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Erica Ortiz is a professional drag racer from the all-female pro modified team Horsepower & Heels and strong advocate of women in motorsports. A veteran both behind the wheel and behind a torque wrench, Erica brings over 10 years of experience navigating the male-dominated motor sports arena from the female perspective.

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Lost

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So I got up as planned to leave out for Bristol at 6am this morning.

Normally, I have a pretty darn good sense of direction. But somehow today I’ve managed to go the wrong way on I-24 and ended up in Nashville instead of Knoville. Grrr! I can’t believe I just did that! I’m about 140 miles too far west on I-40! Its now 11am…. I’m supposed to BE in Bristol… and instead, I’m in Nashville.

Great, now I’m going to be hearing this for the next 10 years. Dennis’ friend Robert was even such the sweetheart as to give me a compass.

Smart ass.

I know, I know…

Where’s my sign?

Guest Crew Chief for the weekend

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Well, this weekend I get to attend the Fun Ford Weekend Thunder Valley Nationals as guest crew chief for Dennis Lugo’s Outlaw car. He’s short handed for the weekend, so Debbie and I both offered to assist, but due to astronomical plane fares, Debbie was grounded. So I’ll be headed out shortly for Bristol, TN for the 2nd time this year to help get Dennis his first FFW win of the season.

Dennis is the person who taught me everything, and the person I can still count on the most today… its the least I can do, I really owe him for that.

And, thanks to my cool new gadget, a MOTO Q from Sprint, I’ll be able to keep Debbie and my readers informed direct from the trackside!

 

Fighting the Green-eyed Monster

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Well, there’s a new Pro Mod driver entering NHRA Pro Mod. And its a “she”…. Diana Harker is the newest Pro modified pilot of a 69 Blown Camaro. I should be happy for her, right? I mean, I should be happy for any woman that gets the chance to live that dream. I should be happy that she’s out there competing against the men and helping open doors for other women. I should, and I AM happy for her. But part of me just sits back and wonders WTF?

I know that envy is an ugly characteristic, and I try and keep it in check. I love rootin’ for all the women in the sport, and I look up to many of them for what they have accomplished… and what I hope to someday be able to accomplish myself. They are often a source of inspiration and hope. But as of lately, I’d have to shamefully admit that I’ve had my fair share of jealous resentment inside me recently. As if self-pity can get any more pathetic, right? But seriously, why me?

Maybe the better question is “Why NOT me?” I have kept my head down and my nose to the proverbial grindstone for 10 years. I have had little to no resources available, so I make the best with what little I have and make huge sacrifices in my life to try and get the chance to make my dream a reality. I work hard, I do my own work whenever I can, I try and learn every chance I get, I self market, I travel the country by myself because ultimately, I’d do whatever it took to get the chance to chase this dream. And so far… I’m proud to say that its gotten me as far as I have come on a non-existent budget, and with little other support.But I also know that I’m at the limit of my abilities in terms of “do-it-yourself”. I’m at the limit of where cutting corners and minimal budgets are even an option. And what I’m realizing is that its not impressive, its not ambitious, its not even proven determination taking these approaches anymore…. its risky and downright dangerous.

 

I know that I can’t cut corners at 200+mph, because those corners don’t just mean parts carnage anymore. They could be fatal. I know that I am at a plateau in terms of performance and how far my shallow pockets can carry me. I know that without some outside help, I cannot advance any further alone.Which is why lately its been so hard not to feel jealous over the Diana Harkers or Erica Enders of the world. They’re born into racing families, they are bred and primed to get only the best opportunities. And I’m sure they are talented drivers, I want to take nothing away from them. But what exactly am I doing wrong?I started at the bottom… I didn’t have parents to guide my interest or teach me the ropes. My parents knew nothing of anything automotive. I read magazines to learn about cars, I practiced racing my daily driver, I wasn’t content just “driving”. I wanted to know the hows, the whys, what made things tick and what made things happen. I worked at a shop, spent nights learning the mechanics and days learning the business. I surrounded my life with everything racing and built it up from a daily driver all the way to a fledgling Pro Mod. I live and breath everything that is drag racing… so why not me?I can drive. I can build an engine. I can work on the car. I can tune the computer. I can drive the hauler. I can market and promote. I can sell. I can represent. But I can’t get the support it will take to make my dreams come true….

