Make vroom for Baroda girl Mira Erda

MUMBAI: At an age when girls are busy playing with dolls, mom's lipsticks and perfumes this 11-year-old is comfortable with the stink of grease and petrol and seems to be asking the question 'why should boys have all the fun' in a male dominated sport like karting.
With strong backing from dad Kirit, who owns a small karting track in Baroda called Erda Speedracer, Mira Erda took up the sport two years back and is now giving the boys a run for their money, literally.
However, her first brush with the sport did not start on an exciting note.
"We took her to Pune to let her have a first-hand experience of karting. Even though she witnessed a massive crash, she didn't back out from going ahead with her decision to race," Kirit tells TOI.
Mira clocked the best lap time of 45.22 seconds en route to her runners-up finish in the micro max category of the JK Tyre Rotax Max National Karting Championship at the Kari Motor Speedway (Coimbatore) on Sunday and pocketed Rs 7,500 for her feat.
But she is not satisfied with her display and is determined to finish well in the championship standings.
"My immediate plan is to finish on top of the podium in the last two races of this season. Though I won't be able to win the championship, I will give it my all to take the second spot in the overall ranking. I wish to leave the micro category on a high," says Mira, who likes to gorge on pizzas and dhoklas.
"My dad has been my coach, if not for him I wouldn't have taken the plunge into racing. I practise on weekends. I will be doing lots of physical exercise once I get into the junior category next year," says the Shah Rukh Khan fan who also loves sci-fi and superhero movies like Ra.One, the Harry Potter series and Chronicles of Narnia series.
It is interesting to note how this seventh class student at Rosary High School balances her studies with the sport and has already become an inspiration for girls both older and younger. "My school has been very supportive about racing. My classmates, too, help me with notes when I need them. In the bargain, they ask me for a treat. The girls keep asking me about racing but are intimidated about taking it up as a career," says the smiling lass.
Kirit wants to see his daughter break through the higher tiers of motor racing like rally driving. "Mira is an extremely focused racer. She strives to improve with each event. She has a lot of potential to make it big in the future. In a male-dominated racing world, it would be a huge fillip to the women if Mira goes on to compete in higher grades. We will do our best to help fulfill her aspirations," he signed off.