In Response To: The Broadly Meets video titled 'Meet One of America's Only Female Rally Race Drivers'

Over the weekend, whilst at a rally race, I was shown a video that annoyed me so much, I felt compelled to blog a personal response to it. The video was posted by Broadly, and is titled "Meet One of America's Only Female Rally Race Drivers". 
Before I begin my rant, let me link the video, so you can judge for yourselves. 

Here is the Broadly video.

The video is about Verena Mei, who is a model, actress, and race car driver. Before I go any further, let me point out that I respect Miss Mei's accomplishments as a driver. This post is in no way a personal attack on her, nor do I wish to take away from what she has achieved. 
My only response to her personally, would be to think a bit longer and harder about what media outlets she chooses to work with. I would also strongly suggest she make a public statement apologizing for the complete lack of research and the misinformation in this video. 

Now.... I have to say that my initial reaction upon watching this was absolute and utter disgust. And while that may seem strong, let me preface that by saying that I am not a fan of women who wish to gain attention for themselves simply for being a woman. If you ever want genuine equality, you must begin by allowing your actions and accomplishments to speak for themselves. If you are skilled at whatever you do, your sex should have absolutely nothing to do with it. If you allow yourself to be recognized merely for having a vagina, you are doing a disservice to females everywhere. 
In the video, she points out that auto racing is one of the very few sports that allows women to compete head to head with men. This is true. And that is why I loathe seeing the word "female" in front of driver. When interviewing a man, no one says "Introducing male rally driver David Higgins." Because his sex is irrelevant. Unless you plan to ask him something regarding his penis, it's unnecessary information. 
I love rally. And one of the things I love most about it, is that it genuinely doesn't matter what sex you are, how old you are, how fat or skinny you are, or how much money you make. Rally accepts everyone. If you can build a car, pay the entry fee, and fit in the seat, you can race. And if you can't drive, you can volunteer, crew, or codrive. There is no advantage or disadvantage to being a woman. (Aside from how quickly & easily you can urinate from a one piece fire suit that is.) I believe this is a big reason so many women are drawn to the sport to begin with. Which leads me to my next, and possibly biggest point.... 

"One of America's Only Female Rally Race Drivers"

Ummm.... WUT?! 

Without even trying, I can name at least ten or more current American female rally drivers. Give me a minute, and I can probably increase that number exponentially. As a matter of fact, when I watched this video, I was at a rally event, crewing for, wait for it.... A FEMALE RALLY DRIVER! (Let me give you a second to allow the shock and awe to pass.) Believe it or not, there were at least three female rally drivers at the event. And shockingly enough, none of them were Verena Mei. 
In the video, Verena says that she wishes there had been other female rally drivers when she started. Well, I hate to break this to you, honey, but there were. And if you were looking for some hardcore rally inspiration, might I suggest, oh I don't know.... the legendary Michele Mouton. She competed (and kicked ass) from 1974 to 1986, decades prior to Miss Mei becoming a driver. And there have been, and still are, countless other ladies competing since. 
If the point of this video was to be informative and encouraging to other women looking to participate in rally, it failed miserably. 
By choosing to disregard the plethora of other women in the sport, and focus on only one, who isn't even a current competitor (Verena Mei competed as a driver in 2012 and 2013. To the best of my knowledge, and based off my research, she has not driven in a rally event since.) you did yourself and the sport a great disservice. 
I myself, am proud to know many talented rally drivers, several of whom happen to be women. Maybe I need to introduce them to Verena and Broadly.... 

The team I was crewing for this past weekend, and some of the OTHER ladies of rally.
Driver: Tracey Gardiner, and codriver: Tracy Manspeaker.

My Weekend At STPR 2014

I apologize for my absence, I'm sure you were all chomping at the bit waiting for my return. Well... I'm back.
It was a crazy weekend of rally in Wellsboro, PA (at STPR) full of lots of highs and a few lows. But I'm happy to say that we had a GREAT time. Big thanks to our friends Donnie & Amber for hosting us, and to their small blond child, Audrey, for keeping us plenty entertained the entire time. Also big congratulations to Donnie & Amber on their engagement, which I was honored to witness. I can now cross "witness a proposal" off my bucket list. It was very sweet, and they are two amazing people who I am so grateful found one another. I wish I had a photo of the stunning rock, because DAYUM, it was gorgeous. But I do have the romantic moment captured.

