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Ireland Karting Driver, Alyx Coby

March 10, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

At an age where most of her schoolmates are preoccupied with music, fashion and the average tweenager rites of passage, 11 year-old Alyx Coby is making her presence known in the Ireland Karting scene.

Hailing from Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland, Alyx grew up around the karting world. Her father, Gary, raced them when he was much younger, and her uncle Aaron still competes. For her, it was inevitable that she would end up behind the wheel herself, and she took that opportunity by testing shortly after her eighth birthday. Her father and uncle coached her on mastering one skill at a time, gaining seat time in testing when the opportunities were available.

“My dad and my uncle took me out for some test days after my eighth birthday and it’s just been a case of getting out for as much testing as possible and working on one particular thing at a time to get it right before moving on to the next thing.”

In 2013, she entered her first official race. She would capture a few top 5 finishes that year, winning two novice finals in her rookie season. Her second season, she continued to improve, winning her first qualifying heat and appearing on the podium several times. But her third season in Karting would be a breakout year for Alyx Coby. She won three finals and set six fastest lap records, finishing the season in 5^th place for the championship.

“I had a great start to the year and at the third round of the championship I finished in second place in the two qualifying heats and went on to win both finals on the day. That’s when I knew that I had what it took to be successful in karting. I always enjoyed racing, but this was when I really fell in love with it.”

At the end of the year in 2015, Alyx Coby made the jump up to the IAME X30 Junior class, becoming the youngest driver and the first girl to race the class in Ireland. The class features 125cc engines that produce 28 horsepower and can reach speeds up to 70 miles per hour. Alyx will be competing in the IAME X30 Junior class for the Motorsport Ireland Karting Championship this season in a new, more powerful FA-Alonso Kart.

“Being the first girl to win a national final at cadet level in Ireland was pretty special and unique. Nobody else will ever be able to say that. There are not that many girls racing karts in Ireland so a lot of the time when I do something I’m the first to do it. Last year I became the first girl to race the IAME X30 in Ireland.”

With the new class and kart comes new challenges. Alyx works hard away from the track to meet the physical demands of the sport – aiming at increasing her strength and upper body control.

“My new kart for the 2016 season is bigger and more powerful than the one I used in the Cadet class for the last three years and the tyres have a lot more grip so it requires more effort to get the kart through the corners. After my first few long runs in the kart my arms were really sore so I have had to spend the winter doing extra training to build up the strength in my arms. I recently started doing Karate and train four nights a week for two hours and also on Saturdays. It is really helping me and it is a lot of fun too.”

At the track, Alyx’s only focus is driving and improving her skills on the track. Her father handles the business side of the team: loading/unloading the truck, getting them to the races, setting up awnings, setting up kart for competition. But Alyx is beginning to learn from him on the basic mechanics of the kart and how to set it up, adding that for now, she’ll leave it to the experts. She focuses on fine tuning her driving skills, adding more race events whenever possible to increase her experience.

“Testing only gets you so far, you still need racing experience to improve. Having somebody else to use as a target or reference on track is so much more valuable that just doing lap after lap in testing on my own so I try to get out as often as I can in local club meetings in between the Championship races and over the winter.”

The demands and discipline needed to be successful in karting help Alyx at school to focus and concentrate and have helped develop her self-esteem.

“It has made me tougher and more determined and winning my first few races gave me more confidence in myself, that I could do anything if I put my mind to it. Being around older drivers has also helped me to be more mature than a lot of girls my age.”

Between the demands of her race schedules, school and karate, Alyx doesn’t have the typical life of an 11 year-old. At first, her classmates didn’t understand her passion for racing, and what she was involved with. But that all changed after her first win received some local news coverage.

“When they first heard I was racing karts they thought it was just like bumping cars or the little rental karts they have at some tracks. It was only after I won my first race and appeared in the local newspaper that they realised what it was I did. Now they all think it is pretty cool and some of them keep up to date with what I’m doing by checking the news on my website or following my Facebook and Instagram accounts!”

But even with her success, Alyx Coby has faced some obstacles in her path. Two years ago, the young racer was involved in a big crash at the beginning of the season that led to her kart rolling over several times and ejecting her from the seat. She was ok, and wasn’t badly injured physically, but the emotional side shook her up considerably. Through time, experience and motivation from her father and uncle, she works to overcome the lingering obstacles that the crash created.

“I have a fear of crashing,” said Alyx. “… It took me a while to get used to being in the middle of a big group of karts. I’ll get over that with a bit more experience though.”

For now, Alyx is excited to take the next step in her racing career. Her racing role model is her father, who she looks up to in the sport. His support and guidance have meant everything to the young driver, who is eager to follow in his footsteps and make him proud.

“My dad is my racing hero. People at the track are always telling me they remember him racing when he was younger and tell me stories about when they raced against him so I really want to be as good as he was. I think my biggest fear is coming in after a bad race and having to face my dad and explain to him what went wrong!”

With a bright future in front of her, Alyx Coby is determined to carve out a career in motorsports. She is putting in the work to improve as a driver, with ultimate hopes of a future in Formula 1 racing.

“When I’m older I would love to race cars and maybe go all the way to F1 but for now I’m focusing on karting and the main goal is to win the Motorsport Ireland Karting Championship at least once.”

One thing is certain, we have just seen the start of a bright career for Alyx Coby.

Best of luck this season!

Video from Alyx Coby Racing

Alyx Coby – On board video. March 5th 2016Some more on board footage from the 360 camera.

Posted by Alyx Coby Racing on Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Mid-race class switch for Haley James

March 8, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Reigning NMRA Coyote Modified champion, Haley James and team showed up in Bradenton for the 22nd Annual Nitto Tire NMRA Spring Break Shootout ready to defend her title for the 2016 season. The Horsepower & Heels 2015 Female Rookie of the Year winner would begin her sophmore season of drag racing in qualifying for Coyote Modified on Friday. With a strong 8.438 second E.T. at 155.60 mph pass, Haley would take the provisional No. 4 position entering Saturday’s qualifying sessions. The team stayed busy in the pits making a few changes under the car Friday evening, and many presumed that they would return on Saturday to climb the CM qualifying ladder.

Haley James swaps to Renegade — Gone is her hard-earned CM1 decals, replaced with her new Renegade class designation.

