Queen of speed on the drag strip
Carusha Rachab is sending track records tumbling
IT is not easy beating guys in the testosterone-fuelled world of drag racing, but it seems that Durban’s Carusha Rachab, 26, is making a habit of it.
The self-employed marketing specialist is carving a name for herself by racing into the record books.
Although many bemoan the fact that Durban does not have its own drag strip, Rachab decided to keep racing off the streets and do the responsible thing by taking her passion to the track.
That way, she said, there would be no missed gears, no jump starts and no excuses — just time slips to prove what she and her car are capable of.
She became passionate about racing after spending time with her husband, Jaffar, a racer himself.
The fact that highperformance cars generate so much power and are intense to watch and drive are what drove her to drag racing.
She said pictures of the cars in action did not do the sport justice. “In order to really understand the sport, I would say that people have to go to a race event and experience it. The power and speed of these race cars shake your soul,” she said.
Despite being relatively new to the racing scene — she has been involved in it for two years — she immersed herself in arguably the most hotly contested class in South Africa: the four-cylinder turbo, front-wheel-drive class.
The class features mainly
Driving the quarter-mile is a feeling I can’t explain. You have to feel it
Volkswagen GTIs from the best tuners in South Africa.
When the Volkswagen Golf GTI 35 edition was launched, Rachab had to have it. So she contacted the man who has set numerous records in drag racing, modification specialist Sameer Dawood.
He immediately got to work on the GTI, and the result was that she set a record-breaking time of 12.1 seconds over the quarter mile at Mtubatuba at a Motorsport South Africasanctioned event.
With the record in the bag, she decided she needed a new challenge.
She traded in the GTI 35 for an Audi TT-RS. It is ferociously fast, capable of 0-100km/h in less than five seconds thanks to its turbocharged 250kW, 2.5-litre five-cylinder motor.
It is also equipped with Audi’s Quattro all-wheeldrive system to ensure perfect traction in all conditions. But that was not enough. She handed over her new car to Dawood, who advised that only basic power upgrades should be installed because the car is so fast. They included a custom performance exhaust and intake system, water methanol kit and APR software.
Early in December, at the last Motorsport South Africa event of 2013 at Mtubatuba, Rachab powered into the record books with a time of 11 seconds over the quarter mile and an exit speed of 205km/h on her first run.
This makes her Audi the fastest TT-RS over the quarter mile in South Africa. Now she has her sights set on breaking the 10-second barrier.
The Audi is just one of her growing fleet. Her passion for cars goes beyond speed.
Until recently, her daily drive was a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, a powerhouse with a hand-built 6.2-litre V8 engine that produced 336kW. It was recently traded in for a white Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG 507 Limited Edition.
Her show car is a pink custom modified BMW 330i E46 that was professionally airbrushed throughout and features a show-stopping sound system and all-white interior.
Although Rachab is living her dream and is focused on reaching bigger milestones and setting more records, she attributes much of her success to the support she receives from her husband.
“Having a partner to inspire you and work next to you is invaluable.
“I’m not scared at all. Driving the quarter mile is a feeling I can’t explain. You have to feel it.”