Forum Member and Driving Instructor Steve Landstra makes the Headlines at Daytona !!!
01-28-2011, 07:40 AM
#1
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
Forum Member and Driving Instructor Steve Landstra makes the Headlines at Daytona !!!
NCM Instructor Steve Landstra and Elaine Drake (now Lainey Landstra) wed at Daytona yesterday.
Those that know Steve will vouch what a gentleman he is off the track and calming voice from the passenger seat. His bride Lainey has one of the most charming personalities I have seen.
May they have good health and perpetual happiness!
They made the headlines today in the Daytona Beach News
Pics in the attached link:
http://www.news-journalonline.com/ne...ot-at-dis.html
Journal.Sportscar enthusiasts find love, tie the knot at DIS
By DINAH VOYLES PULVER, Staff writer
January 28, 2011 12:05 AM
Daytona International Speedway Steve Landstra and Lainey Drake celebrate after their wedding vows in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday. (N-J | Nigel Cook) Steve Landstra and Lainey Drake exchange wedding vows in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday. (N-J | Nigel Cook) Steve Landstra and new bride Lainey Drake walk down the aisle of Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway after taking their wedding vows at the track Thursday. (N-J | Nigel Cook) Steve Landstra kisses his new bride, Lainey Drake, after their wedding vows in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday. (N-J | Nigel Cook) DAYTONA BEACH -- A love of fast cars sparked an instant attraction when Lainey Drake met Steve Landstra a year ago at a sportscar club social event in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains.
On Thursday, the pair of racing fans officially became a team during a wedding at one of the world's most famous racing locations -- Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.
The bride, wearing a fire suit and clutching a bouquet of roses with checkered ribbons, literally raced the last few steps up the aisle, to the laughter of family members and friends, including a few participating in the weekend races.
Their love story began when Drake, 50, decided to buy a Porsche Cayman in 2009. The New Jersey resident had been divorced for 10 years after being married for 15 and decided to do something she loved.
"I wasn't planning to get a Porsche," she said. "But life is so short and so fragile, why not do something you love?"
She never expected to find love along the way.
She'd always "loved to drive fast" so she joined a local chapter of Porsche Club of America. She started visiting local tracks, taking lessons in performance driving and then racing in her own car.
Her groom, 54, also had been divorced for 10 years. He races his own car, a Corvette Z06, in his spare time. He's also a driving instructor for the Porsche club.
Both admit some would consider it a bit of an unlikely romance.
"He's a Corvette guy. And, I'm a 100 percent Porsche girl all the way," she said. "There's always a rivalry between Porsches and Corvettes."
But they've been able to overcome that, with each of them even allowing the other to drive their car occasionally.
She joked she knew it was true love when he allowed her to drive his Corvette, and especially after they were engaged, when he had her name painted on his car.
They talked about a racing-themed wedding, but Drake said they wouldn't have been able to pull off the Speedway wedding without the support and encouragement of David Murry, who will drive in the Rolex 24 this weekend.
She met Murry while volunteering at a race in Virginia where he was representing Porsche. She said she mentioned to him that they would love to get married in Victory Lane in Daytona Beach and he encouraged her to go for it, promising to help make it happen.
They planned it for the Rolex 24 at Daytona, when several of their friends would be here, including Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance and the Subaru Road Racing Team, competing today in the Continental Tire Challenge Grand-Am 200.
The venue proved especially convenient for her parents, Michael and Connie Jarrett, who retired to Port Orange 12 years ago.
Connie Jarrett said the entire event was "very exciting."
Guests were sent invitations that resembled pit passes and given admission tickets and parking passes. It was the first trip to a racetrack for several of Drake's co-workers at a pharmaceutical company.
"I'm just fascinated by the whole thing," said DeAnna Jones, as she tucked a pair of wedding favors -- earplugs -- into her ears while cars raced around the track during qualifying.
After the ceremony, conducted by Steve Kearney with Motorsports Ministries, Jones said the wedding -- even in the unusual setting -- had moved her to tears. "Oh it was wonderful."
Those that know Steve will vouch what a gentleman he is off the track and calming voice from the passenger seat. His bride Lainey has one of the most charming personalities I have seen.
May they have good health and perpetual happiness!
