Ashley Persaud: Making heads turn in a male-dominated sport

“After my debut race in 2024, I knew I must continue this thrilling journey.”
Those were the words of 31-year-old Ashley Persaud, who goes by the name of “Ash86” in the motor-racing fraternity, and has declared herself set and ready to compete in the drag showdown taking place this weekend at the South Dakota Circuit.

Ashley Persaud is creating quite a stir in this high-adrenaline, male-dominated sport of motor racing. Born in the East Demerara coastal village of Strathspey, and tutored at the prestigious learning institutions of Annandale Secondary School and Queen’s College, Ashley recalls that her foray into motor racing started when she met my fiancé Timothy Jewanram, whose passion for motor sport was simply contagious.

“His enthusiasm for cars, and hearing him talk about motorsports, made me fall in love with it. He is the driving force behind it all. He encouraged me to sign up and try it out. After my debut race in 2024, I knew I must continue this thrilling journey,” she told <<Guyana Times.>>
Ashley’s first race was on August 2024, when she participated in the 16sec class and the Women’s Class and reached the semifinals.
“At the start of a race, my heart would be racing faster than the speed of my car…With my mind cleared and focused on the lights at the grid, I am nothing but charged with adrenaline and excitement as I take off. All fears and anxieties would quickly vanish,” she explained when asked about her anxieties.
Being part of a male-dominated sport is mostly empowering and challenging. “There is a sense of pride in breaking barriers in an environment dominated by men,” Ashley related.
She explained that women often face prejudice about their abilities because the belief is that racing is a “man’s sport”. As such, women often have to work harder in order to prove their abilities.
“Some of the responses I often overhear is one of a happy surprise. For instance, ‘Wow! A girl driving that car?!’ There are not many women currently in motorsport, but it is gradually growing in popularity amongst female competitors. Rivalry is more like a fun one, but everyone is rated in their own class,” she detailed.
Recalling when she competed with the guys back in Aug 2024 in the overall 16 sec class, Ashley said, “The goal was just to win one race. However, I achieved more than that, and made it to the semi-finals. It was a very fulfilling experience.”
When asked what could increase women’s participation in the sport, Ashley responded, “I hope to inspire many young women to join the sport, and encourage all the ladies with passion, skills and determination to join me in the next drag race event.”
She had this advice for females aspiring to enter the sport, “To the young women who would like to join the sport: believe in yourself and your abilities to take challenges that push you out of your comfort zone and to be resilient.”
In regard to the races this weekend, she hopes to go out and have as much fun as possible.
Motorsport is quite an expensive sport, which often requires racers to seek sponsorship. Ashley Persaud has said she is thankful to several individuals and businesses who continue to support her, including Vish Jewellery; Twinz Imprint and Designs; Shutter Pro Photography; Andrew Arts; PowerTech Sound Company; Andrew’s Generator and Electrical Services; Darthan Investments, and Jewanram Car Tribe.
She noted of her racing team, “My racing team is very supportive. Their words of encouragement during difficult moments and physical support at the races sure do add to a tremendous racing experience.”
Ashley is aspiring to get herself a more competitive vehicle in five years’ time, as that would facilitate her participation in circuit racing. When she is not on the tracks, she enjoys taking photographs of nature and doing anything exciting.