Women in Racing

Back in Green: Alexis DeJoria

January 28, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Alexis DeJoria has just unveiled her 2016 NHRA Funny Car livery.

The team is going back to their roots for the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing season. Operating out of the Kalitta Motorsports camp, The Patrón Spirits Company-backed Toyota Camry Funny Car team will be “Back in Green for 2016”, once again sport the iconic ‘Patrón Green’ as they return to the distiller’s signature Patrón Silver label.

Driver Alexis DeJoria began her NHRA career in 2005 representing the ultra-premium spirits company’s Patrón Silver brand. Making her debut in a black and green Patrón Super Gas Corvette Roadster, Alexis turned heads in the recognizable color scheme as she progressed through the NHRA ranks, eventually making her highly anticipated Funny Car debut in 2011.

DeJoria’s race team became synonymous with the Tequila Patrón brand. After eight years in green, the team shocked the NHRA world by showing up to the 2014 season-opener in Pomona, California in purple and gold. The team represented the Patrón XO Cafe liqueur brand throughout the 2014 season until the final race of the year when they surprised fans yet again with a red, orange and yellow car emblazoned with Patrón’s latest incarnation, Patrón XO Cafe Incendio. While the Incendio brand was originally intended to be a one-race-only look, fan response was so positive that the new colors remained for the 2015 season.

As the Patrón team enters its fifth year of Funny Car racing, they will return to the quintessential green Patrón Silver scheme.

Alexis and the entire Patrón team were tremendous partners in helping us launch and generate excitement and awareness for the new Patrón XO Cafe Incendio. However, in 2016, we decided to return to the classic Tequila Patrón livery on Alexis’ Toyota Camry Funny Car for the 2016 season. Additionally, this more closely aligns Alexis DeJoria Racing with our global motorsports marketing platform, including our Tequila Patrón ESM Team, racing in the World Endurance Championship series,” said Lee Applbaum, Chief Marketing Officer at Patrón Spirits. “Though it can sometimes be difficult to see clearly at 300-mph, we couldn’t be more proud to fly our colors, and our iconic Patrón Silver bottle, on Alexis’ incredible 10,000-horsepower race car.”

Three-time Funny Car winner Alexis DeJoria couldn’t be more excited about the decision to return to the classic Tequila Patrón livery.

We started our first season in Funny Car branded with Patrón Silver. I love the way the green and silver looks on the car, it’s incredibly sharp,” said DeJoria. “It makes sense to represent the company’s flagship spirit on our Toyota Camry. I think the fans will like it too- it’s very recognizable. Everybody knows that label. When you think of Patrón, you automatically think of the Patrón Silver bottle. Over the years, we’ve had a lot of fun with the other Patrón brands on our car, but I’m really happy to get back to our roots for year five.”

Alexis DeJoria and the Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car team take to the track on Friday, February 12^th in Pomona, California for the first qualifying round of the NHRA season at the 56^th annual Circle K NHRA WinterNationals. Fans can get a sneak preview of Team Patrón’s updated look at the NHRA Nitro Spring Training test session in Phoenix, Arizona, February 3-6.

Alexis DeJoria’s 2016 livery teaser

January 27, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Check out this teaser video posted on Alexis DeJoria’s 2016 livery

Our hearts are pumping, and we can almost smell the nitro, folks! Just a few more weeks until the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing season begins at Auto Club Raceway. Check out this awesome teaser video that Alexis DeJoria posted to her Facebook today in anticipation for the unveiling.

Alexis DeJoria will return to the NHRA Funny Car class in her Kalitta-backed Patron Funny Car when the season opens in Pomona for the 56th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals on February 11-14, 2016. Stay tuned, the official unveiling will take place tomorrow.

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!

Larsen Motorsports wins Innovation award

January 25, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

IHRA Jet Drag Racing super team, Larsen Motorsports, was recently recognized by the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast as their 2016 Innovation Company of the Year.

The award selects a business who demonstrates innovation in product or service offerings, manufacturing productivity or processes, sales and marketing approach that result in increased investment. Larsen Motorsports, Inc was selected for carrying out the goal of bringing new talent in driving, design, engineering, maintenance and development of their jet drag racing development program. The program, which was recently expanded, reaches talent from around the world from their Brevard County, Florida location in Palm Bay.

Founders Elaine Larsen and Chris Larsen accepted the award on behalf of the company at the EDC’s Investor Update Meeting on January 20th, where companies were displaying locally made products in the Made in Brevard showcase exhibit.

“Our passion is to create a unique hands-on training experience that will inspire the next generation of learners into STEM related majors”, stated Chris. “With a unique business focus, a niche home as the anchor of Florida Tech’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Design (CAMID), and a team of innovators creating new and inventive product designs, we are honored to be a part of this business community and appreciate the EDC’s recognition as an innovator making a difference.”

