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Melissa Urist

You are here: Home / Archives for Melissa Urist

Crewmember of the Year 2016

January 4, 2017 //  by Horsepower & Heels

The Female Crewmember of the Year 2016 category received 27 nominations and 67 votes for the Horsepower & Heels Women of the Year Awards.    There were several lead changes throughout the 8 day voting period, but your winner pulled ahead by just 2 votes at the wire.

Crewmember of the Year 2016Crewmember of the Year 2016 –  Shelley Molea

Horsepower & Heels is proud to announce the winner of the Female Crewmember of the Year 2016 category – Nostalgia Drag Racing Crew Chief, Shelley Molea!   Serving as crew chief on the popular Nostalgia Drag Racing entry of Mad Mike Molea, the family-owned operation out of Grants Pass, Oregon, Shelley Molea works hard with all the crew duties on their beautiful, 1933 Willys Blown Alcohol Gasser entry.  

Shelley MoleaThe popular team recently took the win for the AA/Supercharged class at the 25th Annual California HotRod Reunion event at Auto Club Famoso Raceway this past October.    This feat was accomplished after an amazing recovery from an on-track accident a month before, that left the team scrambling to repair the extensive crash damage and make a comeback before the season-highlighting Hotrod Reunion event.   Not only did Mike, Shelley and the rest of the team get the car back together in time for the race, but they landed in the winner circle for the prestigious reunion event.   

Regularly featured on magazine covers, and a crowd favorite, the “Mad Mike” Willys looks better than ever, and Shelley can always be found out front, helping guide Mike through the burnout and into the beams – as well as busy in the pits between rounds.

Runner Up –  Cassie Simonton

Multi-talented drag racing driver/wrench, Cassie Simonton was your Crewmember of the Year 2016 Runner-Up for the Horsepower & Heels Women of the Year Awards.

Crewmember of the Year 2016 Nominees

  • Tinzy Aronson
  • Sarah Burgess2016 Horsepower & Heels Women of the Year
  • Janette Thornley
  • Paige Sanchez
  • Melissa Urist
  • Judy Franklin
  • Shannon Giust
  • Cheryl Hyrn
  • Bunny Burkett
  • Kaylnn Simmons
  • Rachel Meyer
  • Jessica Mace
  • Shayne Fisher
  • Leeza Diehl
  • Kayli Barker
  • Tiffany Mills
  • Krista Elyse
  • Leeza Diehl
  • Heather Capano
  • Megan Meyer
  • Natasha Cherchuk
  • Randi Lyn Shipp
  • Kristi Shipp
  • Candace Williams

Category: Official News, Women in Racing NewsTag: Bunny Burkett, Candace Williams, Cassie Simonton, Cheryl Hyrn, Heather Capano, Janette Thornley, Jessica Mace, Judy Franklin, Kaylnn Simmons, Kristi Shipp, Leeza Diehl, Megan Meyer, Melissa Urist, Natasha Cherchuk, Paige Sanchez, Rachel Meyer, Randi Lyn Shipp, Sarah Burgess, Shannon Giust, Shayne Fisher, Shelley Molea, Tinzy Aronson, Women of the Year, Women Racing

Ladies Wrap Up: NMRA Bradenton 2016

March 9, 2016 //  by Horsepower & Heels

A busy weekend for the ladies at NMRA Bradenton 2016 for the 22nd Annual Spring Break Shootout.    A beautiful weekend of racing in the Florida sunshine – and the ladies were out and representing well in over 10 different classes of NMRA Bradenton action.   Check out some of the women we caught up with over the course of the 3-day weekend and how they fared at NMRA Bradenton.

NMRA Bradenton 2016


 

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Note:  We know there were more ladies on the premises, and unfortunately, we just ran out of time to track down each one.  If you would like to add your coverage, please email us at horsepowerheels@gmail.com.

Category: Women in Racing NewsTag: Becki Belcher, Haley James, Hannah Sanders, Melissa Urist, Michelle Wallace, Nikki Frost, Nina Gusler, NMRA, Roxanne Shepard, Sondra Leslie, Valerie Clements, Women Racing

Friday Qualifying, NMRA Bradenton

March 5, 2016 //  by Horsepower & Heels

It is a beautiful day in sunny Bradenton, Florida as NMRA Spring Break Shootout qualifying officially is underway.   Horsepower & Heels is here covering the event to check-in with the drag racing ladies of the National Mustang Racers Association.

