TEAM owner, team manager, lunch maker, racer – Emily Duggan will certainly know the meaning of the word busy when she campaigns at Mount Panorama this week.
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Duggan will form part of the Toyota 86 Series field which race as part of the Bathurst 1000 support program at the famous circuit.
While she is focused on trying to win all three of the six-lap races she will contest in a car she built herself, her helmet is not the only hat she will wear.
“Sometimes it is better to do it yourself, what’s that old saying? If you want something done right then do it yourself,” Duggan laughed.
“I’m the one who packs all the boxes that get loaded on the truck to get there, so I know where everything is. So everyone is always asking me ‘Where’s this? Where’s that?’.
“I’ve got to make sure I do the team manager’s meeting and the driver’s briefing, make sure everything is signed on and scrutineered. It’s more than rocking up and driving the car – I even make the guys lunches in the morning, I have to get up a bit earlier to make sure everyone can eat.
“I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. I’m looking forward to getting to the mountain and seeing how everything pans out.”
READ MORE: Mental challenge awaits drivers in the 1000
Duggan is no stranger to the famous 6.213 kilometre circuit.
She’s twice lined up as part of the Challenge Bathurst event – including clocking the fastest lap in a Hyundai Excel around Mount Panorama (3:0.674) in her debut at the track in 2016 – and raced on the Bathurst 6 Hour support card.
But it was her pursuit of a new challenge that will see her race on the biggest weekend at Mount Panorama.
The Brisbane native, who was the first female to line up on the grid in the V8 Kumho Touring Car series last year, decided to join the Toyota 86 Series.
Since the series launched it has given emerging talents the chance to race at iconic tracks such as Sandown, Phillip Island and Mount Panorama. It has also seen big name drivers such as David Brabham, Warren Luff and Steve Owen invited to join the grid.
Keep up to date with all the Bathurst 1000 news by clicking here
Duggan wanted to join in and while it meant plenty of work, she fully embraced the challenge.
“The next step for me was to race in the Toyota 86 Series. No cars were available to purchase that was what I was looking for, so it was just kind of ‘Well, why not build my own car and create my own team?’ That means I am in control of the car and how the team is managed,” she said. “They results so far, there’s been some good ones, there’s been some okay ones and there’s been some absolutely crap ones. I’ve still got to remember it’s my first year, I’ve built the car and I’ve built the team.”
The Toyota 86s will be the first cars on track on Thursday.