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Celebrating, promoting and supporting female racers and women in motorsports

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You are here: Home / Archives for Women in Racing

Women in Racing

Fighting the Good Fight: Women in Racing

November 4, 2014 //  by Horsepower & Heels

She Wins, You WinIn early 2007, I picked up a book that would light a spark within me about what I believe is missing for women in motorsports.

She Wins, You Win: The Most Important Rule Every Businesswoman Needs to Know

The book addresses strategies on how women can achieve success in a boardroom or a corporate environment, but its significance is that much more evident in the male-dominated realm of the racing world.

Gail Evans writes there is one golden rule that all women should adhere to if we are ever to reach an equal success.

“Every woman must always play on the women’s team.”

She Wins, You Win.

It really is as simple as that. Why?

“Because every time any woman succeeds in business, your chances of succeeding in business increase. And every time a woman fails in business, your chances of failure increase.”

Substitute business for motorsports, and there you have it. THE answer to how women can level the playing field in the sport.

Think about it… how many times have you seen the catty comments about another female in motorsports? Why do we consider each other RIVALS instead of ALLIES? We talk so much about how women belong in the sport, yet once we make it, we spend so much time trying to disassociate away from being a “female racer” as though the title somehow diminished or tarnished the achievement instead of punctuating it.

I recognized this tendency in myself early on, and it was the catharsis of this that led me to create Horsepower & Heels and has fueled now 10 years and counting of promoting and supporting women in motorsports. This cause- Women in Racing – has become my passion, and a labor of love that I hope can be shared with the thousands of women involved in the sport today and those who will come to be in the future as a result of all the hard work of their predecessors.

As I thought about my place in life now away from the driver’s seat, and how I could use Horsepower & Heels to make a difference, I wanted to resurrect this blog and use my voice to help women in racing.    So here it goes….

Her loss isn’t your gain.

One of the first things that seems ingrained into women is that there are only a few “spots” open, only a few seats in the game reserved for women. The notion of scarcity was pioneered by the early champions of our cause. Shirley Muldowney, Lyn St.James and others of their era fought hard and fought alone to break down those first barriers and advance themselves into those rare positions.   Those women truly had their work cut out for them.

Somehow, instead of celebrating those successes as a win for the “team”, we’ve come to believe that the only road to success is one paved alone, and that makes other women “the competition” and the enemy in a fight for survival.   This means that not only are we competing as the minority against men, but we also are competing against one another.    Problem is, when we don’t support the common cause: opening the doors for ALL women and thereby creating MORE seats in the game, we are sabotaging ourselves by fighting it out for the rare chairs to survive.

We are NOT all Equal

Its almost become cliche now. The classic response to what it means to be a woman in the sport:

“The race car doesn’t know the difference.”

Somewhere between the stages of starting out all pink “Girl Power” everything and the jaded years spent recalling how “The Good Ole Boy Network” is alive and thriving, there seems to be a trend toward dismissing any and all identification as a woman who just so happens to also be a bad ass race car driver. It’s as though women think that in order to achieve success and a sense of equality in the sport, they must constantly apologize for being who they are, for being a WOMAN.  That by acknowledging this obvious difference, it might make them less of an equal to their male counterparts. I’ve voiced how much this makes me cringe before when some of my favorite drivers have done just that.

Newsflash, ladies. We are NOT equal. Women are still the minority. We regularly have to work HARDER to prove ourselves. We are scrutinized for our errors more critically, unrecognized for accomplishments that should be our own and not attributed to an associated man, subjected to sexist comments and overlooked for deserved opportunities over less-qualified male cohorts.

I had the misfortune of experiencing this first hand. A naive and ambitious young driver, I was driven daily by the dream of breaking into the professional ranks of the sport. When a vacant seat in a very prominent team opened, I quickly reached out asking for consideration. My request was “humored” by someone I had a deep respect for as one of the most influential people in the sport. I say “humored” because that’s precisely what it turned out to be- nothing more than putting on airs for the sake of being politically correct.

