Sharima Khan and her passion for racing

By Jamall Adams
THOUGH Sharima Khan was the name given to her at birth, this 22-year-old speed racer is known throughout Guyana as the “Speed Queen”. She is young, energetic, persistent, a ‘chip off the old block’ and the only female speed racer in Guyana.

Sharima was born and raised in Golden Grove on the East Bank of Demerara. She’s the second-to-last child for her parents and has four sisters and one brother. Growing up, while most young girls would dream about becoming doctors, teachers or even lawyers, Sharima’s dreams were different. She dreamt of becoming one of the world’s most outstanding female race car drivers, because of her love for Formula 1 (F1) racing. Fortunately for her, she had the first boost in her chosen path at the experienced hands of her father, Rafeeq Khan aka ‘Haroon’, who’s been racing for over three decades.

It began with her starting her father’s cars before he would race and then later progressed to him teaching her how to properly manoeuvre the race cars that she later went on to master. This was something Sharima was looking forward to for a very long time, but she knew the importance of being patient. Her determination and consistency through practice on the tracks with her dad or even alone, paid off in her favour, and in January 2013, Sharima was given the opportunity to take part in her first professional race. It was an endurance race held at the South Dakota Circuit, Timehri, Guyana.

The endurance race which went on for three hours, saw Sharima displaying her amateur skills and her father showcasing his professional driving skills. Their collective father and daughter efforts earned them the first place spot in the 2000cc class, something that was never done in the history of speed car racing here in Guyana. Many fans and spectators likened the occasion as “The new era of speed car racing in Guyana.”

Asked about her feelings after winning her first race, Sharima said “It was more exciting than I had imagined. I always thought it wouldn’t be such a big deal, but the crowd response was amazing and that made me more motivated than ever, I was super excited to get back on the track.” She then added that her father gave her the name ‘Speed Queen’ after that race and even her mom was proud of her, although she was not too supportive of her speed racing dreams at first.

After the endurance race, it is time for Sharima to gear up for the upcoming and much-talked about November race meet event, which is one of the most popular annual racing events in Guyana. This event occurs every November and attracts some of the best local and international speed car racers, to compete against each other, for prizes and bragging rights. Sharima was anxious to show off her talent and got the chance to do so in an individual race with 20 other male racers. The race was scheduled for 10 laps and Sharima gave it her all, eventually coming in at Number 11. And, even though it was a position which is not respected in the racing world, Sharima was giving a standing ovation by spectators after crossing the finish line. This response was well deserved and well accepted, since Sharima had just created history again, by being the first female Guyanese racer to ever compete and finish a November meet event.

“Ever since my first November meet, I’ve improved greatly when it comes to my track performance. I’ve since participated in more than a dozen races and have accomplished several podium finishes,” Sharima explained, She added that although one of her biggest dreams is to represent Guyana on the international stage, the biggest moment of her life was the proud look she saw on her father’s face after she had completed her race. She also stated that she is expected to compete in this year’s November meet, which is scheduled for November 12, in which she’ll be debuting a new race car, the Honda del sol.

Sharima’s dedication and commitment to speed-car racing have given her a great amount of popularity within the racing world, both locally and internationally. Her commitment to the sport has also given her a great deal of support and endorsements from local companies, all of whom pledged to support whatever moves she decides to make while on the race track.