Friday Qualifying, NMRA Bradenton

Haley James CM1 Friday
The 2015 reigning Coyote Modified champ, Haley James suits up for her first qualifying pass of the 2016 season. They made very few changes to their program over the offseason, and arrived in Bradenton ready to defend the championship title. Haley qualified #4 with an 8.438 @ 155.60 mph in the opening round.
Sondra Leslie Factory Stock
Factory Stock racer Sondra Leslie debuted a new look on her 2006 Mustang, wrapping her Race Strange sponsored ride in a new pearl blue. Hoping to get a jump start on improving her 3rd place 2015 overall Factory Stock finish, Sondra opened qualifying with a 11.718 @ 112.82, as she works out some traction issues.
Melissa Urist
Husband and wife duo, John and Melissa Urist are commonly found together in the staging lanes, but this time it’s Melissa behind the wheel of her 2015 Hellion Turbo Coyote Shootout entry, with John standing by as crew. Melissa ended last season with solid 8 second ETs, and the team found even more power in the offseason.  A boost mix up on line and Melissa’s first qualifying run resulted in an off-pace 10.398 @ 130.02 mph.
Miss Laughridge Cobra jet Shootout
Missy Laughridge was ready to go in her beautiful white Cobra Jet. She is taking on the field in the NMRA’s competitive Cobra Jet Shootout class.

Other sightings include:   Susan McClenaghan and Roxanne Shepard in Modular Muscle;  Stephanie Davis, Cindee Hall, Carole Lissy in Ford Muscle; Kennady Jones and Nina Gusler in Truck & Lightning; and Super Stang’s Becki Belcher.

Stay tuned tomorrow as we bring you more from the ladies of the NMRA.

Category: Women in Racing NewsTag: Becki Belcher, Carole Lissy, Cindee Hall, Drag Racing, Haley James, Kennady Jones, Melissa Urist, Missy Laughridge, Nina Gusler, NMRA, Roxanne Shepard, Sondra Leslie, Stephanie Davis, Susan McClenaghan, Women Racing

Melissa Urist goes straight for the record book

October 4, 2015 //  by Horsepower & Heels

Melissa Urist breaking recordsLongtime NMRA standout crewmember, Melissa Urist, recently made the jump from wrenching on her husband, John Urist’s, Street Outlaw record-holder, to wheelin’ her very own beautiful, competition orange turbocharged 2015 Mustang GT street car during the Nitto Tire NMRA All-Ford World Finals at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Ky.

“I’ve been around this series for a very, very long time but always as a supporter, crew member, pep talker and helper. My husband, John and his business partner, Dwayne James, gave an opportunity to me I just couldn’t pass up. I jumped on it the moment it was presented and haven’t looked back since,” Urist said.

Record Timeslip
The record-setting timeslip still shows plenty of room for improvement.

Melissa Urist goes straight for the record book

The event marks the first-ever drag race for the rookie driver, who after some licensing test-session passes, clocked an impressive 9.508 second E.T. at 133.86 mph in street-trim.   Not only was this an impressive first race for the rookie driver, but it was good enough to unofficially lay claim to the title of fastest turbocharged 2015 Mustang street car on the planet!

The pass, which Urist said had her lifting early around the 1,000 ft. mark, shows that there is still plenty of potential in the ride, and she is eager to push the car further this weekend.

Rain Soaked Bowling Green

Like so many other racing events this weekend, the Nitto Tire NMRA All-Ford World Finals are contending with cold rainy weather that have not allowed for qualifying thus far in most classes.    Melissa is set to compete in the Turbo Coyote Shootout class.

“I want to go out there and lay down some sick numbers. Who wouldn’t want to win their first race ever?” she said. “Honestly though, there’s a lot of seasoned racers in the class I intend on running. My hope is to go out there, make fast, consistent runs and show what my street car is capable of doing on the track,” she concluded. (from StangTV.com)

Racing is scheduled to resume today at 8:30AM, with heads-up qualifying to follow the index classes.

Category: Women in Racing NewsTag: Drag Racing, Melissa Urist, NMRA, Women Racing

Featured Crew: Melissa Urist

June 5, 2015 //  by Horsepower & Heels

Melissa Urist gets her racer in the grooveWith 13 years experience in the pits, 7 of those for one of the most successful Super Street Outlaw programs on the planet, and a ‘Crew Member of the Year’ title to her name, 30 year-old New Mexico resident, Melissa Urist continues to crush assumptions with her class-winning knowledge and wrench-turning skills.

The Early Years

Growing up, Melissa was always surrounded by a love for cars.    Her father an avid Mustang enthusiast, he always had more ponies than Melissa could even remember.   His passion and auto enthusiasm was passed down through the family; first to her brother, and eventually taking hold of Melissa herself, who wanted to follow in her brother’s footsteps.

It began with local car cruise-ins to a popular hangout called Blue Top, an establishment frequented by the muscle car crowd in her suburban Chicago hometown.  From there, she would venture to the race track with the family.   Drag Racing wasn’t love at first sight for Urist, who said that the dragstrip took time to grow on her, “mainly because at that time, I wasn’t even old enough to have a learners permit,” she says.  She began learning the basics from brother Johnny Leslie- who competed in the National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA)- changing tires, fly wheels, clutches, rear ends, etc. for his Factory Stock class Mustang.  Soon, drag racing became an obsession.

