> > MAY 9, 2008 • Issue 9

COVERAGE

PREVIEW

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by SUSAN WADE

Susan Wade is an award-winning drag-racing journalist/columnist for various publications, including National Speed Sport News, Drag Racing Action, Drag Racing Online, The Chicago Tribune, The Newark Star-Ledger, and The St. Petersburg Times. She lives near Seattle and owns and produces 1320 TV (www.1320tv.com).

NASCAR’s Diversity and Political-CorrectnessMonitorshavebeen fretfulabout how few women and minoritiesparticipate at the same time stock-carkingRichardPettysaysautoracingisn’tasportforwomen. Theopen-wheelmediahavebeentakentotaskfortheirerroneousclaimsthatDanicaPatrickwasthefirstwomantowinamajormotorsportsevent. (Be-foreshewonApril19atMotegi,Japan,they were fixated on Patrick -- not thefirstwomaninchampionship-carracingbyalongshot--foralltheinappropriateandboorishreasons.) Dragracingisoverthat. Shirley Muldowney, who raced in11 International Hot Rod AssociationTopFuelfinal roundsandwon threeofthem, asked nobody’s permission andreceivedalmostnobody’sapprovalwhensheblastedontothedrag-racingscenemore than 35 years ago. A notoriousnoveltyfromtheunsupervisedstreetsofSchenectady,NewYork,shebargedintothe male bastion that was drag racingandprovedthatracecarsrunonnitro-methaneandnottestosterone. “Even when I was match-racingand not competing in the professionalcategories,”thethree-timeNHRAcham-pionsaid,“IthinkIstillsetthestageandgave young women drivers somethingtoaspireto--gavethemtheideathat,‘Hey,waitaminute.Icandothat!’“ Indeed, she could, and she did.And Muldowney earned her due notasfemaledragracerbutasdragracer.Womendrag race.Menhaveadjusted.Andthesporthaswideneditsappeal. FastforwardtoApril20ofthisyear.Pro IHRA racer Laurie Cannister com-pletedasweepoftheAlcoholFunnyCarclass, winning the second in as manyraces on the Knoll Gas Nitro Jam tourand beating three-time champion RobAtchison for the second straight time.Both times she had put her KalbonesGrilli’nSauceChevyCamarointheNo.1startingposition.Furthermore,shehasbeen thequickestdriver ineveryelimi-nation session and qualifying round in2008.Sheownsthenationaleighth-mileelapsed-time and speed records andhas captured the “Last Man Standing”awardandthepointsthatgowithitthreeofapossiblefourtimes.

With her five-year absence fromthedriver’sseat,manyfansmighthaveforgottenthatshewasthe2000ProOut-lawchampion.OnthestrengthofeightProOutlawvictories in10final rounds,shejoinedtheclassthatIHRA’sbelovedBunnyBurkettchristenedwiththe1986seriestitle. Sowomenrace-winnersandcham-pionsarenotnoveltiestotheIHRA. That’swhynotone reporter in thepressroomatRockinghamaskedCan-nisteronequestion--notone--aboutbeing a female. That shows how pro-gressive the IHRA and its savvy mediacontingentare. Bycontrast,thefrenzysurroundingAshley Force’s Funny Car victory (andNHRAmilestoneforwomen)thefollowingweekatAtlanta focusedonhergender.Surely, though, Cannister would agreewithForce’scommentthat“everyfemaledriver,deepdown,wereallywant toberecognized as how we are as a driver.Really thegirl/guy thing, it’sexciting forthefansandmedia.Butasdrivers,asweworkandtrainwithourteams,wewanttobe recognized just forwhetherwe’redoingwellornot.Butasdrivers.” Somemen‘getit.’ ThelegendaryKennyBernstein,the1979 IHRA Nitro Funny Car champion,

sawhowmuchMuldowneychangedtheface of drag racing. He said of femaleracers,“I’vetakenitintheshortswiththegirls,soIdadgumsuredon’tlookatthemany other way than just another driverovertherecapableofbeatingme.” Thatwas thewholepoint forMul-downey.Thankstothemandthoselikethem,it’sapointLaurieCannisterisbe-yondhavingtomake.Herrivalswelcomeher because, as Atchison, Dale Brand,and seven-time champ Mark Thomashavesaid,she isasmart,skilleddriverwhoelevatesthequalityofcompetition. TopFuel’sHillaryWillwonatNor-walkin2006,andNHRAregularMelanieTroxelracedadragsterinIHRAin2007.Neitherwasthefirstwoman,forRhondaHartman-Smith is 3-4 in Top Fuel finalrounds.The IHRAalsohas-- for thosewho want to keep score -- MelindaGreen-King , Candyce Marsh, KathyFisher,MalindaBertozzi,AnnetteSum-mer,andcountlesssportsmanracers. “Idon’tfinditextraordinary,”three-timeNHRAProStockMotorcyclechampAngelle Sampey said. “I expect everywomanwhogetsbehindthewheeltodowell,justlikemen.I’veneverthoughtofitas[amatterofwhether]womencoulddothis,butwhethertheywantedto.”

