Responses to:

harrassment on the track

Dear Missy:

I don't have any solutions. This is my first-time visit to this site and I love it.

I am recently involved with car racing through my husband's business. I've sat and watched a few races and have only gone to 1 Busch race, which was two years ago. I enjoyed it but got the impression then, and still do, that the sport of car racing is still quite archaic in that it sounds like a "good ol boys" society and women drivers are a joke.

Isn't there a regulatory organization to whom you can obtain information? (Then again, that's probably run by males!) I don't know what level of racing you're at, but with your determination, you sound like you'll go as far as you want to in the sport.

Good luck. I wish you the best and keep standing up to people like this! It really annoys them!

P.C.

Dear Missy:

I've run into similar problems. Fortunately not in SCCA, there are many women drivers and most of the men don't seem to think much of it in the sense that it's just another driver, not a *woman* driver. There's always one though.

But, like I said, it hasn't been a problem with SCCA. The problem I had was with the Shelby Club. It seems that some of the guys decided to tell everyone that I was a slut and sleeping around with everyone. I think I'd have rather been a lesbian.

When a few of the guys found out this wasn't true (I didn't even know about the rumor), my life was threatened and I ended up sleeping with a gun under my bed until I moved.

Now the interesting thing here was that I got more support from other *men* in the club than from other *women*. I'd be interested to have you keep me informed of what's going on. I can give you a more detailed account of my experience if you'd like.

Basically what I did was just get vocal. I'm still thinking about your situation and if I think of anything I'll let you know.

Keep in touch.

L.D.

Hi Missy:

In reading your article, I really feel for you. I consider myself very lucky that I have the support of the track officials and my competitors (in general).

I run in SCCA road racing in the Improved Touring class. This is my fifth year of driving, after working Flagging and Communications for 12 years.

In general, I get a lot of help and support from the people around me, but there is one 'gentleman' in particlular that your article made me think about. He runs the same make and model of car that I do, and runs at the top of the class, battling for the class championship, while I push with all I've got to make top 10. So, I am no threat to him.

When asked a question about car setup, or driving technique, he will outright lie to me and give me wrong information. His reasoning for this is that 'women should not be out there racing'... He in fact has admitted this to other men, my husband included.

Luckily, his attitude is not the normal one I encounter.

Good luck with your racing,

W.W.

Hi Missy,

Just got done reading your article on "Harassment on the Track". It's really a shame people have to be so small-minded and ignorant.

All I can say is "hang in there"!! The longer you're around, the more the guys will realize that you're going to stick with it and not get scared and quit. It will get old and boring to keep giving you a hard time.

I figure eventually, if you prove that you're not going to quit that you will have "proven yourself" to all of them and your racing career will become much easier. Of course, there will always be some men who can't handle the thought of a woman doing a "man" thing (and beating them) and you will never change them.

I have never been involved in "competitive wheel-to-wheel" racing, but I have autocrossed in SCCA, done high-speed open-tracking and drag raced. I have been a car nut (and tom-boy) since I was a little kid.

After I met my husband-to-be (who was into Ford Mustangs), I talked my parents into getting me my own 1965 Mustang. After we got married, we bought a 1991 Mustang GT and my husband started autocrossing with it. I thought it looked like he was having an awful lot of fun so I decided to try it myself. I was hooked!

I'm not just the type of woman who gets in and drives either - I'm also not afraid to get my hands dirty under the hood (which really blows some men away).

Since I've been racing, I have met many ignorant guys who believe women can't race and women are dumb about cars simply because MOST women don't take an interest in it. You know - the typical stereotype.

I've confronted some guys about it and they always say, "well you're obviously an exception to the rule". What I find funny is, the more I race, the more admiration and compliments I seem to get from the very guys who were so ignorant before.

I guess I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm here to educate all these ignorant people (and make it easier for the next woman like me that comes along)!

Anyway, enough of my rambling! Stick with it - it'll get better!

K.B.

Dear Missy:

BEST WISHES

Well, that Thompson boy is probably disliked by a whole bunch of other competitors besides you. You may have allies you don't know yet -- after all, he is a potential threat to them all, could be pressuring anyone, not just you.

Same for the inspector/racer -- listen to what other drivers think, you're not the only one. Walk round saying out loud "WHO INSPECTS HIS CAR, ANYWAY?"

Keep racing! Race the car. Race the track. Keep going. Enjoy your racing, and let those whining boys spoil their own evenings. You will be recognized by the fans for what you are.

If you just keep racing, the whiners will be the ones to get unpopular. I'm a guy in Canada, and my partner and I cross the border to watch Shawna Wilskey race 410 Sprints in Washington state -- she's terrific, and all the fans are on her side. She races!!!

Everyone knows who the local rich guy is, and no-one respects him. The crowd lets the announcer and the drivers and promoters know if someone is not getting a fair break.

Good luck, and keep at it.

D.K.

Dear Missy:

Ok, I wasn't sure I was going to e-mail you, but, here I go.

I've been around racing for 4 years now, I am female, own a car, and have a female driver. My driver has been racing for 10 years and has been through it all.

Here's our thoughts: You are the new kid on the block (and female), of course the tech guy is going to single you out. If the piece is illegal there's no way you can argue that, you're actually pretty well off that they are giving you time to fix it instead of telling you to load up and go home.

Go through your rule book thoroughly and make sure nothing else is illegal, if it is, fix it before you get to the track.

As far as rumors go, they will always be there, it's best to ignore them and focus on what's really important, like racing. Race tracks are political places, piss off the wrong people and your experiences will be hellish, take criticism and compliments for what they're worth and realize that you have to prove yourself as a driver and earn the other drivers' respect.

My driver actually took a year off of racing one year because of the harassment, and what she realized was that she couldn't change what other people said or did, but she could improve on how she handled situations and learn to focus her energy on what she really loved, which is racing.

Good luck this season.

A.C.

(from Missy)

Dear T.W.

I would like to thank everyone who responded to my request for advice. The last time I raced, I beat the guy who was really giving me a hard time, and he managed to keep his mouth shut about it. I am concentrating on making the car better and keeping my mind on my race strategy.

Thanks again,

Missy

p.s.: Let's continue the dialogue. Just click on my name below to send me your thoughts on harassment at the track.)

Missy's original request

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