Mid-race class switch

But in a surprising move, Saturday morning word began to circulate that the CM class designation and Haley’s No.1 champion decal had been removed from the copper Hellion B-Team coupe, replaced with a new class and number – a mid-race class switch for Haley James to the Renegade class. Though they had contemplated a switch during the off season, Haley stated that the decision to move up wasn’t decided until after the opening round of qualifying.

“Knowing that I am wanting to go faster and move up, we just decided that now was the time to do it since it is the first race,” Haley said of the sudden change of class between Friday and Saturday qualifying rounds.

Haley James engine program — Outpowered in Renegade trim, Haley’s CM program will be revised to meet the new Renegade class requirements.

Though not prepared to the Renegade class rules, Haley opted to race her former Coyote Modified entry in the Renegade class for the weekend to pick up the opening event points in the class. The smaller mandated turbo, heavier base weight, air-to-air intercooler setup and other Coyote Modified restrictions would put James at a significant disadvantage in the faster, 7 second class. But the Spring Break Shootout in Bradenton is one of six NMRA championship events, and by qualifying and racing in the class with her former CM program, Haley gives herself a chance to contend for the Renegade championship by accumulating some points at the opener.

Starting over in Qualifying

After a few minor adjustments and her new Renegade class number in place, Haley headed into Saturday qualifying for a shot at the eliminations ladder. She posted a best of 8.217 seconds at 164.29 mph, good enough for the No. 6 qualified position in the class out of 7 competitors. Unfortunately, this placed her on the wrong side of the ladder, taking on her Hellion B-Team teammate and reigning Renegade class champion, Frank Varela in the opening round of eliminations on Sunday.

B-Team Showdown

First round of eliminations would be a Hellion B-Team showdown, and the teammates decided to have a little fun and put on a show for the fans.

“We knew I didn’t have the power to take on Frank in Coyote Modified trim, so we decided to have a little fun on the starting line and during the burnouts,” Haley said of her first round in Renegade.

Both cars pulled into the water box and jumped on the throttle, rolling out a pair of crowd-friendly John Force-style smokey burnouts that carried well beyond the starting line. Haley edged Frank out by rolling hers just a bit further, to the cheers of fans watching on the sidelines. In staging, the concentration was on for reaction time bragging rights, and BOTH drivers posted identical 0.084 second reaction times.

But Frank quickly put some distance between them, posting a 7.730 second, 180.94 mph run across the finish line. Though she would run her best of the weekend, Haley’s 8.181 second, 166.38 mph pass wasn’t enough to keep up with the Renegade class champion.

The team will return to their Albuquerque, New Mexico base and begin work on getting the car into Renegade trim. Their next stop will be the 8th Annual NMRA/NMCA All Star Nationals presented by Miller Welders, April 7-10, 2016 at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, GA.

Behind the scenes: Aerospace Components

March 7, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Kim Kussy, the inspiring President/CMO and Finalist for Professional of the Year, recently gave Horsepower & Heels a behind-the-scenes tour of the Aerospace Components facility. Check out how Kim, husband and co-owner Al Kussy, and their team of amazing employees at Aerospace deliver 100% Made in the USA, top-notch, high quality products and solutions to the drag racing industry.

Located in the beautiful city of St. Petersburg, Florida, the Aerospace Components facility is minutes away from the exquisite beaches of the Gulf coast. Now a state-of -the-art 35,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, the company that Kim and Al began nearly 30 years ago has evolved from its original roots of government contracting work, where they machined parts that were utilized in defense and aerospace projects such as the international space station. In those early years, Kim and Al worked their full-time day jobs before spending their evenings building the Aerospace business.

Aerospace Components Tour

Take the tour with us by scrolling through the photo gallery below:

Aerospace Components

2625 75 Street North
St Petersburg, FL 33710
Phone: (727) 347-9915
Online: http://www.aerospacecomponents.com

First win in Top Fuel for Leah Pritchett

February 29, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

NHRA racer Leah Pritchett earned her first career win in the Top Fuel class this weekend during the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona. The emotional win not only marked the first win in Top Fuel for Leah Pritchett, but the all-female final also had historical significance for women as well. Pritchett had previously campaigned limited schedules in Top Fuel during the 2014 & 2015 seasons with Dote Racing, before becoming a free-agent at the end of 2015.

First win in Top Fuel for Leah Pritchett

After qualifying in the No. 10 position with a 3.859 second, 314.31 mph effort, Leah Pritchett would begin Sunday’s eliminations facing JR Todd in round one. She would take the lead off the starting line and never look back, running 4.361 at 245.54 mph to Todd’s losing 4.612 at 168.05 mph.

In round two, she would face former NHRA Top Fuel champion, Antron Brown. However, this match was over before it began, as Brown left before the tree, handing Leah a rare red-light victory. Undeterred in the other lane, she ran 3.808 at 322.19 mph to earn lane choice entering the next round.

For the semi-finals, Leah would face Clay Millican, a competitor she had yet to beat in Top Fuel competition. Maintaining stealth-like reactions on the tree, she was able to defeat Millican with a 3.832 at 317.05 mph to his losing 3.878 at 299.86 mph. A clean pass, but not enough to secure lane choice. Pritchett would advance to her second career final in Top Fuel, where she would be facing fellow female racer, Brittany Force. Last season, Pritchett reached the final round in Atlanta, where she took the runner-up against Antron Brown.

Historic All-Female Top Fuel Final

Leah vs. Brittany in the final — Photo: NHRA

Much anticipation built for the all-female final round. Both racers were vying for their first career Top Fuel victory, and both had made big changes in the off-season that were making quite a difference in their on-track performances: Leah having joined the Quaker State/BVR team full-time for 2016, and Brittany’s Monster Energy team forming an alliance with reknowned tuning ace Alan Johnson. Statistically speaking, Leah had the advantage over Brittany in their previous meetings at 3-1, but Brittany had run consistently in the 3.70 range all day Sunday. It was anyone’s race to win.

When the tree dropped, Leah’s consistency at the tree would pay off, taking the advantage off the line with a 0.046 second reaction over Brittany’s 0.067. Both thundered down the track side-by-side, but Leah would hang on for the victory with a 3.775 second, 323.12 mph performance to Force’s faster, but losing 3.774 at 321.35 mph pass. Her quickest run of the weekend, the hole-shot marked the first win in Top Fuel for Leah Pritchett.

It is the happiest day of my life, besides getting married, of course,” said Pritchett. “This is what dreams are made of.”

