Grieving dad against WA drag race age hike

THE death of an eight-year-old girl who crashed while trying to obtain her junior drag racing licence has prompted the West Australian government to increase the minimum age to 10, but her grieving father says it’s unnecessary.

Anita Board slammed into a concrete barrier at Perth Motorplex in November 2017 – two days after she reached the then-minimum age to apply for a competition licence.

After crossing the finish line in her “Pony Power” dragster, which was emblazoned with pictures of her favourite My Little Pony character, Anita didn’t slow down enough before turning sharply in a bid to exit the track through a gate.

Her father Ian Board said he fully backed the WA government adopting all of Coroner Sarah Linton’s recommendations including improvements in venue infrastructure and training programs, and implementing additional safety measures.

But he opposed lifting the age requirement, which the coroner didn’t recommend.

MORE: WA junior drag racer death ‘inevitable’

Mr Board said the family put forward many of the recommendations to Sport and Recreation Minister Mick Murray three months after the accident but he wanted to wait for the coroner’s expert opinion and suspended junior drag racing in the meantime.

That had held up the sport for almost two years and while a handful of competitors flew interstate to race, many couldn’t afford it.

Zara secured her first national win in Victoria on the anniversary of her sister’s death.

“There was not a dry eye in the house,” Mr Board said.

“We could have spent thousands on a counsellor but it (racing) was more therapeutic for her.”

Children would now turn to go-karting, junior motorbike racing and junior speedway, which had a minimum competing age of five, Mr Board said.

The coroner concluded Anita’s death – the world’s first junior drag racing fatality – came down to inexperience.

Mr Board, however, said she had been training and planning for two years.

In a statement, the Australian National Drag Racing Association welcomed the lifting of the suspension of Junior Drag Racing in Western Australia.

ANDRA chief executive officer Brett Stevens said: “Following the enacting of the seven recommendations of Coroner Linton as well as the five further supplementary items offered in her report, junior drag racing in Australia is an example of world’s best practice.

“While very supportive of the suspension of junior drag racing in Western Australia being lifted, ANDRA is surprised at the unanticipated raising of the age to 10 years,”he added.

“The findings of the Coroner stated that no further age limit restriction was warranted outside of stating that training to race in Junior competition should not start until eight years of age.”

Mr Stevens said the decision by the State Government to go outside of her recommendations would see WA junior dragster competitors begin training to compete two years later than their fellow junior racers across Australia and in some cases up to five years behind those who race internationally.

“While noting the disparity which now exists within Australia and also with our international counterparts, ANDRA and our members are pleased the suspension has been lifted so that Junior Drag Racing competition may recommence in Western Australia,” Mr Stevens said.

“At what is another painful juncture in this process for the family of Anita Board, we continue to keep them in our thoughts while offering the Board family the full support of ANDRA and the wider drag racing community.”

Sport and Recreation Minister Mick Murray said: “I would like to once again convey my deepest sympathies to the Board family as they continue to grieve the loss of Anita.”

— AAP