They made the headlines today in the Daytona Beach News
Pics in the attached link:
http://www.news-journalonline.com/ne...ot-at-dis.html
Journal.Sportscar enthusiasts find love, tie the knot at DIS
By DINAH VOYLES PULVER, Staff writer
January 28, 2011 12:05 AM
Daytona International Speedway Steve Landstra and Lainey Drake celebrate after their wedding vows in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday. (N-J | Nigel Cook) Steve Landstra and Lainey Drake exchange wedding vows in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday. (N-J | Nigel Cook) Steve Landstra and new bride Lainey Drake walk down the aisle of Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway after taking their wedding vows at the track Thursday. (N-J | Nigel Cook) Steve Landstra kisses his new bride, Lainey Drake, after their wedding vows in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday. (N-J | Nigel Cook) DAYTONA BEACH -- A love of fast cars sparked an instant attraction when Lainey Drake met Steve Landstra a year ago at a sportscar club social event in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains.
On Thursday, the pair of racing fans officially became a team during a wedding at one of the world's most famous racing locations -- Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.
The bride, wearing a fire suit and clutching a bouquet of roses with checkered ribbons, literally raced the last few steps up the aisle, to the laughter of family members and friends, including a few participating in the weekend races.
Their love story began when Drake, 50, decided to buy a Porsche Cayman in 2009. The New Jersey resident had been divorced for 10 years after being married for 15 and decided to do something she loved.
"I wasn't planning to get a Porsche," she said. "But life is so short and so fragile, why not do something you love?"
She never expected to find love along the way.
She'd always "loved to drive fast" so she joined a local chapter of Porsche Club of America. She started visiting local tracks, taking lessons in performance driving and then racing in her own car.
Her groom, 54, also had been divorced for 10 years. He races his own car, a Corvette Z06, in his spare time. He's also a driving instructor for the Porsche club.
Both admit some would consider it a bit of an unlikely romance.
"He's a Corvette guy. And, I'm a 100 percent Porsche girl all the way," she said. "There's always a rivalry between Porsches and Corvettes."
But they've been able to overcome that, with each of them even allowing the other to drive their car occasionally.
She joked she knew it was true love when he allowed her to drive his Corvette, and especially after they were engaged, when he had her name painted on his car.
They talked about a racing-themed wedding, but Drake said they wouldn't have been able to pull off the Speedway wedding without the support and encouragement of David Murry, who will drive in the Rolex 24 this weekend.
She met Murry while volunteering at a race in Virginia where he was representing Porsche. She said she mentioned to him that they would love to get married in Victory Lane in Daytona Beach and he encouraged her to go for it, promising to help make it happen.
They planned it for the Rolex 24 at Daytona, when several of their friends would be here, including Joe Aquilante, owner of Phoenix Performance and the Subaru Road Racing Team, competing today in the Continental Tire Challenge Grand-Am 200.
The venue proved especially convenient for her parents, Michael and Connie Jarrett, who retired to Port Orange 12 years ago.
Connie Jarrett said the entire event was "very exciting."
Guests were sent invitations that resembled pit passes and given admission tickets and parking passes. It was the first trip to a racetrack for several of Drake's co-workers at a pharmaceutical company.
"I'm just fascinated by the whole thing," said DeAnna Jones, as she tucked a pair of wedding favors -- earplugs -- into her ears while cars raced around the track during qualifying.
After the ceremony, conducted by Steve Kearney with Motorsports Ministries, Jones said the wedding -- even in the unusual setting -- had moved her to tears. "Oh it was wonderful."
01-28-2011, 08:09 AM
#3
Mike, thank you for posting the article. Lainey and I are just waking up after our first night as husband and wife. We read the article and couldn't believe we were on the front page of the Daytona news paper. The only thing that would have made it better is if you could have been here to share our big day at the track.
Thanks for being such a good friend. Heal quickly and we"ll see you soon.
Steve and Lainey
Thanks for being such a good friend. Heal quickly and we"ll see you soon.
Steve and Lainey
01-28-2011, 08:30 AM
#4
Melting Slicks
Congratulations Steve and Lainey !!!!! Great that you two can find love once again !!! And showing everyone in Daytona will provide BIG memories that no one will soon forget ...Awesome!!
01-28-2011, 06:17 PM
#16
Race Director
Awesome Steve you and Lainey are front page news!!!
Congrats to both of you would have been awesome to come see it in person!!
Great article and have a great newlywed weekend! Enjoy it with all the forum people are are together this weekend
Congrats to both of you would have been awesome to come see it in person!!
Great article and have a great newlywed weekend! Enjoy it with all the forum people are are together this weekend
01-28-2011, 06:48 PM
#17
Le Mans Master
Fantastic and FUN wedding you guys missed!
CONGRATULATIONS Steve & Lainey!
Jim
CONGRATULATIONS Steve & Lainey!
Jim
01-28-2011, 07:01 PM
#18
Le Mans Master
Thread Starter
