Race queen? It's a bumpy ride!
Life in fast lane not all fun and glamour, say these 3 Japanese track beauties
By Tan Dawn Wei, NP
WHO says being a race queen is an easy job? You stand under the hot sun without squinting, make sure your makeup doesn't run, put on your best smile for the leering men, and when they try to grab your tush, tell them to take a hike in your sweetest voice.
Japanese race queens Nagisa Yamamoto, Miki Aoki, both 23, and Kaoru Sumiya, 26, have perfected the myriad come-hither poses and the irresistible smile in their average three years in the business.
Despite the language handicap, all our photographer needed to do was point to his own behind and up came the bottoms.
With looks - and derrieres - like that, you wonder whose curves the men are really checking out on the race tracks.
The trio belong to the Japan GT Association, which is organising next weekend's Autobacs Japan GT Championships at Malaysia's Sepang circuit, where 40 teams - the Toyotas, Nissans, Ferraris and Lamborghinis - will compete.
Each team has a maximum of eight race queens, so go figure the amount of eye-candy on the tracks. Of course, as with any macho, testosterone-dripping activity, babes are a must.
MAKEUP, HEELS AND BIG SMILE
Most people obviously think there's nothing to the job. But the girls insist their job isn't like being on cruise control.
'We have to constantly smile and be diplomatic and attentive even when we are not feeling well or in a good mood. You can be lazy and do this job, but we work hard,' protested Kaoru in Japanese.
Just how hard?
'We have to be on our feet wearing high heels for eight to 12 hours. It's very tiring.'
The fatigue is no joke. But warding off pesky hands is an even more unenviable task.
Even though the girls say they 'don't mind' the sexism because 'we love our jobs', the come-ons can be a turn-off.
'When that happens, we grin and bear it as it is part of the job,' lamented Kaoru, who enjoys playing pool and swimming.
The most bubbly of the three, Miki, said she once had to tell a man to back off.
'He was feeling me up around the waist and buttocks!'
Added the pixie-faced Nagisa: 'We find that in Malaysia and Singapore, men tend to put their hands on our hips when they want a photo with us.
'Japanese men generally put their hands on our waists. Of course, sometimes they are not polite as well. They try to take pictures of our underwear!'
PHOTOSHOOT AFTER PHOTOSHOOT
The girls were talent-scouted when they were still students.
The soft-spoken Nagisa said: 'Because of our costumes, men think we're easy.'
Kaoru puts it in perspective. 'It's just like any job in entertainment, be it modelling or singing.'
A typical day sees the girls getting ready for an indoor photoshoot in the morning and an outdoor shoot in the afternoon for magazines or newspapers.
By eight, they're done and they 'go out and party, meet friends or in Nagisa's case, walk her dog,' said Kaoru.
A race queen normally works on the track about once a month if they are involved only in Japanese GT but some others, like this trio, are involved in other race series like Formula 3, which means more opportunities to work.
For all the demands of the job, there is still enough drive.
'I love the chance to meet all kinds of people too,' said Nagisa.
'And we all love to travel. You'll never get that in an office job!'
The money too, is more than what they would've made if they became 'office ladies' - who take home about $3,000 a month - although they declined to divulge figures.
And as much as the men ogle at them, the girls admit that they too, check the men out on the tracks.
'Yes, of course,' chirped Kaoru.
But that's all there is to it.
'It's not proper for a lady to do that (make a pass). A man must make the first move!' she laughed.
'Some of the men can be really hot, especially the cute drivers.'
And if you think these girls know nothing about cars, you'll be stumped by their encyclopaedic knowledge.
Said Miki: 'We need to know about the GT cars, the regulations, the names of the teams, drivers, different classes.'
And how's this for a jaw-dropper?
Kaoru - whose nickname is 'dynamic panther' - sprints around in a Chrysler PT Cruiser, a retro American muscle car fitted with a customised Alpine stereo.
A race queen's career is a short one. The oldest race queen now is 33. The rules also prohibit them from getting married. Maybe that's why the girls - all unattached - have thought about life after the races.
Kaoru will be hanging up her uniform this year for a shot at singing stardom.
But Miki has the finishing line on her horizon. 'I would like to do this as much as possible, until I cannot smile anymore.'
R u abstracting it from the newpaper today......... 
OMG... I think i saw ur ex-wife as one the race queen... 
