HORSEPOWER & HEELS

World Street Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:36:00 +0000

Its time to hit the road again!

This time, I'm headed to show support for my Horsepower & Heels partner in crime, Debbie Denny as she puts on her first race, the World Street Challenge at Gateway International Raceway in the St. Louis area.

Debbie has been one of the original crew who started the 10 year run of the World Ford Challenge 11 years ago. Her passion for the event and desire to grow the event into her vision of an all-encompassing, multi-event weekend has finally arrived in the inaugural World Street Challenge Event.

The World Street Challenge will be an entertainment venue combining the thrill of drag racing, all-out audio sound-offs, exquisite car show, a Bikini contest, and a Battle of the Bands competition. Basically, its the Auto-Enthusiast's dream weekend piled all together.

Poor Debbie has been a one-woman circus act with all the preparations, and I can promise her work will be one for the record books.

If you are in the St. Louis area, please check out this event! Plus, stop by and see us both! We'll have some Horsepower & Heels apparel for sale too!

Piensa Mas Alla

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:42:00 +0000

Piensa Mas Alla....Think Beyond

Recently, I was asked by the Palomita & Chucho Clothing Co. to design a special edition t-shirt to be auctioned off at an event in June benefitting education. Palomita and Chucho are fresh, fun brands that capture the nostalgia of Latin America, the bubbly soda us latinos drank with our school lunches, that salty candy that made our fingers all sticky, or that loveable mouse we watched on television before we were tucked into bed.

The t-shirt design was sent to me blank, with just the word "WOOPY" on the front of the shirt. Woopy is a fruit juice drink with a fun and playful attitude. This drink was launched in the 70’s and was the drink for the new generation. I wasn't really sure what to draw for WOOPY, so I had a Palomita champagne bottle popping with WOOPY. Not exactly a fruit juice, but maybe you could say it was our adult version now that we're all grown up. My drawing skills as you can see are lacking a bit, but hopefully it will do well at the event for this great cause.

The event, the 1st Annual Latino Fashion Show Auction benefitting the Palomita Education Fund, will be held on June 12th in San Francisco, CA. I'm not sure I'll be able to attend, but I think it will be a great event! If you are in that area, reserve your seat and help the cause!

June 12, 2008
Terra SF
511 Harrison Street,
San Francisco, CA

6:30pm
Pink Carpet Arrival
Cocktails & Silent Auction
7:30pm
Live Auction of Special Edition Tees designed by Latino Personalities followed by the Palomita & Chucho Fashion Show

For more information contact events@licenzing.com

Mother of Drag Racing

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:44:00 +0000

Its Mother's Day, and I thought I'd pay tribute to a different kind of mother.... the Mother of Drag Racing.

Shirley Muldowney is undeniably the Mother of Drag Racing. She came to find drag racing in its infancy, back in the 60's, when women were not expected or ALLOWED to be involved in such a sport. She fought for acceptance when most would not allow her in their midst, gaining her NHRA competition license in 1965 through much trouble and discouragement. No only would she show that a woman could drive a car faster than stock, but she worked up the ladder all the way to the pinnacle class of the sport, Top Fuel, where she competed for over 30 years.

Shirley's hard fought battles opened the doors for all of us women in drag racing and in all motorsports. She was the first woman to win a major autosport in 1976 at the NHRA Spring Nationals, and went on to win 3 World Championships in her Top Fuel career.

Though the gender barrier can still sometimes exist today, Shirley pioneered the sport for all women and made it easier to be accepted in a man's world. Each of us women involved in racing today owes a lot to the woman who fought the fight for us early on, and made our dreams possible.

This mother's day goes out to our own Mother of Drag Racing, Shirley Muldowney!

The Emotional Rollercoaster of Racing

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:04:00 +0000

The ebb and flow of the racing tide is about as predictable as the winning lotto numbers. The real competition in drag racing begins long before a car ever reaches the racetrack.

The past two years have been very difficult for me. I ended 2006 on an emotional high of finishing #2 in Pro 5.0 in my rookie season. I had so much momentum going for me, and was eager and excited to continue on by improving the car's performance and image with sponsor Brisk USA stepping in to help.