I wasn’t prepared to hear someone for whom I had such deep admiration tell me that they were not convinced a woman belonged behind the wheel, that they lacked the strength to “manhandle” the beast, and that he simply was entertaining the interview at the request of the sponsor funding the car. I was speechless. None of the valid reasons, the fire, the tenacity that should have erupted from within me would reach the surface. The glass ceiling came stifling down on my dream, and before I even knew what was happening, I was being shooed out of that pit, thoroughly dejected and disgusted with myself for not taking my stand.

Its easy to think that in this day and age, such rampant sexism doesn’t exist. But even though we are all just people, and the race car doesn’t know the difference— men do, and until we stop accepting the current situation as “equal” and start working towards true equality, the spots open to women will still be limited to the few and not the masses.

By not declaring ourselves as “women” who can drive the wheels off a race car, we are dismissing the idea that women CAN and DESERVE the attention of the sport. In her book, Evans asks a former member of Congress to recall just how women were granted the right to vote. His answer “Men eventually decided it was the right course of action.” To men, its because they decided to give permission, because THEY hold the ultimate power. In reality, without the suffrage, the protests, the hard fight and pressure of the women’s demands, the passing of the Women’s Right to vote would have never occurred.

That right wasn’t gifted, it was demanded. So why would we think that by saying that we don’t want to be viewed as a “female racer” would lead to us being viewed as equals? Instead, we should be wanting to be viewed and respected as exactly who we are: successful female racers. (And proud of it!) Stop apologizing for being a woman, you only reinforce the idea that somehow being a female is wrong!

Because who says Horsepower & Heels don’t mix?!?

Share YOUR story! Please comment below!

What have your experiences been in the racing world and how could they benefit by rallying together onto one team- with one common goal?

 

 

 

If you enjoyed this, please subscribe for future updates!

Category: Horsepower & Heels Blog, Women in Racing ResourcesTag: Guide to Racing, Women Racing

Vote a female racer for sponsorship

January 29, 2014 //  by Horsepower & Heels

One of the biggest reasons I created this site is to actively support women competing in motorsports.   Its something I’m very passionate about, because I feel that if you don’t stand together and help one another, we’ll never see our full potential as a group.

One way to do this, is to help bring more attention to the ladies out there competing, talk about their successes, and help them seek the resources they need to be competitive.

Vote a Female Racer for Sponsorship

Pink Checkered Racing Flags

Champion is holding their annual sponsorship contest, where they give away $150,000 in sponsorship to several lucky racers.   Racers each created and submitted a video, and now fans are voting a selected few into the next round.

Of the 394 videos submitted, there are 25 ladies vying for the sponsorship dollars.     Helping these ladies get the votes needed to make the next round, get them all one step closer to better funding for their program, one of the toughest challenges that women involved in racing face compared to their male counterparts.

When its time to vote, give one of these fine ladies a nod, and help support women in motorsports.

  • HALEY MOODY 
  • TINA STULL 
  • CALEY WEESE
  • BRITTANY OLSEN  
  • COURTNEY BARBER 
  • CASSIE GANNIS 
  • ASHLEY SANFORD 
  • ASHLEY LANDRUM 
  • KRISTEN KIGER 
  • TAYLOR THERRIEN
  • ANDIE GASKINS  
  • MELISSA PARIS
  • TERA HENDERSON
  • LINDSEY CRAMSEY
  • AMANDA HARRISON
  • AMY CASTELL  
  • SHELBY MAHON
  • KYLIE DERIFIELD
  • NATALIE DECKER
  • EMILY PACKARD
  • ERIKA DETOTA
  • BRITTANY YARWOOD 
  • GRACE PRESSER
  • ELISABETH ARMSTRONG
  •  HANNAH NEWHOUSE 

 

Category: Horsepower & Heels Blog, Women in Racing NewsTag: Women Racing

Sex sells, or does it? Courtney Force controversy examined.

July 11, 2013 //  by Horsepower & Heels

Nothing like a little skin to get the controversy rolling.    This one I’ve had my eye on since it was announced, waiting anxiously to see what reaction it generates.

