Fun Ford Weekend Buckeye Nationals 2003 Norwalk, Ohio

After pulling into a muddy Norwalk racetrack Friday afternoon, Horsepower & Heels driver Erica Ortiz unloads the car to find a leaky head gasket.   The team had just replaced heads before the haul and the new sealant didn’t adhere properly.    Although she missed Round 1 qualifying, Erica had the car back to running late that night.

In the morning, Ortiz lined up for 2nd round qualifying. But after violent tire shake the first 660 ft, the best she could muster was a 10.03 @ 158 mph. She headed back to the trailer to ponder how to make the car hook, and improved in the 3rd round to qualify in the #3 spot with a 9.325 @ 159.55 mph.

In Eliminations, Erica took the win with a 9.23 @ 160.30 mph against Brad Hevwagen. But in the second round, Erica lost the hook and the round against Randy Haywood, after a close pair of 9.20’s from both.

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After a disappointing finish in the previous race in Gainesville, the Horsepower & Heels Racing team had only 2 weeks to put together an entire new engine program for the Fun Ford Weekend Old Dominion Nationals event in Richmond, VA.

New Engine Combo

Friday’s test pass was the first time the new motor had ever been run. The maiden voyage first qualifying run on Friday yielded a 9.38 @ 158mph E.T., with driver Erica Ortiz peddling hard the bottom end of the track to maintain traction. This put Erica in the #4 spot for Saturday’s “Race within a Race” shootout event.    The race within a race, sponsored by Innovative Turbo Systems matched the top 8 qualifiers from Friday’s qualifying in a shoot out ladder during Saturday’s qualifications.

Race within a Race Drag Radial Shootout

Saturday morning, Erica was paired 1st round against rival racer Christina Eldert’s new coupe in a women’s racing battle. After all was said and done, Erica advanced to the 2nd round as the top female with a win on the tree and at the light.   But in the 2nd round, Erica spun hard off the line again and was defeated by Norris McKay, who went on to win the shootout event and the Innovative Turbo prize money.

Eliminations

With a final qualifying effort of 9.21 @ 158, Erica was #4 on Sunday’s ladder for eliminations. Her first round match up paired her with Alex Vretto. Unfortunately, Erica had problems on the line spooling up and lost on a hole shot, running a quicker 9.24 to Alex’s 9.44.

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Fun Ford Weekend Peach State Nationals

April 2003- Commerce, GA

This race would be the finish to the previous rain-delayed FFW Spring Break Shootout event in Orlando,

Runner up, FFW Spring Break Shootout 2003

After qualifying #3 with a 9.003 @ 159mph, Erica makes history as the first female in a final round in the drag radial class for Orlando’s rain-delayed final against Chris Little. The car lost traction, and Erica runners-up with a 9.90 @ 159mph.

First woman in the 8’s in drag radial

Entering Atlanta eliminations on Sunday, Erica gets a lucky break with several competition bye runs. She ran the fastest lap of round 1 with an 8.90 @ 163 mph and becomes the first female in the 8’s on a drag radial!

Runner-up, FFW Peach State Nationals 2003

Again, she reaches the Atlanta finals to face Big Daddy in an all-Innovative turbo final round. Despite a hole shot by Erica, the car again lost traction, and she could not catch him, running a 9.40 @ 153mph.

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The Fun Ford Weekend Spring Break Shootout event for the 2003 season was held at the Orlando Speed World Dragway.    This is the Fun Ford season opening event, and for Erica Ortiz, it is a hometown event held right in the Horsepower & Heels backyard.

Erica Ortiz entered her turbocharged Mustang in the Drag Radial class for the event.   But weather made the weekend a soggy one.   Erica would be able to get in a few good runs, advancing to Round 2 of eliminations after defeating Frank Provenza in Round 1.   Unfortunately, the event would be postponed due to rain delay and would be continued at the next race the Peach State Nationals in Commerce, GA.

Fun Ford Weekend Spring Break Shootout

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