Women in Racing News - Horsepower & Heels

News about female racers, women in the pits and other news stories from the motorsports and automotive world.

Salemi to debut new Firebird in Memphis PDRA

August 21, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Melanie Salemi Rendering 68 Firebird — Rendering: Rod Burke

15 year Top Dragster veteran, Melanie Salemi is set to debut a striking new 1968 Firebird at the PDRA Memphis Drags this weekend. Salemi stepped into the Pro Boost class earlier this season, earning her license and competed in 3 races with Tommy Zarella’s 2004 C5 Corvette.

“I am so thankful to Tommy Zarella of TT Motorsports, he had faith in what we were doing and without him I wouldn’t have been able to get the experiance behind the wheel before our new car was finished” explained Salemi. “Tommy has been a big part of our race team for the past couple of years and we couldn’t be more proud to have him on board continuing to supply us with the drivetrain for this new car.”

This weekend, she will showcase her brand new G-Force Race Cars built 1968 Firebird in the Pro Boost category with the Professional Drag Racing Association. The project is the result of a collective vision put forth by Mike Stawicki (MSR Performance), Jim Salemi (G-Force Race Cars), Jon Salemi (Resolution Racing Services) and Melanie on what they wanted to do with their team, and the group is proud that it has now become a reality.

“Although we didn’t start working on the car until late spring, things moved quickly. We wanted to make sure we had this car ready for this season and a lot of effort on everyone’s part is what it took. Late nights and early mornings but we are all really happy with the outcome” stated Jim Salemi.

The rendering was designed by popular hotrod/racing designer Rod Burke of Burke Designs. Paint on the beautiful pro mod was sprayed by Scott Jahren of Scott Jahren Paint from Tonawanda, New York.

Melanie Salemi 68 Firebird — Photo: Pumice Mendola 33.33 Marketing

Courtney Force breaking barriers in sports

August 19, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Funny Car driver Courtney Force will be honored by the WNBA’s Indiana Fever on Wednesday, Aug. 26 during their game with the Los Angeles Sparks at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as part of the Fever’s Inspiring Women Night. This year’s theme for the annual event is “Breaking Barriers in Sports.”

Force, the winningest female racer in NHRA Funny Car history, will be recognized during the pre-game reception alongside Carlie Irsay-Gordon, vice chair and owner of the Indianapolis Colts, NBA referee Lauren Holtkamp and Hall of Fame basketball coach Lin Dunn. WISH TV sports director Anthony Calhoun will lead a panel discussion with the four women as part of the pre-game reception, which begins at 5:45 p.m. Individual tickets to attend Inspiring Women Night presented by Elements Financial are $60 and a table of 10 is $550. The four women also will be recognized in front of the fans during half-time ceremonies at the Fever-Sparks game, which begins at 7 p.m.

Courtney Force Inspires Women in Racing

Courtney earned the milestone 100th victory for female racers in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series last season. She set the national speed record in Funny Car this season by powering to a speed of 325.06 mph at the controls of her 10,000-horsepower Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS and has earned seven career victories and nine No. 1 qualifying positions in her career. Force is the youngest daughter of 16-time NHRA world champion John Force, and shares the spotlight with her sisters, Ashley and Brittany, also women in racing competitors in NHRA’s Funny Car and Top Fuel classes.

Along with her appearance at Inspiring Women Night at the Fever game, Force will be in Indianapolis next week participating in pre-race testing for the 61st Annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, the world’s most prestigious drag race, which will be held Sept. 2-7, at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in nearby Brownsburg.

Courtney Force 100th win — Courtney Force’s 100th Win | Photo: Gary Nastase, John Force Racing

New sponsor for Danica Patrick

August 18, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

NASCAR’s Danica Patrick just announced a multi-year sponsorship agreement with Nature’s Bakery, a rapidly-growing snacks and food brand headquartered in Reno, Nevada, to join Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) as primary sponsor of the No. 10 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series beginning with the 2016 season.

The agreement will see Nature’s Bakery and its signature tagline, “Energy for Life’s Great Journeys”, on board Patrick’s No. 10 Chevrolet SS for 28 races per year.

Nature’s Bakery was founded in 2010 by the father-and-son duo of Dave and Sam Marson with a mission of making delicious, convenient, on-the-go snacks that complement health-conscious living and active, everyday lifestyles. Their lineage in the food industry can be traced back to the 1960s when Dave’s father, Richard Marson, opened a family bakery. Growing up in the bakery, Dave passed his passion and skills along to his son, Sam, whereupon the two combined their knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit to form Nature’s Bakery.

