Wheelz n Smoke

THE sight of a woman spinning a BMW 325i can be quite intimidating for a number of grown ass men. But thank goodness that hasn’t prevented Angel Beautyspot from burning the tyres of a Gusheshe in clouds of smoke, all in the name of fun.

“People would say ng’thanda izinto and some would think I’m into this game because I want attention from guys…and some look at me with those eyes that say ‘she thinks she’s better’,” says Angela Beautyspot.

Having grown up in the township myself, I’ve witnessed spinning  by thungs at funerals or in celebration after a big score. Hence there’s a stigma attached to the sport, which is coupled with huge misunderstanding of what it really entails. “Whenever you mention an event, old people will just say ‘no, please leave the kids behind because they’ll get hurt’. And that’s not the case…things have changed. Spinning is an amazing sport, not a game for thugs, I just hope spinning can be recognised and people be open minded about it,” 30 year-old Angel Beautyspot says.  She will be one of the spinners tomorrow at Wheelz ‘n Smoke’s event that celebrates women in car spinning, fittingly dubbed SPINderella.

The Kwa Mahlanga lady was introduced to the sport by uncles and friends four years ago, but only started participating this year.

The event is organised the Wheelz ‘n Smoke Company, which hosts weekly car spinning sessions on Thursdays on the South of Joburg. SPINderella takes place during a time when Women’s issues are under the spotlight, as it is Women’s Month and females such as Angela Beautyspot get scrutinized and looked at funny for their pure desire of wanting to spin cars.

“National Women’s Day draws attention to significant issues South African women still face, such as inequality in society, the workplace, politics, as well as in sports. The SPINderella programme is one of the many ways in which we aim to eradicate this issue of inequality, by representing women who still aren’t recognised in the motorsport space,” says Wheelz ‘n Smoke co-founder Ayanda Mbele.

One of Wheelz ‘n Smoke’s crowd favourites is Stacey Lee May who has been doing this for a number of years now.  “Women such as Stacey Lee May, Tina Rossouw and Felicia Van Staden are pushing boundaries in spinning and making their mark. Therefore as leaders in the spinning industry, we want to celebrate these women who have contributed to the growth of female spinning and encourage more girls and women to take part in this growing extreme sport,” adds Mbele.

The event has the backing of Motorsports South Africa (MSA), the governing body of four-wheel motorsport; who also have a social responsibility commitment to improve the future of women in motorsport. Together with its sponsors and supporters, Wheelz ‘n Smoke hopes to raise awareness on the importance of women in motorsport and create a sports culture that facilitates and values their full participation.

The SPINderella event is set to take place tomorrow at the Wheelz ‘n Smoke Arena, from 12 pm till late.