Celebrating, promoting and supporting women in motorsports and Moto Enthusiasts

H&H Cold Hard Art Model

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This year for my birthday, my boyfriend Alex surprised me with one of the most unique and amazing gifts:   he commissioned Tom Patsis of Cold Hard Art to create a metal art sculpture of my 2007 Twin Turbo Mustang Pro Mod.

Tom took only the photos I have online here to create the model.   The attention to detail is stunning!  Everything is present:  the turbo impellers, the wheelie bars, the parachute and beadlock wheels.   It is one of the most impressive art pieces I’ve ever seen, and it looks exactly like my racecar!

He’s done other impressive models as well, and I’m quite honored to be one of the lucky subjects of his art!   I’m also quite honored to have a really smart, resourceful and thoughtful boyfriend who knows that car parts and racing art beat flowers hands-down!

 View Photos of the Build

Erica Enders for People’s Choice

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K&N Horsepower ChallengeErica Enders has really been on fire this season after her return to Cagnazzi Racing, and I’m expecting her first win to come any time now this season in Pro Stock.

Its good to see EE doing well, after struggling for the past few years.   See what a difference a great team can make when a great driver is paired?

Erica Enders for People’s Choice

I’d love to see EE go for the glory this year in the K&N Horsepower Challenge, so I’m asking everyone to get out and vote for Erica Enders in the People’s Choice entry.   She’s doing so well this season, she may not need it… but it sure would be great to have her win the People’s vote!

Good luck, EE!

Fun Ford Weekend is BACK!

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Fun Ford Weekend is back in 2011
A sight for sore eyes.

Now THIS is the kind of news I like to hear!

Fun Ford Weekend has just announced that they are returning with 5 events this season, and more to come in 2012.    The series, which is where I raced from 1998-2006, is only returning to bracket racing, car shows, and adding an autocross event… for now.

One of the biggest reason my 2007 Mustang Twin Turbo project has laid dormant for the past 4 years is that the series the car was built for (Fun Ford) closed its doors in 2008.   This left myself and many others with purpose-built cars that could not compete elsewhere without significant changes.

Seeing the old Fun Ford Weekend logo flying back around the net is a huge kick in the seat of optimism.    The website says that the events will only feature bracket drag racing in 2011, but that the series will be expanded in 2012.

In less than 24 hours since the FFW site  first went live, my phone has already been ringing from a handful of my old Fun Ford Weekend friends who are thinking much the same way I am, that we need to talk FFW into bringing back heads-up racing in 2012.

For me, this could be the fast track back to racing.   The elimination of Pro 5.0 left my car virtually obsolete and uncompetitive against the only alternative of full-fledged Pro Modified racing.    The car simply could not compete against cutting edge pro mod chassis and engine combinations, and no other sanctioning body filled the void between weekend Pro 5.0 racing and full-fledged professional pro mod operations.

If Fun Ford Weekend can resurrect the Pro 5.0 class, it would allow racers a more economical and more recreational venue to continue racing for many displaced by the shutdown.  It would also reunite a loyal following of friends and family devoted to the series that spanned over a decade of fond racing memories.

I’m going to be reaching out to other Fun Ford racers in hopes of rallying support for the return of heads-up racing in Fun Ford Weekend.   Perhaps if the new?? owners of FFW see the loyal following and demand for heads-up return, it will convince them to revive the series in 2012.

Get those emails ready folks, Horsepower & Heels is campaigning for a comeback to FUN FORD WEEKEND RACING!

Gearbox Magazine Feature

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Gearbox Magazine
Gearbox Magazine, Feb 2011

Check out this quick interview with Gearbox Magazine!

Gearbox is an online enthusiast magazine.   The interview discusses the Horsepower & Heels Mustang Build, difficulties in the tough economy and the impact on Erica Ortiz’s race career.

http://www.gearboxmagazine.com/erica-ortiz-2007-pro-mod-mustang/

Published Online: Feb 11, 2011

Behind the wheel of a Top Fuel dragster

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Every year, my company attends a week-long industry trade show in Las Vegas, and every year it falls on the same week as the NHRA race.    Unfortunately for me, something always prevents me from checking out the famed Strip, and I was determined NOT to let that happen this year.

Thanks to a little pre-planning on my air tickets, I was able to head out to the track on Friday of the NHRA event for qualifying.   This was made even better by a comp ticket and media parking pass by one of my clients that produces the ESPN2 coverage of the event.  (My company manufactures equipment found on those big TV trucks).

So Friday morning, I dropped off my suitcase at the airport for my redeye flight that night, and headed over to grab a rental car for the afternoon.    Words can not explain how excited I was to travel the 40 or so miles outside the lights of the Vegas Strip to the thunder and excitement of the Vegas DRAG strip.

Behind the wheel of a Top Fuel

When I arrived, I stopped into say hi to my friends at the Strasburg Top Fuel pits.   And then I was given a chance that put me on cloud 9…. I was asked to get behind the wheel of a top fuel dragster to steer the car to the starting line and back to the pit from the scales.

I know, I know… so what?   It wasn’t running or anything.  But let me tell you, for someone like me that wants SOOOO bad to be looking down that long body and out that cockpit, I was in heaven.    I was able to feel how it steers (or doesn’t, depending on how you look at it), I worked the handbrake while being towed around, and got to experience the smells and heat of that nitro engine fresh off a pass.  It was a dream come true, just short of being in a firesuit ready to make my OWN pass.

I think I look good in that seat, don’t you?

MD Radio Baynet

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Sometimes you just accidentally stumble upon a good PR interview.

That’s exactly what happened when Erica was in Las Vegas on business.  While at breakfast in the NASCAR cafe in the Sahara hotel and casino, she meets John Hunt from MD Radio The Baynet.

Here’s a shot of the impromptu remote MD station in the NASCAR cafe during the breakfast.

New Feature: AIM High Book

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A few months back, I had the wonderful honor of being interviewed by book author Laura Contreras-Rowe for a book project she was working on called AIM HIGH: Extraordinary Stories of Hispanic and Latina Women.

The interviewed lasted hours, where I talked about the journey I’ve taken over the course of my racing career and the things and challenges in life that drove me to chase my dreams.

Well, the first edition is back from the printer, and I’ve received my first copy. I’m really excited to be included as one of the 33 hispanic women chosen to share their stories. Venezuelan IRL driver Milka Duno is also featured in the book, so its quite an honor to be included along with her.

The book features stories from a wide variety of different professional backgrounds. All the women featured tell their personal stories, with the overall theme being the powerful message that despite financial challenges, family obligations and horrific environment or events: a young Hispanic or Latina woman can succeed to astounding heights with courage and tenacity.

This is the first book I’ve ever been featured in, and its a tremendous honor to be included in something so memorable and inspirational. The idea that this will be something that will exist to show my family and future generations is very emotional for me.

The book is available on Amazon.

(A small side note to my family and friends: though the story is written in 1st person perspective, it was written by Laura and there may be some details that were slightly skewed from what you may recall)