Celebrating, promoting and supporting female racers and women in motorsports

Racing on the Clock

//  by 

Grand Prix at TRCIt’s Friday, and just before lunchtime, I was informed that a group of my colleagues were taking a “Team building” field trip to Tampa Bay Grand Prix for a little lunchtime go-cart racing.   Apparently, a few had done this before and now were opening up the competition to the whole office.

Naturally, my reaction time in giving my “HECK YES” answer was 0.09 seconds.

Go-Cart Racing is Racing

Now, some knowing my drag racing background assumed I’d be a shoe-in, but apparently there are some rather competitive cart racing folks in engineering, so I knew the only advantage I would carry was about a 20 lbs weight advantage over the rest of them.    Add in the fact that I’ve not been in a go-cart (or anything remotely fun and fast like it) since 2008, and I was pretty uncertain of where I’d land in the final finish order (or how I’d ever live it down if I came in at the back).

Because they start you off with some space between you and the other go-carts in front of/behind you, it really becomes a race of you vs. the clock.   They started off by having us all throttled back, but around lap 4 they started turning them up.     It took me a minute to figure out the braking/accelerating curve of these things, especially once I figured out that mid-lap they had removed the throttle limiter.   I started really getting the hang of it the last 5 or so laps of the race.   We had a “Caution” throttle down in lap 8, but I am happy to report that I didn’t spin out AND stayed pretty consistent in my lap average.    I ended up in 2nd place in both average and top lap times, about 4 tenths of a second behind the 1st place average, and 7 tenths behind the fastest lap time.

Competitive, Much?

Completely stoked, I cannot wait for the next outing.  I’ve already been pumping up the rest of the office to start a bi-weekly lunch series, where we’ll post “The List” up in the breakroom in Street Outlaw style.    One of my coworkers pointed out that of course they’d leave it to the competitive racer to come in and make a full-on series and competition out of the team building experience.

But hey, what did they expect?

Erica Enders doubles up on Racer of the Year

//  by 

Good news this week as Racer Magazine announces their annual Racer of the Year awards.     One of my favorite ladies in racing, Erica Enders captured not just one, but TWO Racer of the Year awards, gaining the ultimate overall category win as well as the Drag Racing award.

Congrats, Erica Enders!

It is really great to see her received the much deserved accolades that go with such a monumental win.   Not only is it big and inspiring news to see a woman win the World Championship, but to have done so in such down-to-the-wire dramatic fashion, is nothing short of amazing.   Thinking back to all the naysayers and the struggles she endured in her Pro Stock career, I’ll say that the awards are much deserved celebration to her feats.

Erica Enders-StevensRacer of the Year

The award is voted on by readers, which to me, is a strong indication of the loyalty of NHRA fans.   John Force won the top award in 2010, 2013, 2014.   Enders now takes the overall spot for 2015.  And someone tell me again why drag racing isn’t a good sponsor investment?  That’s some fiercely loyal fanbase there.  In fact, while she won Racer of the Year honors with 48.9% of the vote, the next closest competitor was Mr. Force himself with 9.7%.   That’s a landslide victory for Enders, and a lionshare vote for drag racing.

But what saddens me, was the pre-season announcement that her Elite team may not compete in all of the NHRA events again this season.   What is wrong with the world that the defending Pro Stock champion- a marketable, personable, history-paving woman- can’t get the funding she needs to compete in a full season?   That question may lie more in the NHRA’s programming than in her abilities as World champion.

Erica Enders-Stevens hoists Wally

Either way, here’s a big shoutout to Erica Enders-Stevens, Racer of the Year!

 

 

 

Girls Torque Collector Cards

//  by 

GirlsTorque.comI came across a great opportunity for Women in Motorsports or supporters of ladies who race that I wanted to share.

GirlsTorque.com is a long-running website based in Australia that is dedicated to helping girls succeed in motor sports.   Originally launched in 2001 as the Australian Women in Motorsports organization, it quickly took off outside of just Australia, and is now focused on educating and sharing the cause worldwide.

Girls Torque Collector Cards

GirlPower Collector CardsOne of the unique ideas the site manages is their Girls Torque Racing Collector Cards.    These cards are similar to other sport trading cards, and features a different female racer on each card; with photos, quotes and stats on her career.   The cards were created to highlight and promote women racing, celebrating their successes and careers first in Australia, but now expanding to include women racing on the global level.   Cards are arranged into Circuit, Speedway and Drag Racing boxed set collections.  Fans, friends and family can purchase by collector series or individually,  online or at retailers in Western Australia.

