2003 & 2004 MSOKC HPV Champions
2004 MSOKC Super Can Runner Up

09 December - The St. James Treatment, Day Two

Day Two started at 7 am for breakfast with all 21 ladies suited up and ready for a long day at Phoenix International Raceway. By 9:00 Dana was lapping the infield road course in a Improved Touring-ish Mustang. Dana, having never driven a car that heavy or that powerful, didn't get comfortable very quickly. Other racers that had more or at least some big car experience got on pace right away.

After the Mustang Dana moved to the Formula Ford which she enjoyed much more. Unlike the big, slushy Mustang which tended to resist direction changes, the Formula Ford was nimble like a go kart and precise in its steering and gearbox. Dana loved it. The contrast between the Mustang and the formula car was stark. As Dana said, everything about the Formula Ford made her feel like a race car driver: the driving position, the small steering wheel, the short, quick stubby gearshift lever and the sight of the wing in the rear view mirror.

Next it was on to the kart track set up in a parking area/vehicle dynamics area. Here, the shoe was on the other foot for the ladies that had driven big racecars but never a kart. Dana was in her element and shown there. Everyone in her group started out in commercial-type, industrial-strength karts with a Briggs Animal motor on them. Shifter kart champ and 5 time Rock Island "King Of The Streets" Alan Rudolph was the chief instructor and could only make a suggestion of hand placement to Dana for improvement. Later, the group graduated to Tony Karts with Parrila Leopards. Again, Dana's experience favored her and was one of the quickest drivers out there.

After a break for lunch, the women began orientation for the Richard Petty Driving Experience. After instruction and safety talks and fitting for the head restraint system drivers went out for eight laps matching an instructor's pace. Dana's not a huge NASCAR fan but there are a lot of people in the world that would give anything to get behind the wheel of a Nextel Cup car so the occasion did not go unappreciated.

Melissa & Dana

Back at the hotel by 5:30, there was a sudden, sharp demand on the hot water system as 21 women rushed to get ready for dinner at 7. It was during this interlude that we inducted - inadvertently - Dana's track pal, Melissa Court, into our family (that's all we'll say "aboot" that here - ask later). Melissa is a 17 year old kart racer from Vancouver that is great fun to have a around (and is very fast) and her and Dana hit it off upon first meeting. They're already talking about summer visits and guest drives.

Quite a day covering nearly the entire spectrum of auto racing. From a 10hp Briggs go kart to a 630hp NASCAR Nextel Cup Car. Already Dana has said this has been the experience of her life. And we're only on day two. Stay tuned.

© Copyright 2004 Conlin SpeedSports. All rights reserved.
Server space for this website graciously provided by Infonetics, Inc.