Leilani Munter: Fourth Woman In The Indy Pro Series August 29, 2007

 

Leilani Munter became the fourth woman in history to compete in the Indy Pro Series in 2007. She qualified 5th for her debut at the Kentucky Speedway on Aug 11, 2007.

Leilani Münter began racing stock cars in 2001 and has been working her way up the NASCAR ladder since. In 39 starts, she has nine top-five and 19 top-10 finishes. She set the record at Texas Motor Speedway in 2006 when she finished fourth, the highest finish for a female stock car driver in the history of the 1.5-mile speedway. She tested at Daytona International Speedway in December 2006 and earned her license to run in the ARCA series, a feeder division into NASCAR’s big leagues.

 

 

Münter joined the world of open-wheel racing this year. She earned her Indy Pro Series license at Kentucky Speedway in May.

Recently, Sports Illustrated named her in the top 10 female race car drivers of 2007. Her racing accomplishments have landed her in the pages of ESPN Magazine, Men’s Journal, and Esquire Magazine. Konica Minolta was Münter’s primary sponsor last year in the NASCAR Elite division and she currently stars in Interstate Bakeries’ national ad campaign as a Hostess Race Diva alongside IndyCar driver Danica Patrick.

 

Leilani graduated from the University of California San Diego with a degree in biology, but left that and a career in Hollywood—which included working as a stunt driver and photo double for Catherine Zeta-Jones— to move to Charlotte, NC to pursue her racing career. Leilani is well known for being active in environmental and conservation causes and hosts an Earth Watch section and blog on her website leilanimunter.com.

(Source: www.leilanimunter.com)

Women top polite motorists August 28, 2007

Women in their 40s behind the wheel of cars with big engines are the most polite motorists.

But beware of young men under 21 in cars with engines less than 1,500cc.

They are the rudest on the road and terrorize other motorists.

A survey found nine out of 10 drivers of both sexes let other cars out of side roads and 62 per cent always thank others who give way for them.

But 55 per cent admitted they shout or gesticulate and 53 per cent sound their horn if angry.

Middle-aged drivers were found to be the most well-mannered, followed by those in their 30s.

Admiral car insurance, which did the survey, said: “Most motorists are polite and courteous most of the time but sometimes the stress of driving gets the better of them.”

(Source: www.mirror.co.uk)

Amy Faulk August 22, 2007

 

Amy Faulk was the first woman to win a national event in an alcohol dragster. Also, she was the first woman to win an NHRA division championship. And she was even one of the first women to work in the performance auto parts industry and was on the board of directors of the Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA).

Like many drag racers, Faulk grew up around cars. While her interest in cars came early in life, her interest in drag racing came a few years later when she met her husband-to-be. The two got married in 1971 and Faulk got behind the wheel two years after that.

 

Though she had no experience as a drag racer, Faulk wanted to drive the car and started the process of getting her competition license. But to get the special women’s driving permit, Faulk needed to get the signatures of two track owners and three licensed drivers.

 

Amy Faulk became one of the first women to get a competition permit in drag racing and started her career when female race drivers needed a special permit and could not get licenses.

Patty Moise August 18, 2007

Racing has always been a very important in the life of Patty Moise. She was raised in a family whose involvement in racing has always been the tradition and in fact, Patty’s dad was a racer.

 At first, Patty didn’t express any sign of interest in racing. However, when she turned 16 and got her first driver’s license, she developed a keen interest and began racing road courses with the former IMSA series.

 Patty became the first woman to lead an NBS event in 1986 in her first NASCAR Busch Series race. She has also participated in various races and has gained rewards and has set impressive records of her own.

 According to Patty Moise in an interview by NASCAR, “Well, I never really looked at it from that point of view since I always see myself as a race car driver, not as a woman driving a car. This series is so highly competitive that my concerns are more about how my car is working as opposed to if I am the only woman competing.”

 Regarding her personal life, Patty married a fellow NASCAR driver named driver Elton Sawyer. The two first met each other at a car show. Among their most memorable times together include competing against each other in the Busch Series.

 Patty’s last race was during the Busch Series in 1998.

 

Shawna Robinson August 17, 2007

In the late 1980s and early 1990s Shawna Robinson was more than just a pretty face behind the wheel. Born a racer, Shawna drove anything from snowmobiles to diesel trucks competitively until she began to race in NASCAR sanctioned events.

In 1988 she made her NASCAR debut finishing third in the Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series Florida 200 at Daytona International Speedway. Robinson was the first woman ever to win a NASCAR Touring event when she took home the checkered flag at New Asheville Speedway in 1988, her rookie season.

The same year she won her first race in what is now the Goody’s Dash Series, she also captured the Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series’ Most Popular Driver Award and Rookie of the Year honors. Robinson repeated as the Series’ most popular driver in 1989, becoming only the second driver to win the award in consecutive years. NASCAR Winston Cup standout Michael Waltrip is the other, when he accomplished the feat in 1982 and 1983.

