After taking out the ‘Rookie of the Year’ trophy at the annual WA Late Model Racing awards, Red Shamrock Racing team driver Laura Byrnes has also received the West Australian 2021 Women Sport Australia (WSA) Shona Joy Scholarship.
WSA and Australian owned fashion brand Shona Joy launched The Shona Joy Scholarship last month to make career development opportunities more readily available for women working in sport across Australia. The scholarship includes fully subsidised participation in the WSA Women in Sport Mentoring Program which features a three-hour leadership workshop and one-on-one mentoring sessions with a senior leader, a 12 month WSA Membership and access to WSA networking and events.
“Access to additional resources such as this mentoring program enables me to put funds back into my own racing, meaning more time to showcase motorsport as a pathway for women in sport, in that they can be successful, strong and fearless,” said WA scholarship recipient Laura Byrnes.
With a total of eight Shona Joy Scholarships available, one for each State and Territory, the selection panel of Shona Joy General Manager Danielle Millar, WSA President Gen Simmons and Mentoring Program facilitator Carol Fox had a challenging time reviewing applications and selecting the successful recipients.
“There was a fantastic selection of women from a variety of roles within the sports industry who applied for the scholarship. The women we have selected are incredibly well deserved with the potential to thrive in the sporting industry, said Danielle Millar.
WSA President Gen Simmons agreed about the quality of the applicants and expanded on how the recipients were selected.
“We really tried to look for women who were going above and beyond with their commitment to their role in sport and particularly those who were volunteering or doing things on the side of other jobs. The recipients we’ve chosen all tick those boxes,” said Gen Simmons.
The 2021 Shona Joy Scholarship recipients are:
ACT: Delfina Dimoski – Capital Football (Match Official/ Capital Football Zone Council Member)
NSW: Alicia Nagle – Zonely (Founder & CEO)
NT: Leanne Bennett – Northern Territory Rugby Union (Commercial & Events Manager)
QLD: Olivia Mendonca – Stuartholme School (Year 10 Rowing Coach)
SA: Sonny Ogrodows – South Australia Basketball Club (Treasurer)
VIC: Annie Poulton – Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office (Graduate Lawyer); Founder and Co Host at The Forward Line Podcast (TFL)
WA: Laura Byrnes – Red Shamrock Racing (Driver, Journalist, Content Creator)
Despite the Shona Joy Scholarship no longer being available for 2021, the price of the Women in Sport Mentoring Program has been reduced by 45% for 2021 also thanks to Shona Joy. For $250 any women working in sport or aspiring to work in sport can participate in the program; registration information and upcoming intakes can be found on the Women Sport Australia website: https://www.womensportaustralia.com.au/mentoring/
Byrnes has just completed her first full season of Late Model racing, having debuted in February 2020 in her number 44 Red Shamrock Racing Late Model. Byrnes completed a successful full season in the Winter Series finishing in 2nd place overall, before moving into the BGC Pro Dirt Series held over 12 rounds. Byrnes competed in all 12 rounds, with highlights being placing in the top 10 at two of the events, leading a heat race, and receiving the Rookie Award (first rookie across the line) for 10 of the events.
The Rookie of the Year award is presented to the first-year driver who has accumulated the most points throughout the season, and there were six new starters for the 2020/21 season.
“My aim always is to break down barriers to participation in motorsport – that your height, gender, age, size and background are not as important as your desire to succeed. I think we have shown a glimpse of that in my first season so I’m so excited for the season ahead to see what we can do, and keep inspiring other females to consider pathways in motorsport,” said Laura.
Overall for the 2020/21 Season, Byrnes finished in 10th place out of the 38 different drivers competing in the Pro Dirt Series. She also finished in 10th place overall in the Perth Motorplex Track Championship. This is a promising start to Laura Byrnes’ Late Model career, with the team now setting sites on the new season ahead.
Standing at only 150cms tall, Laura is a pint size pocket rocket determined to break down barriers in motorsport. She is also an ambassador for the Miracle Babies Foundation as she was a premature baby. Laura has been competing since she was 11 years old. A first-generation racer, Laura got into the sport after hearing her local track was looking for young drivers to join and being inspired by the other junior drivers. She has competed in Junior Sedans, Ministocks (in NZ), Production Sedans, Legend Cars, Super 6 Sedans and Modified Sedans, before joining Late Models in 2020. She has won multiple track championships, been named a Speedway Australia Rising Star and received multiple scholarships for her racing, including a Sports Scholarship from the University of Western Australia.
Red Shamrock Racing is proudly supported by Callcott and Downey Engineering, Wilshaw, Fuchs Lubricants, eFire and Safety, Revolv Health, Regent Pearls, Inox Lubricants, Concept Coating Design Co, Highline Clothing Co and MotiV8 Training.
Photographs supplied.