Speedway: Stitch in time for gender bender

FEMALE TOUCH: Jemma Palmer. PHOTO/Warren Buckland

Jemma Palmer prefers to be "one of the blokes" when she takes to the track for her weekly dose of stockcar racing during the summer.

"Out at the home track at Meeanee I think it's in the back of the minds of the males that I'm a female and they take it easy ... they know my number. I've just had gentle rollovers but it's different at away tracks like at Gisborne the other week when I got taken out in their championship ... I take those hits as a compliment," Palmer said.

Tonight, Palmer, 22, and her cousin and clubmate, Stacey Smith, will be the only females in the Hawke's Bay Championship at Hauraki Meeanee Speedway.

It will be Palmer's fifth attempt at the title after entering the class from the ministock ranks.

"My goal is to take each race as it comes and, hopefully, get a podium," the driver of a Ford-powered car said.

Recent form suggests she could achieve a top-three finish with the right amount of luck and support if required. A fortnight ago, Palmer finished fourth in the second-tier group at the Meeanee-hosted New Zealand Grand Prix.

An embroidery machinist at Stitchery House Embroidery & Screen Printing, Palmer won't be short of vital support if points begin to work in her favour.

Her father Tony "Shiny" Palmer and three cousins, Michael and Stacey Smith and Ben Milne, are also in the field.

"I would expect support from them if I was up there as any one of them would from me if they were in contention for a podium," Palmer said.

Another of her strengths, along with her fitness which she generates from playing Summer League Seven-a-side soccer, is her navy blue paint job which was obtained at the start of last season. It's not as easy for fellow drivers to see as her previous light brown paint job was.

Palmer tipped her cousin, Michael Smith, and the Bay's three New Zealand Grand Prix Championship qualifiers, Jason Penn, Grant Hollyman and Randal Tarrant, as the fancied starters.

"Ben [Milne] has some sneaky moves and Dad could be up there. This season it's more even and more competitive than previous seasons. Everyone can give everyone else a run for their money."

Her next meeting after tonight is the December 28-29 North Island championships in Rotorua.

"Rotorua is my favourite away track and it would be good to be among the qualifiers there," Palmer said before completing some final tweaks on her car yesterday.

"Dad doesn't allow me to race if I don't work on the car."

Another indication the 2013 Dave Foxall Memorial Trophy winner can handle being "one of the blokes".

At least 20 drivers including Wellington visitor Bryce Jensen, a former Hawke's Bay ministock driver, will start in the championship.

The Hawke's Bay Ministock Championship will be tonight's other feature class. This championship has been closed to host track drivers and 21 starters are expected.

Superstocks, super saloons, saloons, streetstocks and sidecars will be the support classes and Father Christmas, armed with plenty of giveaways will make his annual visit.