Free Feature for Women Racing

Girl Torque Racing Collector CardsHere’s one of the greatest parts about the program:  it’s FREE for Women in Racing to be included.    It is great free exposure to a collective audience already supporting your common cause- women competing in motorsports.    Getting your name out there and celebrating your career and successes is valuable for any driver.  It helps reinforce sponsor value, opens the door to other opportunities, and unites you with the movement that continues to build for women in racing.

A lot of racers have hero cards they hand out at the track for fans.   Those who do, understand that it isn’t cheap to have those designed and printed.   Professional designers can charge several hundred dollars for a hero card and color printing on hero-card heavy stock paper can add-up expense quickly.  Girls Torque has made it extremely easy to be included, offering an online form that takes just a few minutes to complete.

The form asks:

  • Motorsports Category
  • Name
  • Quote
  • Class/Competition Division
  • Race Number
  • Home Track
  • Race car Description
  • Racing History/Achievements

It also allows you to upload your own head shot and action shot (photos that you have the rights to use legally) for use on the card.    Once submitted, you will be included in the next collection for your series.   No cost or obligation for you to buy for inclusion.   For those that would would like, you can even order extra cards for yourself to distribute to your own fans!

Sign up for Girls Torque cards

Don’t miss out, make sure you fill out the form to be included in the next set of collector cards!

Featured Site: CarChix.com

//  by 

CarChix
www.CarChix.com

In my search for all things Women and Racing, I tend to wear out Google trying to stay updated on all the ladies out there.  Believe me, the search isn’t as easy as it seems.  After weeding through the hottest driver articles that tend to populate the first few pages of search results, its slim-pickings past that to find the good stuff.   So I’ve made it my new mission to seek out and share the relevant sites that cover Women and Motorsports as I find them.

CarChix.com

This week’s feature is one of the most vibrant sites I’ve found in my recent searches.    CarChix.com  is a motorsports organization for women created by Jeanette DesJardins.    Founded in 2010, the site was born out of an idea DesJardins had as a teenage gearhead, working at her first job as an automotive lube technician outside of Chicago.  She envisioned someday owning her own shop, where she felt she could improve many of the things plaguing the industry at the time with a female touch.     Sitting outside that shop talking to a friend, she named her future garage Car Chix.

Founder/President, Jeanette DesJardins

Jeanette Working on CarJeanette’s first introduction to motorsports came while she was still in diapers, when her parents and uncle would take her along to Road America in Wisconsin.    Young Jeanette did more crying from the loud racecars at that age however, and it wasn’t until her teen years that she rediscovered the automotive world.  Shortly after purchasing her first car, she was met by resistance from her father, who held the nagging question over her head — How would she afford to repair it if it broke down?   Jeanette’s solution:  she’d learn to fix it herself, and began taking automotive mechanic courses at the local community college.   That training led to her working as a technician at several small garages and dealerships as she moved on to pursue her Associates Degree in Marketing.

“I could go on for days about things that I have learned over the years”, adds DesJardins.  “Some of the keys things, that have really stuck with me over the years are:  don’t over think things too much – It’s okay not to know the answer to something; no one knows everything – Have thick skin – Watch where you stick your fingers – Don’t wear plastic gloves, it hurts peeling it off your skin when you get burnt.”

Jeanette DesJardins at Great Lakes Dragaway
Jeanette working on the starting line at Great Lakes Dragaway

From there, she landed one of her favorite jobs of all– starting line coordinator and starter at Great Lakes Dragaway in Union Grove, WI.   She continued on there, gaining valuable experience in the automotive industry while she simultaneously earned her Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Wisconsin.  It was during her time there that she launched the website for CarChix.com, initially intended to share photos and chat with other female drag racers at the track.  But after just two weeks, the site crashed from the high amount of traffic visiting, causing a change to a forum based system and a relaunch.   From there, the site grew, with ladies and men sharing stories from all over the world.   She now works as Marketing Coordinator for a manufacturing company in Chicago,  as well as, the owner of Crank It Media, an Internet Marketing Company and Car Chix.com.

Often a one-woman show, she’s put in years of exhaustive effort and has big plans moving forward she hopes will be announced a little later this year, that would impact women in motorsports and female racers in general.    She remains dedicated to empowering women all over the world, offering this advice:

“Stay focused.  Stay driven.  It sounds cheesy, but you can seriously do anything you want as long as you work for it.  Hard work really does pay off in the end.  You will come across moments when you just feel like giving up, but don’t.  Each hard day is a hard lesson earned.  Apply what you’ve learned through your experiences; tomorrow is always another day.”