But then life happened, and a series of heartbreaking events that have put delay after delay, and road block after road block in my way, sidelining me for 2 years now. I try to stay focused and upbeat, but with time comes frustration and depression of not racing, and worse, not being able to keep my commitments to Brisk and Harland Sharp of a great season.

I won't give up.... I'm still working very hard and inching closer to getting the Horsepower & Heels car back out on track. I'm lacking just a few things, but it seems like time and labor is hard to come by now-a-days.... things that I am not able to do on my own, out of my control. That's the most difficult part of the whole deal... being helpless and forced to just sit and wait.

Motorsports marketing is one of the greatest forms of marketing available. I know that I will be able to make good on getting exposure for my great sponsors and telling their stories. I just hope that the damage that this delay has caused will not be permanent. As they say... this too shall pass. The lows of the racing rollercoaster.

I can't count the number of times I've been approached with opportunities: some to drive, others for sponsorship, etc. Everything from pro mod rides up to Top Fuel and Funny Car. Each and every time, I put an enormous amount of energy into each opportunity... offering assistance, marketing materials, interviews, phone call follow-ups, etc.

I'm hoping that pretty soon, the law of averages is bound to shake out a green GO light on one of these opportunities. And until then, I'll put every ounce of effort into every offer that comes my way.

But it still does not lessen the excitment, nor the disappointment that each trip on the emotional rollercoaster brings.

St. Louis Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:40:00 +0000

Mondays after race weekends are tough. Especially when you have to drive 6+ hours after a long weekend.

This past weekend, I drove up to St. Louis to attend the 28th Annual MidWest NHRA Nationals at Gateway International Raceway with some friends. Though I had many times been to Gateway for the World Street (Ford) Challenge, I hadn't ever seen an NHRA race there.

Friday was nice and warm, with plenty of good racing. But Saturday, the temperature plummeted and the wind was fierce, delivering the chill straight through you. We looked like a bunch of shivering puppies. It is difficult to be at races when you have been sidelined like I have for so long now, but it definitely helps to network and motivates to keep the progress going on my car.

Elizabeth and Ashley hadn't ever attended a drag race before, so its neat seeing their reaction to their first Top Fuel encounters. The power of a nitro car cannot be appreciated or understood until you actually see, smell, and FEEL one in person. TV, HD or not, just doesn't do it justice. Ashley said they weren't too loud when they were doing burnouts (we were sitting at the 1/8th mile) but when they passed her under power, she hit the deck!

Its a long trip to St. Louis, and I'll be repeating this trip in just a few weeks for Debbie's race, the World Street Challenge.

On the Road with Horsepower & Heels

Trip Meter: 838 miles

2008 Odometer: 3,823 miles

Mainstream Media thumbs nose at Drag Racing

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:12:00 +0000

There has been a lot of great news happening in Drag Racing, and really all of Motorsports lately.
2 weeks ago, you see the media firestorm surrounding IRL superstar Danica Patrick winning her first race in Japan. In doing so, she is the first woman to win a major IRL event: a journey 3 years in the making. All of motorsports, and especially all women in motorsports rejoiced at her victory.

Then this weekend, we see our own Ashley Force win her first Funny Car race, being the first woman to win a National event in that class. Ashley now joins several other PRO category National event winners: Shirley Muldowney, Angelle Sampey, Melanie Troxel, Peggy Llewellyn, Karen Stoffer, etc.

The event, though very much historic as well, did not receive the media attention of Danica's win, a fact that we have grown accustomed to in our sport as a whole. Though NHRA Drag Racing is one of the most actively participated in and watched of all motorsports, its seems to be the ugly step-child of the motorsports divisions in the media's eyes.

This isn't new to us as drag racers. The media's only mention of drag racing is normally incorrectly portrayed as the illegal street races that end in tragedy. I know for certain, that events like this one being labeled as drag racing instead of illegal street racing, has caused many a sponsor from becoming involved in the sport, as they are unsure of the legality of our very legitimate sport.

So understandably, several drag racers took offense to reports by the media on Danica's win being "the first female racer to win any major motorsport event" as a slap in the face to our many female champions and event winners (Shirley Muldowney captured 3 World Championships in Top Fuel nearly 20 years ago). They did what any citizen reading an inaccuracy in their news would do... they took to writing letters to educate them of the many NHRA female national event champions.