Bold and Artful or Distasteful?

Courtney Force ESPN Body Issue

The Body issue is a yearly project that ESPN Magazine produces where it showcases various athletes in poses reminiscent of their sport genre, totally and completely nude.   The idea, is that you see and appreciate the exceptional physique that these athletes have created with all of their hard work.

Many famous athletes have taken part over the years.   In the racing world, Helio Castronieves was among the athletes featured.   Two years ago, NHRA icon John Force was featured after his critical accident in Dallas.  The gritty spread showed John’s scars from the accident and the years of abuse he has seen in his career.

Courtney Force ESPN Magazine Body Issue But this year, John’s 25 year old daughter Courtney Force dons the cover of the ESPN Body Issue, and this has started a media frenzy backlash.   The issue has barely been out a week, and already the internet is swirling with commentary around her photo spread.      Some label it an “objectifying publicity stunt”, while others are appalled that their children’s role model would appear like this and called it a “huge lack of respect for the sport”.    The crowd is divided, with just as many quick to defend it as great exposure at the mainstream level as those condemning it a desperate and feeble marketing attempt.     The Body issue began in 2009, and has been a very popular edition for ESPN Magazine.   Yet despite coming from such a respected news outlet and its overall acceptance in the sports world, the racing community is up in arms about Courtney’s involvement.

Courtney Force Controversy

Courtney Force ESPN Mag Body Issue

Some very well respected, elite athletes make up the list of both past and present participants.    Household names such as NBA Center Dwight Howard,  NASCAR’s Carl Edwards,  Heismann winner Herschel Walker, speed skater Apolo Ohno, UFC’s John Jones among many.    The women include a wide range of athletes:  US Olympic Soccer Keeper Hope Solo, Track and Field’s Lolo Jones,  Tennis champ Serena Williams, Professional snowboarder Elena Hight, Roller Derby star Suzy Hotrod, the ENTIRE US Women’s Water Polo team, even a very pregnant olympic volleyball star Kerry Jennings Walsh.        Do each of these athletes catch near the amount of backlash?   Seemingly not.  So why is it such a problem with the drag racing community?

Public Image Scrutiny

Its a precarious line that women involved with motorsports walk.    On one hand, you are marketed and  heralded for being uniquely feminine in a masculine-dominated sport.   The media immediately sees a public interest story in the “pretty girl” behind the helmet, with driving and talent often taking a back seat.    The obvious advantage is that marketing partners see instant coverage, where women receive attention and press regardless of finishing order.  In a fiercely competitive and expensive arena like racing, drivers will use whatever assets they can to obtain sponsorship deals.

But there is a fine line to that.   The pretty-girl dressed up with her helmet photo collage has been played out time and time again.  (See, I’m guilty too.)     Posters of hot girls in front of high horsepower cars line the walls of shops and tool boxes across the country,  but put the girl DRIVING the car in that very same scene, and suddenly we have a problem.

Danica Patrick Maxim
Danica took endless heat for this bikini photo shoot.

This isn’t the first time this problem has presented itself.   Think back to this FHM spread with Danica Patrick.    To me, it looks great.  Hot girl, cool car, and added bonus that she can drive the wheels off of just about anything.   Yet, the release of this photo spread created a massive wake of those who felt it discredited her as a driver and made her just another “novelty”.

Specialty vs. Novelty

The attention gets even more critical once the initial story wears off.    Women then are subjected to microscope-like scrutiny, and pressures mount for every rookie mistake they make.  Danica had countless demanding her firesuit because she failed to win a race in her rookie IRL season.    When has any other rookie been subjected to that type of ruthless benchmark?

Remember Ashley Force’s Seattle incident?   It was her first pedal experience in a Funny Car, one of the most difficult vehicles to control in drag racing, and it got away from her while it was spinning the tires.   Any other driver would have been told to chalk it up as a learning experience and shake it off, but scores of people questioned her driving capabilities and were calling her a danger to all racers, and whether she even had enough upper body strength to control the car.