CarChix.com News & Features

Jeanette DesJardins at Route 66
Jeanette racing herself at Route 66 Raceway

One of the strengths of the CarChix website are the regular news updates posted on female racers careers, including news reports submitted by racers as well as a Featured CarChix of the Month section.   Both of these sections make it one of the most feature-rich sites for quality women in racing stories, helping to promote the careers and successes of ladies racing all across the globe.   There is even a CarChix store for cool merchandise sporting the CarChix logo and a listing for CarChix sponsored events.

CarChix Events

Jeanette DesJardins Carchix.com
CarChix founder and president Jeanette DesJardins at the 2011 Racing for a Cure event.

DesJardins moved onto hosting her first event less than a year after the CarChix.com launch.  The  event was a breast cancer research fundraiser she named Racing For A Cure a Quarter Mile at a Time, and was held at her home track Great Lakes, to a record-setting attendance.    Jeanette arranged an action-packed event, with exhibition cars, wheel standers, drag radial caompetitors, bracket racing, dragsters, raffles, giveaways, face painting, and musical entertainment from a popular band.   They raised several thousand dollars for the Wisconsin Well Women Program, an organization that helps women with little or no insurance to receive preventative mammograms and pre/post breast cancer treatments and  care.

CarChix Ladies Only Drag Race
CarChix Ladies Only Drag Race competitors

That event, now named Drag Racing for Life, became the first of several annual events organized by Jeanette and the Car Chix program at several locations across the country.   She also organized the CarChix Ladies Only Drag Race, an all-female drag racing competition that saw ladies in a variety of race cars compete for prizes and awards, and presented the Hottest Ride Award at the Muscle Car & Corvette Nationals, capping off the year with a Light Up the Holidays parade appearance.

DesJardins is currently finishing up the 2015 CarChix Event Schedule, with announcements forthcoming in March on the 2015 dates and locations.

CarChix Calendar

CarChix booth
CarChix setup at events

Another unique offering to help promote women in racing and female motorsports participants, is the Annual Women of Motorsports Calendar contest.   During the contest, women are invited to submit photos of themselves with their rides and seek likes on Facebook.  The top 12 are voted into the calendar finalists.   These calendars celebrate and inspire women in the automotive industry, featuring cars, bikes and any level of enthusiast.    Featured CarChix are often on hand at events to autograph calendars for collectors.

Be sure to check out CarChix.com and add it to your bookmarks!  Tell them Horsepower & Heels sent you!

Have a good site suggestion related to Women in Racing?  Send it our way!

Woman Driver Advisory: Speed Dating

//  by 

As a woman in the racing world, or even a car enthusiast in general, you get your fair share of guys that want to “Show you how its done, sweetheart” on a regular basis.   I could write a book on the amount of smug one-liners people would throw my way thinking they were all so funny.

“Hunny, do you know where the gas pedal is on that thang?”

“Careful, you might break a nail.”

“Why don’t you slide over and let a real man show you how its done. ” 

After about the first hundred occurrences, you eventually just adopt the “If only you knew, stupid” face and suffer through the machismo.  Ladies, you know the face I’m talking about.

The Face I Make When a Guy Offers to Show Me How Its Done…

cool story bro

But what if you could turn the tables?    I saw this Speed Dating video online…. and was instantly jealous I never thought of it first.

Speed Dating – Stunt Driver Style

ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.   I am still laughing at their reactions.

How fun would that have been?   And I love how all of them were trying to remain calm.   I wish that seat also measured their “pucker” factor as well, I’m sure it would’ve been off the chart.

Kinda reminds me of this one time…. my little street racing prank back in the day.

Silly boys.  ::Shaking Head::

Women in Racing Database

//  by 

Women Racing DatabaseA major part of seeing Women in Motorsports succeed, is being able to share with the world our successes and our individual stories.

Part of the difficulty I’ve seen and experienced as both a racer myself and a contributing writer, is getting more mainstream and regular coverage, not just novelty or interest pieces (though those are also great).

The more regular and mainstream coverage of Women in Racing receives, opportunities and recognition will follow.   Right now, searching for news about Women in Racing yields a handful of sites who dedicated themselves to getting the news out for this cause (like our friends over at Chicas Racing and Female Racing News).   But a spattering of voices in the crowd aren’t as loud as a collection told together, so we’ve decided to create a Horsepower & Heels Women in Racing database with the aim of helping to more thoroughly tell these stories.

