Women in Motor Sports

Sarah Moore-Winning at 15

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/motor-racing/giving-women-drivers-a-good-name-is-childs-play-for-sarah-1693417.html

Ashley Force

Click on this link for a story on Ashley Force:  http://www.autoracingdaily.com/news/nhra/ashley-force-beats-whos-who-of-funny-car-drag-racing-enroute-to-victory/

How To Get Started in Racing

April 08, 2009

From Dreaming to Driving -- How To Get Started in Racing

 So, all your life you've dreamed of being a racecar driver, and now you think it's time to get behind the wheel. But where do you start? Well, unless your name is Earnhardt, Unser, or Andretti, you're going to need to roll up your sleeves, do your homework as well as some serious planning before you'll be ready to take on Daytona, Indy, or the World Rally Championship. If you're really serious about driving racecars though (as a hobby or even if you have dreams of driving professionally), here are a few tips to get your career moving:

1. Define what type of racing you wish to pursue: Do you want to drive dirt track, sports cars, stockcars, drag racing, karts, ralley, off-road, or ? Not sure of the answer? Then it might be time to do a bit more thinking….

2. Locate an organization in your area that is currently hosting racing or performance driving events. There are a number of national organizations that serve as sanctioning bodies for racing events, and many of them have extensive websites that provide racers (and potential racers) with a wealth of information. Here are a few of the leading organizations:

National Auto Sport Association (NASA) : www.nasaproracing.com
Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) : www.scca.com
National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) : www.nhra.com
National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) : www.nascar.com
SCORE-International Off-Road Racing (SCORE) : www.score-international.com
Championship Off Road Racing (CORR) : www.corracing.com
World Karting Association (WKA) : www.worldkarting.com
World Rally Racing (WRC) : www.rally-live.com

3. Contact that organization or just go to a local the track/venue and start meeting folks and asking questions about how you can become involved. What talents could you bring to a team? Do you have mechanical skills, or are you a great organizer or communicator? Des the track have a volunteer program? Work on building relationships, and offer to become involved in whatever way. Ask around and find out what it takes to secure your racing license. Most tracks have various levels of racing available, and you should become very knowledgeable about the types of car, support crew, racing expenses, etc. for each class before investing in a car/team.

4. Define your budget: How much can you afford to spend to get in a car and give this a go? It's nice to think that you'll have sponsorship right from the start (and if you're the 1 in a million who has deep pocket friends or close contacts with business owners, that might happen), but for 999/1000 racers, we find a way to buy and support our own racing effort to start. The good news is you might be surprised at how inexpensive it is to get started.
funding your racing...

5. Sponsorship: Funding your racing effort will be among the most difficult tasks you undertake (an is the single biggest reason good drivers drop out of race series). With no track experience, businesses will have a hard time recognizing the "value" in funding your effort. You need to get pretty tough skinned about this, and remember that these are business decisions for companies. While there are few charitable businesses out there and you could be lucky enough to find them, but unless they are family/friends who will just give money to an unproven driver, you're gonna have to really stand out in the crowd. You'll also have to think about the market access you bring to your sponsors. Who are their audience? Does the local track (or the one you select) have TV or press coverage on a regular basis?

6. Competition: All of the women I've met on this site (and many men I know from the track) started their racing career with a dream….and that's good....But dreaming about racing isn't going to get you the seat time or skills you'll need to become a competitive driver in market-based world. You need to take action; and there are several avenues, which you can pursue to get this done. Locate a performance driving school in your area (Bondurant, Skip Barber, etc.), connect with the National Auto sport Association (NASA) and get involved with their HPDE program, contact the local region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), ask officials or competitors at your local track how they became involved….You'll be surprised how much information you'll be given.

7. Be friendly, humble, determined and passionate about your racing career. Focus and don't give up. If this is what you really want, it can happen, but it will only be through your hard work and determination. So get out there and take action to follow you dream!

 

by Karen Salvaggio
Editor, Thundervalleyracing.com

Karen Salvaggio serves as Vice President for Women in Racing with the Women's Automotive Association International (WAAI), the premier organization for women in the automotive industry. As Editor-in-Chief for Thunder Valley Racing, she travels nationally to support and develop opportunities for women in racing. She is an avid racecar driver, and was most recently awarded the 2005 Regional Championship for the National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC).