 

(above left is the proposal & bottom right is the "after" moment)

 

 



Just look at those smiles. Very happy for these two, and I know the future holds all the best for them.

So, I mentioned some lows. STPR is known as a "car killer" and this year's event left no doubt in anyone's mind on that fact. I don't think too many cars left there unscathed, and many left in severely rough shape. We had some big scares, which included a substantial off from team TAG Rally Sport, and being as there was little cell phone service in the area, it was awhile before we knew the status of our friends Tracey & Tabitha. After a trip to the local hospital to be checked out, they left with some bumps and bruises, but all in all safe and sound.

 

Here are the girls at the start of Day 1. All smiles, being silly with Hank the Gnome. So glad these two are ok. Wish I could say the same for their car, but hopefully Jellybean can be fixed and make a triumphant return soon.

We had a few other scares as well.

 

 

Our friend Gary of V8 Rally Ranger had a major off, also, and I am heartbroken to say that his truck did not fair as well as its passengers. But the guys are safe, and that's the most important thing. Fingers crossed we see the rally truck back in action sooner than later, as it is definitely a crowd pleaser.

 

 

Our buddies, Matt & Ian also had an off, though minor, it still kept them from finishing the race on Day 2. But the Honda is still solid, and ready for another go. Sad to see them DNF, but once again grateful for the safety equipment that protected them.

 

 

Our pal, Jeff (31 Motorsports) was kicking some butt, until he too had a pretty bad off. Jeff seems to enjoy having the car on its roof, but we hope he gets that out of his system soon. ;) He did end up with a trophy for Day 1, so congrats on that.

 

 

Happy to say that the Shark Attack car driven/co-driven by Ryan & Steven did awesome. Not only did they have easily the best jump of the event (Have you ever seen a shark fly? I have.) but they left with some trophies too. Great job, guys.

 

 

 

The Flying Frog car, piloted by Brian, and co-piloted by Amber, had a rough weekend as well. Luckily only a very minor off, but the car just wasn't performing at its best this event. Hopefully Brian can get Kermit fixed up right, and ready to kick some ass by the next event.

The quiet troopers, Alex & Chris made us all proud this weekend, by doing awesome. Trophies for both days, and a relatively unscathed car. Glad to have met these guys, and give them a hand with their car. Congrats, boys.

 

From close calls, to double rainbows, this event had it all. I could spend days writing about it. It was our first time out at STPR, and it certainly did not disappoint. As always, we had a great time seeing all of our old friends, and making lots of new ones. The rally community is an incredible group of people, and we are honored to be even a small part of it. So proud of all the competitors, crew, volunteers, and spectators. They all made it an awesome event, and I am already looking forward to next year.

Rally Series Day 3: Driver Tracey Gardiner (TAG Rally Sport)

It's day three of the Rally Series, and so far I couldn't be happier with the response. I know I am enjoying reading all these great answers, and I hope you are as well. Just a reminder, all participants were asked the same 11 questions, but the responses are as unique as the drivers & co-drivers themselves. I'd also like to add a quick note to help those of you who may not know. In rally, there are many abbreviations for events and more. Here is a quick list of some to keep you up to speed, and the links to each.
*LSPR (Lake Superior Performance Rally)
*STPR (Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally)
*ESPR (Empire State Performance Rally)
*NEFR (New England Forest Rally)
*NASA (NASA Rally Sport)
*RA (Rally America)
*GRC (Global Rallycross)
* DNF (stands for Did Not Finish)
So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce today's interviewee. The lovely Tracey Gardiner of TAG Rally Sport.