But this time, someone from the media fired back. In a message sent to the popular drag racing message board, Nitromater.com, Charles Everett wrote:

Subject: NitroMater on Danica: Childish and unprofessional

The people who post to Nitromater are a bunch of reactionaries, not unlike
a right-wing pressure group. I've been in the newspaper industry for over 30 years. I've dealt with a lot of selfish people but I've never seen a more self-centered bunch than the clique that follows the NHRA.

People who follow the NHRA expect the media to bow and scrape before your sport. They don't and for good reason.

Every time there's something you don't like, you whine and cry like a bunch
of babies. It's not unlike the censorship advocates at the American Family
Association or the Parents Television Council.

Jon Asher lied when he said the press was following an IRL press release.
Sounds to me like he's never worked in TV or newspapers. The New York Times was relying on the Associated Press wire. So were CNN, Fox Sports and most other news outlets. ESPN had instant access because ESPN Classic televised the race live. Mr. Asher told your board to flood the local press and TV with complaints. That's not gonna help your cause -- in fact it might prompt the local press and TV to tell you to CEASE AND DESIST or you'll get sued for harassment. It's bad enough that newspapers all over are laying off people. Targeting the press with a flood of complaints won't help.

I also love how the NHRA clique worships Shirley Muldowney. She won a lot of races but she treated so many people like dirt, they want nothing to do with her. How you treat people goes a long way in how your sport gets covered.

Danica Patrick and the Indy Racing League do not owe an apology to anyone. Nitromater and its members owe an apology to Ms. Patrick and the IRL.

As for the New York Times? It ran a very telling story on the front page on April 20: All those retired generals appearing on TV news are nothing more than Pentagon pimps.

Signed: Charles Everett (as posted on Nitromater.com)

Never before have I seen such arrogance, and ethically challenged diatribe coming from someone claiming 30 year veteran status in journalism. The very fundamentals, the CORE of journalism lies in the Tenets that govern the trade. This is in direct violation of those core values.

Let's break this down:

"People who follow the NHRA expect the media to bow and scrape before your sport. They don't and for good reason. Every time there's something you don't like, you whine and cry like a bunch of babies. It's not unlike the censorship advocates at the American Family Association or the Parents Television Council. "

So by this, you are admitting that the media knowingly persecutes drag racers because they are believed by your type to be "a bunch of babies"? What about Tenet #4: Maintaining an independence from those they cover? Injecting your personal beliefs about who you deem media-worthy because of their alleged attitude is a direct violation.

"Mr. Asher told your board to flood the local press and TV with complaints. That's not gonna help your cause -- in fact it might prompt the local press and TV to tell you to CEASE AND DESIST or you'll get sued for harassment. It's bad enough that newspapers all over are laying off people. Targeting the press with a flood of complaints won't help."

Oh okay. We are not entitled to exercise our freedom of speech to tell you when you are not being factual? What about Tenet #6: Provide a forum for public criticism and compromise? Had you properly exercised Tenet #1: Journalism's first obligation is to the truth and Tenet #3: Discipline of verification, we would not have something to "whine & cry" about, now would we? And maybe your jobs and livelihood wouldn't be threatened by the growing Citizen Journalism movement aimed at getting out the true stories you are above reporting. Even more appauling that you threaten us with legal suit for asking you politely and repeatedly to simply do your job correctly.

"I also love how the NHRA clique worships Shirley Muldowney. She won a lot of races but she treated so many people like dirt, they want nothing to do with her. How you treat people goes a long way in how your sport gets covered."

So now, your personal opinion about the personality of a member of our sport dictates what coverage our sport receives as a whole? What about Tenet #8: must keep the news comprehensive and proportional? Your personal bias against drag racing, and your slant to other areas distorts the comprehensive and proportional coverage. Not to mention that you are admittedly violating Tenet #2: First loyalty is to citizens, namely us DRAG RACING citizens, when you exclude us from coverage on our historical and newsworthy events.