 So, all your life you've dreamed of being a racecar driver, and now you think it's time to get behind the wheel. But where do you start? Well, unless your name is Earnhardt, Unser, or Andretti, you're going to need to roll up your sleeves, do your homework as well as some serious planning before you'll be ready to take on Daytona, Indy, or the World Rally Championship. If you're really serious about driving racecars though (as a hobby or even if you have dreams of driving professionally), here are a few tips to get your career moving:

1. Define what type of racing you wish to pursue: Do you want to drive dirt track, sports cars, stockcars, drag racing, karts, ralley, off-road, or ? Not sure of the answer? Then it might be time to do a bit more thinking….

2. Locate an organization in your area that is currently hosting racing or performance driving events. There are a number of national organizations that serve as sanctioning bodies for racing events, and many of them have extensive websites that provide racers (and potential racers) with a wealth of information. Here are a few of the leading organizations:

National Auto Sport Association (NASA) : www.nasaproracing.com
Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) : www.scca.com
National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) : www.nhra.com
National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) : www.nascar.com
SCORE-International Off-Road Racing (SCORE) : www.score-international.com
Championship Off Road Racing (CORR) : www.corracing.com
World Karting Association (WKA) : www.worldkarting.com
World Rally Racing (WRC) : www.rally-live.com

3. Contact that organization or just go to a local the track/venue and start meeting folks and asking questions about how you can become involved. What talents could you bring to a team? Do you have mechanical skills, or are you a great organizer or communicator? Des the track have a volunteer program? Work on building relationships, and offer to become involved in whatever way. Ask around and find out what it takes to secure your racing license. Most tracks have various levels of racing available, and you should become very knowledgeable about the types of car, support crew, racing expenses, etc. for each class before investing in a car/team.

4. Define your budget: How much can you afford to spend to get in a car and give this a go? It's nice to think that you'll have sponsorship right from the start (and if you're the 1 in a million who has deep pocket friends or close contacts with business owners, that might happen), but for 999/1000 racers, we find a way to buy and support our own racing effort to start. The good news is you might be surprised at how inexpensive it is to get started.
funding your racing...

5. Sponsorship: Funding your racing effort will be among the most difficult tasks you undertake (an is the single biggest reason good drivers drop out of race series). With no track experience, businesses will have a hard time recognizing the "value" in funding your effort. You need to get pretty tough skinned about this, and remember that these are business decisions for companies. While there are few charitable businesses out there and you could be lucky enough to find them, but unless they are family/friends who will just give money to an unproven driver, you're gonna have to really stand out in the crowd. You'll also have to think about the market access you bring to your sponsors. Who are their audience? Does the local track (or the one you select) have TV or press coverage on a regular basis?

6. Competition: All of the women I've met on this site (and many men I know from the track) started their racing career with a dream….and that's good....But dreaming about racing isn't going to get you the seat time or skills you'll need to become a competitive driver in market-based world. You need to take action; and there are several avenues, which you can pursue to get this done. Locate a performance driving school in your area (Bondurant, Skip Barber, etc.), connect with the National Auto sport Association (NASA) and get involved with their HPDE program, contact the local region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), ask officials or competitors at your local track how they became involved….You'll be surprised how much information you'll be given.

7. Be friendly, humble, determined and passionate about your racing career. Focus and don't give up. If this is what you really want, it can happen, but it will only be through your hard work and determination. So get out there and take action to follow you dream!

 

by Karen Salvaggio
Editor, Thundervalleyracing.com

Karen Salvaggio serves as Vice President for Women in Racing with the Women's Automotive Association International (WAAI), the premier organization for women in the automotive industry. As Editor-in-Chief for Thunder Valley Racing, she travels nationally to support and develop opportunities for women in racing. She is an avid racecar driver, and was most recently awarded the 2005 Regional Championship for the National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC).