“Danica Patrick is one of the most fit and health-conscious drivers in all of racing and she embodies the Nature’s Bakery customer,” said Dave Marson, founder of Nature’s Bakery. “We make great products that complement Danica’s lifestyle and the always on-the-go environment in which she competes. Nature’s Bakery provides ‘Energy for Life’s Great Journeys’ and we’re very proud to embark upon this NASCAR journey with Danica and Stewart-Haas Racing.”

Nature's Bakery and Danica Patrick — Photos: NASCAR

Patrick is one of the most recognizable athletes in motorsports and the most marketable personality in NASCAR, statistics derived from Repucom’s 2015 Davie Brown Index. Her success on the racetrack, which includes an IndyCar Series victory and a Daytona 500 pole, transcends her into the mainstream household, proven by a 2014 Harris Poll which named Patrick the second-most recognized female athlete in the United States, behind only tennis star Serena Williams.

“It’s an honor to represent Nature’s Bakery and also a great deal of responsibility,” Patrick said. “They have ambitious goals and they’re going to rely on me and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing to deliver. I have ambitious goals too. It’s why I came to NASCAR and, specifically, to Stewart-Haas Racing. There’s still a lot I want to achieve in this sport and I’m looking to continue my professional journey with a brand as determined as I am.”

“All you need to say is ‘Danica’ and people know exactly who you’re talking about,” Dave Marson added. “She has immersed herself and succeeded in a very intense sport and been recognized for her efforts. By offering convenient, easy-to-find and affordable products that people can feel better about eating, we’ve carved a niche for Nature’s Bakery in the fast-growing, packaged snack-food industry. With our partnership with Danica and Stewart-Haas Racing, we’re able to take that niche mainstream.”

Danica Patrick has 6 top-ten finishes in her 4 year Sprint Cup career, including a pole at Daytona out of the 104 races she has entered. She currently is ranked No. 21.

“Danica has proven she belongs in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and we’re very happy to have her a part of our team for years to come,” said Tony Stewart, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing with Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation, the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. “Nature’s Bakery is a natural fit with Danica. She has played an important role in the growth of all the businesses associated with her and our growth as a race team. Our partnership with Nature’s Bakery is all about growing their business. In Danica, we have the best possible person to help Nature’s Bakery achieve its goals.”

Pippa Mann to race Pocono ABC Supply 500

August 11, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Pippa Mann just announced that she will be returning to the seat of her No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda for the final oval race of the Verizon IndyCar season: the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA. The race will be Mann’s second start at the challenging Pocono triangle, with her previous start in 2013 also from the No. 18 car for Dale Coyne Racing.

Pocono is probably my favorite oval on the schedule after Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I love the uniqueness of the track, and the challenge of trying to find a car balance that works in three completely different corners. In 2013 it was a tough track to pass at, largely due to that different nature of the corners, and working out where on the track you needed to be fast, and to be able to follow, to then try and complete the pass. There’s another 100 miles added to the race since I last drove it, making it another 500 mile race, but I normally enjoy the long races, so I’m looking forwards to that aspect too. It was one of the races I found hardest to watch from the outside last year, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be back on the inside of an IndyCar cockpit as we head back to Pennsylvania in 2015.”

Mann finished 15th in her 2013 start, a result she and the Dale Coyne Racing team hope to improve upon their second time together at Pocono. She currently is ranked 29th in Indycar points, after starting in 5 events on the circuit.

Race Broadcast Information:

Qualifying will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network from 2.00-3.00pm ET, with the race broadcast also live on NBC Sports Network from 2.00-6.00pm ET. Watch Pippa Mann Live. Green flag time is estimated at 2.37 ET.

Broadcasts are also available via IndyCar Radio, the Verizon IndyCar 15 app, and live timing and scoring can be found on IndyCar Race Control.

Maria Costello fastest woman at Ulser Grand Prix

August 11, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Northamptonshire motorcycle racer Maria Costello made a return to a BMW Motorrad UK S 1000 RR for the first time since the Northwest 200, after a several month hiatus attributed to funding left her sidelined. Despite the lack of testing, she was able to register a fantastic 116.790 mph performance and a new female lap record at the 7.4 mile Dundrod circuit, making her the fastest woman ever on the course.