That leaves us Tenet #5: It must serve as an independent monitor of power, which by your bullying tactics should be focused back on monitoring YOUR power of biased reporting; and finally Tenet #9: practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience, which I do not see you truthfully doing in such a bigoted approach to drag racing coverage (or lack thereof).

Maybe the IRL doesn't owe drag racing an apology, and drag racing doesn't owe IRL one either, but you my friend, are another evil entirely.

FORCE takes the WIN!

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 23:17:00 +0000

Ashley Force is on top of the world this season. Currently leading in the points, three final rounds this year alone... and now, SHE'S WON HER FIRST RACE!

Right on the heels of the IRL Princess, Danica's first win, Ashley reins one in for the NHRA gals, winning in the 28th Annual NHRA Southern Nationals in Atlanta, GA against her father, legend John Force. Both stood to make history, her as the first female to win in funny car, and him to earn his 1,000th round win. But Ashley continued her streak, making history and taking the win!!

She is smart. She is beautiful. She is Drag Racing royalty. But above all, she is proving that she can drive a racecar (and thumbing her nose to all her early critics)! Just a sophomore in the sport, I am rooting for Ashley to maintain her points lead and really show them what's to come! She is truly an inspiration! Class, talent, and drive!

Last year's Southern Nationals saw Ashley and John's first father/daughter matchup. I knew an all-Force final was in the cards, but I never believed it would happen this soon!

Congratulations to ASHLEY FORCE!
2008 Southern Nationals Funny Car Champion!

(and current points leader, too!)

photo: Competition Plus

Danica wins, Finally.

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:16:00 +0000

She did it!

Danica Patrick won the 2008 Indy 300 in Japan.

There are two types of people right now... some who are not at all surprised that Danica Patrick became the first woman to win an IRL race, and others who are eating a lot of crow with their critical remarks that she'd never be more than a domestic appliance in the sport.

Its a tough line to walk... Danica has appeared in some pretty racy PR campaigns and some questioned her validity as a racecar driver based solely on her images in FHM, Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Edition, and her rather risque GoDaddy commercials. She has landed some great endorsement deals with Tissot, Peak, and many other brands. Clearly, she is using her feminine marketing edge to her advantage... I am glad that she's now validated her worth with a win as well. Now the neigh-sayers will need to seek a different argument on why she doesn't belong.

Its not easy to walk the line of using your few marketability advantages as a woman and still being respected as a serious and dedicated racer. Case in point.... people are exclaiming "FINALLY!" about Danica's win, as if she has gone decades upon decades without an inkling towards any success. But how many respected drivers on the circuit had their first win by age 27, and in their 3rd professional season? I'm sure you see that she's not out of line with many drivers that enter the league, yet expectations for her to "prove herself" have been hastened, with hype remarks and winless taunts starting just after her rookie season. That's some tough criticism for someone early in their career. (more on that subject to follow in an upcoming blog post)

Now, Danica joins other women such as Shirley Muldowney, Angelle Sampey, Melanie Troxel, and several other women who have won, against the odds, major automotive races. The barriers continue to open as time goes on, with more and more ladies taking aim at the top of auto racing (especially in NHRA Drag Racing).

So, congratulations Danica! Keep kickin' butt!

Vegas Twitter Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 17:26:00 +0000

This morning, I had some time to do some sight-seeing, and since I'm a newbie to Vegas, I turned to Twitter to be my tour guides!

The Question:
A Newbie in Vegas! If you had one recommendation on what to see, what would it be?

Here's the response!

UJade @HorsepowerHeels The Freemont Street Experience was pretty cool, free, and some of the casinos right there sell really big drinks!

royblumenthal @HorsepowerHeels My girlfriend says Fremont Street Experience unmissable. Animated light show. Downtown. Starts 8.30pm.

griner @HorsepowerHeels The nice sushi restaurant at the MGM Grand is a sight to behold. And not crazy expensive.

inspiremetoday @HorsepowerHeels Roller coaster at New York, New York will kick your butt if you're into thrills

inspiremetoday @HorsepowerHeels The light fixture in the lobby of the Bellagio hotel- think it was about 12M, blown glass from Venice- beautiful!

kpishdadi @HorsepowerHeels and get someone to teach you craps that would be the table with everyone screaming around it

kpishdadi @HorsepowerHeels go to any adult hypnotist show. Hilarious

I didn't have time to hit the hypnotist show or Freemont Street, but I did ride the roller coaster at New York, New York and check out the Bellagio. I walked several miles down the strip and back to my hotel, so my feet were a little sore! I missed the Treasure Island Sirens show due to wind, which was a bummer, but I LOVED walking around Cesaer's Place and the Venitian.

