St. James’ Project Podium For NASCAR Women Drivers July 31, 2007

Some industry authorities still believe that it may be several years before NASCAR will see a woman compete in the sport’s premier Cup Series despite campaigns to increase female presence on the racetrack.

obstacles for aspiring female drivers are believed to be the lack of funding and the lack of grass-root support. This is according to Lyn St. James, racecar driver and pioneer for women in motorsports.

When asked why NASCAR, the country’s most popular form of motorsports, has yet to produce a competitive female, St. James pointed the finger to the smaller series teams in the industry who are failing to lay the foundation and provide the level of experience necessary for female drivers to become attractive to high-level NASCAR Cup teams.

“They’re not getting the best equipment or with the best programs and they need funding behind them,” said St. James, 1992 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year.

To combat the problem, St. James unveiled Project Podium, a program geared to provide grants on a match-fund basis to female drivers who look to succeed in the highly competitive motorsports industry.

As part of the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation, the program will rely on sponsors like NASCAR, USAC and the Indy Racing League for support, in addition to corporate contributions.

To see the rest of this aricle by Raygan Swan, visit www.nascar.com

Six Women Compete At RMR Rocky Mountain Raceways July 26, 2007

Some of the women say they were born to be race car drivers, while others are inspired by national drivers such as Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher. One was racing before a couple of the others were born.
Whatever their backgrounds and experiences, six women competed as drivers Saturday night at Rocky Mountain Raceways. Californians Shauna Hogg, Audra Sasselli and Laura Hayes drove in the Firecracker 100 Sprint Cars race, while Utahns Jamie Wysong and Lyndie Burdett Luttmer and teenager Caitlin Shaw of Albuquerque, N.M., drove Ford Focus midgets.
“It seems pretty cool. Maybe we were part of history,” said Hayes, from Wilton, Calif. “I haven’t heard of six [females] at one track before. My guess is that more women are doing it now and more people are accepting of it. Danica Patrick is paving the road for us and others.”
The trend has also extends to Utah, although Wysong – daughter of legendary local driver Jimmy Wysong – is quick to point out that the Indy Racing League’s Patrick had nothing to do with her interest in racing.
“You see it more often and it is a really good thing,” said Wysong, 22. “It is becoming more socially acceptable for girls and women to drive, rather than just watch. But don’t say it was all [Patrick], because she had no role in my choosing to race whatsoever.”
This is Wysong’s first full year behind the wheel, although she has practically been raised at RMR. Her father has driven for 32 years (and was in Saturday night’s sprint car race), and her brother Everett (E.J.) also drives a sprint car.
“I just love it,” she said. “It is frustrating because I am new and I am a perfectionist after 15 years of gymnastics training, but I will get used to it.”
Prior to Saturday’s Ford Focus Midgets series race, Wysong’s highest finish in four previous races was eighth.
“I drove in one race last year, and I was hooked,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if I am male or female. I’m an adrenaline junkie. I was raised to race.”
Like Wysong, Luttmer grew up around race cars as part of the famous Burdett family of racers from West Jordan. She was married on May 18 to a man she met at the track.
“I am a third-generation driver,” she said. “My grandfather [Mick] and my father [Frank] were heavily involved in the sport, so it was just natural for me to get into it, too.”
Luttmer, 22, drove go-karts for a year when she was 8, but she’s also a rookie. Her first race was June 23 and she finished dead last.
“I have nowhere to go but up,” she said good-naturedly.
Frank Burdett built the car she drove Saturday night, deciding it would be neat to have a car similar to one his father had.
“I volunteered to drive it, and he couldn’t say no,” Luttmer said. Her brother, Ryan Burdett, also drives sprint cars.
Luttmer scoffs at the notion that it takes a certain amount of courage to strap oneself into a race car.
“In my spare time I also ride a bullet bike,” she said. “Now that’s scary.”
The other youngster in Saturday’s Midgets field, Shaw, also had her sights set on racing for a long time.
Shaw, 17, started racing Quarter Midgets at age 10 and moved to Mini Sprints at 14. This is her second season in Ford Focus Midgets.
Shaw drives the car once driven by Hayes.
“We help each other out,” Hayes said. “There’s as much camaraderie as there is rivalry.”

