Barbara Cowell
 |
Barbara Cowell | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1958 (age 67–68) |
| Other name | Barbara Babbage (nee Cowell) |
| Occupation | Former racing driver |
| Years active | 1973–1993 |
| Known for | one of the first female members of the British Racing Drivers' Club |
Barbara Babbage (nee Cowell) (born 1958) is a British former racing driver.
Cowell is one of the first female members of the British Racing Drivers' Club.[citation needed]
Career
[edit]Mini-rod racing
[edit]Cowell started racing in Mini-rods at Long Eaton in 1973 and was British Champion in 1978.[citation needed] She won the British, European and World Titles in 1981.[citation needed]
Tin-tops
[edit]Mini 7 Racing
[edit]Cowell raced in the Mini 7 Championship from 1982 to 1984.[citation needed]
Production Saloons
[edit]Cowell drove a Gerry Marshall-prepared Fiat Strada in the Uniroyal Production Saloon Car Championship in 1985 and switched to a Vauxhall Astra for 1986.[citation needed]
Cowell won the Class D title in the 1987 Season, with six class wins, driving a Suzuki Swift.[citation needed]
For the 1988 season, Cowell switched to a Class B BMW M3. She won her class at Castle Combe.[1]
MG Metro Turbo Challenge
[edit]Cowell raced in the 1987 ESSO MG Metro Challenge.[citation needed]
Cowell's car (#18) was memorably used for a press release featuring future F1 World Champion Damon Hill.[citation needed]
World Touring Car Championship
[edit]Cowell drove a Toyota Corolla in the 1987 RAC Tourist Trophy, sharing with Geoff Kimber-Smith, but they didn't finish. They entered the Tourist Trophy again in 1988 but did not race.[2]
British Touring Car Championship
[edit]Cowell raced in the 1988 British Touring Car Championship. She won Class D in the Donington 1 Hour Endurance race in a Toyota Corolla, sharing with Kimber-Smith.[3]
Cowell switched to a Ford Escort[citation needed] (still in Class D), run by North Essex Motorsport,[citation needed] from Brands Hatch onwards. She came second in her class there and this would remain her best result.[4]
Cowell's sole outing in the 1989 British Touring Car Championship would be the Endurance race at Donington, once again sharing a Toyota Corolla with Geoff Kimber-Smith. A misfire forced them to retire after four laps.[5]
Willhire 24 Hours
[edit]Barbara finished fourth in the 1993 Willhire 24 Hour race at Snetterton. She formed part of an all-female team with Clare Redgrave and Kirsten Kolby, driving a Honda Civic.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Production Saloon Car Championship – MCD/BRDC/BRSCC (1972-2003)". November 7, 2011.
- ↑ "Complete Archive of Barbara Cowell". racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
- ↑ "1988 BTCC - round 4". touringcarracing.net. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
- ↑ "1988 BTCC - round 8".
- ↑ "1989 BTCC - round 4".
 | This biographical article related to British motor racing is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |