It's better than that, katie. Originally there were 7 veterans of the SCCA Solo
II Nationals among the 68 women trying out -- almost 10 percent of the total.
Five made the final cut of 48 -- MORE than 10 percent:
Belinda Endress, Jean Kinser, Shauna Marinus, Linda Pobst (formerly Linda
Blevins, Randy Pobst's wife), and Marty Walter
Most direct site for news about this: www.americanlemans.com -- and go under
the "news" button.
Here's the release I just pirated off that site:
--Rocky
- - - - - - - - - -
Contents of this site copyright
American Le Mans Series
(c) (ALMS) 1998/1999
For Immediate Release
February 4, 1999
42 Cleared To Drive In Inaugural
Women's Global GT Series
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 4, 1999 - Forty-two women racers from around the
world were cleared to drive and invited to participate in the
inaugural Women's Global GT Series season, it was announced today by
series executive director Lyn St. James.
The announcement was made in conjunction with National Girls and
Women in Sports Day today in Washington, D.C.
Nancy Lieberman-Cline, president of the Women's Sports Foundation
based in Eisenhower Park, N.Y., issued a statement supporting the
new series, which is part of the new American Le Mans Series package
going to North America's road courses for the first time in 1999.
"This series creates opportunities for the top female drivers in the
world to showcase their skills," said Lieberman-Cline. "We applaud
Lyn St. James for her foresight and persistence in extending the
influence of women in global motorsports and expanding opportunities
for the general public to become more aware of talented female
athletes in the sport of auto racing."
St. James was pleased with the number of competitive drivers.
"While I was expecting the numbers and quality of competitiveness,
this far exceeded my expectations," she said. "The exciting part is
there's even more out there. Hopefully, this will only be the
beginning."
The group is broad-based, from 17-year-old karter Jenny Hohfeldt of
Adrian, Mich., to four-time Olympic skier and 25-year motorsports
veteran Divina Galica of England and Sebring, Fla.
Galica and Cindi Lux of Aloha, Ore., were among the fastest in the
on-track portion of tryouts and evaluations last week at Road
Atlanta. Drivers were tested in a five-lap time trial in a Panoz
Racing School GT-RA car and evaluated on physical and mental
readiness, a mock TV interview and image awareness.
The selected group comes from a long list of racing backgrounds,
including professional jet ski racer Terri Hundertmark of Rockledge,
Fla., former truck and saloon car racer Heather McAlpine of England,
autocross instructor Jean Kinser of Carrollton, Ga., and seven-time
Canadian Grand National go-kart champion Juliana Chiovitti of Sutton
West, Ontario, Canada.
>From the stock-car ranks are NASCAR Busch Series veteran Shawna
Robinson of Charlotte, CASCAR late-model veteran Kelly Williams of
Caledon, Ontario, Canada, NASCAR Winston Racing Series competitor
Sunny Hobbs of High Point, N.C., and late-model driver Carol Edwards
of Huntersville, N.C.
Five Italian drivers made the list - Liliana DeMenna, Giovanna
Amati, Prisca Taruffi, Tamara Vidali and Alexandra Gallo.
The drivers also come from a variety of "real life" backgrounds.
Kiki Wolfkill of Seattle is a racing simulations art lead for
Microsoft's Games Group. Kandy Lynn of Fort Lauderdale is a former
truck driver. Jennifer Bretzel of Leawood, Kan., is a second-year
law student. Liz Holliday is a San Diego police officer. Belinda
Endress of Newbury Park, Calif., is a former exercise rider who is
president of a company specializing in producing and distributing
sports videotapes. Niki Ruman is marketing manager and development
coordinator for the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy
Research in Washington. Caroline Wright of Shoreacres, Texas, is a
former on-air radio personality.
The announcement ended a week of waiting for those who tried out.
"I heard they were going to call the ones who didn't make it first,"
said Jill Peeters of McHenry, Ill., just before leaving Road Atlanta
last week. "I'm not going to answer my phone for the next five
days." She made it.
Three drivers who underwent the off-track portion of the evaluations
last week are scheduled to complete the on-track part on March 22 .
Twenty-four additional drivers are scheduled for the full program
March 29 at Road Atlanta.
***
The complete list:
Giovanna Amati, Rome, Italy
Krista Baker-Barr, Cumming, Ga.
Helen Bashford, Antrobus, Cheshire, England
Jennifer Bretzel, Leawood, Kan.
Lilian Bryner, Montagnola, Switzerland
Juliana Chiovitti, Sutton West, Ont.,Canada
Liliana DeMenna, Rome, Italy
Allison Duncan, San Rafael, Calif.
Margy Eatwell, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Carol Edwards, Huntersville, N.C.
Belinda Endress, Newbury Park, Calif.
Divina Galica, Sebring, Fla.
Alexandra Gallo, Rome, Italy
Sunny Hobbs, High Point, N.C.
Jenny Hohfeldt, Adrian, Mich.
Liz Holliday, San Diego, Calif.
Pattie Hughes, Dublin, Ohio
Terri Hundertmark, Rockledge, Fla.
Mary Kaczor, London, England
Jean Kinser, Carrollton, Ga.
Cindi Lux, Aloha, Ore.
Kandy Lynn, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Shauna Marinus, Folsom, Calif.
Heather McAlpine, Turnbridge Wells, Kent, England
Dana Moore, El Cajon, Calif.
Jill Peeters, McHenry, Ill.
Janet Pendergraph, Auburn, N.Y.
Linda Pobst, Melbourne, Fla.
Shawna Robinson, Charlotte, N.C.
Amy Ruman, Kent, Ohio
Niki Ruman, Washington, D.C.
Jennifer Schneidau, Edgewood, Ky.
Sara Senske, Kennewick, Wash.
Melanie Snow, Lehi, Utah
Lesley Suddard, Wilmington, Del.
Prisca Taruffi, Rome, Italy
Jennifer Tumminelli, Los Gatos, Calif.
Tamara Vidali, Italy
Marty Walter, Leawood, Kan.
Kelly Williams, Inglewood, Ont., Canada
Kiki Wolfkill, Seattle
Caroline Wright, Shoreacres, Texas
Media Contacts: Jan Shaffer, (317) 388-8745;
Lynda Havens, (317) 291-4365; Gary Ronberg, (314) 458-1473
|