Source: The Salt Lake Tribune

NASCAR Jewelry July 25, 2007

I must say that in my opinion, jewelries are more applealing to women than to men.  And since more and more women are also becoming huge NASCAR fans, it’s just appropriate to let them know about the new NASCAR jewelry.

Frederick Goldman, New York, is launching a new collection of men’s and women’s NASCAR jewelry featuring some of the top racers on the circuit.

Top drivers’ numbers are featured in the designs, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dale Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kasy Kahne, J.J. Yeley, and Denny Hamlin.

NASCAR, the nation’s premiere stock car racing league, is a $2 billion per year industry. Live attendance at NASCAR Winston Cup races was more than 5 million last year. And in the past five years, sales of NASCAR tie-in merchandise have grown from $60 million to $600 million.

As you might expect from an auto-racing line, Goldman’s new collections are in stainless steel with black finishes or 14k gold accents. Some styles feature a checkered flag motif. The collection includes bracelets, rings, dog tags, key chains, and money clips. NASCAR jewelry will be available this fall, supported by in-store collateral materials, including packaging, certificates of authenticity, and product displays.

Hands On The Steering Wheel July 24, 2007

In an article by Ray Massey in the Daily Mail, the reason why men drive with one hand and why women drive with both hands is revealed.

According to the article, men drive with one hand because they are ‘physically relaxed’ at the wheel. On the other hand, it takes a female driver to understand that her car is a separate entity – which means she is more likely to grip the wheel with both hands.

Research has also found that men use chat about their cars as a way of expressing their own feelings.

Co-author Dr Iain MacRury, of the University of East London, said: “Men talk about their cars as if talking about themselves. “Women are more comfortable expressing their feelings directly and see the car as separate. That’s why women give names to their cars. “It’s also why men drive with one hand on the steering wheel. They are physically relaxed as they think the car is part of them. “Women drive with two hands because they see the car as more ‘detached’.”

The study noted where one-handed drivers preferred to put their spare hand. It found that 46 per cent of men rested it on the gear stick. Just 31 per cent of women did this. But although only 27 per cent of men put their spare hand in their lap, 39 per cent of women did.

Co-author Dr Peter Marsh said: “Men hate talking about relationships. But the relationship they have with their car is different – because they identify with their cars.

Women drive with both hands on the wheel because they see the car are more ‘detached’ “This is often demonstrated by genuine feelings of annoyance at the threat, or potential threat, of someone scratching or scraping the car. Affectionate patting of the steering wheel, car roof or dashboard, or glancing back as if to say goodbye, are also signs.”

The study – called The Secret Life of Cars and What They Reveal About Us – also found that motorists are four times more likely to sing on their way to work than on the way home.

To read the rest of this story http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Ashley Taws: Barbie On The Road July 19, 2007

 Unlike most race drivers, Ashley Taws did not grow up dreaming of driving fast cars. In fact, she fell it to it quite by chance. It began in 1993 when Ashley’s dad, Peter, bought a go-kart for her brother, Doug so he could try his hand at racing. Not wanting Ashley to feel left out, Peter took her along to the track, thinking she’d be bored and in future would stay home to play with her Barbie dolls. Ashley reluctantly gave it a try… and took to it instantly. That was the beginning of her kart racing career where she finished second and was Rookie of the Year in the TKC’s Junior Championship; claimed third in the Ontario Trillium Series won a Canadian Grand National Championship.

Sixteen-year-old Ashley made a huge impression in 2000, her first year racing cars. Driving the Maximum Benefit / Big Sisters Formula 1200 car, she won two races and scored a total of five top-three finishes. She was third in the Isseco/Kumho Formula 1200 Championship, second in the CASC-OR (Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs – Ontario Region) Race Ontario Sprints and second in the BARC (British Automobile Racing Club) Formula 1200 Championship. In addition she was awarded the Muriel B Knap Trophy for “sportsmanship, ability and sparkle” and the BARC Bob Attrell Award for “best new driver”.

In 2001, Ashley began her association with Barbie, rolling out the “Be Anything with Barbie at Wal*Mart” race car. After two years of Formula 1200, Ashley was ready to move up a level. With continued support from Barbie, she entered the 2002 Canadian Formula Ford Championship, a high-profile Formula 1600 series with races at some of Canada’s premier motorsport events. Beginning the season with a third-place finish, she became the first woman in the history of the series to stand on the podium. Later in the year she upped that mark by finishing second. The highlight of 2002 was Ashley’s weekend at the Toronto Indy where she dominated both qualifying sessions to take pole, delighting thousands of fans.

