This Women’s Month, we’re paying tribute to female adrenalin junkies who are proving themselves in the male-dominated world of motorsport. This week, we take a look at Kalyn Miller.
Born and raised in the hustle and bustle of Johannesburg, Miller says she was captivated by the rush of speed, cars and the desire to get behind the wheel from an early age.
Now, at the age of 25, this young lady is not only participating in a male-dominated sport, but she’s competing with them too, and is hot on their heels. Her father, Kevin Miller, has been involved in motorsport for over 40 years and he remains Kalyn’s role model and her hero since she was in nappies.
Early start
As a toddler, her mother Lynne took Kalyn to the track when her dad was racing, and it was there that Kalyn fell in love with the sport and her passion for cars began.
In 2009, at the age of 15, Kalyn participated in her first race at the Midvaal raceway in a development series. The vehicle she raced in wasn’t just any vehicle; she raced in a bakkie she helped build.
In 2017, she participated in her first championship, where she took the title, a highlight she’ll never forget: “Motor racing is a male-dominant sport and I had to stand my ground and earn my right to a place among ‘the guys’,” she says.
Opportunities needed
Kalyn has entered 2019 in class A in a 1600cc turbo-charged car and is competing against well-known and experienced competitors. She recently became the first female driver to win Class A in the Sports & Saloons in the opening race at Red Star Raceway on Saturday, 20 June.
A word of inspiration
Her message to other ladies this Women’s Month: “No matter what, never let your passion become your fear due to other people’s opinions. You can do anything you set your mind to and are passionate about.”