On any summer weekend night in Ontario, there are countless kids perched intently in the grandstands of our local stock car tracks, their gazes locked on the brightly lit racing surface. I know this, because I myself was one of those crazed youngsters back in the 70s and 80s. These adolescent enthusiasts cheer on their favourite drivers and dream of one day getting the opportunity to be down on the asphalt themselves. For Danielle Wilson, Sauble Speedway was the venue as her family spent many a weekend at a cottage in Sauble Beach, where they would regularly attend Saturday night events at Sauble Speedway. A huge racing fan as a child, Wilson's dream became a reality back in 1999 when her father John began the shared ownership of a Jr. Late Model with a friend, which would put his 12 year-old daughter into competition. A simple yet probing question one night from Dad regarding his daughter’s perceived ability to race a Jr. Late Model at Sauble was followed with a resounding “I bet I could”, a reply that has led to a long career and love affair with the sport. They would purchase their own car for her second season of racing, and Wilson was off and running.
Six seasons of Jr. Late Model competition at Sauble helped hone Danielle’s racecraft in preparation for her move to the Ontario Pro Challenge series in 2006 at the age of 18. Wilson was voted the OPC Sportsman of the Year in her rookie season, and has used the subsequent campaigns to consistently improve her abilities. A number of heat race victories have been enjoyed, and her best feature race finish is a second place run. Last season, Wilson turned in her best run at Sunset in late August when she finished an impressive third to Josh Nicholson and eventual champion Dennis Thomson. Danielle missed three races and finished 14th in points in ’09, but a full campaign is scheduled for 2K10. This year will be all about bagging that illusive first main event victory.
For Wilson, the biggest draw of the Ontario Pro Challenge Series is the community, which she states is always there to help with advice or to jump in if a car needs help with trackside repairs. As for the race car itself, Danielle loves the corner speeds and the agile nature of the Pro Challenge machine, not to mention its relatively low maintenance requirements. When it comes to tracks, she points to Kawartha as her favorite. As the site of her first heat race win, there is a comfort and confidence factor for the fast facility, where she feels that she can always fight for a top-three finish. She’ll get a chance to return to the track on September 10 during the Ontario Pro Challenge’s only visit to the challenging venue.
Danielle got married this past winter to Jason Huber, and is a full-time administrator at Homewood Health Centre in Guelph, Ontario. Danielle has also aligned herself with the Canadian Center for Abuse Awareness (CCAA) in 2006 and does fundraising for the organization through her racing efforts. The 2010 season will see Wilson back on the track in her Huber Window Cleaning #21 Monte Carlo, aiming to score that first series victory. Danielle will once again have her crew of John Wilson (crew chief), Jason Huber and George Schroeder at the wrenches as she sets about competing at speedways all over southern Ontario.
Photography Provided by Chip Young
Photography Provided by Chip Young
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