Left: Tabitha Lohr (Middle: Jellybean) Right: Tracey Gardiner

(Photo credit: Randy Montgomery/Montgomery Media Productions)

 

Berry Favorite Things: Welcome, Tracey. Tell us a little about yourself.

Tracey Gardiner: "My team is TAG Rally Sport, and we have two cars. A 2005 2.5RS Subaru in Open Light Class (My son Rory now races this one. It was previously mine.) and a 2007 Toyota Yaris in B Spec Class (I run this one.) I have been in rally since 2010. My husband bought me a 4 day Rally Experience at Team O'Neil Rally School, and I fell in love. My first rally was Black River Stages in 2010 with my son Rory as my co-driver. We finished the event without an intercom and towed a team in to the finish so they would not DNF. I have been running Rally America events since 2011. My biggest achievements would be running with all the boys and finishing rallies as a woman driver. There are not that many women drivers in the series. Out of all the rallies I've done, I've only DNFed 3 times. That is a big deal!"

Berry Favorite Things: Tracey has competed in numerous events, and her list of accomplishments is quite impressive. Just to give you an idea, here are a few recent ones:

Second place in B Spec Nationals at Rally in the 100 Acre Wood 2014

Second place in B Spec Nationals at LSPR 2013

First place in B Spec Regionals at LSPR 2013

Second place in B Spec Nationals at NEFR 2013

First place in B Spec Regionals at NEFR 2013

She was also the only woman driver at the Climb to the Clouds, Mount Washington Hillclimb event in June 2011.

Tracey has competed in countless rallies including Rally Mexico, Errol Rally, Sno*Drift Rally, Oregon Trail Rally, and many, many more.

Berry Favorite Things: Who or what was your biggest inspiration in motorsports?

Tracey Gardiner: "Michele Mouton is a very classy lady and a champion driver in the rally world. I can only dream to aspire to that greatness."

BFT: What is your favorite thing about rally?

TG: "I have a few favorite things about rally. First, the diversity of the roads and conditions. You have to be prepared to tackle these challenges. Also, you have to rely on your co-driver to get you through all the stages, so having a good rapport is very important. The rally community! You could not ask for a better group of people. If you need something in service or on stage, there is always someone there to help you out. From the top National teams to the regional competitors. In rally, everyone wants to see you finish! The volunteers at rally make it all happen! They are out there in all kinds of conditions and are there to greet you with a smile on their face! The fans who stand out in the woods to watch us go by one time! They rock!"

BFT: What is one thing you wish you could change about rally?

TG: "One thing I would change about rally would be marketing for the sport, along the lines of NASCAR, and manufacturer backing."

 

(Photo credit: Scott Rains/Rains Photography)

 

 

BFT: What advice would you offer someone who was interested in getting started in rally? Maybe something you wish you had known earlier.

TG: "If you love rally, it is a passion you cannot squelch! That being said, it is also not a cheap sport to get into. Spectate at events, volunteer, get to know how it all works. You can build your own vehicle and do it cost effectively. Start in a class like Open Light or B Spec to get your feet wet and learn. I am always learning at every event. If you can, go to a rally school. Team O'Neil (check them out here) is my favorite."

BFT: With Rally America teaming up with NBC Sports, GRC growing in popularity, and big names like Travis Pastrana back in stage rally, do you think more attention will be beneficial to the sport in America? Or do you think it could have adverse effects?

TG: "Media attention will be good for the sport! When I say to people that I do Stage Rally Racing, the questions are "What is that? What tracks do you run on? Where can we see it?" My answers were, "No tracks, closed dirt and gravel roads. You have to come to an event to see it. YouTube it." Now, I can tell them exactly when they can see it if they can't make it to an event, airing on National TV! Travis Pastrana and Ken Block have great followings, so I do not think it will have adverse effects. If either or both are at an event, that is where the crowd will be waiting for autographs and wanting to meet them. And us!"

BFT: Name 5 items on your motorsport bucket list.

