Donna Fern has been taking the off-roading scene by storm since deciding to embark on her own racing journey after spending years on the sidelines, cheering her husband on.

One day whilst watching him compete in the Staffs and Shrops Championships Off-Road Club, Donna found herself wondering, “How hard can it be? I could do a bit of that.” And from there, a love for off-road racing was born.

The first step to getting into the driver’s seat was to find a vehicle.

Having navigated for other racers in the past, Donna knew there was only one choice for her, a Polaris RZR. Heading to the local dealer, Fairview Farm Machinery, Donna spoke to the owner, Ian Gregg – who also races in a Polaris himself – about which vehicle would be right for her.

“We went for the RZR XP 1000 because it was small, automatic, and incredibly comfortable. I had navigated for other racers in a Polaris before and never felt any aches or pains afterwards, so I knew it was the vehicle for me.”

Vehicle ready, it was time to give UTV racing a go.

Being one of the few women in the club, Donna was “properly nervous” the first time she entered the race – feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension.

“Racing in Class 8 [the UTV class] was daunting, especially with the club being predominantly male. There was always that lingering fear of crashing and the pressure of proving myself. But once I got into the rhythm, it all started to make sense.”

Despite the nerves, Donna did “alright.” She raced for two seasons and even came first in both – so a bit better than “alright” considering it was her first time racing in a UTV! Competing against 40 to 50 racers and finishing ninth in the championship overall, with all classes considered, Donna absolutely smashed it.

One mantra Donna has kept in every season of racing is that “I’m only here for sh*ts and giggles.” For her, she was only there to take part. It wasn’t until her husband would come over after seeing the times and standings that Donna knew how well she did in the round and championship.

“As long as I was enjoying myself, it was worth every moment. The added bonus of placing, well that was just the cherry on top,”

Getting ready for the upcoming season, Donna is looking to just simply enjoy herself whilst racing, but given that she has won the title for two years running, she feels that she really ought to try and defend her title with a machine she loves.

“I’m in my third year now, and while everyone else races with a turbo, I’m sticking to what I know and love. Maybe next year, I’ll consider the turbo, but for now, I’m focused on proving myself once again. I’ll keep racing for as long as it’s still fun.”

For more information on the Polaris RZR, visit www.polarisbritain.com/rzr/.

To find your local dealer, visit www.polarisbritain.com/find-a-dealer/.