I was fortunate to have an experienced team around me for this event and with the additional support from BMW Motorrad’s technicians, I had a great set up on the BMW. Which is always a good thing when you’re about to ride a missile around the world’s fastest road race! It was me that would need to find some speed, come race day.”

With only one dry session on the Twin, Costello and team used the previous year’s data to dial the bike in for an 18th place qualifying position in the Supertwin race.

Maria Costello at Ulser Grand Prix — Photo: David Maginnis

Race start began in bright sunshine and Costello took to the grid on her ESM/Wollaston BMW backed BMW Motorrad UK S 1000 RR for the first event of the Ulster Grand Prix, the Superstock race. The BMW performed faultlessly and Costello enjoyed a lengthy battle with Andrew Sellars and Hubert Kalthuber. It was on her third lap that she set a new female lap record and she took the chequered flag in 38th place in her debut litre bike race around Dundrod.The Supertwin race was called to the grid as rain started to fall and the race got underway on a wet track. Costello finished the course in an admirable 21st place.

I’d not long arrived when I had upsetting news from home. I couldn’t change anything by going home but it put me in two minds about staying to race. Thanks to my team and friends in the paddock, and the blessing I received from my family, I decided I would compete. So the new lap record means more to me due to the circumstances & I feel so fortunate, firstly to have this opportunity on the BMW, but also to have such amazing support around me. I’ve a lot of people to thank for this opportunity including BMW Motorrad UK, BMW Motorrad, Wollaston Bikes, Metzeler tyres, all my sponsors and supporters.”

Costello, who is a champion of women in racing and regularly hosts all-women track sessions, added that she was happy to see the turnout at the race for female riders.

Congratulations to all the women who competed at the Ulster, it great that we’re making a small dent in to the male dominated world of real road racing. Well done to Noel and his team for running a great event. I want to wish all those injured a speedy recovery and I was deeply saddened by the news that a young man lost his life in the supersport race. Another dark cloud hangs over the sport and I send my sincere condolences to his family and friends.”

Female rider Maria Costello — Photo: Matt Mackey

Costello’s next event is a little more laid back when she will be leading a ride out from Wollaston BMW in Northampton this Sunday, to support the world record attempt at the Ace Cafe in London, to get the most women bikers in one place. Women who want to join the ride can meet at the dealership from 9.30am. Free bacon butties are being laid on and the ride will commence at 10am.

Maria then heads to the Isle of Man to participate in the Classic TT. To find out more about the fastest woman Maria Costello and what she’ll be doing next, please visit her website: http://www.costelloracing.com

Mechanical issues distract Erica Enders in Seattle

August 10, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

A series of mechanical glitches threw Elite Motorsports driver Erica Enders off her game in the second round of the 28th Annual NHRA Northwest Nationals on Sunday at Pacific Raceways.

After qualifying in the No.7 position in a field that was so close only 0.008 seconds separated her from the top spot, Enders would be matched first round with the No. 10 qualified Bo Butner. She would take the victory over Butner with a pass of 6.518 seconds at 212.13 mph, leaving first with a .034-second reaction time. Butner’s run was 6.524 seconds at 212.39 mph. This would advance Enders to face Elite teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the second round. But from the start, almost nothing went right.

“I fired the car and had no oil pressure and no vacuum, so I radioed my guys and told them,” Enders said. “My crew chief just waved me in the water to start the burnout. I went to start my burnout, and then they were waving their arms to stop, so I aborted the burnout. They told me to shut it off, and they pulled my front-end clip off. Turns out the oil sump belt had come off, so there was no oil turning to the motor. They put that on, put the front end back on, and I fired it up. I had to reset all my switches, and the starter said I could do a short burnout. As I was pulling up, they were like, ‘No, back up.’ I backed up through the water and started my whole procedure over again. It was extremely rushed, and I was unable to do a burnout across the starting line, which means we couldn’t put any rubber down or burn through the resin.”

Not laying that critical rubber down through the starting line is detrimental to a recalcitrant Pro Stock car, though Enders was able to post a decent pass of 6.530 seconds at 211.89 mph. Coughlin, who shut the engine off in his Camaro while he waited for his teammate, won with a run of 6.532 seconds at 211.96, earning the victory on a holeshot. Coughlin would move on to runner-up in the finals of the race.