The win pushes Leah Pritchett and her Quaker State/ BVR team to the No. 5 position in championship points so far this season, after she was eliminated in the first round at the season opener in Pomona.

I feel like I just won the Super Bowl, even though it’s only the second race and it’s not the U.S. Nationals. For me, it’s an incredible personal and Professional victory to be able to compete with the team that I’m with.”

The first win in Top Fuel for Leah Pritchett placed her name in the record books as the eighth female driver to win in the Top Fuel category, and the 16th woman to win a Mello Yello Series race. Leah and Brittany’s match-up marked the first all-female Top Fuel final since Shirley Muldowney defeated Lucille Lee in Columbus, Ohio back in 1982. It also marked only the forth all-female professional class final in the Mello-Yello series history, with the last coming when Angelle Sampey and Karen Stoffer battled it out in Pro Stock Motorcycle last season in Norwalk, Ohio.

First Lady of F1 Maria Filippis

February 22, 2016 // by Taylor Hyatt

Formula 1 recently released the unfortunate news that Maria Teresa de Filippis had passed away on January 8^th, at 89 years of age. The Italian driver was the first woman to start a Formula 1 race which happened in the late 1950’s.

This got me thinking about how little we acknowledge the early generation of female, auto racing pioneers. We are always taking about the girls currently in the news making headlines about what a great season they’re having or what a great year it was for women in the sport which is great, but what about the ladies that made it possible for those articles to be written? Let’s talk about them!

Maria Filippis | The First Lady of F1

Maria Filippis is only one of two women to ever have the opportunity to race in Formula 1 and it’s been over 40 years since Lella Lombardi, the second female to start an F1 race, last start in 1976. When asked about being the minority in the sport by Red Bulletin Filippis had a typical answer for the time.

Of course there was prejudice, along the lines of what’s that woman doing here?”

Maria Filippis wasn’t a stranger to auto racing or competition, especially in Italy. Having driven sports cars previously, with many class wins, and participating in prestigious races such as the Mille Miglia, an endurance road race, dating back to 1927.

Maria took the green flag in three Grand Prix races, driving a Maserati 250F, a very popular car at the time. She managed to place 10^th in her first race in Belgium, but in Portugal and Monza she had to pull the car in early due to engine failure.

Unfortunately, after having an awful accident herself, colliding with a light pole, and seeing her Porsche team boss, and friend, Jean Behra, lose his life in a fatal on-course crash Maria decided the risks of racing were too high. She retired in 1959 and never looked back. She was very emotional about the experience in her interview with the Observer in 2006.

That, for me, was the most tragic because it was in a race that I should have been taking part in.”

After many years of marriage and raising children, Maria Fillipis became secretary general of the Club International des Anciens Pilotes de Grand Prix in 1984. In 1997 she became Vice President for retired drivers and most recently, honorary president in 2011.

In the U.S. we had Janet Guthrie and Lynn St. James. In Italy, they had Maria Teresa de Fillipis. Think of the possibilities and how the sport could have changed for women if she would have continued her racing career. Still, we wouldn’t be where we are without her.

Girl Trouble – Courtney Mageau

February 17, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Edmonton, Alberta native Courtney Mageau grew up immersed in Drag Racing. The youngest in a family of four girls, her father and grandfather had raced alcohol altereds and funny cars while she was growing up. The elder girls often would accompany dad to the track, while Courtney and her other sister stayed home with their mom. At bigger events, when the entire family would attend the race, Courtney remembers sitting in the stands to cheer on her dad.

…Although I didn’t know much about cars and engines, I loved sitting in the stands when my dad went up to race.”

Each of her older sisters were given shots in the junior dragster ranks, but none really took to the sport. That was until, at age 12, Courtney raised her hand… “Hey, do I get a turn?” and a new legacy was born.

I don’t know if I’ll ever truly understand my motivation to start racing in the first place. I think part of it was wanting to do something that was unique, that none of my friends did. Another part of it was getting to spend quality time with my dad. The other piece of it was having grown up a pretty shy, un-athletic, kind of scared kid, I was just grasping at straws trying to find something to be passionate about! Whatever the reason, I started racing when I was 13 and haven’t looked back.”

Starting with the junior dragster she raced at 13 years-old, Courtney Mageau felt she had a bit of a late start to the sport.

People are often surprised to hear I started racing so young, but drag racers know that is almost a late start for kids, with many starting to run the class at 7 or 8 years old.”

Still, she traveled with her father and grandfather to different tracks, racing in different conditions and facing new competitors she wasn’t familiar with. Though she was gaining experience, she didn’t have many breakthrough moments in the class, finishing 2^nd only once during her three-year stint in the Junior Dragster ranks.

I had a lot of fun, but I wouldn’t exactly say my car was competitive.”

Moving Up – Crewing and Brackets

When she turned 16, Courtney sold her Junior Dragster and focused her energy on becoming a crewmember on her father’s team for the next two years. In 2009, she would climb back behind the wheel to earn her competition license in an ET Bracket Dragster, running twice that season.

But her big breakthrough moment came during the 2010 season, when Courtney would take home the championship at the IHRA Rocky Mountain Nationals in the Top ET category. 19-year-old Mageau fought through a full, tough field to land herself the victory in the class.

It felt like I had to win more rounds in that event than I had won in my cumulative years of racing in the junior program! The whole weekend, I kept waiting for the spell to break, but it didn’t. To experience my first career win at such a high profile event is indescribable. After going home that weekend, I approached racing with higher confidence and higher stakes! There have been many more rounds and events won since then, but nothing compares to that first-time feeling.”

She spent 6 years in the class, while working on and receiving her Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Alberta in 2013. In addition to her driving duties, Courtney handles sponsor relations, and social media marketing for the team, also working in the shop 2-3 times per week as crew, doing maintenance on the car, while balancing workload at an engineering firm in Human Resources/Recruiting.

My Bachelor’s degree in commerce has helped quite a bit to build my confidence speaking to people. If someone had told me 5 years ago that I would be primarily responsible for talking to sponsors, I would have freaked out. As it is, the transition has come pretty naturally.

I don’t think it matters what you take in school- but I’m a firm believer that those who stay in school and who go that step further to pursue post-secondary show a certain level of determination and commitment to get things done that will help them to be successful in motorsports.”