Horsepower & Heels Women in Racing Database

Our goal is to build a database that not only helps promote your websites and social media along with your peers, but creates a network that allows you to reach out to one another and help the cause together.   We’ll begin by forming a database list that links back to each racer’s personal sites.   We’ve also included an opt-in selection for the Horsepower & Heels Email Roundtable, a group that shares key information related to all women in motorsports, as well as an option to subscribe to this blog (so we can stay in touch!).

Please, take a moment and fill out the Women in Racing Database form.    It only takes a moment to fill out.    Help share this with other ladies in our sport: female drivers, crew members, team owners, and other motorsports roles welcome!

Las Vegas Gearhead Tour

//  by 

One good thing that comes from traveling for business, is that occasionally I get to do/see some interesting places that I likely would not have had the chance.

This week, I traveled to Las Vegas for a convention in the RV industry, but thanks to my good friend Eddie Maloney, I was able to escape for a few hours to see some of the greastest Las Vegas gearhead sightseeing opportunities Sin City has to offer.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayThe Strip at Las Vegas is probably one of my favorite tracks that I’ve never raced before. Having seeing it briefly back in 2010 on another work trip, the atmosphere and scope of the facility is breath-taking. Eddie actually works for the speedway, so he was able to take me around on the grand tour of the facility. Its massive and highly impressive. Many people never leave Las Vegas Blvd. to see what else the city has to offer, and by this are missing the impressive activities happening just north at the Speedway.  In addition to the Strip, one of the most scenic stops on the tour with the desert mountains in the background, there is also the expansive NASCAR oval, dirt tracks, road courses, exotic car racing experiences and more offered on the premises.

We drove through the pit area of the NASCAR track, as one of the prominent NASCAR teams was on the track testing.   We didn’t go near the garage area, but driving through the tunnels and just seeing all the infield area was a neat experience.

I promised Eddie that once we get back on the track, if we are able to find the sponsorship support to make a trip out west for an event at the Strip, I’d definitely make the long haul west for the chance to race at this legendary facility.

Location:  7000 North Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89115
Phone:  (702) 644-4444

 

Nellis Air Force Base

Nellis AFB ThunderbirdsAnyone who really knows me, knows that my first love has always been fighter aircraft.   In fact, its one of the reasons that I took up drag racing to begin with.  Just across the street from Las Vegas Motor Speedway, lies Nellis AFB.   During my 2010 trip to the national event, the Thunderbirds did a fly-by presentation at the track, which is as close to heaven on earth as you could possibly get me.   Eddie also happens to be AF himself, so he quickly zipped me across the street into one of the places I always dreamed of visiting.   Considering you have to be DoD ID’d to get in, I’d say this is a pretty VIP experience!

It happened to be a National holiday during my visit (MLK Day), and the base was pretty quiet, but I was still given the impressive tour of the facility.   The highlight— right there in front of me…. the entire Thunderbird squad on the ground.  About the only thing that could’ve made it better (aside from getting the chance to go up in one) would’ve been if I could’ve seen them taking off/landing…. perhaps another visit.    Either way, its a surreal moment getting to visit such a cool place.

Las Vegas Harley Davidson

Las Vegas Harley DavidsonThe brand new Las Vegas Harley Davidson dealership just opened in October of last year, and its spectacular.   Strategically placed just a few steps from the famous Las Vegas sign, its definitely a destination dealership.   They have a huge facility, with rentals, an expansive showroom, spotless service area, the largest Motorclothes display I’ve ever seen, and a lounge area for motorists.  They even have a Harley Davidson Wedding Chapel for those die-hards wanting to tie the knot in HD style.   They had a cool photobooth app too that sends out via social media or email a selfie postcard from your visit.   We spent quite a few minutes walking around checking everything out.   I imagine they have some great rides come through the area, and am considering renting a bike for some sightseeing next trip out if I can swing an extra couple of days in the desert.

Located:  5191 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas Nevada, 89119
Phone:  888-218-0744
Hours:  8:00AM – 9:00PM, Daily

Carroll Shelby Heritage Center

Carroll Shelby MuseumThe final stop on the gear head tour took me to the Carroll Shelby Heritage Center.   The center is a relatively new facility that houses a large collection of all the historic cars in the Shelby stable, including the first Cobra, prototype cars, the GT500KR and other items in the Shelby legacy.   The center also houses a huge shop area, where work is being done on many different Shelby models.  A Blue Oval girl like myself is right at home, but even Shelby’s brief Chrysler/Dodge models can be seen on display.   They had the new 2015 Mustang Shelby model on display, and believe me, I drooled all over it.   The gift area was surprisingly reasonably priced as compared to much of the other tourist trap gouging you see.    I didn’t even know that this museum existed in Las Vegas, so it was a happy surprise to have had the opportunity to visit.