In her first two years in NASCAR, Shawna started all 30 races in the Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series winning three of them and finishing in the top 10 a remarkable 21 times.

In 1991 Shawna moved into NASCAR’s Busch Series, Grand National Division. The crown jewel of Robinson’s NASCAR Busch Series career came three years later at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Shawna became the first and only woman ever to win the pole position in the NASCAR Busch Series with a track record of 174.330 mph. The weekend wasn’t all roses for Robinson though, on the first lap of the race Mike Wallace moved alongside of Robinson’s car, making it three abreast in the third turn. Wallace’s car disrupted the air around Robinson’s causing her to come into contact with Joe Nemechek. Robinson’s best finish in a NASCAR Busch Series race was 10th just a little less than a year before her last series race in 1995.

Shawna temporarily retired as a driver with her first pregnancy. While she married and raised a family, she was still involved in NASCAR as an interior decorator in the Charlotte, N.C., area, where many of her clients are NASCAR drivers and car owners.

Robinson returned to the sport in 2000 driving a Ford for former Winston Cup car owner Michael Kranefuss in the ARCA RE/MAX Series, where she finished in the top-10 in points. In 2001 In 2002, Robinson made seven Winston Cup starts. Her best finish was 24th at the Daytona 500 in February. She had four finishes of 40th or worse and finished the year 52nd in the Winston Cup standings.

(Source:www.nascar.com)

Fashionable Sunglasses May Pose Danger On The Road August 10, 2007

 

Nowadays, sunglasses are major fashion accessories that women should have. Sunglasses are said to add an instant glamor to anyone who wears them.

However, the Daily Mail is reporting that about twelve million fashion-conscious women drivers are risking their lives by wearing sunglasses which limit their view of the road.

The vast majority of Britain’s 14.4million female motorists admit to putting style before safety, research shows.

The Eyecare Trust charity also advised women to make safety their first priority with sunglasses for driving.

More than eight out of ten women (82 per cent) surveyed failed to consider safety when choosing sunglasses for driving – equivalent to 11.8million female motorists.

One in ten – 1.3million – drive in wide-armed glasses that severely restrict their peripheral vision. A further 7 per cent wear lenses that are so dark they are illegal for driving.

The researchers commissioned by insurer Sheilas’ Wheels also found that fewer than one in five (18 per cent) of women bought sunglasses specifically for driving while almost two-thirds (61 per cent) based their choice on appearance rather than practicality.

More than half (57 per cent) want better labelling and more information in shops on which are the best styles for motorists to buy.

According to the report, too many women drivers are unaware of the dangers of wide arms and dark lens tints may be the must-haves of the moment, but fashion- conscious women should put safety ahead of style when in control of a car.

The Eyecare Trust examined five styles of fashionable sunglasses and found that only two were suitable for driving. It revealed that the darkest shades fail to allow a minimum proscribed eight per cent of visible light through and are illegal. Pink tinted lenses can make it difficult to read road signs or spot hazards by distorting colors an dwide-armed glasses create blind spots. Aviator style glasses that curve around the eyes and have slim arms are recommended, along with anti-reflective lenses coloured in neutral brown or gray shades.

Chunky frames could pose a hazard when driving. Motorists need good all-round vision and a visual range of at least 120 degrees. The lens color, frame density, filter category and reflective coatings can all play a part in determining whether your sunglasses are roadworthy or not.”

The boom in convertible car sales is putting women at greater risk of skin cancer.

Cancer Research UK has joined forces with Evecars.com, the website of Eve magazine, to urge drivers of convertibles to protect themselves and their passengers with suncream, a hat and sunglasses.

Latest figures show a 43 per cent rise in the most serious form of skin cancer, malignant melanoma, in the last decade. Sales of convertibles in the UK have trebled in that time – an increasing percentage bought by women – from 30,486 in 1996 to 100,626 in 2006. In Europe, only Germany sells more convertibles than Britain.

(Source: www.dailymail.co.uk)

 

Number of Women Truck Drivers Continues To Rise August 8, 2007

 

American women have been driving trucks since the late 1920s. In World War 2, thousands of women took to trucking as men were called up to fight. The number of women in the industry fell sharply after those men returned from war.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2006 182,000 or 5.2 per cent of the country’s 3.5 million truck drivers and similar workers were women, up from 84,000 or 3.5 per cent of 2.4 million in 1983.

One reason for this is the US trucking industry is suffering from a shortage of qualified drivers from their traditional core demographic of middle-aged white men.

A 2005 American Trucking Associations (ATA) study estimated the US trucking industry is short 20,000 drivers, a deficit that could rise to 111,000 by 2014.

Faced with a looming crisis, truck companies want to hire more women to plug the gaps in this male-dominated industry.

