Horsepower & Heels

Courtney Force weds Graham Rahal

November 23, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Over the weekend, Courtney Force weds Graham Rahal to become racing’s newest power couple. The NHRA Funny Car driver and her new Indycar husband, tied the knot in a stunning beachfront ceremony at Rancho Dos Pueblos in Santa Barbara, CA.

Courtney Force Weds Graham Rahal at Rancho Dos Pueblos

Details of the Force-Rahal Wedding plans were kept tight-lipped, but many expected it to follow shortly after the conclusion of the NHRA racing season. As expected, the nuptials took place just days after Courtney finished her 2015 Mello Yello NHRA Drag Racing season in 11th place for the Funny Car division.

Courtney Force's Bridesmaids — Sisters Ashley and Brittany and Adria were among Courtney’s bridesmaid court.

Graham proposed to Courtney Thanksgiving weekend in 2014 during a beautiful evening gondola ride in Venice, Italy. The pair met in 2013 during the NHRA races outside Chicago, and a whirlwind romance ensued. Rahal, who is based in Indianapolis, logged many frequent flier miles between his home and Courtney’s California residence. The pair would meet between their busy racing schedules, texting and skyping when they couldn’t be together.

The Reception location where Courtney Force weds Graham Rahal Photo: Soigne Productions

Courtney Force weds Graham Rahal in this beautiful beach ceremony location — The beachfront ceremony scene for the Force – Rahal Wedding.
Photo: Soigne Productions

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Graham Rahal!

Maria Costello: Queen of the Bikers

November 20, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Maria Costello: Queen of the Bikers

Author: Maria Costello, with Steve Pitts

Genre: Autobiography, Sports – Motorsports

Publication Date: January 8, 2014

Length: 171 pages

Synopsis

The autobiography of British motorcycle road racer, Maria Costello MBE, takes you through the journey of a petite blonde into the male dominated world of racing. Maria walks through her life story from awkward teen to record breaking racer, recounting the struggles, the gory injuries, and the difficult relationships endured along the way to Isle of Mann fame and Guinness Book of World record titles. Each chapter details the pains in being knocked down and having to rebuild herself back up, not only from the physical injuries, but from the mental ones as well. Her decade-long career has seen the loss of racing mentors and near-death experiences of her own. But the successes and the accomplishments outweigh the hardships for Costello, as she persevered on to become one of Europe’s top Motorcycle racers, earning countless trophies and the honor of being named Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE).

My Thoughts on “Maria Costello: Queen of the Bikers”

Maria tells a very honest and candid account of her life story, detailing the passion and interest that she possessed for motorbikes from a young age, of having to first overcome the objections of her parents and family before moving onto the constant objections of the male-dominated motorsports world. The story was filled with funny accounts from her early years, the often painful recollections of her many crashes and injuries, and some of the more personal details of her private life and the difficult chore of balancing them with her racing dreams.

I really appreciated not only her racing history retold, the struggles, and the inner workings of race sponsorship and paddock culture, but also her mindset and resolve required entering the motorsports world and its effects on her personal relationships. I think it is a story that women in motorsports of all forms can relate to in one fashion or another, and one that isn’t often discussed publicly.

<br /> At times, the book detailed far too many switches between classes and motorcycle models that the average reader may find themselves lost in, or not fully be able to appreciate the importance or differences between the models and their respective power, engine displacement and relative size. It also was a bit out-of-sync on the chronological order of events at times, jumping forward and back in events, but only mildly scattered and not difficult to follow.

Overall, I really appreciated reading about Maria’s obvious passion and dedication to her sport, and found the book very easy and engaging to read. I found the book very relate-able for Women in Racing and the motorsports world, and could identify with many of the insecurities and the passionate drives that she discussed in her journey. I think “Maria Costello: Queen of the Bikers” is a wonderful read for fans and racers alike, and that her story goes beyond that of a sports autobiography or a motorsports fare, extending as a tale of a woman’s lone defiant struggle to succeed in a hostile and dangerous male world.

Karting Magazine Female Driver of the Year

November 17, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Karting Magazine is hosting their 2015 awards, and the Female Driver of the Year category is up for grabs. Readers can vote on their favorite female driver out of the 20 young ladies eligible for nomination. All females who competed in a Club or National Championship event during the 2015 season were candidates for the category.

To vote, visit Karting Magazine and follow the link for your driver, using the Facebook Like button at the bottom of their page to place your vote. Voting closes November 22, 2015, and the winner will be announced in the December edition of Karting Magazine.