Located: 6405 Ensworth St. Las Vegas, NV 89119
Toll Free: (844) 9 SHELBY (844-974-3529)or call (702) 942-7325
Hours:  Mon-Sat, 9:00AM – 6:00PM; Closed Sundays

 

You can see more photos from the trip in my Las Vegas Gear Head Tour album.

The end of an era

//  by 

For the past several decades, the name Force has always been synonymous with Ford Racing.    Whether you are a drag racing fan or not, chances are you know John Force Racing as the longstanding ambassador of Ford Motor Company.

John Force Racing Chevrolet

Force and Chevy
Force Racing teams with Chevy

I’ve only been involved in the sport for 15 years, so a world without Force/Ford Racing is a foreign one to me.   I was saddened when Ford announced in 2013 that they would leave drag racing and JFR at the end of 2014.   Although I knew this day would come, it is still a tough pill to swallow to imagine the Force name pulling into Pomona in anything but a Blue Oval.

But all good things must come to an end, and where one legacy closes, another chapter begins.  Today, the much anticipated announcement was made:  John Force Racing will be running under the Chevrolet brand for 2015 and beyond.

I’m not sure what emotions this will stir come the start of the 2015 Mello Yellow NHRA Drag Racing season opener, but on the bright side, it speaks good things about the sport to see a sponsor with such a large involvement and presence come into the fray.

Force’s Ford and Castrol sponsorships spanned many decades, a testament to the work and value he delivered to his partners.   While many (including myself) were sad to see Ford depart, you have to give credit and thanks for the many years of memories that these partnerships provided to us, the fans.    It is truly a testament to the work of Force and the sport of drag racing that such an enduring relationship thrived.   Its also one that should be studied by us racers, as a good example of sponsor retention.

Now the question…. who will cut their Blue Oval ties to don a Bowtie in support of John Force Racing Chevrolet?

 

Resolutions for Racers

//  by 

Racing Resolutions

As one year comes to a close and another begins, most people look inside to reflect on how their year has progressed and how they can improve for the New Year.    Resolutions are often made, with varying degrees of commitment and success. As racers, we are no different.    So what about some New Year’s Resolutions for Racers?

5 resolution for racers that every team should consider for the new season

1.  Create specific season goals

Not unlike a business plan or a personal fitness goal, racers should be considering their racing-related goals for the New Year. For drivers, this may mean sharpening skills behind the wheel by improving stats or another measurable metric. For crew, this could involve new training on the latest technology or improving service times for pit stops. Identify your areas to improve, and create a trackable goal for achieving it.

2.  Make sponsors a priority

Racing is an expensive sport, and without sponsor support, many of us would not be able to participate.  This means that obtaining and retaining sponsors should be a primary focus for racers. Often, sponsorship contracts will detail what is expected on both sides. But part of cultivating this relationship means you should take extra care to OVER deliver on your sponsorship expectations.   Go above and beyond for your sponsors in the new season. They will appreciate the effort and likely will remember it come time to renew.

3.  Personal Growth away from the track

Often times, we are so focused on our on-track performances that we neglect areas for improvement away from the track.    In order to become more well-rounded, racers should always be looking for personal growth opportunities and training away from their cars.   Drivers can benefit from media training to improve on-camera performances or sport-focused fitness and wellness training. Team owners and crew chiefs can always benefit from management training. By ensuring our personal growth, we bring more to the table as a well-rounded piece of the motorsport pie.

4.  Thanking the fans

Racing is an entertainment venue, and as such, our biggest and end customer is ALWAYS the fans.  We often get so wrapped up in the competition and the inner-culture of our sport, that we don’t focus enough on the real reason racing exists: to entertain the fans.   Racers, team managers, crew members should always keep in mind ways to interact with fans.  Small gestures by drivers and crew can leave lasting impressions on fans, keeping them coming back for more.   Find ways to interact and engage your fans.   Be real and human to them, chat with them online and during racing down-times.   Take time to show your appreciation to them and they will continue to appreciate YOU.

5.  Giving back to charity

Racing gives us each a very public platform to a wide demographic range.   Motorsports is the #1 spectator sport in the WORLD.  That’s a lot of reach….   We can use that voice to help give back.   Find a charity organization you are passionate about and become a vocal advocate of that charity.   Donate your time, partner on fundraisers, or just help use your voice to spread awareness.


These are just a few ideas for New Year’s resolutions for racers.   What are YOUR resolution ideas?