TG: "I met Sebastien Loeb this year at Pikes Peak, that was pretty much one I achieved on my bucket list! I would love to meet Michele Mouton, and ask her loads of questions or just shake her hand. I would love to do Rally Monte Carlo, or a rally in the Alps. We spectated at a rally in Italy, San Martino di Castrozza, and I fell in love with the rally, the cars, and the scenery. I would like to race Pikes Peak. It is an hour or so from where we live in Colorado. I would love to drive a vintage Mini Cooper in a rally in Ireland soon. And to be on the set of Top Gear (UK) and hang with those guys!"

BFT: What is your favorite rally event you've done and why?

TG: "My favorite rally event was Rally in the 100 Acre Wood 2014. I was determined to jump the Yaris on the cattle guard jump. We nailed it! (We also had to try and beat my son Rory and his co-driver Steven Harrell from last year at 100 Acre Wood. A little incentive!)"

 

(Photo credit: Scott Rains/Rains Photography)

 

BFT: If you had to describe rally in 3 words, what would they be?

TG: "Best high ever"

BFT: What is your proudest auto related moment?

TG: "Being the only woman driver invited to the Mount Washington Hillclimb in 2011 and 2014. Finishing in 2011, and being 25 seconds faster on our second run up!"

Berry Favorite Things: What is your most embarrassing/funny auto related moment?

Tracey Gardiner: "Most embarrassing moment. In 2012, my new Subaru got delivered to me about less than an hour before shakedown at NEFR. I did not know the car, and Maureern Hascher and I were getting used to it. When we got to the start of one of the stages, we could not get the passenger side window to go up. We were allowed to run the stage, but not at speed. When we got to the next stage, a fellow Open Light competitor came over and said "Oh, your window lock button is on." We got quite a slagging for that! I was used to a manual window crank in my 2001 Subaru. This was fancy!"

 



(Photo credit: Randy Montgomery)

 

Special thanks to Tracey for taking the time to answer my questions! Look for her in Jellybean at rally events, and give her a big high five!

 

You can also check out TAG Rally Sport on their website. (Follow this link.) 

And give them a like on their facebook page to stay up to date. 

And follow them on Twitter as well: @Tagrallysport1

 























Rally Series Day 2: Co-Driver Steven Harrell

Welcome to the second interview in the Rally Series. As I mentioned in the previous interview, I asked the same questions of each driver or co-driver, in order to see the various points of view.
My interview today is with co-driver, Steven Harrell.

(Photo credit: Lori Lass Photography)

Berry Favorite Things: Tell us a little about yourself, Steven.
Steven Harrell: "As a co-driver I get to try all kinds of cars with all kinds of drivers, but I'm primarily the co-driver for the TAG Rally Sport Subaru driven by Rory Gardiner. I've been involved with rally for four years, co-driving for three. I also once rode shotgun when the steering wheel came off at speed."
Berry Favorite Things: Who or what was your biggest inspiration in motorsports?
Steven Harrell: "My biggest inspiration in motorsports is the entire rally community. Everyone out there; every driver, every co-driver, every crew member, organizer, volunteer, and fan, they're all part of some kind of crazy family, always ready to help a brother or sister in rally. Whether it's a spot on their hotel floor so you don't have to sleep in the car, a tow out of a snow bank, the brake caliper of their daily driver, or just a few words of support or advice, they're the most incredible, helpful people I've ever met. I love this fantastic, crazy family."
BFT: What is your favorite thing about rally?
SH: "My favorite thing about rally is the adventure of it. Rally is more than just a race, it's a scenic tour of some of the most beautiful places you've ever seen set on fast forward. It's a battle against the unknown, on a living course that changes with each car that traverses it. It's the chance to compete with Ken Block's M-Sport Fiesta and some old hippies in a 2-stroke Saab all at the same time. You just can't get that anywhere else."
BFT: What is one thing you wish you could change about rally?
SH: "Just one thing I could change about rally? I'd say I'd like to see more competitors at more events on more roads in more places."
BFT: What advice would you offer to someone who was interested in getting started in rally? Maybe something you wish you had known earlier.
SH: "Don't leave your helmet on the roof! Seriously though, I think the best advice is to just get out there and do it. If that means buying a used suit off Ebay, shoehorning a Peltor headset into a base model Pyrotec, and running an old Festiva on stock suspension, that's fine. If your dream is to compete in rally, then figure out how to make it a reality and do it. Even if you're in the slowest car at the event, I guarantee you'll have more fun than you've ever had before."