We did what we could with what we had,” Enders said. “I pulled in and pre-staged, but to be quite honest, I didn’t rise to the occasion today. I’m pretty disappointed in myself as a driver. Regardless of the distractions up there, I’m a world champion for a reason, and I didn’t show it today. It makes me mad, but at the same time, there were eight things that were horribly wrong all at one time, and it was a distraction. This is a game that’s won and lost by thousandths of a second.”

Enders remains second in championship points, 47 points behind Greg Anderson, and was grateful to Coughlin for waiting.

“The fortunate thing is my teammate Jeg Coughlin waited for me,” Enders said. “He didn’t have to, but we’re a team back here, and we’re a team up there. He shut his car off, and he wasn’t going to pre-stage without me. That speaks a lot about his character and the class he brings to this operation. Nobody else would have waited, and one of the red cars was going to the semifinals.”

The Elite Motorsports team looks forward to the 34th Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in two weeks at Brainerd International Raceway.

Enders exits second round in Sonoma

August 4, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Erica Enders and her Elite Motorsports team are more determined than ever after a second-round exit in the 28th Annual NHRA Sonoma Nationals on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. It was a first appearance for her Elite team at Sonoma Raceway, having been one of the events the team had sat out in 2014 (Enders had last raced at Sonoma in 2012). Still, she qualified No. 9 and advanced to the second round before bowing out to No. 1 qualifier and eventual race winner Chris McGaha.

“We’ve got nothing to be ashamed of,” Enders said. “We’re going to load up and go to the next race. My guys are the most determined bunch I’ve ever met. Right now our day is over, but where are all three of my crew chiefs (Rick and Rickie Jones and Mark Ingersoll) and my team owner (Richard Freeman)? They’re in the lounge, going over notes and trying to figure out how to get better. You can bet your bottom dollar that we’ll be back, and we’re just going to use this to fuel our fire.”

Enders and her team have a knack for digging deep and overcoming adversity. Earlier this year, they turned a first round loss in Gainesville into a win with the K&N Horsepower Challenge in Charlotte and the national event win in Las Vegas and then another win in Houston. And after losing in the first round in Englishtown, she raced to the semifinals in Epping, and then the winner’s circle in Bristol. Enders also lost in the first round in Norwalk, Ohio, before going to two consecutive semifinals in Chicago and Denver.

In Sonoma, her 100th consecutive race, Enders faced No. 8 qualifier Shane Gray in the first round, and she left first with a .017-second reaction time and held off Gray with a pass of 6.531 seconds at 211.93 mph. Gray’s run was slightly better, 6.530 at 212.39 mph, but Enders won on a holeshot.

“There have been plenty of days when my team has carried me,” Enders said. “I wish I could’ve carried them further this weekend. My crew chief always tells me, ‘If you can be .020 all day on Sunday, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be able to go to the winner’s circle with the people that we have and the equipment that we have.’ Today just wasn’t our day.”

Enders also left first on McGaha, .020 to .029, but McGaha made a pass of 6.514 seconds at 212.13 mph to run down Enders’ 6.529 at 211.93 mph.

Jenna Haddock picks up sponsor for Sonoma

July 31, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

After losing her major sponsor just one race ago, Top Fuel rookie contender Jenna Haddock will roll into the peaceful wine country of Napa Valley for the 28^th annual NHRA Sonoma Nationals at Infineon Raceway, the second stop on the famed Swing, with the support from the Sonoma County Les Schwab Tires group of stores.

Les Schwab Tires, headquartered in Bend, Ore. was founded by Les Schwab in 1952. It has grown into one of the largest independent tire dealers with over 450 locations in the country. The Sonoma County group is made up of four locations, Windsor, managed by Rob Paulson, Rohnert Park, managed by Manny Castrellon, Santa Rosa Montgomery, led by David Lindsey and Santa Rosa Avenue, managed by Jessy Usher.

“Les Schwab’s motto is ‘doing the right thing since 1952’ and that’s everything Jenna and her husband Terry represent,” expressed Usher, spokesperson for the group. “The hard work and devotion they put into racing exemplifies our values. They are that one small team working hard and we were that one store that worked hard to be what we are today. Yes, we’re a corporation but we’re family-owned and partnering with Jenna is a great way to show what we support as a company. It’s a perfect match.”

