Lady peels rubber
Published:Sunday | August 12, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Lisa Graham changes race-car tyres at Dover
Opal Davidson, Gleaner Writer
Circuit racing at the Dover Raceway, St Ann, has long been the domain of men. A few women have tried to break through as race drivers, but recently one female has surfaced at the track who, instead of competing, is providing a service which is creating waves and contributing to the success of motorsports.
At the Independence of Speed meet two Sunday's ago, the eyes of many spectators were fixed on 40-year-old Lisa Graham as she demonstrated her skill in the art of tyre mounting.
Her robust frame was clad in a pair of blue jeans and a purple T-shirt, complemented by a pair of sneakers, gear best suited for the rigorous task that she had to undertake. As Graham skilfully manoeuvred the mounting machine, perspiration rolled down her face. One after the other she quickly mounted the race cars' tyres to get them ready for the next event on the track.
Graham has been faithfully offering her service at Dover for over a year, mounting tyres for many renowned competitors. According to Graham, while tyres are more difficult to change at Dover than for regular commuters due to the higher demand, her love for the job keeps her coming back.
"Mi come out at every race meet and mi change tyres for everyone a di drivers round here," she said. Graham added: "The roughest time is when there is the Caribbean Championship. You have a lot more cars coming in and you don't have enough time to deal with everybody."
A mechanic by profession, Graham acquired the skill of tyre mounting over seven years ago. She took about a week to learn the basics at KDC Car Care in Brown's Town, St Ann.
Since then she has learnt the craft and currently offers a professional service in Liberty Valley, Brown's Town, where she is making an impact in the male-dominated profession.
While expressing her love for the field, Graham is hoping to take it to another level and one day open her own place of business, where she can train some girls and introduce them to the business. "That is my dream," said the mother of three.