Girl-Trouble Funny Car

Now, 25-year-old Courtney Mageau will be following in the legacy of her father for a run at the Pro-Nostaglia Funny Car division, the Blown Alcohol Funny Car class that he competed in when she was a child, running 6.90- 7.50 seconds in the quarter mile.

After acquiring a 1955 Thunderbird Funny Car in October 2014, they spent the off-season preparing the car for competition. A used car that had sat untouched for nearly a decade, the team had their work cut out for them, making repairs and improving the engine combination.

Last year, Courtney earned her competition license in the class, and plans a full season of competition in 2016 “Girl Trouble” T-Bird.

I’m very excited because this is the class my dad was racing in when I first got into Junior Dragster driving, and many of the people he raced against are still driving in the class (as are some of their sons). I’m the first female to license in this class in Alberta. I get the privilege to pave the way for other female drivers in Western Canada, along with Sherri Bodnarchuk who hails from Saskatchewan, Canada. I plan to stick to this class for a couple of years and see where things take me from there!”

Courtney leans on the nearly 50 years of racing experience behind her family name, crediting her father as her main coach since day one, adding “His advice is gold. I trust him and know that together we have what it takes to win.”

Their biggest road block, like many racers, is in finding resources and finances to be competitive. Growing up in a big family, the team came from humble beginnings, and work hard to make their efforts and resources last in such an expensive sport.

Every car I have raced has been purchased used and repaired by our family and skilled crew. Some racers have the luxury of pushing their cars to the limits- and if something breaks, they replace it. We don’t have that option, and are always fighting to put together the best racecars we can with limited resources. Our sponsors help keep things affordable, but we have to be creative and slowly build things as we move to the next level. That’s been the biggest challenge.”

With the Drag Racing community being one of the most supportive of women, she has always felt very welcomed by her racing counterparts.

If people are critical, they are careful not to say it to my face! If anyone scoffs when they see me (or any other girls) driving up in the other lane, I would be pleased. Only half of the sport of drag racing takes place on the track- the other half takes place in your head. The amount of focus it takes to react and to make decisions when you’re running at 170 mph+… I like to think that if someone’s not taking me seriously just because I’m a female, then they aren’t entirely bringing their A-game, and they’re probably going to make mistakes for it. The best way to dispel any nay-sayers is to kick their butts.”

But outside the sport, many people are shocked to learn that Courtney is a drag racer.

The overall mix of being young, female, and working in an office environment doesn’t fit the “Race Car Driver” stereotype. No one ever believes that I drive these cars until I show them pictures or videos or the oil under my fingernails! I am fortunate that when people get over the initial surprise, they are supportive and excited. “

Things get pretty chaotic at the track between driving the racecar and handling all of the crew responsibilities of doing the maintenance between runs, but Courtney is very dedicated to remaining available to the fans. She knows how important their support is to the sport and the tracks, especially loves talking to the kids, and the young ladies in particular, about what she does at the racetrack. She takes photos with them in the car, answering questions and hoping to inspire them to achieve their dreams. Having been on her own career-journey, she offers this advice:

Don’t be afraid to ask for (or offer) help. If you’re looking to get your start on a team, spend some time wandering around the pits getting to know the teams and seeing if any are willing to train new crew. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. If your school offers a trades or automotives option, take it! Even if you don’t become involved in racing, the skills you learn in these classes will benefit you for your whole life. Don’t feel afraid to break the stereotype of “male hobbies” or “female hobbies.” And don’t be afraid to be well-rounded or to try new things. When I was in highschool, I was on my school’s cheerleading team. If you want to see someone raise their eyebrows, tell them you’re a cheerleading dragracer. But who’s to say you can’t be both?”

We couldn’t agree more. We can’t wait to see Courtney Mageau and her Girl Trouble Funny Car in 2016 and beyond. We wish you all the best!

Rachel Kullman: Shifting gears in SCCA Racing

February 9, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Most high school graduates are just venturing out to explore the possibilities of what the future can hold for them, but eighteen year-old Rachel Kullman has just shifted gears to a high-speed life on the fast- track of SCCA racing.

Rachel Kullman – the early years

Growing up, Rachel Kullman was no stranger to a track surface. Her father, Paul Kullman, owner of No Mo’ Money Race Engineering, began a career in sports car racing over 15 years ago. Rachel, her mom and sister would all accompany him to his racing events, cheering him on from the sidelines. When Rachel turned 11, her father treated her to a trip to DeSoto Speedway, a go-karting track in Bradenton, FL – an hour south of their Seminole, Florida home. Rachel was immediately hooked, and the family brought home her first kart that very same day.

Rachel was an active young lady, participating in soccer, karate, and dance throughout her elementary and middle school years. She balanced 7 years of karate, 4 years of soccer, 3 years of karting, and a year of dance with a busy academic workload. In high school, Rachel was dual-enrolled in both her regular curriculum and college coursework, getting a jump start on her college education. She now is enrolled at St. Petersburg Community College and plans to transfer to the University of Florida to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian. She also works at Vernon Photography during her time away from classes.

But despite her busy schedule, one thing has never left Rachel – a deep love for racing that fuels her passion to follow in her father’s footsteps. She competed in karts from 2009-2011, and says of the experience; “From there on, I was hooked on this addicting sport and have loved it ever since.”

Moving up: Rachel Kullman in SCCA

While racing in karts sparked her love for the sport, it was the time she spent in the team’s No Mo Money Racing shop that she began to learn more about the world of SCCA racing. Spending time at her father’s side, she was gaining valuable experience and knowledge about what it takes to compete in sports car racing. This hands-on experience would help her when it was time to get behind the wheel herself.

When we are at the track, my job is to grab whatever tool,equipment, etc. that he may need and run any errands that he may need to do like get fuel or go to the store to get more water or parts for the car. If we are doing an enduro race my duty is to be the fire bottle girl on pit stops. I also hand him any tools he needs on pit lane and help out with anything that I can. When we are not at the track, I try to come whenever I can to the shop and help him work on the cars.”

At 16 years-old, when many are just getting their driver’s license to drive for the first time, Rachel was attending her first SCCA driver schools: at Daytona International Speedway and Sebring International Speedway. These schools assign a teacher through SCCA to monitor students’ driving line and observe safety of new drivers. They test knowledge and reaction to flags (yellow, red, mechanical or “meatball”, black) and judge students’ understanding and response. Graduates of the school earn certificates, giving them the green light to compete in regional races. Once students complete two regional race weekends successfully, they are granted an official SCCA license. Rachel attended the schools in May and June 2014. She learned to improve her lines and cornering,and entered her first SCCA Majors race at Homestead Miami Speedway in January 2015 in her very own 1990 Mazda Miata prepped for the track. She moved on that month to the second race at Sebring, and the third event in February at NOLA Speedway in New Orleans.