That leaves the women involved in racing a tremendous burden to bear:  you must constantly prove yourself over-qualified just to be present.    I have seen personally how women are first regarded as nothing but a novelty, not taken seriously and pushed aside with a pat on the head regardless of how much tenacity and talent possessed.

A Double-Edged Sword

The age-old question still applies:  why the double-standard for women in sports?    Courtney Force has more than proven herself in the NHRA Funny Car ranks.   She won races in an ultra-competitive class, was voted rookie of the year for her first year, and lead the points chase at several points this season.   Why, after all of that, is a photo spread calling to question whether she belongs in the sport of NHRA Drag Racing?

The answer is that the “Good Ole Boy Network” is alive and well, and very difficult to break.  Women often are passed up for much needed sponsor support.   Lack of sponsor support equals sub-par equipment.   Sub-par equipment results in lackluster performances, and lackluster performances equal lack of sponsorship dollars.    So the vicious circle lives on.   The idea behind coverage such as this is to break the circle, gain exposure for sponsors and thereby attract more support.

John Force Racing viewed the Body Issue as great coverage and exposure for their sponsors.   They asked each of their sponsors prior to her involvement if this was a decision they would approve of, and all signed off on the idea.  But what about other potential sponsors?

What do you think about the Courtney Force controversy?    

Was this a good choice for Courtney or could this potentially hurt her image?  Do you think that this will hurt her sponsorship quest in the future?  How will this impact her image in the long-run?

Comment below with your views!

Category: Horsepower & Heels Blog, Women in Racing ResourcesTag: Courtney Force, Guide to Racing, NHRA, Women Racing

Women in Racing Twitter List

June 20, 2013 //  by Horsepower & Heels

One of the great things about Twitter, is that it allows conversation to roll between racers and fans alike.

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Women in Racing Twitter List

Over the years, I’ve tried to organize a Women In Racing Twitter list, that allows followers to subscribe to and support women involved in racing.    There are ladies on this list involved in Drag Racing, NASCAR, Dirt Track, MX, Rally, and many other forms of motor sports.   More and more women are getting out there and hitting the track, and I think its really important to share these stories!

Whether you’re a supporter of women in motor sports, or a participant yourself, these stories need to be shared to inspire and encourage others out there.   Keep up with all the latest women in racing tweets.   Take a moment and subscribe to the list:  https://twitter.com/HorsepowerHeels/women-racing

The great news is, this is an ever-growing list, so if you see some I’ve missed, comment below with their twitter @ handle, and I’ll be happy to add them on!

Category: Horsepower & Heels Blog, Women in Racing ResourcesTag: Guide to Racing, Women Racing

Finding a racing mentor

August 24, 2012 //  by Horsepower & Heels

One of the most valuable things that I’ve acquired in my racing career has been KNOWLEDGE.     Drag Racing, and I would venture to say all other forms of racing as well, doesn’t exactly come with a how-to guide for participating.  That’s why finding a racing mentor is key.

Having not come from one of the genetically-predisposed families that grow up around racing, I came into motorsports with a proverbial blank slate.   I couldn’t tell you how to do a burnout, or what made a car faster when I started.    I didn’t know a torque wrench from a crowbar.  What was instrumental in my personal growth was an insatiable appetite for learning.

Researching Written Sources

Just starting out, its always helpful to be able to get as much background information as possible.   After seeing the races, and deciding it looked like something for me, I decided to do some research.   I checked with the track, found out the rules and regulations and schedules for amateur participation.   When I had questions about improving my car, I sought out industry magazines:   Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords, 5.0 and Super Fords, etc.   When I was stumped about something I had read, I would hit the internet to ask questions on the Mustang bulletin boards (Stangnet, Corral, Hardcore 5.0, etc.)  Sometimes that isn’t the most reliable of information sources, but it was a good sounding board to learn about common experiences.

Erica Ortiz in Top Fueler
I got the chance to shadow Top Fueler Mike Strasburg for a weekend. Always learning!

