When SportsCar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) Group 4 sprint champion Susan Patterson says, “Racing is the light of my life,” you might think it sounds like sweet sentiment from an impassioned racer. That’s until she adds: “I died on the operating table twice.”

“Exceptional” is wholly inadequate to describe the life challenges and triumphs of Susan Patterson.

True, it is exceptional that in 2016, her first full year of organized racing competition, the native-born Texan not only earned the SVRA rookie of the year award but moreover the Group 4 sprint racing national points championship. It’s just that “exceptional” doesn’t do justice to the plain, flat-out over-the-top astonishing fact that the woman still walks the earth.

She has prevailed over three life-threatening health crises where her survival was probably about as likely as a high school kid in a gym hurling a basketball full-court for three successive swish shots. First, in 2003, came her heart condition that necessitated a titanium heart valve replacement. During the procedure the surgeon fought on even after he was certain she had passed. After she was out of danger he told her, “Really, honestly, we lost you for some time. You’re a miracle.”

In 2009, a different but no less deadly opponent emerged in her body: Stage 4 breast cancer. Extreme surgery was her best chance and a double mastectomy was performed. Again, at one point during the dangerous procedure she dangled over the metaphorical abyss between here and afterward. Coming back from the precipice once more, her prospects improved and appeared increasingly brighter as she approached her fifth cancer-free anniversary.

Then, with six months to that finish line came more troubling news. Her doctors discovered a new, rare, more deadly form of cancer, again in her chest. They gave her 90 days to put her affairs in order. They also offered her the long-shot prospect of massive radiation and chemotherapy, which they admitted was unlikely to produce any benefit and would certainly make life unpleasant. She went for it.

In the meantime, Susan did set about putting her life in order – but not in conventional fashion. Three things popped into her head. She wanted to own a camel, a kangaroo and drive a racecar at 200 miles per hour. Having grown up on a Texas ranch where she and her family converted Volkswagen Beatles into dune buggies and proceeded to speed them beyond the bounds of good judgment, she probably had a better understanding of the racecar idea than the animal ownership.

A woman of tremendous faith, Susan has no doubt that it was more than coincidence that soon after her near-death experience she spotted a camel along the road when she was out driving. Slamming on her brakes, she changed direction and marched to the ranch house to knock on the door and ask to purchase the creature. The owners refused but kindly pointed her in the direction of an exotic animal auction where circumstances led her to purchase not just a came,l but also a baby kangaroo.

When asked by members of the exotic animal ownership network what she knew about caring for such animals her answer was simple: “Nothing.” People came forward with advice and a new world opened up to her. Her ranch population now includes 13 kangaroos, two camels and also a zebra.

Meanwhile, she pursued her racing ambitions through driving school and renting racecars to prove her mettle to observers in vintage racing through the Montgomery, Texas-based Corinthian Vintage Auto Racing (CVAR) club. She showed pace and promise and came into her own to enter her first full-fledged vintage race at the SVRA vintage racing national championships one year ago.

Above: Susan Patterson and her pet, Buckaroo, get comfortable in her new ride – a 1964 Triumph Spitfire, the backup to her damaged Devin.

“That raised some eyebrows,” Susan said. “I was really diving into the deep end trying to enter the national championships with relatively little experience. It was only possible with the backing and references of people like Dan Chapman (Brabham Formula B driver), who assured Tony Parella and his team I could hold my own. Fortunately, they listened.”

Susan’s car was a rare Devin-bodied 1952 MG TD she acquired much as she had her camels and kangaroos – through the advice and network of newly developed mentors. Among the most important was Art Hebert, the founder of Motorsports Market. Through that platform Hebert presents an impressive inventory of quality vintage racecars but also parts, and accessory services such as licensing programs, education and access to auctions.

“I came to love the Group 4 racers and decided that’s where I wanted to get started,” Susan said. “The more familiar I became with racing the more I wanted a momentum car and that’s what I got with the Devin. It has taught me a lot about the racing line, my approach to the corner, hitting the apex, understeer, oversteer and being on the throttle at exit.”

Susan’s Devin body was affixed to the MG TD chassis in 1960. It is an example of the sleek fiberglass designs created by Bill Devin, a legend in the legendary post-World War II era of sports cars and hot rods. Like many other men of the time, he had honed his skills as a mechanic maintaining military equipment, in his case Navy assault aircraft. His passions led him to successful efforts in sports car racing as both driver and designer. Working in the hotbed of California car culture his business exploded to be the largest supplier of fiberglass bodies during the 1950s and 60s with a sales network in all 50 states and shipping to locations around the globe. His designs were sexier and far more aerodynamic configurations than the originals found on the Panhards, Porsches, Triumphs, Allards, Crossles and Volkswagens of the time. Susan’s MG TD, however, is rare.

“I’ve never come across another one,” she said.

Her success this year with her Devin is born of, not surprisingly, maximizing the use of her time. Unlike all but a handful of SVRA racers, Susan entered all but one of the 16 races on this year’s schedule. The only one she missed was Watkins Glen. Susan is also quick to note that without the support of her husband of 38 years, Richard, daughter Ashley and son Brandon, her season-long struggle might have overwhelmed her.

All that experience allowed her to continuously improve her racecraft and simultaneously build up the points she needed to win the Group 4 sprint championship as well as earn the designation of rookie of the year. Not all of her accomplishments were on the racetrack. Alan and Ed Savadjian of Duntov Motors in Farmer’s Branch, Texas helped Susan groom her car to earn the coveted distinction of SVRA Gold Medallion certification. Some 140 cars have reached that elite status through a rigorous process of inspection and documentation to demonstrate authentic restoration and historic significance.

Looking ahead, Susan loves her Devin but is ready to move up a notch to a world of more horsepower. She is fascinated with Shelby Cobras, and that is not surprising as the design lines of that famous roadster share the sleek swoopy curves of the Devin.

“I need to work up to handling more powerful cars,” Susan said with decided determination. “I’m serious about driving 200 miles per hour and I don’t know how much time I have to do it. Nobody does.”

No one can question the grit of this survivor and champion, so don’t be fooled by the attractive lady sitting in her little sports car with a pet kangaroo in her lap. She drives through life with an unquestioning sense of purpose and her foot full on the throttle with the title, “Savage Suzy” emblazoned across her helmet.

She’s earned the title.