2015 Karting Magazine Female Driver of the Year Nominees

Abbi Pulling
Abbie Munro
Abigail Ross
Alicia Goundry
Alisha Roland
Anna Morris
Bryony King
Carol van Beusekom
Charlotte Fox
Jamie-lea Hawley
Jem Hepworth
Kaite Crowther
Logan Hannah
Lucy Fulton
Lydia Walmsley
Marcie Russell
Megan Lawson
Stephanie Walters
Susanne Gutzold
Tilly Goundry

Ladies of NHRA Red Carpet 2015

November 17, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

It’s the end of the season, and that means the annual 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Awards Ceremony has arrived! All of our favorite stars of the NHRA series gathered Monday after the finals in Pomona to Hollywood’s Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Vineland for a year-end banquet and the crowning of the 2015 champions. This formal event is always a crowd favorite, because we get the rare chance to see our favorite personalities outside their fire suits and crew uniforms, dressed to the nine in formal attire.

For 2015, the ladies didn’t disappoint, hitting the NHRA Red Carpet all looking stunning. Check out their red carpet fashion below!

Ladies of NHRA Red Carpet 2015

Leah Pritchett and Angie Smith on NHRA Red Carpet — Top Fuel’s Leah Pritchett and Pro Stock Bike’s Angie Smith

Erica Enders on NHRA Red Carpet — Pro Stock World Champion Erica Enders

Courtney Force and Graham Rahal on NHRA Red Carpet — Funny Car driver Courtney Force and fiance, open wheel driver Graham Rahal

Angie Smith Karen Stoffer on NHRA Red Carpet — Pro Stock Bike’s Karen Stoffer and Angie Smith

Brittany and Courtney Force on NHRA Red Carpet — Top Fuel driver Brittany Force with sister Courtney.

Alexis DeJoria Jesse James on NHRA Red Carpet — Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria, husband Jesse James, and sister.

Jenna Haddock at the NHRA Red Carpet year end banquet — Top Fuel driver Jenna Haddock and husband Terry

WHO WORE IT BEST? Ladies of NHRA Red Carpet – Vote in Comments below!

Video: Awards Ceremony | Last year’s Ladies of NHRA 2014 Red Carpet Album

Janette Thornley Pro Fuel Champion

November 16, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Dream Chaser Racin’s Janette Thornley was able to cinch the 2015 Pro Fuel Championship at the NHRA Harley Davidson Drag Racing Series season finale in Las Vegas. The Statesville, NC resident entered the event trailing points leader Dennis Fisher by 5 points, but the championship was decided in the first round of eliminations, when Thornley advanced and Fisher was eliminated.

Janette Thornley Pro Fuel Champion 2015

Janette Thornley made history as the first woman to win a national Harley Davidson class championship. She finished with 623 points after losing in the final round to former World Champion, Johnny Vickers at the Las Vegas final race. Thornley won 4 national events: Joliet, Sonoma, Seattle and Bristol leading to her winning of the 2015 NHRA Harley Davidson Pro Fuel championship title.

Thornley has not yet announced 2016 racing plans.

Nicole Johnson nabs 1st in Scooby Doo

November 12, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Nicole Johnson, the driver of the popular Scooby Doo Monster Jam truck, nabbed first place in the Wheelie and Donut competitions at the San Juan, Puerto Rico Monster Jam event held at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico on Friday, November 6.

“We took 1st in Wheelies and 1st in the Donut Competition last night! It helps having a dog that knows tricks!!!” — Nicole Johnson, Facebook

The event marked the first time that the Monster Jam series has visited the island of Puerto Rico.

Nicole Johnson made the jump from professional rock crawling competitions to Monster Jam in 2011, with more than 17 years of four wheeling experience under her belt in total. The mom of two has driven the Tasmanian Devil in 2011, the Advanced Auto Grinder truck in 2012, and debuted the new Scooby Doo Monster Truck in 2013.

Source: Nicole Johnson, Facebook | Monster Jam

Jenna Haddock celebrates rookie season

November 12, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

This weekend’s 51st Annual Auto Club Finals marks the conclusion of the 2015 NHRA Mellow Yellow Drag Racing season. For rookie Top Fuel driver, Jenna Haddock, it marks the end of an amazing first year in the premiere professional class of the sport. As the season comes to a close, Jenna looks back on her season and rates her year as driver of the ‘Boots For Troops’ Top Fuel Dragster in her trademark exuberant and sincere fashion.

“Everyone rates on performance,” explained Haddock, “but there is so much more to take into consideration. As a driver, I didn’t have much experience. I never drove anything in competition. I’m proud that we qualified at eight out of the 11 races we ran. And we did it with only six team members when other teams have 12. We lost our sponsor mid-year so we did it with no money. We did it with friends, family and a lot of hard work and determination. And I’m grateful for everyone that helped. When I rate out first year, I’d say we had a phenomenal year. Without money, our car performed really well and I cannot be sad. I’m proud to say our car is good.”

The Auto Club Road to the Future candidate posted her career-best of 3.850 sec. at 311.63 mph in her first-round match-up against Antron Brown at the previous race in Las Vegas. Though she couldn’t hold off the new 2015 Top Fuel Champion for the win, she was still thrilled at her performance.