 

Its just very overwhelming. So its hard not to feel a little green with envy at those who have an entire team at their disposal… who don’t have to worry about how they are going to afford the fuel to haul to a race, how they’re going to make it to a race 24 hours away with no vacation time, or what will happen if the unstable crank in their engine lets loose because they can’t afford the one that’s required.

 

I just wish for once I had that chance….

 

On the road again

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A lot has been happening for our team lately. Namely, we dropped off the racecar in South Florida for its next steps toward completion. It has seemed like the list of roadblocks has been neverending, but I know that each step gets us one step closer, so I continue on relentlessly each day.

With my new job, I don’t have any vacation time off yet, so even though South FL is quite the hike from my current N. AL residence, the earliest I could leave was Friday afternoon after work. When I came home to hook up to the trailer, I discovered that the trailer lights were not working. So Porkchop and Skippy tried for several hours to find the culprit wire that was shorting out the entire system. Finally, around 9pm they got the fix. That’s 4 hours of roadtime lost, and it meant me driving straight through the night to stay in my time constraints. Thankfully, I was able to convince Porkchop to abandon his weekend plans and help me make the drive down. (what a nice guy!)

Our first stop was Jacksonville, FL to pick up Horsepower & Heels teammate Debbie. The plan had been for me to crash there for the night around 2am, but with my trailer nightmare, we arrived instead at 6:30am. A brief nap, and the three of us were on the road to South FL. About 20 minutes into the trip, we hit rain so hard we couldn’t see 10 feet in front of the truck. After some tense moments, we were finally out of the storm and passing through Daytona Beach. It reminded me that its been several YEARS since I enjoyed a REAL vacation… and how crazy my racing life has become that all my regular vacation time is rationed throughout the year to allow me working my butt off from one racetrack to another. Somedays I long to leave this crazy obession behind for a nice trip to a cozy little tropical island…. but then I remember that the sacrifices I make are all for my absolute passion and well worth it.

So we made the drop off and got turned back around at 4pm towards our 3rd stop on the tour… my mother’s house. Nevermind that Orlando is about an hour off-course, if that little 76 year old spitfire would’ve found out that her little one was in FL and didn’t come see her, I would be a dead little driver. But first, I had two passengers in the truck about to throw me out the window if I didn’t stop and get them food. So on the exit to Hwy 520, I see a sign for Olive Garden and decide that some Italian sounds good. Thinking that it would be just a few tenths of a mile off the interstate, I make the turn off and head toward where the sign pointed.

About 10 miles, 2 bridges over the Intercoastal, and a bunch of tight spots, we managed to find the Olive Garden and I get the trailer parked. Its packed, so the three of us sit at the bar as Debbie entertains us with stories about her past. Despite having less than 3 hours sleep, we manage to eat and make it to my mom’s before 10pm. After a far too brief visit there, we still have another 2 1/2 hours back to Jacksonville. We arrive exhausted around 1:30am. That’s more than 24 hours straight that Chop and I have been in a truck, and an impressive 14 hours for stir-crazy Debbie. (and she’s gonna be my traveling partner to the races? Whew… better break her in easy while I can.)

Now I managed to post a life best sleep in record of nearly noon… normally, I can’t sleep that long regardless of my level of sleep deprivation. So after a brief brunch…(can you still call it that at 1pm?) at my all time favorite (and sorely missed) restaurant, Bob Evans, we make the drive home.

We rolled into Grant at midnight Sunday night. I was also quickly assured that the next time I asked for a small “favor” and offered an exciting trip to FL in return, that the answer was definitely NO.