In May 2015, she returned to the Daytona driver’s school to test a new transmission in her STU prepped Miata. All of the experience she had been gaining and her testing earned her a second place finish in a 90-minute enduro race at Daytona International Speedway that month, her first-ever enduro attempt. She would move on to compete at the 2015 SCCA Runoffs at Daytona International Speedway in September 2015, finishing 14^th overall. Rachel would finish out the 2015 season with a third place finish in the SCCA regional race, second place in the SCCA Regional Championship October race, and landing in the No. 3 position overall for the championship points trophy in the SCCA Regional Series.

Shifting gears – Rachel Kullman overcomes

In just her short year and a half in sports car racing, Rachel Kullman has exceeded all expectations, growing as a promising young driver in the STU ranks. She has been surprised at the attention and support she has received from her peers.

Being a girl doing a “guy sport”, people are actually very interested in what I do. I race with SCCA, and the people there are just absolutely amazing. They are always cheering for me and helping us with anything we may need, were just one big giant family.”

One memorable experience for Rachel came while at the Daytona school testing her new transmission.

I had only been racing for a year at this point and at the very end of the school there is a “mini race”. Being that this was a school there was a small number of experienced drivers like myself there. I believe there was four of us, and at the start of the race, us four pulled the rest of the pack by at least three seconds or so. There was one faster car, then there was me and this other Miata. Since we both have the same car the battle between us was pretty great. I was leading for most of it then I messed up in a corner and he passed me, but on the very last lap in the first horseshoe at Daytona International Speedway, I late braked him and passed him on the inside in front of all the instructors, workers and fans. When I came off the track I had a parade of people coming up to my car and clapping for me and telling me how awesome of a move that was. I had instructors come up to me that had seen me just a year before at my first driver school and tell me how impressed they were with how much my driving had improved. It definitely is a day I will never forget.”

Even with great support and encouragement, the learning curve of racing isn’t without its difficulties. Rachel said an early mistake on track hurt her confidence and created a roadblock she works hard to overcome.

One of the biggest roadblocks that I have had to overcome and still am over coming is to trust my car will do what it is supposed to do. When I first began racing, I was learning how to take the corners and when to enter and exit them. Due to entering the corner wrong I spun out on exit and someone who didn’t see me hit me. Ever since then I’ve had doubts in the car, thinking that it won’t stick even though it will.”

Rachel works to overcome this fear by studying her corners using iRacing, an online simulator software, where she is able to familiarize herself with the tracks and practice before she straps into the car to go out and race them. She also leans on her best friend, another more experienced racer, who helps her to analyze the corners, correcting them when they are wrong and offering solid advice that Rachel relates well to. With his assistance, Rachel has seen much improvement on the track, a fantastic boost to her confidence.

Miata’s are known for how they handle in corners, they don’t have very much speed but they handle corners so well that I have passed BMW’s and Mustangs going through corners. I am slowly but surely over coming this fear, and one day soon I will drive the car to its full potential and have 100% faith that it will hold out.”

With such a strong support system behind her, Rachel hasn’t ever felt any different being one of the few women racing. In fact, the only time her gender has ever been addressed was from one astonished man at the SCCA races.

While I was away helping the crew pack somethings into the trailer, a guy who knew me thru SCCA walked up to some of our crew mates and asked them, “does she really drive that good or is it just her car”. Our crew members replied that it really is my driving and not the car, and just walked away from the situation. When I found out about it, at first I took it as an insult because I knew he was just saying that because I’m a girl, but then I re-thought about what the guy said and realized that it actually was a compliment! Him asking that question, basically stated that he thought I was a good driver, and that’s all that matters to me.”

Rachel Kullman’s Plans for the Future

Rachel and her team are currently preparing a new racecar for the 2016 season, a 1999 Mazda Miata that will allow Kullman to be more competitive in the STU class. While she continues her studies and works towards her goal of becoming a veterinarian, she remains very dedicated to her racing program. Rachel plans to race in the Southeastern conference of the SCCA Majors this season, with aim at the SCCA Runoffs at Indianapolis Speedway. She is confident her team has what it takes, but needs sponsor support to make it happen. When not racing herself, she often works the corners at races, staying involved with the sport by waving the flags and making calls on the radio, something she takes great joy in doing.

To other young ladies entering the sport, she offers this advice:

Somethings that I have learned are to never give up on yourself. I personally had a hard time at first learning stick shift, but I practiced every day and now it’s like second nature to me. There is going to be lots of bumps in the road when it comes to racing and achieving your dreams, but don’t ever give up and don’t let anyone tell you that you won’t be able to do it.”

One thing is certain: she’s just taken off in what promises to be an exciting journey in sports car racing. We can’t wait to see where Rachel Kullman will take her SCCA career to next.

Best of luck this season, Rachel Kullman!

Enjoyed this article? You can keep up with Rachel’s career and hundreds of other women in racing by subscribing to receive free Horsepower & Heels news updates.

Teryx Girls ready for ‘The Hammer’

January 27, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

UTV off-road racers Sara Price and Erica Sacks are ready to take on their next big challenge to showcase their off-road endurance skills in their factory-sponsored Kawasaki Teryx. The pair have taken on some of the most extreme off-road sporting events, with Sara coming from a professional career in motocross racing, and Sacks from an accomplished gymnastics career and off-road racing and navigation experience to her credit. Together, they have formed one of the most well-known UTV off-road teams, nicknamed the “Teryx Girls”.

Rallye Aïche des Gazelles 2015

Teryx Girls at 2015 Rallye Aiche des Gazelle — Photo: http://www.utvunderground.com/

Last March, the Teryx Girls became the first U.S. team to compete in the side-by-side class of the world’s toughest all-female off-road event, The Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles. The event is a 9 day navigation challenge, where competitors are limited to manual compasses and hand-drawn maps to cross the Sahara desert. After a rough start in which the two tenacious girls slept alone in the middle of the Sahara, they were able to recover and finish 7th in the class. They also were the best finishers in the rookie category, finishing before all other first-time participants.

