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Father/Daughter Moment, Journey of a Female Driver, Brought to you By Ridetech
While I haven't posted in awhile, it doesn't mean that I haven't been busy racing. This year has been full of many successes for both the RideTech C5Z and I, but this past weekend was a whole new kind of success for us...
I have been watching my Dad race for about 5 years now, always on the sidelines, watching my hero. I have been so proud watching him improve over the years, and happy to see the enjoyment he got out of driving.
For years I knew I wanted to be out there with him, but was too scared that I would get lost in the cones. (Lame excuse right?!?!) That all changed the day that Bret Voelkel, owner of Ridetech handed me the keys to one of the RideTech cars. As terrified as I was, I knew that if I turned down the opportunity, it probably wouldn't arise again. And so my journey began, and my life changed.
I have only been racing for about a year and a half now but so much has changed. My first event was a local SCCA event in the RideTech 2010 Mustang. As much fun as it was, I have to say I did pretty terrible. But you would have never guessed had you seen the ear to ear grin on my face for the next week. My Dad later told me that after watching me at that event, that he never thought that I would be a very good driver. (Thanks Dad!!) My second event was a big jump. I raced at Goodguys Nashville in Ridetech's supercharged 2010 Camaro. Out of pure luck, and amazing suspension of course, I managed 8th place for All American Sunday. I couldn't believe it.
I loved driving. I was happy to be behind the wheel of any car that I could get my hands on. However, after my first event in the RideTech C5Z, I knew that not all cars were created equally. Who knew that a CAR could fit you like a glove?! I have to admit that I am a pretty clumsy person in general, tripping over my own two feet, flipping backwards out of my chair, running into ever doorway in sight (I have bruises to prove it)... but when I am behind the wheel of the C5, I am in the moment, in the zone, I know exactly where the car is going and what the car is going to do. Over the past year the RideTech C5Z and I have developed together, me as a driver, the C5Z as a driving and handling machine. From just HQ Smoothbody shocks and a set of really old tires... to HQ Smoothbody shocks, front and rear Musclebars, new Falkin tires, and those ooooh so amazing Delrin Bushings (yes, they really are that awesome.) I like to think that I've developed into a pretty good driver over the last year, but in the back of my mind I know that I owe the majority of credit to the car, and just as much to RideTech for their endless knowledge and expertise, and their drive to improve upon everything, even if it's already the best.
Another great part of driving the RideTech C5Z, was that my Dad was also racing a C5Z. Talk about competition!!! At our local SCCA events, we were head to head for awhile. Then other members jumped in and taught me all they could about everything autocross, they wanted me to beat Dad so bad! That lasted for about 6 months, until I started beating them too. At each event the C5Z and I have improved. We even went to a few road courses this year, proving to me that while the C5Z is a smooth riding street car, it can also be a handling machine on the track. A 10th of a second here, a 10th of a second there, improvements were continually made. It's been so cool going back to the same events this year that I went to last year and seeing the improvements. Small changes in both driver and car can go such a long way.
This past weekend I participated in one of the last events of the season for me, another local SCCA event. After all of the events over the last year and a half, I realized that my Dad has watched me race but had never gotten the chance to ride with me before. We were always in different run groups and never got the chance. This past weekend however, our club hosted fun runs at the end of the day giving Dad a chance to ride along. With Dad in the car, I was ready to go, knowing I couldn't screw up. After 50 seconds that felt like 10, I improved another half second on what was already one of the top times of the day. I was on cloud nine. Returning to the staging lanes I was listening to Dad tell me how proud he was. (I think he still had my first autocross stuck in his head.) I brushed it off, until I looked over and saw tears running down his face. Tough old Dad whom I never in my life saw cry. I literally "drove him to tears." Of all the moments I've basked in over the last year and a half at driving events, graduating college, etc... There hasn't been a better moment than that one, I don't know that there will be.
So to all you fathers, get out their with your wives, daughters, sons. There are moments to be had, bonds to me made, just down the road at your local SCCA events. And RideTech, I can't thank you enough for the opportunites you've given me and the memories that you've made possible. I'm looking forward to another year (years) of growing with you!!!!