Don’t Be Afraid to Meet Racers and Ask Questions

One of the most intimidating parts of anyone’s career is that first-time race behind the wheel.   Heading to your local track and getting a case of the nerves is completely normal.  Everyone has a first time, after taking a few sessions in, don’t be afraid to ask questions of other racers.   Most people are pretty understanding and helpful with first timers, and you stand to pick up tricks and suggestions, and maybe even a racing mentor.

Trade Time for Knowledge

While asking around at the track where I could find a reliable shop to install some new performance mods, I learned about a local shop that also was heavily involved in racing.   The owner would patiently answer my questions and offered advice regularly regarding improving my times at the track.   Because they also raced in considerably quicker classes,  they allowed me to tag along to races where I was able to watch and learn what it took for this higher level of racing.   I would lend a hand with small tasks… packing parachutes, cleaning parts, draining/filling intercoolers.  Volunteering for an experienced team is a great way to learn important information in racing.

Eventually, that relationship led to a full-time position at the shop, where I would spend plenty of time being schooled on the mechanics and learning critical information from a veteran with years of experience.   This type of information wasn’t something I could find online or by attending any schools, it was the product of years of experience and a willing racing mentor who offered to teach.

As a result, when I ventured off on my own, I had a great mechanical knowledge base.   I was involved in the tuning and mechanics of the car, and wasn’t forced to hire outside help very often.

Imitation of Best Practices

A racing mentor doesn’t just have to be a driver or crew member.   I sought out racing mentors in all aspects of racing:  PR/Promotional, chassis and suspension understanding, and still others who helped in other forms.   Sometimes, they were unknowing mentors:  I’d learn merely by studying their teams and operations because of their successes.   Others were as simple as having some key questions at the right times.    Don’t ever be afraid to ask for HELP.    Find someone who is at the top of their game, and see what they are doing to be successful.

Who along the way has inspired YOUR racing career and where did you come across your mentor?

 

Category: Horsepower & Heels Blog, Women in Racing ResourcesTag: Guide to Racing, Women Racing

Alexis DeJoria gets a taste of a new speed…Mach 2

August 13, 2012 //  by Horsepower & Heels

Alexis DeJoria flies with the USAFRemember back a few years ago, when I told you all about my *real* passion as a kid?   Well it appears I have found my kindred spirit in the NHRA world…. none other than Patron Funny Car pilot, Alexis DeJoria.

I keep in contact with Alexis and her team regularly for my Women In Motorsports column over on Examiner.com, but this week’s email from the team included something WAY out of the ordinary (if you can ever really call 300mph nitro-burning funny cars ordinary).

Alexis had the chance to jump on board an F-16 fighter jet with the USAF Thunderbolts this week, shortly after leaving the Seattle race.    Apparently, it was also HER lifelong dream to have become a fighter pilot, but after something altered her course, she too would take to the land version of piloting a high-horsepower machine by drag racing.   Sound familiar?   I swear, I think I found my new BFF.

As if I didn’t already have mad respect for Alexis, what with piloting an 8,000HP nitro-burning funny car to 300mph in less than 4 seconds and all, but NOW I can also add that she’s one of the only gals I know that have not just been SUPERSONIC, but  MACH 2 no less.    That’s twice as fast as the speed of sound folks.   And if I thought that a 3G launch was pretty intense?  Oh no, Ms. DeJoria has experienced all the intensity of an 8.4G maneuver!

I. AM. SO. UNBELIEVABLY. JEALOUS.   

Alexis also spent about 25 minutes of her hour-long experience commanding the controls the F-16 herself.    As hard as it is to imagine getting to be inside that thing for a 0-20,000 ft take-off in less than 5 seconds, or speeding along in excess of 600mph, or the inversions, verticals, loops, split S’, low altitude flying, and barrel rolls that come with these amazing machines, I could not FATHOM being able to move her around the skies myself.

So to Alexis…. I’ll be your wingman anytime!