From Dreaming to Driving -- How To Get Started in Racing

 So, all your life you've dreamed of being a racecar driver, and now you think it's time to get behind the wheel. But where do you start? Well, unless your name is Earnhardt, Unser, or Andretti, you're going to need to roll up your sleeves, do your homework as well as some serious planning before you'll be ready to take on Daytona, Indy, or the World Rally Championship. If you're really serious about driving racecars though (as a hobby or even if you have dreams of driving professionally), here are a few tips to get your career moving:

1. Define what type of racing you wish to pursue: Do you want to drive dirt track, sports cars, stockcars, drag racing, karts, ralley, off-road, or ? Not sure of the answer? Then it might be time to do a bit more thinking….

2. Locate an organization in your area that is currently hosting racing or performance driving events. There are a number of national organizations that serve as sanctioning bodies for racing events, and many of them have extensive websites that provide racers (and potential racers) with a wealth of information. Here are a few of the leading organizations:

National Auto Sport Association (NASA) : www.nasaproracing.com
Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) : www.scca.com
National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) : www.nhra.com
National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) : www.nascar.com
SCORE-International Off-Road Racing (SCORE) : www.score-international.com
Championship Off Road Racing (CORR) : www.corracing.com
World Karting Association (WKA) : www.worldkarting.com
World Rally Racing (WRC) : www.rally-live.com

3. Contact that organization or just go to a local the track/venue and start meeting folks and asking questions about how you can become involved. What talents could you bring to a team? Do you have mechanical skills, or are you a great organizer or communicator? Des the track have a volunteer program? Work on building relationships, and offer to become involved in whatever way. Ask around and find out what it takes to secure your racing license. Most tracks have various levels of racing available, and you should become very knowledgeable about the types of car, support crew, racing expenses, etc. for each class before investing in a car/team.

4. Define your budget: How much can you afford to spend to get in a car and give this a go? It's nice to think that you'll have sponsorship right from the start (and if you're the 1 in a million who has deep pocket friends or close contacts with business owners, that might happen), but for 999/1000 racers, we find a way to buy and support our own racing effort to start. The good news is you might be surprised at how inexpensive it is to get started.
funding your racing...

5. Sponsorship: Funding your racing effort will be among the most difficult tasks you undertake (an is the single biggest reason good drivers drop out of race series). With no track experience, businesses will have a hard time recognizing the "value" in funding your effort. You need to get pretty tough skinned about this, and remember that these are business decisions for companies. While there are few charitable businesses out there and you could be lucky enough to find them, but unless they are family/friends who will just give money to an unproven driver, you're gonna have to really stand out in the crowd. You'll also have to think about the market access you bring to your sponsors. Who are their audience? Does the local track (or the one you select) have TV or press coverage on a regular basis?

6. Competition: All of the women I've met on this site (and many men I know from the track) started their racing career with a dream….and that's good....But dreaming about racing isn't going to get you the seat time or skills you'll need to become a competitive driver in market-based world. You need to take action; and there are several avenues, which you can pursue to get this done. Locate a performance driving school in your area (Bondurant, Skip Barber, etc.), connect with the National Auto sport Association (NASA) and get involved with their HPDE program, contact the local region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), ask officials or competitors at your local track how they became involved….You'll be surprised how much information you'll be given.

7. Be friendly, humble, determined and passionate about your racing career. Focus and don't give up. If this is what you really want, it can happen, but it will only be through your hard work and determination. So get out there and take action to follow you dream!

 

by Karen Salvaggio
Editor, Thundervalleyracing.com

Karen Salvaggio serves as Vice President for Women in Racing with the Women's Automotive Association International (WAAI), the premier organization for women in the automotive industry. As Editor-in-Chief for Thunder Valley Racing, she travels nationally to support and develop opportunities for women in racing. She is an avid racecar driver, and was most recently awarded the 2005 Regional Championship for the National Council of Corvette Clubs (NCCC).

