#WOMENSMONTH: Sports mom Sandor drives her children to success

Sandor Dowling has become a familiar face at karting tracks across the country, not behind the wheel but behind the scenes.

As a dedicated sports mom, she has sacrificed time, energy and resources to support her children, Emma-Rose and Brodi, in pursuit of their motorsport dreams.

Whether it is long hours on the road, weekends spent trackside or juggling logistics, Sandor remains the driving force behind Emma-Rose and Brodi’s racing journey.

“My husband and I have had to miss work and other things to get Emma-Rose and Brodi to the track, travelling across the country to get their karts at the venues and ensuring mechanics are available. It takes the whole family to ensure their dream is fulfilled,” said Sandor.

Time may be tight with work and her children’s schooling and extra-murals to juggle, but for Sandor, there’s no better place than trackside, cheering on Emma-Rose and Brodi as they chase their racing dreams, as long as they keep school in pole position.

“They understand that they have to do their schoolwork from 21:00 or have extra lessons on the weekends to catch up on the work they’ve missed. They understand that they have to balance it all for it to work.”

Brodi leads the mini max standings after four rounds and is on the verge of securing his first Rotax Max Challenge (RMC) South African Kart Championships.

Emma-Rose was added to the FIA Women in Sport for the European Junior Trophy series and has her sights on a spot in the F1 Academy in the next five years.

Sandor said she’s proud of her children for chasing their racing dreams, but admitted that their commitment to the sport has come with sacrifices, including missing school milestones and cherished family moments.

“They’ve missed school fun activities time and again. My daughter and my son have been to one Valentine’s disco. It shows you the sacrifices they’ve had to make because of racing. It also shows their passion for the sport that they are willing to sacrifice the fun to achieve their goals in karting,” she said.

While Emma-Rose and Brodi may be the ones in the driver’s seat chasing the podium, it’s their mother’s dedication that keeps their motorsport dreams in motion, one lap at a time – a reminder that behind every rising star is a parent steering them towards success.

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