends Debbie Mackay and Steven Brown (known to many as Fonz) also make the journey and join us at the track. This is the 5^th time racing here and once again we are greeted with friendly, smiling faces.

I have 7 passes on the night with a best elapsed time over the ¼ mile of 11.302@119.68mph. The Rover on one pass lets loose and gives me the wildest ride of my life. I’m wrestling with the car, that now has a mind of its own and viscously throwing itself from side to side down the track. I took back control and was so proud of myself for being able to handle this situation that could have easily ended up destroying the Rover.

Debbie and Fonz also stay at the caravan park and having time up our sleeve, on Saturday, Deb and I decide to wander down to the river. Here we spot a warning sign about  recent crocodile sightings. Throughout north and central Queensland, signs are placed at access points to rivers, creeks, lagoons, swamps and beaches where crocs might live.

After seeing this Deb's a bit uneasy and wants to make a hasty retreat! Most likely a wise decision!

Racing for Saturday is cancelled due to issues with lane one and the decision is made by the officials to run a club test day. The best ET this day is 11.269@120.32mph and I only have three runs after discovering we may have problems with the gearbox.

Overall it's still a great weekend away. We met up with people and racers that we normally only see a couple of times a year and we confirmed our overnight stay when we once again make the trip to Mackay to compete at the Sunstate Nationals.

An added bonus was seeing and chatting with another female racer this being Kellie Tate in her L.J.Torana with its magnificent new paint scheme. We remember sighting this Torana 3 years ago at Palmyra Dragway as she was pitted beside us and at that time the car was maroon in colour. It’s had quite a transformation since then and sports a skeleton on the rear guards and silver in colour with a touch of pink in the design. Kellie told me she wanted to give the car a bit of a girly look.

I also loved catching up with my Facebook friends and thank you so very much to everyone at the track for making us feel so welcome.

www.benarabyraceway.com

Until next time!

It’s the thrill and excitement that keeps us going and the fast, paced action that heads us in the direction of the drag racing tracks.

The Australian 2009/2010 ANDRA PRO SERIES Drag Racing season has come to an end seeing the Mama’s Toy Racing Team claiming the Super Street Australian Championship. 

Our Track Championship has also been finalized seeing us in 3^rd Place, remembering I’m competing against males and females, young and old at the age of 54 and being a wife, mother and grandmother. I have placed in the top 5 in our Super Street bracket for the last three years, and considering it was only 2004 when I seriously began racing at Major Events accumulating points for the Australian Championship, I feel our team has achieved much in this time. I thank my crew and family for all their hard work and support over the years, especially my crew chief and husband Warren for without him I would not be where I am today.

Competing against the young guns with their youthful energy and high levels of concentration (needed for this motorsport) is no easy fete and, as we all come to realize, over time our senses slowly diminish. However I don’t believe in giving up and it’s not so much about winning but how you play the game. I conquered breast cancer in 2003 after going through the ordeal of having chemotherapy and radium treatments and being ill for many months. I’m now facing another body malfunction (that I’ve had for a while) bulging discs in my back (that cause a slight walking problem) and have sciatica in my left leg. Finally after waiting for months I get to see the specialist on Monday. Yahoo... We may get some action now!

But like I say, never give up, stay positive and claim for yourself what you wish for in life. Reach for the sky and you will be rewarded with your hard work and effort.

Back to racing; our task at hand will be to concentrate on testing with another motor in the race car and setting it up correctly before the commencement of the new season in September. The old engine has been used for the past 11years and (although still running strong and getting us to many finals) the time has come for its retirement.

We have attended a couple of test days at Willowbank Raceway in sunny Queensland with the new Chevy 350 running 11.36 seconds over the quarter mile @ 120mph. Changing jets, power valve and squirters has brought the car down to 11.20@121.44mph.

A few more adjustments will be made to get the car off the line with a quicker 60-foot time. At the moment 1.61 is it’s average sixty-foot. We are staying in our Super Street bracket as this then allows us to travel somewhat with our racing and we are only expecting to run low 11 second passes.

The racing calendar is jam-packed with events all throughout the year giving racers in Australia much needed practice time and competitive racing. I’ve been involved in drag racing for 17 years now and still can’t seem to get enough of this motor sport. If I could I’d be at the track every weekend as our home track (this being Willowbank Raceway) has events most Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Drag Racing has given me the highs and lows that come with any form of sport but the pleasure derived unsurpassable. Imagine sitting behind the steering wheel, strapped firmly by a harness into a racing seat, helmet buckled up with a V8 purring in your ears ready for racing. The excitement is building and adrenalin pumping through your veins. The lights are activated and you stomp on the go pedal accelerating at speed down the quarter mile. Puts a smile on my face every time! J

Until next time…stay safe…drive carefully on the roads and treat others, as you would like to be treated yourself.

Terri Sander

Mama’s Toy Racing