Unfortunately, in December 2002 she was a passenger in a car that was involved in a head-on highway collision and her career came to in an instant halt. Now, just over four years later, Ashley is set to race again. Racing both a Stock Car and a Super Touring car while making more than 30 appearances at Wal*Mart locations, she will be a very busy young woman this year.

(Source: www.ashleytaws.com)

Jody Folice: First woman in history to drive a Legends car in a competitive race July 18, 2007

 Jody Folice was born in April 3, 1970. When she was young, she would race the other neighborhood kids on big wheels and when her father discovered her interest in cars, engaged her into go-karts.

Her first karting experience began at the Wilton Go-Kart Club. Soon after Jody started whipping her fellow go kart racers on the track and started working her way through the ranks of hard core kart racing. In 1980, after winning several races and track championships in the local racing arena, Jody caught the eye of Wayne Wispalaere of Coyote Products, the number one manufacturer of racing go -karts in the country. She joined the prestigious Coyote Race Team with full factory backing.

For the next several years, Jody raced up and down the east coast in the United States and Canada, in many divisions within several different series, racking up numerous feature wins and championships which included ‘86, ‘88, ‘91, World Karting Association Points Championships – Horstman Gold Cup Series, Two Time International Karting Association Points Champion and in 1982 and 1984, she was warded the IKF Duffy Trophy. This is a most prestigious award, for it is named for the man who founded organized karting – Duffy Livingston.

In her debut performances at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, she had three top five finishes in three starts, a 3rd, 4th and 5th, and became the first woman in history to drive a Legends car in a competitive race.

Jody drove the car again in the 10 week racing series ‘Legends of the West’ at Canyon Raceway in Arizona, which was broadcast live on The Nashville Network. What followed after this event were numerous wins and awards.

Women Hot Rodders On The Rise July 17, 2007

An article from USATODAY.com discusses the increasing number of women joining the compact-car scene.

According to the article, twenty-something women are turning their cars into tire-smoking show cars and weekend racers with focus not only on paint jobs and interior upgrades but also in boosting engine performance to increase speed capability.

Today, women make up 18% of those involved in the so-called compact sports car market, up from 3% in 1998, according to the Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA). The number is expected to reach 25% next year.

GirlieGirlracing.com is a website which offers a line of products, including clothing and pink and purple car accessories, and sponsors shows across the USA, all aimed at young female car enthusiasts. When it was first started by Diana Cantarelliin 1997, she only had six numbers but today, she has over 2,000 members and still growing.

Automakers, particularly domestic manufacturers General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler, have noticed the trend. All now are sponsoring female compact sports car racers.

The women “are quite serious,” says Jan Valentic, vice president of global marketing at Ford.

But she says that Ford won’t be aggressive in marketing to them. “They are more interested in discovering you and your product than you forcing your product on them,” Valentic says.

 

Already A Champion At Sweet 16 July 12, 2007

At the early age of seven, Alison McLoed started kart racing, driving a 4-cycle sprint kart and she often crashed. But despite the constant crashing, she kept going. At 11, she graduated to 80cc shift karts and showed so much talent.

By 2004, she has already won four championships annd nuerous wins. Because of this exceptional performance, at 13 she was already nominated for Ford Racing’s Female Driver Development Program. She was sent to Bryan Herta’s XPlex kart track in Las Vegas for evaluation. After one day at a new track, she was within 0.1 second of the local hotshot.

At 14, MacLeod went to a Ford evaluation for several older females, being tested for mental acuity, media savvy, physical strength, and on-track ability. She tied for first with Erin Crocker, eight years her senior. Now 16, she had a 2005 Ford Focus midget ride with legendary midget builder Bob East in Indianapolis, placing fifth in her first race, third in her second race, and winning her third. In her fifth race, Stephanie Mockler, MacLeod, and Erica Santos finished one-two-three, the first-ever all-female USAC podium.