Category: Horsepower & Heels Blog, Women in Racing NewsTag: Alexis DeJoria, NHRA, Women Racing

Force and Enders share Seattle podium

August 6, 2012 //  by Horsepower & Heels

Wow!  What a weekend for the ladies in NHRA!

Enders and Force share the podium
Erica Enders and Courtney Force hoist their Wallys in the air after both scoring wins in Seattle.

Courtney Force landed her first NHRA Funny Car victory, a feat after climbing back from the #14 position at the bottom of the ladder.   This all coming in her rookie Funny Car season, in just her 15th start.   She’s definitely proving to be quite a Force to be dealt with (pun cheesily intended).

Force and Enders share Seattle podium

But for the first time in history, she would be joined by another gal on the PRO podium, with Erica Enders also landing her second career win in Pro Stock.   Erica’s win came just 3 races after her elusive first win in Chicago, but what makes it even more poetic to me, is that this win comes just one week after the crazy controversy between her and Greg Anderson in Sonoma.

The internet has been on FIRE with the backlash against Greg after he publicly declared Erica Enders “unprofessional” on his ESPN2 interview following the round in Sonoma.    Not only was he asked by his sponsor Summit Racing to apologize to Enders and her crew, the ill-karma he wished upon her came back to bite him.   In what can only be the most fitting form of proper karma dispatch, it was Enders who put Anderson on the trailer early in the race en route to her second career win.

Enders was quite the gracious winner.    The rest of us however, had a field day with that one.

Apparently, it didn’t stop with the fans either.   Matt Hagan made a remark during his final round interview that he didn’t mind losing to a woman.    John Force also was quoted saying how capable and talent the women of our sport are, with a special mention to daughter Courtney, Erica and Shirley Muldowney.

Its sad that there are people out there who still view women as inferior competitors.  Motorsports being the great equalizer- the cars don’t know gender- its really disappointing to know the amount of sexism that still lingers.

Kudos to the ladies for such a great weekend of racing!

 

Photo:  NHRA

 

 

Category: Horsepower & Heels Blog, Women in Racing NewsTag: Courtney Force, Drag Racing, Erica Enders, Funny Car, NHRA, Pro Stock, Women Racing

Getting started in racing

August 3, 2012 //  by Horsepower & Heels

There are a lot of different stories out there about how each of us find our way to the world of motorsports.

John Force's Racing family resulted in a future generation of racers
John Force’s racing family lifestyle resulted in a future generation of racers with daughters Ashley, Brittany and Courtney.

Some of us are born into the lifestyle, with parents who are already actively involved in the sport and bring those playpens into the pits for race weekends.   For those lucky children, racing is just a part of who they are, it’s the life they’ve always known.    Ashley, Brittany, and Courtney Force grew up with their famous NHRA Funny Car father, traveling the country one race weekend at a time.  When each came of age, it was no surprise that they would all follow in their father’s footsteps with racing careers of their own.

Racing families such as the Forces are common in motorsports.   The lifestyle continues on for generation after generation of racers, crew members and team owners.

For others, they come across it later in life.   Maybe its a friend, or another relative.   Some discovered racing because of mainstream tv or movies.   Still others come across it on their own terms.

Getting Started in Racing | What now?

Erica Ortiz's first car
My first car, a 1990 Ford Mustang GT

Me personally, I had no family that was into racing.   My parents’ idea of automotive enthusiasm was being religious about their oil changes and keeping it cleaned every Sunday.   They had no idea where their little girl picked up an interest in all things fast and shiny.   While most girls liked dolls and makeup, I was fascinated by RC cars and Matchbox cars.

When I turned 18 and it was time for a car of my own, I purchased my first Mustang.  It was a 1990 GT, and along with some newly discovered gear head friends, I started pouring into magazines and the internet trying to find out how to make it faster.   I joined message boards and would ask questions, and just submerged myself into learning.

On those message boards and through even more recently acquired gear-head friends, I learned that the local track had what was called an open Test & Tune night.   Anyone could pay $20, sign a waiver, and take a trip down the 1/4 mile.     My group and I decided to go, and after asking people a million questions and watching a few hours worth, I decided to pull up and give it a try.

