A LOCAL lady who’s only been behind the wheel a dozen times in the last 30 years, found herself going hell for leather in the driving seat of a super car earlier this month.

Julie Edwards passed her test 30 years ago but never really acquired a taste for life in the fast lane. Even a little runaround on the sleepy roads of Monmouthshire proved too much of an ordeal for Julia.

Driving she decided was just not for her.

That was until her motor-mad husband Dale decided to enter a competition for three days of floored throttle driving in the south of France.

Julia told the Chronicle, “Dale was looking to buy some new tyres on the Continental website when he stumbled across and entered the Black Chili Driving Experience competition.

“Not long after he was told he had won through to the qualifier at Mercedes Benz World, where they would hold a series of on and off road driving experiences to asses his and his co-driver’s capabilities and suitability for the trip.”

The only thing is, Dale didn’t have a co-driver. Julia assumed he would ask one of his mates. He didn’t. He asked his significant other!

“I couldn’t believe it. I was nervous as hell at the prospect,” explained Julia, who added, “But it was a once in a lifetime chance and too good an opportunity to miss.”

Keen to brush up on her driving skills and find out just how rusty she was on the roads, Julia got her husband to take her out for a few refresher lessons.

It didn’t go well!

“Within 20 mins we were screaming blue murder at one another,” admits Julia. “I don’t think Dale had the patience needed for the task ahead.”

Deciding to get professional help, Julia got in touch with, and you’ll love this, Dale’s Driving School.

The Abergavenny based instructor rallied to her cause and had her fit for propose in next to no time.

And before you could say ‘change gear sweetheart’, the husband and wife team were off - to a whole day of challenges at Mercedes Benz World.

Julia recalls, “Twenty-four crews were invited on the day but only 12 would be flying south and handed the keys to a Porsche 718 Boxster , a Mercedes AMG C43, a Range Rover Velar and Telsa Model S amongst others.”

Determined to have their moment in the sun and on the roads, Julie and Dale took turns on a F1 Simulator, a foot-to-the-floor run in a snarling AMG machine which ended with a brake-pounding emergency stop, an off-road SUV course, and Julia’s favourite - a blind driving challenge!

Julia explained, “Dale and I took turns blindfolded and the other had to direct them through cones and into stop boxes. Much to the surprise of the assessor both of us got through with no faults. I told him it was due to the fact that we had been married for 32 years, and we both listen to every word the other says!”

After such a performance, Dale and Julia were through to France and decided to name their team, ‘Fast and Curious’.

Julia said, “I couldn’t believe it. After so long of not driving, I was cruising through the spectacular mountains of the Cote d’ Azur on some of the best roads in the world, in a fleet of some of the best cars money can buy.

“It truly was a trip of a lifetime and it’s safe to say that somewhere along the way I was definitely bitten by the driving bug.”