NHRA Bristol

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After a rough Friday, my good friend TJ from T.A.R.E Racing stopped in and picked me up on his way to the NHRA Bristol race. (Really what this meant was he stopped in around 10:30pm, and proceeded to fall asleep while I drove the 4 hours to Bristol,hahaha… but I’m grateful for the ride!) We arrived at the track around 3:30am, and by 7am I was up and awake, and only a little groggy. I absolutely LOVE NHRA races, its my goal to be racing there in the next 2 years. I don’t know if its seeing all the people that you follow on TV every race weekend, or just being in the midst of all that horsepower and seeing how the professionals run their operations, but I can’t absorb enough from NHRA National events. Bristol is also my all-time favorite track, so attending this race made me very happy. Thunder Valley is something every drag racer or fan should experience in their lifetime… its absolutely beautiful and the people are super friendly.

I did learn of some disappointing news while there… I had actually interviewed with Don Schumacher at the Atlanta race back in April to drive the MOPAR/OAKLEY Funny Car after Gary Scelzi retires at the end of ’07. I knew that it was an absolute long shot, but having the opportunity to speak with Don Schumacher and even be remotely considered for this type of opportunity is HUGE to me. Unfortunately, one of the OAKLEY reps this weekend broke the news to me that the field has been narrowed down now, and I am not in contention anymore. I’m sad, but I know that if I keep working, that another opportunity will come.

Visiting Richmond FFW

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Another on-the-go weekend! I left Grant at 2:30am on Saturday morning to make the 3 hour trip to the Atlanta airport for my 8am flight. After the ordeal of trying to park a big honkin’ dually in cramped and compact ATL econo-parking, I rushed through security and to my gate without incident (I love internet check-in!). Brad and Debbie picked me up at the Richmond Airport and away to the track we went!

Its definitely hard to be at a racetrack as a spectator and without my car. It feels like an eternity since I’ve been in the seat, and I know that I’m not the only one growing impatient on my 2007 debut. Frustration doesn’t begin to describe it. But, I was determined to make it a good weekend, and decided instead to make good fun of it and tally how often I was asked the big question: “So when will your car be done, Erica?” (For those keeping track, it was 14).

I also had the opportunity to spend the day with PNN Network creator, Lauren Elliot. Debbie and I invited Lauren to experience a FFW race first hand with us. PNN has some great ideas and visions that we are excited to be taking part of in the near future. Look for more on that coming VERY soon!

Sunday afternoon, KM Motorsports crew members Joe & Clay were kind enough to give me a ride to the airport so that Debbie and Brad could get a jump on their long trip back to Jacksonville, FL. If you’ve ever been in a rental car with a bunch of racers, you’ll know that it could be a scary, scary experience. (Note: ALWAYS get the full coverage insurance) They were on their best behavior,however, and kept me quite entertained until it was time for me to check in. What a great time!

The plane ride back was a little interesting… after being delayed at the gate for 30 minutes due to a ground stop by the traffic-jammed ATL airport, we finally take our spot on the runway. The pilot then comes over the air to inform us that the Air Traffic Controllers are really confused and have given them two different take-off times. That’s always reassuring. We’re delayed another 15-20 minutes while they figure it out.

So, I end up landing in Atlanta around 10pm. To make matters worse, I think I ate a bad sandwich at the airport, because I think I have food poisoning today. BLAH

FLASHBACK: My first drag racing experience

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One of the most common questions I am asked after people get over the initial shock of me announcing that I am a die-hard drag racer, is “How the heck did you get into THAT?”

I think the answer that most people would expect is that I was daddy’s little tomboy that probably grew up at the drag strip along side my father, or brother, or uncle or some other relative. But that’s not what happened.

Truth is, my parents could hardly change a tire. They were a conservative, military family that based their automotive decisions on practicality and reliability, not on prowess and horsepower. So where exactly did I pick up this obsession with all things automotive? The honest answer is: I have no clue.

My earliest car memories started when I was about 7 years old. I remember sitting in the back seat of the painfully practical Chrysler K car, counting out loud whenever I passed a Corvette. (I can’t believe I just admitted that out loud… I was young and didn’t know any better) I remember Mami asking me what I was counting, and my answer was Corvettes. There was a look of complete bewilderment on her face, A) that I even knew what a Corvette looked like, and B) that I would be spending my time counting them on the highway. Although she had no clue what sparked my interest in a Corvette to begin with, I do remember getting a small RC replica of a little Gold Corvette for Christmas that year.