Spirit of Leadership at NADA 2009

Women's Automotive Association International One Vision, One Mission, Many Minds Erica Sietsma Erica Sietsma has invited you to the event 'Spirit of Leadership at NADA 2009' Time: January 24, 2009 from 11:30am to 2pm Location: Creole Queen Organized By: lhswaai@aol.com Event Description: Please join us aboard the Creole Queen in New Orleans to honor four women with the Spirit of Leadership Award. Monica Emerson, Chrysler Sara Fisher, Indy Car Driver Judith Schumacher, Schumacher Chevrolet Ellen McKoy, SEMA and SEWA Tickets are $65 for members and $85 for non-members. See more details and RSVP on Women's Automotive Association International: http://thewaai.ning.com/events/event/show?id=2064950%3AEvent%3A2182&xgi=gRMlDFC About Women's Automotive Association International The leading women's global organization dedicated to the development and advancement of automotive industry leaders.

Susan Scarola of DCH to receive the 2008 Professional Achievement in Los Angeles

Susan Scarola of DCH to receive the 2008 Professional Achievement Award on November 20th in Los Angeles Congratulations to Susan Scarola, CEO of the DCH Auto Group, our 2008 Professional Achievement Award winner. Established in 1997, the Professional Achievement Award is presented annually to a professional woman in the automotive industry in recognition of her Commitment, Professionalism, and Success in the automotive industry. Qualities that each recipient of this award has in common include: a) outstanding accomplishments in career, b) leader in business and community, and c) influence and support of other women in the automotive industry This year, the event will be held in Los Angeles on November 20th at the Millenium Biltmore Hotel. While DCH and Ms. Scarola are based on the East Coast, they have strong dealership representation in Calilfornia and many of the California and New Jersey based employees of DCH will be in attendance. Nominated by her direct report, Dana Rodriguez who is the group's Brand Experience Manager, Ms. Scarola was a an easy pick for the award. Despite her obvious qualifications such as only CEO of a major dealergroup, leader and influencer in the industry as a whole and her strong commitment to fostering positive work environments for both women and men within DCH, it was the impassioned nomination by Dana that made this year's honoree a clear cut choice. We have decided to reprint Dana's nomination letter for all to read versus trying to paraphrase or quote it, in order to not diminish the sentiments of her team. I believe it is the wish for many of us in the WAAI to find someone like Ms. Scarola under whom we can mentor and then to one day hope for even half the admiration she receives. "I can't put into words how absolutely thrilled I was when it was announced that Susan was going to be the President and CEO of DCH Auto Group. I knew that this was not a position ordinarily held by a woman, but I should have realized that I do not work for an ordinary Auto Group! Susan works stronger, harder, and smarter than anyone that I've yet to meet. She made a commitment to all of the employees of DCH Auto Group, which is a bit over 2,800 right now, that she would personally travel from dealership to dealership getting to know who we are. Can you imagine the President and CEO of one of the nations top 10 Auto Groups caring so much about the employees? Making time to meet people and get to know everyone? This is the type of person Susan is…caring and committed. Susan knows that employees that are proud to work for DCH Auto Group are the key to our success. I've often heard her tell employees that "If you're not proud of where you work that how can I expect you to deliver The DCH Way to our customers and to each other?" "Our business is not just about the car"…her favorite page from our brand book entitled "The DCH Way". In 2007, Susan traveled from cost to coast visiting every dealership to speak to every single employee about the importance of practicing The DCH Way…doing the right thing; the importance of behaving with honesty, integrity, and the highest ethical standards. Not only has our Employee Satisfaction seen an overall increase, so has our customer satisfaction. As a matter of fact, in 2007 DCH Auto Group had more J.D. Power certified Dealers of Excellence than any other dealers group in the nation! Susan has always made time for the good of our communities as well. She has been a sponsor of Camp Sunshine, a retreat for children with life threatening illnesses and their families for many years. She is an integral part of making DCH Auto Group SADD's (Student's Against Destructive Decisions) exclusive vehicle dealer partner in the Tri-State New York area and Southern California. I could go on an on!  On an even more personal note, as a woman in this industry for almost 15 years, I have never been so proud of my company as I have been since I began to work directly for Susan (when she became President and CEO). She has managed to maintain such a perfect balance of still being a woman, but a firm and respected woman. She is soft spoken, but speaks with conviction. She is an inspiration to me and is undoubtedly not only the best leader that I've worked for, but a person that I will reach out to for the rest of my life. People are better off for knowing her…I am better off for knowing her." Register here for this event: http://www.askpattymarketing.com/WAAI/WAAI_Invite.html