Vegas or Bust: The Journey (Day 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 01:44:00 +0000

Today is day one of my very first trip to the fabulous land of Las Vegas.

My trip originally was supposed to start tomorrow, since all of my other coworkers are arriving Saturday, but since the NHRA race was in town this weekend, I wanted to catch some racing before all the work begins.

I had the first flight out of Huntsville this morning at 5:55am. I live an hour from the Huntsville airport, which means that with allowing one hour check in and security time, meant I had to leave my house at an ungodly 4am. Being the night owl that I am, that's not a pretty sight for me.

I made it through to my connecting flight in Cincinnati and all the way to Las Vegas relatively trouble-free. I've never seen the west coast really, so I was a little surprised at what the landscape really looks like.... a cityscape plucked in the center of a giant baseball diamond. There is nothing green... foliage, trees, grass, nothing... to be seen from the air. They aren't kidding... it really is a desert! Its like it just pops out of nowhere.

The AH-HA moment aside, I land and start to try and figure out my ground transport issue. I had hoped to catch a ride with a fellow Nitromater straight to the track, but never got my plans set with all the craziness from work. That left me grabbing my luggage and hailing a taxi to my hotel, since the company wasn't providing rentals for our trip.

Another new experience.... I've never hailed a taxi before. And what an experience it was! The taxi cue line rivaled a Disney cue, minus the fans, cue line estimates, cheesy music and misting water sprays. An hour wait, and I'm headed to the Tuscany Hotel. Unfortunately, it also meant that the racetrack was out of the question, because by the time I pay the airport taxi to take me to my hotel, check in, leave luggage and get another taxi to the outskirts of Vegas for the track, it would be astronomical fares and midway through the day. I've got a racecar to build and I'm on a budget....

The hotel seems pretty nice... not one of the high-rises that you hear all about, its more of a suites resort in old-Italian theme, and not located on the Strip. Its closer to the LVCC, where the NAB show will begin on Monday. Not eating all day, I was starving, and have no transportation. I thought about walking a few blocks to the hotels I can see from my room-- the Mirage, Harrah's, the Imperial Palace-- to check things out, but then, I had a strange encounter that officially freaked me out.

Maybe its been that I've lived in the bible-belted South too long now, and have come to expect my very southernly hospitable neighbors, or maybe I'm just going soft... but when a man comes up to me as I'm walking to my building and tells me that I have "Very pretty toes" and then tries to touch my feet while rambling about my "exquisite foot bottoms", I am a little freaked out.

This guy was no Mr. Deeds-butler-Emilio type. And the worse part? I really need an pedicure right now, so I'm even more mortified that this man is drawing attention to my little piggies!

Debating whether I wanted to deliver my little piggies swiftly up his rear, I opted instead to cry wee-wee-weeeee all the way to my hotel room. I am now held hostage in my room by foot-freak, and scared to walk the street alone to get something to eat. Welcome to Las Vegas!

Up since 4am, no racing, no food, no entertainment-- and trapped within the confines of my room. I'm MAJORLY bummed. My coworkers arrive tomorrow, hopefully it will be a better day!

PS.... I've been in Vegas all day and have yet to play my first SLOT! Time to yank a nearby handle and hope for the best! C'mon JACKPOT! Lets make this trip memorable!

Busy, Busy, Busy

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 02:29:00 +0000

Breath.

I have to remind myself lately. Work has been CA-RAZY busy, and hasn't left much time for... well.... ANYTHING.

I don't talk much about my full time day job, but I work for a company called QuStream that manufactures video/audio routing, signal processing, and control system equipment for the broadcast industry. I am in the Marketing department, and work under a very talented and experienced lady who is our international Director of Marcom. I LOVE my job. I am learning so much every day, and even with the stress and craziness lately, I don't ever mind coming to work.