My next memory of automotive influence came at the expense of Mami’s lead-footed driving style. By now, the “yellow lemon” as I endearingly referred to our K-car, had been traded in for a 1988 Pontiac Grand-Am. I was at the dealership when they bought the car, listening to the sales person intently as he boasted about the QUAD-4 engine, and other features. Mami was more concerned with the color combos available, Papi was trying to keep the cost down and ensure that the warranty was fully protective. I was impressed and raving about the E.F.I. and QUAD-4 engine, even though I had no clue what that meant. What I did learn when Mami was driving and Papi wasn’t around, was that the car was much more powerful than the old lemon. And believe me, Mami quickly developed the reputation of having a lead-foot, mainly because I was quick to brag on her fast driving… something she referred to as “tattling”.

I believe if given the opportunity, Mami would’ve made a great stunt driver. Best example: I was sick from Asthma on a drive home from my uncle’s gym. There was a large hump in the road crossing a major intersection in my hometown. The speed limit, I believe was 30 mph. All I can say, is that Bo & Luke have NOTHING on Mami. We hit that thing doing 70 mph and were completely airborne for a moment. I might’ve been sick, but that was still a rush…

By the time I hit high school, I had come to my senses, and developed a love for Mustangs. That was around the time that the SN-95 retro-look mustang was introduced, and I really thought they were sexy. A kid in my class drove up in a yellow Boss adorned Mustang on his 16th birthday. I just was in awe of that car. It sounded mean, it looked great, and I definitely was envious. A friend of mine ended up with a V6 version of that car, and I managed to con him into letting me drive it one night after a volleyball game. I pulled out of the Taco Bell parking lot, and laid into the throttle. Ryan grabbed every “Oh Crap” handle in the car, and with a nervous laugh asked me to take it easy. Its funny looking back, because I didn’t know it then, but that was the first time driver’s instinct kicked in for me.

My first knowledge of drag racing came courtesy of my first love… Jason’s family was more of the traditional motorsports variety. Father and sons out at the drag strip every weekend. He grew up in it, and frequented the track with his father and older brother, who raced. I remember him telling me one Friday night that he was going to the racetrack. I asked if I could go too, and he turned me down. I think he thought that I just wanted to tag along as an annoying girlfriend and had no real interest in the sport. It’s ironic that I would see his brother and father again, a few years down the road pulling my own racecar into the staging lanes. He never said anything about it… but I secretly gloated in a “So there” moment at that meeting. And I also secretly reveled in the fact that my little “street car” eventually became faster than their racecar. But who’s keeping score, right?

Back to my own first experience… after graduating high school, I acted on my newfound adulthood freedoms, I bought my first car. It was a 1990 Mustang GT 5.0. By now, I had begun dating a fellow enthusiast (looking back, the only good thing about him was his car…. I’m a sucker for notchbacks) and he had a handful of Mustang driving friends. We formed a little car club… “Horsing Around”… I know, can we say “Cheesy”?!? Our first trip to the drag strip was in August of 1998. Dave, Chris, Aaron and I all were first-timers at the strip, and not being much of a spectator, I pulled my car in line in the staging lanes for street car drags. After some brief pointers from some young guy in a tricked out Supra, I bypassed the water box and staged the car for the first time. 15.8 seconds of idle-leaving, granny shifting later… I crossed the quarter mile finish line at a breakneck 91mph. I was hooked.

From there, the rest is history. But I still have that original time slip… my very first time down the ¼ mile.

What was YOUR first racing experience like?