That first pass (which if I looked around, I have that first timeslip saved somewhere) was a break-neck 15.4 @93 mph.    But it was enough to get me hooked.

Once I started upgrading the GT with some mods, I became a regular at a local speedshop called Lugo Performance.   I befriended the owner, and would travel to watch their class races around the South.   There, I learned the behind-the-scenes of a racing team, and took lots of notes until I ended up working there for several years myself and launching my own career.

Regardless of how it starts, most of us agree that once we’ve discovered it and began our own journey, its hard to imagine life without it.

LADIES TELL US YOUR STORY!    When did you know that you wanted to race and how did you get started?

Category: Horsepower & Heels Blog, Women in Racing ResourcesTag: Erica Ortiz, Guide to Racing, Women Racing

Enders/Anderson controversy

July 30, 2012 //  by Horsepower & Heels

So, I’ve made the commitment to myself to get back on the wagon of writing in this blog more often.   Racecar ready or not, I enjoyed blogging all about different things related to NHRA, drag racing or women racing in general, and a lot of that stopped when I started writing my Women In Motorsports column for Examiner.com.

There probably isn’t a good segway into getting back into it beside just jumping in with both feet, so I guess there is no better place to start than a little Pro Stock controversy.

Enders' infamous shot in front of Greg Anderson's trailer.
The infamous and controversial shot of Erica Enders in front of Greg Anderson’s trailer after her Chicago win.

Now, I’m naturally a strong women in motorsports advocate, so this comes with obvious bias, but I’ll present the facts and let you make your own determination.

This weekend at the NHRA Sonoma Nationals, after an apparent little staging battle during Round 2 eliminations between Greg Anderson and Erica Enders, Greg Anderson voiced his displeasure with Erica during his ESPN2 top-end interview, calling her unprofessional and accusing her of being unsportsmanlike in actions following her first NHRA Pro Stock win 5 weeks earlier, where she defeated him.

Apparently, the ill-comments stemmed from a photo taken of Enders hoisting her Wally after the win in front of Greg Anderson’s trailer.   (seen at left)

Now, the background story behind this photo, at least for us with a sense of humor, is that Greg made multiple comments to the press over the past few years that he didn’t want to be “that guy” who lost to Enders for her elusive first win.  To me, that was a repeated jab against Enders, who took it in stride and never made much ado about what could have also been viewed as a rather childish comment to be made repeatedly about a competitor.

Nearly 5 weeks after that incident, Greg took to the ESPN2 airwaves to comment on the situation regarding the staging battle and her post-race win behavior.

“Sorry for her luck. It’s always good when you race her and I’ve said it all along … she kicked my butt in Chicago. I really didn’t appreciate some of the things she did after that race … it was, in my mind, a little unprofessional. I think the karma train got her a little bit there. She’s a great racer but you have to be professional.” — Greg Anderson

My personal thought is that the photo was good-natured jesting by Enders, who celebrating her victory also was able to point out the irony in the fact that despite his many comments to the contrary, he was in fact “that guy” who lost to her in her first win.

What I did find a bit childish was the staging battle.    Sure, its legal, but its awful immature to resort to treating her like that on the track.  It worked to his favor, as she red-lit in this round handing him the win, but sure doesn’t paint him as the most sportsmanlike competitor.

What do YOU think of the controversy?  Do you think Erica Enders was unprofessional in taking that photo or was Greg Anderson the first low blow with his comments about being “that guy” to lose to Enders?

Category: Horsepower & Heels Blog, Women in Racing NewsTag: Drag Racing, Erica Enders, NHRA, Pro Stock, Women Racing

Erica Enders for People’s Choice

May 18, 2011 //  by Horsepower & Heels

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

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

Erica Enders for People’s Choice

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

Good luck, EE!

Category: Horsepower & Heels Blog, Women in Racing NewsTag: Drag Racing, Erica Enders, NHRA, Pro Stock, Women Racing

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