“Many truck companies are champing at the bit to hire women,” said Marge Bailey, who runs 31 truck job referral web sites, including LadyTruckDrivers.com.

Steve Russell, chief executive of Indianapolis-based Celadon Group Inc, said 13 per cent of his company’s 4000 drivers are women and he is keen to hire more.

“Anecdotal evidence indicates women are more careful and take better care of their equipment, which is good for us,” Russell said.

Women truckers say they occasionally get complaints from older male truckers that they are taking men’s jobs, “though only ever over the CB (radio) on the road, never in person,” said Brigid Siebarth, 49, who drives for Con-way.

“I think some of them are intimidated by us,” she added.

(Source:www.stuff.co.nz)

Kaley Angstrom: Youngest Driver Presented at The Annual Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation August 7, 2007

Kaley Engstrom was officially presented to the racing community at the 5th Annual Women in The Winner’s Circle Celebration luncheon. A record 36 women were honored at the event which was help at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The event takes place every year to help in generating funds for the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation. The foundation was started by Lyn St. James, Nancy Lieberman Donald Davidson, and Denise McCluggage who also happened to be the special guest during the said event.

Although Kaley is in her rookie year as a Mini-Sprint driver, she has already excelled on both asphalt and dirt. She first started out racing at the young age of six in Kid whrein she gained various honors, championships, and awards.

During the ceremony, Kaley impressed both Lyn St. James and the whole with her impressive bio. At the young age of 12, she has already accomplished so much in the world of racing. She even wowed NASCAR President, Mike Helton as Kaley stated her career aspirations with him. After the ceremony, Kaley was also given the chance to meet and greet notable drivers in the industry such as Erin Crocker and Sarah Fisher, Doug Stinger (, Denise McCluggage, and Janet Guthrie.

Currently, Kaley is a member of various groups such as the North Texas Karters, Southern Kart Racing Association, Texas Mini Sprint Assoc, and the Brazos Mini Sprint Association and is sponsored by the Young Racers of America, Motul Turbo Lubricants, UltraShield Racing, Ribtect, Throttle Racing Products, Wise County Detailing, KAM Karting Supply.

 

More and More Women In Grand Prix Racing August 2, 2007

Women are playing an ever-increasing role in the world of professional racing, according to drivers and support crew staff at the 2007 San Jose Grand Prix.

Champ Car Racer Simon Pagenaud of Team Australia said that not only has he seen more women take the driver’s seat, he’s seeing even more women work behind the scenes.

“It’s good to see that women are going into the sport more than before,” Pagenaud said. “I really think it’s important for everybody.”

Pagenaud said two of his team members are women.

One of them is Anna Chatten, a gearbox mechanic.

“I’ve been in motor sports for almost nine years now, so it’s a little bit the norm for me,” Chatten said.

According to Chatten she is the only female mechanic working in the world of champ car racing.

“My dad was a racing enthusiast, and when I was a little girl he bought us go-karts and we went go-kart racing, and I like to say that was the beginning of the end.”

The other Team Australia member is Vikkie Louks.

She said she got into racing much later than Chatten.

She spent years working in high tech software.

“I’m the computer nerd,” Louks said.

“Before I got into racing, I was in software for almost 8 years.”

Louks said now she feels like one of the boys.

“They don’t see a difference any more. I mean when they’re telling the stories, they don’t clean them up, so I know they don’t see a difference.”

(source: www.9news.com)

Danica Patrick’s New TV Show August 1, 2007

Famous race car driver Danica Patrick will host a new reality show on Time Warner’s CW Network for the fall 2007 season. The Danica Patrick TV show will tentatively be called “Women Drivers.” In this show, female contestants will compete to see who is the best driver, with the winner getting a slot in the 2008 Indianapolis 500.

In the first four episodes, judges Danica Patrick, Shirley Muldowney and Janet Guthrie will travel to four cities where contestants will demonstrate their driving skills. Five will be chosen from each city, for a total of twenty, to go to the finals in Las Vegas.

For each of the remaining ten weeks of the Danica Patrick TV show, contestants will drive in races. In the early races, the top three drivers will get some kind of special reward, like a trip in a helicopter, while the losing drivers will have to perform unpleasant tasks, such as working as showgirls in a casino. At the end of each of these episodes, some of the losing drivers will be voted off. Once the show gets down to five drivers, race results will be all that matters. The show will also feature a variety of races, including traditional Indy, Nascar, and Formula 1. Early episodes will also feature wacky races, such as a cab race on crowded New York City streets.

There has been some speculation that one episode may be done in conjunction with the Time Warner’s HBO TV show Cathouse, which is set at the Moonlight Bunny Ranch, a brothel, in Nevada. Danica Patrick refused to comment on that idea in an interview, and further refused to answer questions about whether Danica Patrick naked would add a lot of viewers. Then she slugged the interviewer.

Danica Patrick is expected to be a real hot property and a strong draw on TV.