Part of marketing department duties, is the complete coordination of our tradeshow activities. Our largest show of the year, The NAB Show, is next week in Las Vegas. This is the first tradeshow I have been involved in from the exhibiting side of the equation, and I had no earthly idea how large of a production these shows are and how much work and pre-planning go into making them happen. Its not just a booth and some product... its every little last detail that goes into that whole week. We've been planning since I started at QuStream in November. Almost 5 months and I'm still at a frenzied pace in panic mode to make everything happen!

Things I've Learned/Done for NAB

Hotel Accomodations. Travel Arrangements. Transportation. Meals. Booth Design. Booth Layout. Coordination/Planning/Production of Demo Equipment. Event Planning. Entertainment selection. Email Promotions. Catering selections/Room Arrangements. Event Invitation Designs. CD-ROM AutoRun Catalogs. Print Brochures. Advertising Schedules/Designs. Promotional Giveaways. Meeting Coordination. Awards. etc. etc. etc.

The list is endless! But despite the high level of stress and last minute pressures, I am really enjoying the learning experience and all the work that goes into the show. I'll be leaving early Friday for Las Vegas, and then it all goes into motion.

One other perk is that the NHRA race happens to be this coming weekend as well... which means I get to stop in at the race while I am there. This is my first trip to Las Vegas... Ever... which should be lots of fun. Well, if I have time, anyways.

If you happen to be at the show, please stop by! Booth # N3421

Now, what am I forgetting?!? ....Back to work!

Ladies Horsepower & Heels T-Shirt

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:34:00 +0000

Been super busy lately, and haven't updated much. I've got a catch-up blog planned for tomorrow, but first I wanted to show you the latest at the Horsepower & Heels E-Store.

NEW! Ladies Slim-Fit Horsepower & Heels Tee!

The newest ladies item is the Horsepower & Heels Logo Baby Doll T-shirt. This 100% cotton jersey crew neck lightweight baby t-shirt comes in black or white and features the stylish slim-fit longer length.

Cost is $20.00 plus shipping and is available ONLINE.

Order yours now ONLINE!

Erica Ortiz Hospitalized for Injuries

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 21:48:00 +0000

-----Special Blog Post-----

We are reporting to you from Huntsville Medical Center. Erica Ortiz, your blog writer and driver for Horsepower & Heels has been brought in today for emergency treatment.

While working to prepare the Horsepower & Heels Mustang, Erica had a tragic accident causing some serious injuries to the driver. Evidentally, her 3 inch stilleto heel hit some spilled gear oil and sent the driver flying across the floor, snapping her favorite heel off the shoe and leaving her with some serious injuries.

Her injuries include a broken accelerator foot, 3 broken nails, and some damage to her hair in the fall. Specialist Ken Paves was called in to assist with the injuries. Doctors are expecting a full recovery following some inpatient rehab. The Horsepower & Heels driver will be transported to Bliss Day Spa for rehabilitation of her injuries. Treatment is said to include a full manicure/pedicure treatment, moisturizing hair anti-breakage treatment, and some soothing massage for mental trauma experienced as a result of the fall.

Erica is said to be in good spirits, though has not been told the fate of her favorite heels.

For donations to aid in her recovery, fans and friends may contribute to:

Happy April Fools!

Eric Medlen: 1 Year Missing You

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:55:00 +0000

It's been one year since Eric Medlen lost his life in a tragic Funny Car testing accident at Gainesville Raceway in Florida.

Losing such a young and talented driver and such a great personality is devastating, but so much has happened in the last year in his memory that is good for the sport. Eric left us a legacy in his father and John Force... their creation of The Eric Medlen Project researching how to make these cars safer for us all is something so important and such a great testament to his memory. They made safety developments to protect a driver's head as a result of Eric's accident that were tested with Ashley Force's Seattle accident (impact of 56 Gs) and John Force's Dallas crash. While both were scary, and the latter serious enough to see the 14x champ out of commission for the remainder of the season, both escaped without injury to their heads. Both incidents also provided the army of engineers even more data to continue their work on making the cars safer for us all.