This will be Jenna Haddock’s first time in competition at the beautiful facility and six years since her last visit. She faces the challenge with her usual enthusiasm and exuberance that is making her a fan favorite around the country.

“I am super excited to have Les Schwab join us,” said Haddock. “We’ve known Jessy and the group for several years. They’ve been an associate sponsor for us and when Patriot left us, I offered them a full spot for Sonoma and they took it. We’re a small team and losing our major sponsor was a tough blow. So I can’t thank them enough for coming on board to help me. We did a display at the Santa Rosa Avenue store earlier this week and we had a blast. They are all such great people. Two representatives from each store will be joining us at the track for the race and I can hardly wait to show them a great time. I can’t tell you how proud I am that they have chosen me to represent them and I will do my best.”

Running a limited schedule, Jenna Haddock is currently 18th in Top Fuel points standings, attending 6 events this season.

“I love my race car and driving it and I’m excited to get to be in the car and do this for another weekend. Because we run a limited schedule, I usually have to wait several weeks between races. But we ran Denver last week and now I get to do it again. We are looking to make some good runs and make some progress on our numbers. And most of all we want to have a good clean weekend.”

Jenna Haddock loses sponsor

July 18, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Jenna Haddock, the wife and new NHRA Top Fuel driver for Terry Haddock Racing just announced the departure of major sponsor Patriot Grading on her Top Fuel Dragster.

Patriot Grading & Engineering is headquartered in Fontana, California and owned by Bascom Mellon. They joined Jenna Haddock in Denver last season at her Top Fuel debut for the Mopar Mile High NHRA Nationals, and have remained on-board since as major sponsor. Patriot Grading is a full-service grading contractor that serves the Southern California region. Budgetary cuts and more emphasis on regional advertising were cited as their reasons for departure.

This was a very difficult decision to make,” said Mellon, “but I’m just a regional guy. That’s all I am and there’s no advantage for me to advertise nationally when things are tight. It has nothing to do with Jenna; I wish her the best. I hope someone will step up and help her so she doesn’t have a blank car in Denver. And I’m hoping I can join her again for the World Finals in Pomona.”

Haddock plans to honor her existing commitments to associate sponsors by competing in the NHRA Western Swing as originally scheduled, as well as a few previously arranged match races between those dates. Beyond those dates, Jenna and her team will have to evaluate their options on finishing the 2015 season.

“I want to thank Bascom, his wife Ashley and Patriot Grading from the bottom of my heart,” expressed Haddock. “I couldn’t have realized my dream without their support. I can’t deny that this hurts us both emotionally and financially. But I understand that sometimes tough business decisions have to be made. We’ve become friends with Bascom and Ashley and I will miss the special bond that we have developed. We will remain friends and they are always welcome to join us at the races.”

Erica Enders on the Red Carpet

July 17, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Check out NHRA Pro Stock driver Erica Enders on the red carpet at the ESPY award show. The NHRA Pro Stock driver traded her firesuit for a beautiful little black dress, representing the drag racing world on The ESPYS award red carpet.

Nominated for Best Driver ESPY

Erica was one of the 5 nominees for the Best Driver ESPY award, and the lone female driver and drag racer in the group. Juan Pablo Montoya and Will Power from IndyCar, Lewis Hamilton from Formula One, and Kevin Harvick from NASCAR were the other honorees in the category.

Enders, who was nominated after her historical 2014 season in which she became the first woman to win an NHRA Pro Stock Championship, in thrilling and suspenseful fashion. She took the 2014 Pro Stock Championship title on the very last run of the last race, coming from behind in the points standings and winning the last two races of the season.

The NHRA star attended the event with her husband and fellow Pro Stock racer Richie Stevens, sister Courtney Enders and her father, Greg. Parts of the prestigious ceremony, including the much-anticipated acceptance of the Arthur Ashe award by Caitlyn Jenner, were aired live on ABC.

Voting a Winner

The award allowed fans to vote for their favorites in each of the categories online from the announcement of the nominees all the way up until the day of the live show. In the end, NASCAR star Kevin Harvick took the top honors for his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in 2014.

Harvick, meanwhile, was not in attendance. He posted on Twitter that he had forgotten about the award show.

Forgot the @ESPYS were on last night but apparently we won! Thanks for all of the support! #coolaward

— Kevin Harvick (@KevinHarvick) July 16, 2015