 

SUV Women Designers July 11, 2007

NISSAN

Nissan Frontier

With female designers working behind the scenes, Nissan’s Frontier Crew Cab pickup became the first truck on the market in 1999 with four full-size doors. Diane Allen, chief designer at Nissan’s U.S. design studio, was then given the responsibility of redesigning the new 2001 Nissan Frontier compact pickup truck. The result: a number of cosmetic changes that gave the 2001-model a macho, mechanical-industrial look without being so aggressive as to turn off female buyers.

Allen has been involved in two of Nissan’s most successful designs in recent years — the 2000 Maxima sport sedan and the popular Xterra sport utility vehicle. With the Xterra, her aim was to give the truck some SUV qualities in terms of luxury details. Allen rejects what she calls “the ’90s trend to inject softer forms into truck design.” Instead, she finds her true inspiration for vehicle design in merging the concepts of sports cars and high-end power tools together. The Xterra became Nissan’s first consumer hit in years.

 

FORD

1999 Ford Windstar

In 1997, Ford Motor Co. created a development team of 30 female engineers (known as the Windstar Moms) to make their 1999 Ford Windstar minivans user-friendly for their target market: women with children. At the time, only 8.5% of engineers were women, so having 30 female engineers playing an integral role in the development of virtually every aspect of the 1999 Ford Windstar was a noteworthy accomplishment.

Ford has relied on its team of Windstar Moms throughout the years, and at the turn of the century, Ford unveiled its new Ford Solutions minivan. An answer to people’s hectic lives and the fact that families spend more time in their vehicles than ever before, Solutions is a vehicle outfitted with a refrigerator, microwave, washer/dryer, vacuum, and other home appliances. Ford teamed with Maytag to create this one-of-a-kind vehicle that is sure to please women and families alike.

GENERAL MOTORS

The 2000 Saturn CV1

Kate Zak, brand character design manager for Saturn, designed for the CV1(a.k.a. Saturn’s “first concept vehicle”). This 2000-model SUV was a step outside the box for Saturn and was projected to play a significant role in future Saturn models.

 

The Buick Rendezvous

The Buick Rendezvous was designed by General Motors’ first female vehicle chief designer, Liz Wetzel. This was her first Buick product assignment, and GM’s first big unveiling since pulling the plug on their 103-year-old Oldsmobile line. Hoping to redefine the concept of “sport utility vehicle,” Buick is eager to introduce the first truck-based Buick in nearly 80 years. Wetzel has described it as “a fine leather shoe with a rugged sole.” It has a sleek look and a number of unique features, suggesting refined ruggedness for today’s families.

DAIMLERCHRYSLER:

DaimlerChrysler recruited an informal group of female engineers and called them the Women’s Product Advocate Team in 2000. This group was formed as a voice for female customers in order to create more female-friendly vehicles.

Anne Asensio is a leading female car designer from Europe who was hired by DiamlerChrysler in 2000 to add her unique perspective to their domestic line of vehicles. According to the Detroit News (May 9, 2000), her feminine perspective plays some part in her success. “You are a designer first, and you design with your personality,” she said. “But it is an advantage to understand what a woman expects in a car.”

 

Source: www.4whelldrive.about.com

Who’s Better On The Road? July 10, 2007

Here’s an excerpt from an interesting article by author Jenny Dolan entitled “Men vs. women: Busting myths and checking facts in the battle of the sexes”

On Men as better drivers

A wise man once said: “I don’t have an official opinion on that.” That man was Capt. Gary Uting, director of field services for the La Crosse Police Department.

Statistics: Out of the 10,183 traffic citations given in La Crosse during a 12-month period, men received 6,568 and women received 3,615.

Men might receive more citations because they drive more than women, Uting said. “In regards to me and my wife, I tend to do most of the driving when it’s the two of us,” he said. Most of the people I know, the man does the driving. I don’t know why.”

Men, especially young men, are considered riskier drivers. Car insurance for a 16-year-old male costs more than for a 16-year-old female, said Rita Sanger, insurance agent for American Family in La Crosse. Insurance rates go down once a driver is no longer considered a “young driver,” Sanger said. Women reach that age at 25, men at 30.

Still think women are dangerous behind the wheel?

According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, men’s fatal crash rates per mile are about 1.8 times those of women. Men are more likely than women to be in single-vehicle crashes. Men are less likely to use seat belts and more likely to have been drinking prior to their crashes. They’re also more likely than women to have suspended licenses or previous convictions.

Read the rest of this story at http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2007/06/26/news/02sexes26.txt