JIMBOOMBA sprintcar driver Kristy Bonsey is the first female to win a spot on the podium in a Queensland feature race in over a decade.
The 23-year-old racer competed in a two-night Thunder in the Canebowl event at Cairns International Speedway on July 13 to 14.
Bonsey placed third and fourth in her heat races on Friday, which propelled her to a front-row start for the feature race against leading Queensland racers like Andrew Scheuerle.
She said she was thrilled to hold off high profile drivers like Allan Woods and Jason Scott to place third in the crucial contest.
“To finally reach the podium and be able to share it with one of the state’s leading teams in Ausdeck Racing is an amazing feeling,” Ms Bonsey said.
“It definitely wasn’t easy, but our consistency throughout qualifying certainly helped us earn a great starting position for the feature race, which was key.”
On Saturday night, Bonsey placed second and eighth in her heat races and placed fifth in the feature race.
Bonsey said support from her father Russell helped get her over the line.
“I can’t thank my dad enough for the incredible effort he always puts in and continues to put into my racing,” she said.
“To see his face when I received my trophy was a special moment for me and I’m thrilled that I was finally able to reward him with this milestone.”
The Thunder in the Canebowl event was Bonsey’s final off season event ahead of the 2018-19 season to be contested at the Archerfield Speedway.