Heading to ‘Hammertown USA’

With the experience they gained over the variety of African terrains in their cross across the Sahara, the Teryx Girls have decided to set a new goal in 2016 of tackling the King of the Hammers event. Held in Johnson Valley, Calif., the one day off-road race course is a rough and rugged 120-mile stretch considered by many as one of the most extreme off-road races in the world. The Mean’s Dry Lake bed location is referred to as “Hammer Town U.S.A.” and the week-long events surrounding the race are a major pilgrimage for the off-road racing community. Terrain challenges for the Teryx Girls will include the sandy dry lake beds, rough open desert landscapes and very difficult rock canyons that will challenge their technical rock climbing experiences with obstacles significantly larger than their Kawasaki UTV.

New Teryx Girls 2016 Kawasaki UTV

For 2016, Kawasaki and a host of other sponsors have come on board to equip the Teryx Girls with a brand new race-outfitted 2016 Kawasaki Teryx UTV, one of the only factory-sponsored UTV race teams in the world. Taking valuable lessons learned at the Gazelle rally, the Teryx Girls were ready for the huge undertaking of outfitting a new race-ready UTV.

Both Sara and Erica are very hands-on in the preparation and build process. They brought on IMG Motorsports from Lake Elsinore, Calif. to help with fabrications and set-up; crafting the roll-cage, front bumpers, and the customized fabrication needed for mounts and other modifications.

For the cage we decided to go with a bolt-on build that offered plenty of room for the girls to access anything they might need. We wanted the Teryx to have a menacing look with extra bracing to protect them in case of a roll-over.In a sea of RZRs, its cool to see a Teryx out there competing.” stated James Hill, co-owner of IMG Motorsports.

Next up, they outfitted the UTV with a 4500 lb. Super ATV winch and skid plate system to assist in the rock crawling portion of the course. For wheel and tire selection, the Teryx Girls chose a 14″ Raceline Mamba beadlock wheel and 30″ Arisun tire combo, with Coyote ENT inner wheel/tire liners to provide maximum traction and reliability. Long travel suspension from HCR Racing was installed for added height, stability and maneuverability on the technical parts of the course. Custom axles were made by Summers Brothers to match the new wider rear differential design of the 2016 Teryx model.

Full navigation is on-board courtesy of Lowrance GPS, and the girls will communicate via Bluetooth intercom provided by PCI Race Radios. The Teryx also received some performance upgrades via an ECU flash by Benchmark Performance to remove speed governors, allowing the girls to push the limits of their UTV. The girls will sit snug and safe in PRP GT/S.E. suspension seats, 5.3 harnesses, and even added a pair of hand restraints.

Training for King of the Hammers

The Teryx Girls have been hard at work training for the event and getting acclimated with their new UTV. Preliminary tests left the Teryx Girls confident and pleased with how the Kawasaki performed in the ruthless canyon rock terrain. Neither of the Teryx Girls had much previous experience in rock crawling, so the experience was new and educational for them both.

I usually try to avoid rocks, but in this case you aim for the rocks for better clearance,” said Sara.

For navigator Erica Sacks, the event will provide even more of a physical challenge, as she will be climbing in-and-out of the UTV to set up for obstacles in addition to her navigating duties. Running ahead of the UTV, moving heavy rocks, and climbing around to set the winch will all be extremely demanding tasks physically and mentally, and Erica wants to be sure she’s ready for the challenge.

The last thing I want to do is puke in my helmet or slow the team down because I wasn’t prepared,” said Erica.

Their training to date has introduced them to various portions of the Hammer trails: Chocolate Thunder, Wrecking Ball, Sludge Hammer, and Claw Hammer. The Teryx Girls are ready for the challenge, and can’t wait to hit the King of the Hammers course!

King of the Hammers Event Info

10th Annual King of the Hammers
January 29 – February 6, 2016
Hammertown (Boone Rd)
Johnson Valley, CA 92285

King of the Hammers Race begins Friday February 5th, 2016 at 8:00AM and concludes at 10:00PM. For more details, please see the Full Week Hammertown Official Schedule

Tickets: $20 per person for the week/cash only. Tickets can be purchased at all hours from the front gate starting noon, Jan 29 thru Feb. 6. First-time attendees should consult Spectactor Rules and other important information.

Leave your comments below to support the Teryx Girls at the King of the Hammers!

Burning Out Burning Rubber: Stress Relief Strategies for Women in Motorsports

January 15, 2016 // by Paula Davis-Laack

Guest Blogger, Paula Davis-Laack Internationally published stress relief and resiliency expert.

I need to start this article with a confession. When I was asked to start blogging for Horsepower and Heels, only two names came to mind when I thought of women and motorsports: Danica Patrick and Lyn St. James. Watching the Indy 500 each year was religion in my family, and my dad is a diehard car nut (muscle cars from the 1960’s to be exact). His enthusiasm for cars spilled over to me, and I often joined him at car shows. When my dad took me drag racing for the first time at Great Lakes Dragaway in Union Grove, WI, I pulled my first holeshot and was hooked. Competition in any form is part of my DNA.

Fast forward a few years, and I’m now so excited to learn more about how many women are involved in motorsports at all levels. I burned out toward the end of my law practice, so I am keenly aware of the toll stress can take in a high pressure, high- stakes environment.

Motorsports is both high pressure and high-stakes, so here are five strategies to help you manage the stress:

Job craft. Job crafting is like Spanx for the workplace. It’s simply a way for you to re-shape your job to better suit your strengths, values and interests. Once you identify your values, strengths, and interests, you can think of new ways to expand or alter the tasks you perform, how you relate to your colleagues, and/or how you think about your job as a whole. For example, are you just a member of the pit crew or are you a trailblazer in a tough profession? That simple shift in how you think about your work can have ripple effects in terms of energy and engagement. Most people don’t land the perfect job – they have to mold it into something that is perfect for them.

Give yourself some credit – you’re “building the plane as you fly it.” When I started working for the Army teaching and training resilience skills to soldiers, launching the program was more important to the Army than making sure every single skill was perfectly designed. Army officials said of the program, “We are building the plane as we fly it.” When my mom was a teenager, her high school didn’t offer sports programs for girls because Title IX didn’t exist. Both of my grandmothers did factory work because getting an education beyond high school wasn’t emphasized, and even if they had gone to college, their professional options were limited. That’s not the case today. Women have many opportunities to pursue their educational and professional goals, but the problem is that we often don’t have a model to follow – we’re “building the plane as we fly it.” This is especially true of women in motorsports – you are true pioneers. Media messages, societal expectations, and the pressure we put on ourselves (and each other) have resulted in an impossible standard – “do it all and do it perfectly.” As a result, most high-achieving women I know are exhausted and burned out.