The Larsen Motorsports team trained and provided development for the four jet dragsters teams in the program, nicknamed the “Fastest Girls in Town”. As driver, Elaine Larsen won the IHRA Jet Dragster Championship for 2015, aided by her crew chief and engineering student, Paige Sanchez. Other development program drivers in the program: Shea Holbrook, Kat Moller, Allison West, Dawn Purdue and Marisha Falk – all drove the 250+ mph jet dragsters. The Larsen Motorsports team also won the Horsepower & Heels Female Motorsports Team of the Year for 2015.

Stacy McGlory Driver of Champney Card FC

January 25, 2016 // by Kelly Morris

She began in the world of drag racing as a child, driving in a Junior Dragster at age 11. But Stacy McGlory wouldn’t stop there. As she turned 18, Stacy began racing a Dragster in the Super Pro category. One day, as Stacy had a run in with the Champney Card Funny Car at New England Dragway, along with her father, Don McGlory and friend/crew chief, Frank Freitas. There after, Stacy received the chance to become a Member of Champney Card crew. She enjoyed every minute of it, when it came time years later, Stacy was given the opportunity to drive a funny car!

As every driver knows, there is always the desire to go faster. I was very fortunate to become part of such an amazing team, I have always loved everything about the track and racing, its safe to say it is my home away from home.”

Stacy McGlory

Recently, Stacy McGlory, who is now 23, graduated from Tufts University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. When Stacy isn’t going full speeds down the track, she takes on the roll of an Engineer in North Haven, CT. She also participates with the Girl Scouts STEM Program to encourage more young girls to get involved with careers in math and science.

The majority of people are extremely positive about me pursing my dream; however, it is clear that Motorsports are still a male dominated sport. Plenty of people do not believe that I am the driver of the car or assume the car is substantially slower. I am fortunate that in my division, I have the full support of the track and Dana Hard who runs the East Coast Pro Comp series.”

Running in the East Coast Pro Comp Series in the Champney Card Alcohol Funny Car, Stacy McGlory competes in the 6.20 index racing class. Stacy states, “It is a truly amazing class because you are able to see dragsters line up against funny cars and altereds.” As Stacy prepared herself for the past year in the Champney Card Funny car, she spent about half of the season getting her license. Once completed, she was able to qualify for every race and was able to accomplish her first goal by being qualified 1st in the final race of the season. Stacy was able to finish 5th out of the 15 drivers, despite missing the first of the season.

As every driver knows, there is always the desire to go faster, I never imaged being able to race a funny car so for me this truly is a dream come true. That being said, the Champney Card funny car is hoping to start racing in more divisional’s this season and one day compete for the NHRA Alcohol Funny Car championship title.”

With amazing support from family, friends, fans, and her team. Stacy is happy to be racing! She says, “I wouldn’t be able to do this without them. I have to thank Sassy Engines, especially John Card who built and does all the maintenance work on the car. And to the owner Dennis Champney!”

You can learn more about Stacy, by clicking the following links.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stacy.mcglory/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stacy-McGlory-153186548363900/

Valerie Thompson at Grand National Roadster Show

January 21, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Grand National Roadster Show | Quest for Speed

Seven-time speed record holder, Valerie Thompson, will be a featured celebrity racer at the 67th Grand National Roadster Show at the Fairplex in Pomona. Hand picked from a group of accomplished land speed racers, Thompson’s record setting 200+ mph BMW race bike will be displayed in a special tribute area dedicated to the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) named “Quest for Speed.”

Over 500 show vehicles will compete for awards within the Fairplex buildings. Another 400 – 800 vehicles will join the event over the weekend for the 11th Annual Grand Daddy Drive-In event. The Grand National Roadster Show is now in its 67th year. Formerly known as the Oakland Roadster Show, it is the longest running indoor car show in the world. This marks the 13th consecutive year of the show being held at the Pomona Fairplex.

I’ve always had a passion for land speed racing. Competing on the Salt Flats of Utah and dry lakebeds of California as an independent racer always reminds me of the unsung heroes who made American racing what it is today. This special invitation to appear at the most prestigious rod show just blows me away. More importantly, this exhibit will be used as a fund raiser for the SCTA, a non-profit organization that makes racing dreams possible for all competitors, no matter the size of their pocket book,” added Thompson.

Thompson formed her own land speed racing team in 2012 and recorded a personal best top speed of 217 mph at the 2014 Texas Mile. In 2015, Thompson became the first female member of the Colorado Mile 200 MPH Club on her Quicksilver Powersports Lubricants/CTEK BMW Motorrad and is now a member of six-land speed racing 200 MPH Clubs, including the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club. As a result, she is often referred to as “America’s Queen of Speed.”