“In qualifying in Vegas, we kept throwing the blower belt,” Haddock said. “But if you look at our half-track numbers we knew it was going to run. We run used belts. We can’t buy all new ones like most teams. Most of the time our belts have four to five runs on them. We rather buy new crankshafts, pistons and connecting rods. Those things come before blower belts for us. On Sunday morning a bunch of teams brought us their belts with only one run on them, which was so amazing. So for us when that 3.850 came up on the board; Sunday took the cake.”

Haddock’s husband, Terry is a long time Funny Car driver known for competing on a very limited budget and for never giving up. This year, he put his car on the back burner and concentrated on launching his wife’s career.

“I really have to thank Terry for his unending support,” expressed Haddock. “He helped me learn how to drive and he was a great and patient teacher. This year has been all about me, and his car hasn’t gotten much attention. He made sure that everything came much easier to me than it ever did to him. He’s been great about it and I love him for it.”

Valerie Thompson returns to NHRA

November 9, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Seven-time land speed record holder Valerie Thompson returns to NHRA Drag Racing competition to compete in the full season as an independent team owner and driver. Thompson will be riding a Star Racing built Pro Stock Motorcycle in all of the events on the schedule for the PSM class. The team will be led by recently appointed crew chief, Chris Rivas, a former Pro Stock Motorcycle racer with four NHRA event wins and six land speed racing world records of his own.

“Chris Rivas has been successful in drag racing while setting new land speed records. As a crew chief, he will be one of my biggest assets. He understands the difference between quarter-mile and land speed racing, so he can help our team with everything from bike set-up to my riding technique as I transition back to drag racing,” added Thompson.

Valerie Thompson began her motorcycle-racing career in the All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA), where she finished third in the V-Rod Destroyer class in 2007 and was featured in a Super Bowl commercial with Danica Patrick. She entered several NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle events in 2008, with a best elapsed time of 7.05 seconds.

“I have a real passion for land speed racing, but I can’t express how excited I am to return to my ‘racing roots’ with a bike built by George Bryce’s Star Racing team. George and his wife Jackie, operate one of the most successful NHRA Pro Stock motorcycle teams in the history of the sport, so I’m confident we will do well next year,” said Thompson.

Star Racing and owner George Bryce have won six NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championships and collected 80 different NHRA national event wins under their 10 different Star riders. The high performance motorcycle company is also a worldwide mail-order parts business, with engine building, a state-of-the-art machine shop and dyno services.

“I’m delighted to see Valerie returning to drag racing and thankful she chose Star Racing to help her new team. We are also looking forward to working with Chris Rivas again,” said George Bryce, Star Racing owner.

While Valerie Thompson returns to NHRA and is excited for the homecoming, she also plans on continuing the quest for new land speed racing records with her team’s BMW S 1000 RR at select events in 2016 as her schedule permits.

Thompson formed her own land speed racing team in 2012, and has went on to record a personal best top speed of 217 mph at the 2014 Texas Mile. This year, Valerie became the first female member of the Colorado Mile 200 MPH Club on her Quicksilver Powersports Lubricants/CTEK BMW Motorrad and is now a member of six-land speed racing 200 MPH Clubs, including the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club. As a result, she is often referred to as “America’s Queen of Speed.”

The 2016 NHRA schedule includes 16 Pro Stock Motorcycle events with the first scheduled for March 17 – 20 at the Gatornationals in Gainesville Florida.

‘Speed Sisters’ USA premiere at DOC NYC

November 6, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

The documentary film ‘Speed Sisters‘ follows the first all-woman race car driving team in the Middle East. Embracing racing and turning heads in at improvised tracks across the West Bank, these five women have sped their way into the heart of the gritty, male-dominated Palestinian street car-racing scene. Weaving together their lives on and off the track, SPEED SISTERS takes you on a surprising journey into the drive to go further and faster than anyone thought you could.

For the first time in the US, viewers will get to experience the ‘Speed Sisters’ film as part of the DOC NYC Documentary Film Festival. DOC NYC is the largest American documentary film festival and voted by MovieMaker magazine as one of the “top five coolest documentary film festivals in the world”.

‘Speed Sisters’ US Premiere at DOC NYC

Date: November 12, 2015 2:00PM
Location: SVA Theater, School of Visual Arts
Tickets: $17/Adults; $15 Children/Seniors
Reservations/More Information: DOC NYC ‘Speed Sisters’

Watch the ‘Speed Sisters’ Trailer

John Force asks Shirley Muldowney for advice (Video)

November 6, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

What happens when you open the floor at the Women of NHRA Breakfast to questions? You get a rare moment on the mic when John Force asks Shirley Muldowney for advice on his daughter, Courtney Force’s love life.

John Force asks Shirley Muldowney for love life advice

Source: @TerryBlountNHRA | Twitter