(Photo credit: Lori Lass Photography)

BFT: With Rally America teaming up with NBC Sports, GRC (Global Rallycross) growing in popularity, and big names like Travis Pastrana back in stage rally, do you think more attention will be beneficial to the sport in America? Or do you think it could have adverse effects?
SH: "I think Rally America teaming up with NBC Sports is good news for rally. I'm still cautious, as the first round hasn't aired yet, so I don't know exactly what the package will look like, but it sounds like they're doing it the right way, including the regional and budget teams in the story. GRC (Global Rallycross) on the other hand... as much as I enjoy watching it, the series just feels kind of disconnected. I mean if you're a fan of NASCAR, you buy an old 80s Chevy and race it at the local track. If you're a fan of Baja racing, you buy a stock Beetle and race Class 11. If you're a fan of rally, you cage whatever you can and run the nearest regional event. If you're a fan of sports car racing, you do a track day at Lime Rock or PIR. If you're a fan of Global Rallycross, then what? You buy a $185,000 GRC Lite? That's not an option for 95% of the people interested in doing rallycross. One of the great things that helps feed most forms of motorsports is that there's an outlet for the everyfan to enter it at a lower level, live out their dreams, and possibly move up the ranks. Rallycross in the states doesn't really have that. The guys at American Rallycross are trying to change that, and did a good job last year creating an event at Pocono, but there needs to be more of a grass roots foundation, like there is in Europe."

*To find out more about American Rallycross, and events like Pocono, follow this link.*

BFT: Name 5 items on your motorsport bucket list.
SH: "Ok, 1) Drive a trophy truck. 2) Do the Dakar rally. 3) Rally Finland 4) Safari rally (ideally in a 911 RS) 5) Finish the Baja 1000."
BFT: What is your favorite rally event you've done and why?
SH: "I can't imagine picking a single favorite rally. LSPR (Lake Superior Performance Rally) is beautiful, STPR (Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally) pairs such great technical roads with such a slim margin for error, Tall Pines is an awesomely brutal endurance event, ESPR (Empire State Performance Rally) is crazy high speed fun, NEFR (New England Forest Rally) is a great survival race. They're all special in one way or another!"
BFT: If you had to describe rally in 3 words, what would they be?
SH: "Adventure, freedom, fun."
BFT: What is your proudest auto related moment?
SH: "There's such great contenders to choose from. My surprise win with Troy Miller, my first rally (Lanark with Justin Carven), my first major rally (NEFR with Rory Gardiner), my story on the Nameless GT86 going up on Jalopnik. But I think my proudest moment was running the Vegas to Reno Desert Race in 2011. Five years of crazy dreams and hard work, five years of imagining what it would feel like to drive in a desert race, finally becoming a reality. Those five hours behind the wheel were the best five hours I've ever had."

Berry Favorite Things: What is your most embarrassing/funny auto related moment?
Steven Harrell: "Did I mention leaving my helmet on the roof? That was by far the most embarrassing, especially since it would have ended our rally if not for Kris Gove donating his at the start of a stage. But funniest is probably NEFR 2012 when the steering wheel came off during a high speed section. I still remember looking over and seeing the loose wheel practically in Rory's lap. He kept the car on the road, got the wheel secured, and we were back to business. The whole ordeal probably only cost us 5-10 seconds. The moment was crazy enough on its own, but the exposure the clip has received since is absolutely insane."

*To see the infamous steering wheel moment, follow this link.*

Don't forget to follow Steven on Twitter as well @DVMSteve
And check out TAG Rally Sport on their website.

A big thanks to Steven for taking the time to do this interview, and keep an eye out for him (he'll be the guy in the crazy hat & often seen with a dinosaur) at rally events throughout the year.