DRM • 13

The SororiTy of Speed: Women no novelTy in drag racing

Women race-winners and champions are not novalties to the ihra. not one re-porter in the press room at rockingham asked cannister about being a woman, in marked contrast to the frenzy that surrounded ashley force’s funny car victory.

GETTING OFF TRACK ...with KATHY FISHER

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by

RANDYCUNNINGHAM

In his 9-to-5, nitro-less life, Randy Cunningham is an elementary-school counselor at Baytown, Texas, and is author of the book “Building Great Kids -- No Assembly Required!” He said following the drama of drag racing is no different than what he encounters every day: “Y’all just wear bigger underwear.” Randy is a drummer in a local band, so he knows that drag racers often march to their own cadence. Get a peek at the personalities of drag-racing drivers and newsmakers with his weekly program on 1320 TV (www.1320tv.com).

DRM • 15

Name a person who would make a great President. However, the person you choose can’t be a politician. You know, because I hang around racer people so much and that’s such a part of my life, I would have to say Clay Millican. He is such a great listener, and he’s someone that not only hears people, but he can also listen. He hears and listens at the same time, and I think that would be really important for someone who would be in office. To be able to take a look at the overall picture and not just base everything on money.

What is a TV show that you will stop everything to watch?That would be Medium. I really like the show because it takes me away from everyday life for a moment. We know it’s not real, and people do get premonitions and things like that, but mainly because it’s just a good break from life in general, and sometimes I need that. A lot of stuff I do is in such a creative world that I need a mental break, and it’s just a really good show for me.

You’ve been on a deserted island for two years. What’s your first meal when you return?Probably no seafood. (Laughs) I dearly love seafood. So, I’m prob-ably going to have to say something having to do with beef. I love a good steak, usually a filet. Normally my husband and I like to go to Texas Roadhouse and have what’s called the Dallas Filet. I like it a little more on the rare side. It’s just really good, and it’s something you can almost cut with a butter knife. It’s that damn good.

Looking at your check register, what store gets most of your money?(Answers quickly) Summit Racing Equipment. It’s definitely Sum-mit. We’re building a new car right now and trying to keep my car where it needs to be, and they have the selection of parts we need. They support IHRA and we support them.

What is something you want to buy for yourself, but you keep putting it off?A convertible. I’m thinking about either the Saturn Skyy, and then there’s the Pontiac version. It depends on which one would fit in a race trailer. It has to do with the wheelbase, and actually the Pon-tiac Soltice has a shorter wheelbase than the Saturn, even though I like the Saturn Skyy better. Really, it’s the brand-new Camaro that’s coming out, but that would never fit in a race trailer.

Pretend you’re taking a two-week trip in a car with three oth-er people. Who are they, and why were they invited?Well, first it would be my husband Kevin, just because he’s fun and he’s great on road trips. We enjoy driving a lot together because we drive so much to races, and we’re still married after all the driving! The other two people would be Dale and Laurie Cannister, because we share so much and I feel like we have so much in common. And, we would like to go to the same places together.

Pretend that tomorrow you can start a brand new job, any job you want. What would it be?If you had asked me that question a little over a year ago, I think I would’ve named everything I’m doing right now. I think at this moment I’m living what I’m supposed to be living, which includes working for Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, doing television for drag racing legend Ted Jones, working for Laurie (Cannister) and Kalbones Racing doing her P.R., and my husband and I with

our own business and drag racing team. I can’t imagine doing anything other than what I’m doing now.

Sounds like you don’t have much time for anything else!I work it in there, let’s put it that way. (Laughs) You know what? I absolutely love it. I can’t imagine doing anything else. This is a dream for me. I’m excited to get up in the morning and it makes it hard to go to sleep at night because I’m thinking about all the stuff I can’t wait to do in the morning. I’m very privileged. Plus, I love being able to race with the IHRA family. I can’t wait to get to the next race.

Who is a friend of yours that you would like everyone to meet?Frank Hawley. Frank is an absolutely phenomenal individual. He is very well-read and is such a great ambassador for drag rac-ing. Even beyond that he’s a very interesting person, and I feel so pleased that I’ve been able to work with him and listen to him speak. Even people who are not necessarily interested or into drag racing can learn so much from him. If he had been my teach-er in high school, I would’ve begged to take summer school. He’s really down to earth and knows how to talk to people. It’s not a lecture when he speaks to people, instead, he gets on your level and makes learning fun. He’s a very fun, intelligent person.

One more question. In five words or less, talk about the se-cret to life.How about this: Haven’t Figured It Out Yet. I don’t think there is a secret to life, and that’s what makes life so interesting. We’re all individuals; we all have different backgrounds and experiences. There is no secret to life. It’s what you shoot for, dream for, and what happens when you try to achieve the best you can. Don’t step on toes when you’re trying to get there, because you never know when you may need those toes to come dig you out.

Wow! Was that saying off the top of your head?Yeah, that one just came out. When I’m shooting the breeze, I just never know what’s going to come out. I pull ‘em out every once in a while. I might actually print that one out and put it up on my wall. (Laughs)