Determine your “Giver Type.” In his book Give and Take, Dr. Adam Grant offers a unique perspective on success and classifies people as givers, takers, or matchers based on their styles of social interaction. Takers like to get more than they give, givers are other-focused and prefer to pay attention to what other people need from them, and matchers are a blend, wanting an equal balance between giving and taking. Dr. Grant has identified different sub-sets of givers, two of which are “selfless” givers and “otherish” givers. Selfless givers give their time and energy without regard to their own needs (hey – it’s 3pm and I haven’t eaten yet today!). Selfless giving, in the absence of recovery, becomes overwhelming and can drive burnout. Otherish givers, however, find a way to balance giving with their own self-interest and self-care. As you probably guessed, selfless givers are more likely to burn out. You can determine your giving style at www.giveandtake.com.

Increase your diet of positive emotions. In the past two decades, positive emotions have emerged as a key element in building stress resilience. Positive emotions promote pro-social behavior (causing you to seek out help from others), spark health coping strategies (like becoming more solution-focused when under pressure), and reverse the negative physiological impact of stress. Studies show that high-performing individuals tend to experience positive to negative emotions at a ratio of about 3:1; for high-performing teams, that ratio is closer to 6:1. You can get your positivity ratio at www.positivityratio.com.

Turn your inner critic into your inner coach. This version of a Mark Twain quote so accurately captures how your inner critic can get in the way: “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” Whether you drag race, are part of a pit crew, or are behind the scenes, being a flexible, accurate, and thorough thinker under stress and pressure is a foundational skill set for resilience; however, thinking traps, your core beliefs about your life experiences, and runaway thinking, or catastrophizing, can sabotage even the best intentions. The good news is that with some simple techniques, you can retrain your brain so that your inner critic either shows up less frequently or with less intensity. I have a free worksheet to get you started.

Beyoncé calls her alter ego Sasha Fierce. If I had an alter ego, it would be some version of all of you. Motorsports needs more badass women like yourselves involved in all facets of the business. My mission is to help you continue to kick butt in this tough profession because your time, energy and talents are so needed.

Women of the Dakar Rally 2016

January 5, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Women of the Dakar Rally Raid

The Dakar Rally is an annual rally raid that began in 1978 from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal. Security issues resulted in the race being moved to South America in 2009. The event is regarded as one of the toughest endurance off-road races in the world, and is open to amateurs and professionals. There are four class categories: Bike, Quad, Car and Truck. The course is divided into Stages, some short and others 800 kilometers or more in a day. The South American Dakar course spans Argentina and Chile.

Below are some of the brave women attempting the Dakar in 2016.

Laia Sanz | KTM Racing #12 (Bike)

Laia Sanz | Women of the Dakar Rally — Photo Gregory Lenormand / DPPI

Barcelona’s Laia Sanz is competing in her sixth Dakar Rally. She finished the 2015 Dakar Rally in 9th place, the highest finish for a woman. Sanz is fresh off winning her fourth consecutive World Enduro Championship title, making her count up to 17 world championship crowns in all (four Enduro and 13 Trial).

Leaving the factory Honda team, she has switched to the works KTM squad for her sixth attempt at Dakar. Her new machine is an Austrian bike with more power and faster than anything she has ridden before.

To be part of the KTM team is a chance but it’s also the fruit of a lot of labour and effort. I have to make the most of this opportunity. I have the perfect situation for improving…there are no more excuses. I have the support of the entire team, who I’d like to thank for showing confidence in me. I wont try to finish on the podium, but I’d take a top 10 result no questions asked. Everyone is waiting for me to go for a top 5 but I have to remain realistic. The Dakar went so well last year but it will be hard to repeat that. It is true that if I did it once, I should try to do it again…but for now I am going to aim for the top 15, but then will see what happens. I have two very special memories over the five years I have taken part in the Dakar. The first is very personal: it was when I completed my first Dakar. There are no words to explain the emotions that I experienced at that moment. Competition wise, I still think about stage 8 last year, the one I finished 5th on. That was something very special.”

Rosa Romero Font | Himonisa Racing Team #93 (Bike)

Rosa Romero | Women of the Dakar Rally — Photo Gregory Lenormand / DPPI

Hailing from Spain, Rosa Romero is the wife of two-time Dakar winner, Nani Roma. She is attempting her fifth Dakar, after unsuccessful attempts at finishing in 2006, 2012, and 2014. She finally completed her goal of finishing the grueling Dakar Rally in 2015, resulting in 52nd overall.

Since then, she has been gaining experience and learning to tackle issues that she may encounter on the course. Building upon the confidence of finishing in 2015, she also gained valuable seat time at the Merzouga Rally, where she finished 22nd overall, and 2nd among women) and the Rally of Sardinia, finishing 44th overall and as the fastest woman.

[translated] “Last year was a slightly tense Dakar. All I wanted was to complete that, and really enjoyed it. Now that is done, and the goal is the same: to end, but enjoying it a little more. If the Dakar was an easier race, it would not be valued as much. Worth a lot of money, a lot of effort, a lot of hours of dedication, you get there and spend fatal, get up at three o’clock, you have some inhuman links, stages where you suffer and think … we are half fools! But then, you think you’ve been able to overcome all that and it is worth it. I liked [Dakar] since childhood because I saw it on TV and I loved the sand, adventure. When I turned 18, I convinced my father to help me buy a motorcycle. What I liked was not competition but travel. My dream was to go to Africa … and I did. I bought a Cagiva, a trail bike that was huge and I went to Morocco with friends. Gradually, I got to know people in the world of racing and getting further into it. Combining that life with family life is complicated.”

Camelia Liparoti | QuadsSVMag.com Maxxis #259 (Quad)

Camelia Liparoti | Women of the Dakar Rally 2016 — Photo Gregory Lenormand / DPPI

Italian-born Camelia Liparoti took an untraditional path to the Dakar Rally. The former Photo reporter specialized in skiing before discovering the Dakar on photo assignment in 2005. During a trip to Africa, she gained the opportunity to ride a quad and found her calling, finding many parallels to skiing in glide, speed, pitch and feedback.