FIG for the weekend

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There is a certain name assigned by crewmembers that is well known in the pits for the drivers/tuners who have the fortune of flying in at the last minute and do not go on circus act road show that the rest of the crewmembers log over the year. They call them F.I.G.s–

(F)LY
(I)N
(G)UY (or GAL)

While the rest of the crew logs thousands of miles, and works around the clock, F.I.G.s get to jump out of their 1st class seats into their hotrod seats and then right back onboard after the weekend is over. It has become standard practice that F.I.G.s become the butt of all crewmember jokes… I’ve joked along with them, because I tow my racecar all across the country in an old, stiff F350 work truck and a 53ft. ’86 model trailer by myself and know what its like and how spoiled the F.I.G.s really seem to be sometimes. I’ve pulled those all nighters… driving straight through the night… racing all weekend, and then heading home through the morning and straight to work with no sleep.

This weekend, however, I get to experience what its like to be a F.I.G. Well, sort of. I’ll be flying into Richmond, VA for the weekend’s Fun Ford Weekend Old Dominion event. Sadly, it will be without my racecar. Its STILL not done. I’m frustrated, I’m having withdrawals, and I’m the worst drag racing spectator in the world. I HATE being at a race where I should be racing… and having NO RACECAR. There are a thousand other things I should be doing this weekend… like saving money for the car instead of buying airline tickets, or trying to convince my buddies at Illusions Custom Paint why they should paint my car. But, I owe it to my very patient and understanding sponsors to make an appearance and try and represent them… car or no car. And I miss my racing family… Thank god Deb will be there to keep me sane!

Debbie and I also will be playing hostess to Lauren Elliot, from PNN.com. Lauren is working with Horsepower & Heels on some cool new ideas that will be coming in the very near future, including a new look for Horsepower & Heels.com as well as a regular TV segment. We’re excited, and very excited to show Lauren what drag racing and FFW are all about.

Tragedy at Children’s Charity event

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The Drag Racing community, and more specifically, the Pro Mod family has experienced another terrible tragedy.

In what would normally be a generous and good-natured gesture, the AMS Pro Mod team was putting on a show for the “Cars for Kids” benefit in Selmer, TN when an exhibition burnout went seriously wrong and sent the car into the crowd, killing several teenagers and injuring others.

Its a horrific accident that makes your stomach turn for the people involved. Its even more sickening as a racer knowing it could have been any of us… Some of the AMS crew are personal friends of mine, if not once removed, so its hard seeing people who you know are very caring and good people experience this type of tragedy.

18 years of an excellent benefit for children. 18 years they have entertained the crowds with parades, and with burnout exhibitions. This will be a learning experience for many, that despite how many times its been done before without incident, how experienced the driver is, or how good the intentions are, with these and any other machines… things can go amiss quickly and result in devastating consequences.

There is no doubt that this is a severe and horrific tragedy, one that no amount of speculation on what/who’s to blame will correct or return the lives that are lost. My prayers are with all involved… the families, the injured, the witnesses, and also to the driver and team.

The media is doing what it does best… looking to point the blame. People are already crucifying Troy, who is absolutely paralyzed from grief over this incident already. They are blaming event promoters, the city, the officials, and of course… drag racing as a whole. They are digging up old, unrelated incidents in which to crucify Troy to the public. And they are looking for blood… it amazes me how quickly people turn green with greed to collect on lives that have perished.

Here’s a few convenient quotes and comments used by the media to sensationalize this story, and what I believe to be the truth behind them. I may not have all the right answers, I do not claim to know it all, but some of these comments are just downright ignorant.

“There’s a button inside the car that you hold down, and it holds the front tires down during a burnout,” said Griffin, 19. “If the throttle gets hung, or if your foot gets caught, then you’ll take off and you wouldn’t be able to stop.”

First of all, since when did a 19 year old wannabe racer become a 5 year drag racing “veteran”? 5 years makes him a veteran? Damn, I’ve been racing for 10– that must make me a racing master. And if he’s been racing for 5 years, that would make him 14 when he started… before he was legally able to drive a car. I don’t think Jr. Dragsters are adequate experience to compare to a Pro Mod by any stretch. And secondly, the device he’s referring to is a line-lock, which promods, funny cars, and fuel cars DON’T USE in a burnout. They are commonly used on non-blown configurations to aid in burnouts, and in staging procedures… and have absolutely NOTHING to do with getting the car to stop after a burnout. I do have a line lock on my car, mainly to help get the tires spinning. I push it to lock the front tires, throttle the car, and as soon as the tires begin to spin, I let GO of the button and allow the car to then move forward in the same fashion as blown promods. They just have more torque and don’t need help getting the tires spinning from start.

