Natacha Gachnang makes history
by becoming the first female driver to race an A1GP Car. “The tests in
Silverstone have been a fantastic experience and I’m very grateful to
Max Welti for the opportunity he gave me to drive for the A1 Team
Switzerland team. It’s interesting to get to drive a single-seater like
the A1 GP car, one of the top racing cars in the world.
"I
will do my best to help the Swiss team prepare an excellent week-end on
this technical track very challenging and very well designed that I
know because I drove four races here with the Formula BMW in 2003, 2004
and 2005. I’m very happy to be racing here amongst confirmed talents. I
can’t wait to be in the car."
The wheel of fortune have turned for racer Jill George.
While it’s a given that she will be the only female racer when she
straps in to race in the NASCAR late model division but over the past
two seasons, George has gone from a woman struggling to learn the ropes
of racing to a racer who can more than hold her own with the boys.
"We
just kind of jumped into a late model four years ago and went from
there," said George, who is married to Northern Iowa athletics director
Rick Hartzell. "It was a lot of learning, more learning than I ever
thought. Those first two years, I pretty much kept going to the back of
the field. Eventually, after awhile, you start to get better and start
getting confidence that you could race with those people in the back.
And at the end of my second year and possibly the start of my third
year was the first time I actually took my top starting position.
"Even
at the beginning of this year, somebody asked if I wanted to go to the
back and I said, 'No, it is time to take my spot.' It was time to start
racing with the faster people because that was the only way I was going
to get better. I don't think I've looked back since."
Racer Tiffany Johnson is
having a breakout season on the National Hot Rod Association circuit,
making waves at the Upper Midwest tracks and gaining attention. In her
first full season in super sleds, the 16-year-old is one of the top
drivers in her regional class, which include motorcycles and converted
snowmobiles. Lonnie, Tiffany’s father serves as mechanic, manager and
social director for Team Tiffany.
Penelope Pitstop, the heroine of Hanna-Barbera’s animated 1970’s series Wacky Races, will join NASCAR and NHRA’s Racegirl Motorsports
in an exclusive partnership appealing to female racing fans. Penelope
Pitstop: The Original Racegirl is projected to be a huge co-branding
hit for Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Racegirl Motorsports.
Penelope
was deemed a perfect match for Racegirl’s expansion into licensed
character merchandise. “Women and girls are into motor sports, and we
continue to see the interest grow week-in and week-out trackside, ”
said Racegirl president Robert Chestnut. “Penelope Pitstop is the
original racegirl, so bringing her to the track on great merchandise
was a perfect fit.”
Emily Sue Steck is
at the top of her class. Some racers take years to move from
Thunderstox to Sportsmen to Late Models and some are never are able to
put together the finances it takes to run at the top levels. Luckily,
Steck spent two years in Thunderstox and two years in Sportsmen before
making the jump to Late Models, where she has enjoyed tremendous
success.
“I never thought I’d make it to Late Models, especially as quick as I did,” she said. “It all just kind of fell into my lap.”
This puts a whole new meaning into put some ‘roo into your ‘doo. During practice for the Bathurst 100 in Australia the feisty kangaroo
hoped over the middle fence and began bounding across the track. In
this video several drivers swerve to avoid the kangaroo. Neither the
animal nor any of the race participants were injured. Watch Mr. Hoppy HERE.
Ashley Force feels like she has another chance
to be a good daughter. After her father's life-threatening September
23rd crash, she feels lucky to have more time with her legendary Dad.
“After
that long golf cart ride, I'll never take [quality time with the
family] for granted again,” she wrote on her MySpace blog last week.
“I'm getting a second chance at being a good daughter.”
AskPatty.com is a 2007 proud sponsor of the NASCAR No. 112 AskPatty.com
Chevrolet driven by the highest ranked professional female race car
driver Deborah Renshaw. Check out Deborah’s website at www.deborahrenshaw.com.
by Linda Przygodski
Contributing Editor
AskPatty.com
ashley force