Partners in Life and Championships

Melissa Urist changing tires8 years later, Melissa would meet NMRA racing standout, John Urist of Hellion Racing at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) tradeshow.  Teamed with John, who would not only become her racing partner, but her husband and partner in life, she learned what it took to crew a championship winning Street Outlaw program, from valve train to engine maintenance and all the other round preparation tasks of a top-caliber team.   She and one other member serve as the entire working crew on the car, a fact that put many in disbelief.

I would have to say most people who pass through our pits assume that I don’t know much about the car or that because the pit is filled with more men than women that I’m just there to film, no actual labor on the car,” she says of her role as main crew member.   “I don’t come right out and tell people that I have a major hand in the car because I let my work speak for itself. I’m lucky that my husband will tell people himself how during a typical race weekend, he does no work on the car himself besides tuning, and that myself and Mike King do 100% of the work.”

Team Hellion Winner CircleFrom loading the Hellion hauler in preparation for its cross-country travel to races, to her flying into the track for set-up and tech, checking over the engine and fixing problems that arise, maintenance between fueling, water, ice, spark plugs, battery charging, towing the car to/from the race surface, and lining John up for each and every run, there isn’t much Melissa doesn’t have a hand in on the car’s upkeep.

…Most just assume that if you’re a woman at the track, you’re there for attention only. I honestly don’t walk the track that often at races, I stick to my pit, work on the car, chat with our crew members, talk about our plan for the next pass with my crew and worry about my daughter. I think it’s an awesome experience when you can talk cars with people who pass through your pits and they commend you on your knowledge of cars, throwing in that they didn’t expect that. I feel like maybe with that experience, they will treat the next female with a little more respect.”

Melissa and John Urist- Winning coupleMelissa propelled John to countless wins in the class, culminating with six Super Street Outlaw Championship titles, and earning the coveted NMRA 2014 Crew Member of the Year title for her work.

This [Crew Member of the Year award] was so special and unique to me because I believe I’m the 2nd woman in the NMRA to have ever won this award,” she said of the honor. I really hope that someday my daughter will race and feel confident in what she’s doing because her mom has shown her that it is possible.”

Melissa Urist: Super Mom

But her work doesn’t stop there.   Since the arrival of their daughter Lauren in September 2012, Melissa also handles getting the entire house ready for the Grandparents to watch while her and John are away at the races.   Between her crew duties, she is making sure everything is 100% ok at home and that there are no issues with their daughter.

I was blessed to grow up with Super Mom-I mean that! My mom can juggle 4 children with crazy busy schedules like she’s baking a cake. It always came so natural to her, (and I struggle with 1!) that I said when situations get tough, I need to channel my own Mom. Growing up with her has turned me into the best Mom/wife/daughter I could be.”

Melissa Urist working on differentialMelissa and John are sure they will continue the family legacy with the next generation of racers.  Already car-savvy at the tender age of 2, Lauren is wasting no time following right behind her mommy and daddy’s footsteps.

Family is everything. With that said, you can have a family AND race. 9 days after our daughter was born, we loaded up in the motorhome and drove from Albuquerque, NM (where we live) to Bowling Green, KY for a race and won the championship. It was the most exciting and exhausting weekend of my life. I committed to responsibilities on the car and didn’t want to give them up so I’d feed our daughter, put her in her baby rocker and work on the car. Thankfully, at 9 days old, she found the sound of cars going down the track to be lulling and slept, literally, like a baby. Her entire first year and a half, she was at every race no matter what. Motherhood doesn’t mean your life stops, it means you get to pass this love of cars onto your own children. Getting them involved is, in my opinion, the best way to continue to do what you love AND you don’t have to give up those precious moments with them. My daughter pops the hood on her mini- Boss 302 and shows us how she works on cars. She’s also obsessed with looking under the hood of our 2015 and pointing out the turbos.”

Taking a turn at the wheel?

Despite over a decade at the track, Melissa has never taken her turn behind the wheel.   She stated that this is something that is soon to change, and is looking forward to her first trip down the track herself.     She will hit the track in a Hellion Twin Turbo 2015 Mustang, and has her eye on the NMRA’s Turbo Coyote Shootout held in Bowling Green and the NMRA All-Female shootout in Ohio.

As far as advice for women wanting to get involved in the sport?   She offers:

Always be humble. Respect other women in the sport. Don’t come into the scene with an attitude against others, especially when you don’t know them nor have the years of experience behind you. Lift one another up. Never give up, no matter how many times you cross the stripe 2nd. It’s an exciting experience for me to watch my sister race in the same class as my brother and it brings me to tears each and every time my sister does well because I know how much hard work she’s put in to go just one more round. Enjoy and embrace every moment!”

Best of luck to Melissa!  We can’t wait to see you add driver to your accomplished resume!

Category: Pit FeaturesTag: Drag Racing, Melissa Urist, NMRA, Women Racing

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