NOTE: After a day of flooded emails undoubtedly, most of the AP articles I searched have been amended to remove this misnomer by our dear drag-challenged 19 year old friend, Griffin.

“What idiot thinks its safe to be flying down a public road at 150mph?!? That’s negligence.”

I suppose this person has a radar gun suck up his hindquarters. Let’s break this down: the video and event coverage show the burnout to have lasted less than 3 seconds total, and the distance covered to have been a couple hundred feet. Now, if this very car under perfect “track conditions” and complete traction can only accelerate to 190 mph in 4 seconds flat over an 1/8th mile segment, then what idiot would think he could reach 150mph, tires ablazing in white smoke, in 3 seconds and less than 300 feet?

“Troy Warren Critchley pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in April 2000, according to court records from Loudoun County, Va.”

It seems that the AP journalist by the penname “Woody Baird” has a real agenda against drag racing and of portraying Troy as a murder, instead of reporting on the facts of a charity event that resulted in a tragic ACCIDENT. Critchley and the entire crew voluntarily submitted to drug/alcohol testing, with the results being NEGATIVE. What bearing does this have with the accident other than to try and imply that Critchley might have been intoxicated in the event, a complete defamation of character and complete disregard for the facts?

The founder of Cars for Kids, Larry Price, was standing in the road during the burnout, signaling each driver when to start and stop. Drivers usually burn their tires for 20 to 50 feet, Price said, but Critchley went much farther before losing control.

Price said he waved his arms trying to get Critchley to stop, but the car was already past him.

“I was trying to get him out of it, you know,” Price said.

Another gem by Mr. Baird. First some background: Price is the fellow standing in the street wearing overalls in the crash video. Now, take a close look at the video… the throttle blades on the injector hat were CLOSED at that point, but the momentum had not subsided. You can hear the engine come down as he passes Mr. Price. He did exactly as told. What happened after that was the result of conditions and terrible tragedy.

Here’s one quote that hasn’t made its way to the wire….

Rodger Pitchford, 18, a spectator who suffered a broken right leg and chipped vertebrae, said two police cars drove down the parade route and advised spectators to move farther back from the road. People heeded the warning initially then moved back up for a better look, he said.

“It was our choice to stand there,” he said. “We shouldn’t have been that close. If we had stayed back, I don’t think that many people would have been injured because we would have had time to move out of the way.”

God forbid someone not seek a scapegoat to an accident. That’s not good news.

Its just maddening that people cannot for one minute focus on what is important in this situation… the people’s lives and the respect owed to them.

Want to do something to help? DONATE HERE to the charity and make some good come out of this tragedy.

Nothing stands between a girl and her racecar

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And I do mean NOTHING.

This past weekend, I made the trip from Alabama to Chicago,IL to pick up the new Mustang body. Not at all one of my best weekends. I left by myself Friday after work, determined to make it up and back and bring the new “Bessie” home. Sounds simple enough, right? Of course not.

My Floridian grown behind got my first experience of driving in icy, snow-ladened conditions courtesey of a winter storm hitting the north that I learned was named “The Clipper“. Not only had I never driven in icy conditions and knew nothing about what to expect, but I also got the trial-by-fire experience of learning to navigate those roads in a Truck and Trailer. I’m glad to report that I made it safe and sound, after only minorly freaking out on desolate I-57 in Illinois where there wasn’t a diesel pump open or accessible for miles.

So my 12 hour trip looked more like 20+hours, but I finally made it to VFN Fiberglass in Addison, IL on Sunday morning, and made it all worthwhile. Armando was nice enough to meet me on his day off to get it loaded and on my way. And let me tell ya, that wasn’t an easy task!

Because nothing at all… not even a Northern Snow Storm can stand between a girl and her racecar.

That’s TRUE LOVE.