The now resident of France first entered the Dakar in 2009, and was unable to finish. She hasn’t missed the event since, proving her worth with Top 15 finishes 2010-2015, with her best finish at 9th in 2012, and the first female moto-quad finisher in 2013. A six-time world rally champion offroad racer, she proves that she is a serious contender.

[translated “The Dakar is like a drug! We wait all year when we will return to this family, seeing familiar faces again and live the race all the way! The 2015 edition was difficult, especially during the episode of the Salar de Uyuni , and I finished the “mental “. This year I want to do a good Dakar, have fun. I have around me a successful team , the same as in previous years, and I always trust my Yamaha ATV without doubt the closest of the series of the plateau, to finish my seventh Dakar ! I have the record for the number of kilometers driven on the Dakar on a quad and records are made to be broken! I am pleased that the category continues to grow , we are 46 this year.”

Covadonga Fernandez Suarez | Dimaxpzo #281 (Quad)

Covadonga Fernandez Suarez \ Women of the Dakar Rally — Photo: Dakar.com

This is the first appearance at the Dakar Rally for Covadonga Fernandez Suarez. Originally from Gijón, Spain and now residing in Venezuela, she has trained both mentally and physically for the challenge. A strong showing at the Merzouga Rally where she finished 27th overall and first in the women’s quad category; as well as a 42nd finish at the Rally of Morocco helped strengthen her resolve to enter the Dakar.

[translated] “I worry about the hours I’ll be on the quad. For navigation I think we are well prepared, but marking a pace that makes us arrive at a reasonable time and not go off-course each day will be difficult. We want to avoid getting to that point where we have to surrender. That’s what scares me. With a level of sponsorship, as well as the support of many friends, we spent two years looking for economic resources, physically and emotionally preparing for this challenge … and here we are! I hope we succeed because for us it is a great dream. I’m not very quick but I have a great virtue in that I’m very persistent. I think the ability of suffering, going forward even though the going gets tough is a great asset to succeed in this type of challenge. When I started competing I was terrified. I did not know what it was, I felt I was not up to it, that it was too big a challenge, but I soon realized that there is those who fear and those who dare to try. If you fail, nothing happens, but if you never try you’ll know if you can or not … and that to me is sadder than fail.”

Annie Seel | Rally Raid UK #373 (Car)

Annie Seel | Women of the Dakar Rally 2016 — Photo Gregory Lenormand / DPPI

Nicknamed the ‘Little Princess of the Dakar’, Swedish born Annie Seel will attempt her eighth Dakar Rally, running the show as driver of the Rally Raid UK car.

Annie got her start at Dakar in 2002 on a bike where she finished 54th. In 2007, she finished 94th on the bike, 76th in 2009, and was the fastest woman on a bike in 2010 at 45th overall. Her last event on the bike was in 2011, finishing 83rd before she shifted gears as a Co-Driver in a car in 2014, and then team driver in 2015, where they made it through Stage 5 before succumbing to clutch issues.

This year, she will not be forced to follow and assist another team car, and will be pushing to finish the race with her new co-driver.

…For this edition, Paul Round gave me a call to tell me that a car was available for me if I wanted it but that I should have to pay. I immediately said yes but had no money in June-July. So I decided to post an add on internet offering a co-driver’s seat in exchange of financial help. I received hundreds of responses but no-one had the right experience. Finally this Dutch guy called Bert Heskes called me. He had a Desert Warrior, had experience, was a good mechanic and had the same sort of philosophy as me. It was all decided on the phone. We only met once in Morocco for training. This time, I’ll be the boss. I can drive as fast as I want. I feel confident in my driving. We have a good chemistry with Bert and all the mechanics. The ambition is always to finish. For the next Dakar, I hope to come back with a woman as a co-driver but for the moment none has the mechanical skills. I saw that the FIA has launched a campaign on women in motorsports. I hope that will motivate many to come on the Dakar.”

Karine Hillaire-Corvaja | Etruscan Racing Team #397 (Car)

Karine Hillaire-Corvaja | Women of the Dakar Rally 2016 — Photo Gregory Lenormand / DPPI

Co-Driver Karine Hillaire-Corvaja will tackle her first Dakar Rally with her longtime partner Luca. The pair have been together sharing a passion of off-road endurance racing with their two children for many years, and Karine is no stranger to navigation duties. Luca handles the mechanical portion and is fresh off a European off-road championship.

[translated] “Dakar has always been a dream of mine when I was little. On other rallies, I let him go alone, but not on the Dakar! We’re hoping to go to the end, that would be fantastic . We will make the most, but we also realize that it can stop at any moment. As for my co-driver job, I always had the nose in the road book, and I’ve even written when we organize rallies. But I know it will be a level above, and that’s when the pressure starts to rise.”

Alicia Reina | Pasion Rally #414 (Car)

Alicia Reina | Women of the Dakar Rally 2016 — Dakar.com

Argentinian driver Alicia Reina will make her third apperance at the Dakar Rally, finishing 60th overall in 2014, and ready to conquer again after a disappointing end in Stage 3 for 2015 due to engine issues. Since then, the team has tested their Toyota racecar and worked on its readiness for Dakar in the Argentine Cross Country Championship.

[translated] “It was very frustrating to leave shortly after starting in 2015, but the engine was wounded by a problem in the air filter and little could be done. On this experience, we set out to test the Toyota throughout the year and were improving our performance, especially with suspension and shock absorbers. Today, we know that we have a proven mechanical means to run the Dakar. The concern: we don’t know what we can bring Uyuni in Bolivia and Argentina in the final stages with high temperatures.”

Maria del Huerto Mattar Smith | IAAM Team Sport #395 (Car)

Maria del Huerto Mattar Smith | Women of the Dakar Rally 2016 — Photo: Dakar.com

Avid Dakar enthusiasts since 2009, this Chilean couple have followed the Dakar caravan every year with their own Hummer from the outside. This year, the marriage will be tested in a race-ready Frontier and Maria del Huerto Mattar Smith will make her maiden attempt as Co-Driver at the Dakar Rally.

[translated] “Since the 2009 Dakar went to South America, we have followed the routes closest to Santiago del Estero. My first experience as a navigator was the Challenge Route 40, and although we had to leave in the fourth stage due to differential breakage, I can proudly say that I was right on point! I like the course of this year, since I prefer firm ground, rather than sand.”

Source: Dakar.com | Rider Entry List