While I haven't posted in awhile, it doesn't mean that I haven't been busy racing. This year has been full of many successes for both the RideTech C5Z and I, but this past weekend was a whole new kind of success for us...
I have been watching my Dad race for about 5 years now, always on the sidelines, watching my hero. I have been so proud watching him improve over the years, and happy to see the enjoyment he got out of driving.
For years I knew I wanted to be out there with him, but was too scared that I would get lost in the cones. (Lame excuse right?!?!) That all changed the day that Bret Voelkel, owner of Ridetech handed me the keys to one of the RideTech cars. As terrified as I was, I knew that if I turned down the opportunity, it probably wouldn't arise again. And so my journey began, and my life changed.
I have only been racing for about a year and a half now but so much has changed. My first event was a local SCCA event in the RideTech 2010 Mustang. As much fun as it was, I have to say I did pretty terrible. But you would have never guessed had you seen the ear to ear grin on my face for the next week. My Dad later told me that after watching me at that event, that he never thought that I would be a very good driver. (Thanks Dad!!) My second event was a big jump. I raced at Goodguys Nashville in Ridetech's supercharged 2010 Camaro. Out of pure luck, and amazing suspension of course, I managed 8th place for All American Sunday. I couldn't believe it.
I loved driving. I was happy to be behind the wheel of any car that I could get my hands on. However, after my first event in the RideTech C5Z, I knew that not all cars were created equally. Who knew that a CAR could fit you like a glove?! I have to admit that I am a pretty clumsy person in general, tripping over my own two feet, flipping backwards out of my chair, running into ever doorway in sight (I have bruises to prove it)... but when I am behind the wheel of the C5, I am in the moment, in the zone, I know exactly where the car is going and what the car is going to do. Over the past year the RideTech C5Z and I have developed together, me as a driver, the C5Z as a driving and handling machine. From just HQ Smoothbody shocks and a set of really old tires... to HQ Smoothbody shocks, front and rear Musclebars, new Falkin tires, and those ooooh so amazing Delrin Bushings (yes, they really are that awesome.) I like to think that I've developed into a pretty good driver over the last year, but in the back of my mind I know that I owe the majority of credit to the car, and just as much to RideTech for their endless knowledge and expertise, and their drive to improve upon everything, even if it's already the best.
Another great part of driving the RideTech C5Z, was that my Dad was also racing a C5Z. Talk about competition!!! At our local SCCA events, we were head to head for awhile. Then other members jumped in and taught me all they could about everything autocross, they wanted me to beat Dad so bad! That lasted for about 6 months, until I started beating them too. At each event the C5Z and I have improved. We even went to a few road courses this year, proving to me that while the C5Z is a smooth riding street car, it can also be a handling machine on the track. A 10th of a second here, a 10th of a second there, improvements were continually made. It's been so cool going back to the same events this year that I went to last year and seeing the improvements. Small changes in both driver and car can go such a long way.
This past weekend I participated in one of the last events of the season for me, another local SCCA event. After all of the events over the last year and a half, I realized that my Dad has watched me race but had never gotten the chance to ride with me before. We were always in different run groups and never got the chance. This past weekend however, our club hosted fun runs at the end of the day giving Dad a chance to ride along. With Dad in the car, I was ready to go, knowing I couldn't screw up. After 50 seconds that felt like 10, I improved another half second on what was already one of the top times of the day. I was on cloud nine. Returning to the staging lanes I was listening to Dad tell me how proud he was. (I think he still had my first autocross stuck in his head.) I brushed it off, until I looked over and saw tears running down his face. Tough old Dad whom I never in my life saw cry. I literally "drove him to tears." Of all the moments I've basked in over the last year and a half at driving events, graduating college, etc... There hasn't been a better moment than that one, I don't know that there will be.
So to all you fathers, get out their with your wives, daughters, sons. There are moments to be had, bonds to me made, just down the road at your local SCCA events. And RideTech, I can't thank you enough for the opportunites you've given me and the memories that you've made possible. I'm looking forward to another year (years) of growing with you!!!!
10-12-2015, 04:41 PM
Father/Daughter Moment, Journey of a Female Driver, Brought to you By Ridetech