Search for a Champion 2016 – Round 1

January 16, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

The 5th annual Search for a Champion contest held by Champion gives racers a chance to compete in two divisions: Amateur for a $25,000 grand prize and Advanced for a $50,000 grand prize. The first round of voting will determine the 25 racers in each division that will compete for the grand prize.

Women Racers | Search for a Champion

It is always great to see the growing number of women that join the ranks to compete for the prize to aid in their racing careers. There are an impressive 45 women entered in the Search for a Champion contest. Voting for round one ends February 2, 2016.

To help support women in motorsports, vote for any of the ladies below:

Carly Jo Ellingson | 2015 Grand Prize Winner

Last year, young upstart Carly Jo Ellingson represented women in racing well, winning the 2015 Search for a Champion Grand Prize. Kelsey Rowlings, Amber Balcaen, Kaley Moody, Alex Rogeo, Tina Stull, Caley Weese, Molly Helmuth, and Taylor Toftemark were also female finalists for Team Champion in 2015.

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.

Sneak Peek: Erica Enders new Dodge Pro Stock

January 14, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Elite Motorsports | Erica Enders Dodge Pro Stock 2016 Dart

NHRA Two-time Pro Stock World Champion Erica Enders has released a few sneak-peek shots of her striking new ’16 Dodge Dart. The car will be making its competition debut a month from now, when she begins her pursuit of a third consecutive NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series title.

Erica Enders’ new Dodge Pro Stock was built by RJ Race Cars in Galesburg, Ill., the famed shop led by Enders’ crew chiefs, Rick and Rickie Jones. They previously crafted her championship-winning cars from 2014 and 2015.

Enders’ Elite Motorsports team is beginning a partnership with Mopar this season and will field Dodge Darts in Pro Stock competition trim. The car is built to new NHRA Pro Stock specifications, including several new rules for 2016 and beyond: fuel-injected engines with a 10,500 rpm limit, plus the removal of hood scoops and shortened wheelie bars.

“Rick and Rickie take a lot of pride in the cars they produce,” Enders said. “They both have said these two cars are the best two pieces that have ever come out of their shop. That’s pretty cool.”

Erica Enders and her Elite Motorsports team are expected to test the new Dodge Pro Stock in Phoenix the week before the season-opening event, Feb. 12-14, at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.

What do you think of the new, sleek, hoodscoop-less Pro Stock design?

Leave us a comment below!

Aerospace extends NHRA participation

January 13, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Horsepower & Heels Motorsport Professional of the Year finalist, Kim Kussy, announced today that Aerospace Components has extended its agreement as the presenting sponsor of the NHRA Excellence in Engineering Award at select NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events through the 2017 season.

“We are excited to announce our multi-year involvement as presenting sponsors of the NHRA Aerospace Components Excellence in Engineering Award,” said Kim Kussy, co-founder, President and CMO of Aerospace Components Inc. “Because we design and manufacture high performance drag racing billet aluminum components, this program is a perfect fit to honor and support those sportsman racers who exemplify the best engineered vehicles with a Wally trophy.”

Aerospace Components Excellence in Engineering

Formerly the Best Engineered Car Award, NHRA’s Excellence in Engineering Award will be presented at 12 NHRA Mello Yello Series races in 2016. The prestigious award is presented to an individual who brings a unique edge in craftsmanship and technology to each NHRA national event. Voted on by the NHRA Tech Department, the recipient receives a special award-specific Wally to commemorate the achievement. Past winners have included unique chassis builders, drivers that feature distinctive parts and individuals who work to design and test unique concepts.

The NHRA is very proud to have Aerospace Components continue its partnership with NHRA Drag Racing,” said Gary Darcy, NHRA senior vice president of sales and marketing. “The NHRA features some of the world’s most mechanically and technically complex machines and the NHRA Aerospace Components Excellence in Engineering Award honors those who continue to push the boundaries and break barriers in our high-speed sport.”

The program is only one of the ways Kim Kussy stays active within the racing community, supporting customers and racers for their successes. Aerospace Components is family-owned and operated by the Kussy family and has been producing high quality components for 30 years.

They began doing government contract work, primarily the manufacturing of defense systems, guidance systems and space station components, with Kim growing the business becoming one of the most successful professional women in motorsports.

Today, the Aerospace Components name is known throughout the racing industry as one of the leaders in manufacturing high performance drag racing products. They design and build brake systems for any make or model car, billet aluminum vacuum pump systems, fuel pumps, water pumps, two speed power glide shifters and more.