A Racer's Letter:

From Mission Raceway Park

by Marybeth Harrison

Well you can’t get much better than winning and that’s what this weekend was full of … two of ‘em in fact!!!

The weekend started out with some dry laps during practice on Friday … FINALLY!!! It was quite a different sensation driving a Formula car on slicks. Well, I guess I should say on slicks AND in the dry! We had a really good day with lap times dropping throughout every session … gotta like progress!!

Saturday’s qualifying times from Friday’s times - partly due to a cooler track and maybe somebody who wasn’t quite awake yet? (Where IS my coffee??) However, we still managed a 1st place Formula Ford qualifying time in Conference (3rd overall in the combined group) and a second pole in CFDA.

Sunday’s qualifying times held so I started inside on the second row in the Conference race (NOTE: Formula Fords (me), and Club Fords are all run together so although I qualified 1st in Formula Ford, I had qualified slower than two of the Club Fords … got it??)

I didn’t have the best of starts and got passed by one guy in turn 1. But by the time everything got sorted out, I was back in 3rd and trying to chase down the two Club Fords who I was itching to run with. It wasn’t until the last lap however, when one of the guys’ tires started to go that I was able to pass him on the straight-away to come away with a 2nd place finish overall (1st in my Formula Ford class).

Next was the CFDA race where I led start to finish after managing to hold of Michael Lensen on the start. I had seen the red light go out and was all ready to go but then was surprised that I didn’t see the green so I backed off!

Oops. Big mistake! I almost messed up the start big time but luckily, Michael didn’t have a great start either so I figured as long as I could hold him off though turn one I’d be ok. And that’s pretty much what happened.

It was awesome getting to do the parade lap with the checkered flag! I was hootin’ and hollerin’ under my helmet (figured no one would hear me over the sounds of the motor ?). And while the champagne bath I received wasn’t quite as much fun, it certainly was sweet (albeit sticky!!)

Am looking forward to the next race on May 25th.

Talk to you soon,

--Marybeth Harrison

To send a letter to Marybeth, send email to marybeth@thunval.com

Check out the Distant Thunder archives for previous entries by women race car drivers