John Force Racing has endured much in the 2007 season, and yet they all press on... watching the spirit of John Medlen and the rest of them is just inspiring. Today is dedicated to them... and to the memory of a man who will always be missed.

Eric,

We miss you and remember all you've done for us! You may have left us physically, but never in spirit. Here's to you, hope that you're enjoying that heavenly ice cream and watching over us all!

New! Horsepower & Heels T-Shirt for MEN!

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:19:00 +0000

FINALLY!

For about two years now, I've had plenty of people asking when I was going to come out with something for the men in the Horsepower & Heels E-Store.

We've got plenty of great mens apparel ideas, but we're always a little short on time and money to get them designed and printed. But finally, we are very happy to introduce Men's Design #1:
Horsepower & Heels Silhouette.

The Horsepower & Heels Silhouette shirt proudly displays the trademarked Horsepower & Heels logo on the front in white outline, while the back showcases the white silhouette of a Horsepower & Heels girl standing at the starting line with her helmet. The t-shirt is a high quality black cotton shirt and comes in sizes Small, Medium, Large, XL, and XXL. The cost per shirt is $20 + shipping/handling, and can be bought online in the Horsepower & Heels E-Store(http://www.horsepowerandheels.com/estore/index.htm) or at select Horsepower & Heels racing events.

Keep stopping by as we plan to update and expand the E-Store in the next few months!

Remember, all proceeds go straight back to our racing program, so by shopping the E-Store, you'll be helping us get BACK ON TRACK!

Stop by and show your support today!

Hispanics Today TV Segment

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:15:00 +0000

Just a quick note to those who did not see the Horsepower & Heels segment on Hispanics Today from back in November.

Hispanics Today has revamped their website to add podcasts and video archives of each segment.

That means that if you missed the show when it aired nationally a few months ago, you can now check it out HERE.

Vote for Ashley Force!

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:24:00 +0000

Gotta show support for the ladies of NHRA!

I read online today that Ashley Force is seated #16 in the Q95 play on the NCAA tournament called the NCT&A. Her name in included with the likes of celebrities and other sports stars.

Her first round match up has her competing against Stacy Kiebler. As of this post, she's just shy of the lead! Let's get her the win, folks!

Please show your support and VOTE HERE for Ashley!

3/20 UPDATE: Ashley's made it to round 2, this time she's taking on Jennifer Anniston. She needs our support!

Feeling Lucky

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:47:00 +0000

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I just arrived at work straight from the NHRA Gator Nationals, and I'm definitely feeling lucky to have been present at such a great event. I am sunburned pretty badly, but I had a fantastic time at the races and got to meet and talk with many great people.

Luck seems to be starting to go my way... hoping that it continues, and 2008 turns out to be the breakthrough year for me!

Have a Guinness for Horsepower & Heels and we'll see you at the track!

Kisses from us to all you IRISH!

Gator Nationals Day 4: Sunday Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:36:00 +0000

Great eliminations day! More beautiful FL sunshine left me more than a little sunburned, but I still had a great time! Even though Melanie Troxel didn't qualify, the rest of the girls did pretty good! Gotta support that girl power!

We watched Scott Kalitta warming up the funny car, and it is surreal. You should see his face as he wops the throttle. Its the most intense thing.... he definitely gets pumped up!

Unfortunately, my good buddy Ben had some family emergencies come up, so he and Leanne ended up leaving early. I hitched a ride home with my friend Sarah and her dad, who live in Columbus, GA and then headed the rest of the way home Monday morning.

On the Road with Horsepower & Heels
Trip Meter: 1,083 miles
2008 Odometer: 2,985 miles

Gator Nationals Day 3: Saturday Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 20:31:00 +0000

After the rain drenched day on Friday, all of us were ready for some Florida sunshine. When I woke up Saturday morning, the sun was just starting to poke through the clouds. It looked a little iffy with the overcast clouds looming most of the morning, but by noon, the sun was out in all its glory.

There is nothing more exciting than getting your first whiff of nitro for the year. Frankie had us all hooked up with hospitality passes at the Kalitta camp courtesey of DHL, so we had a little VIP treatment with the team. Its also great to be able to get in from out of the sun at times as well.

Debbie, my Horsepower & Heels partner in crime, showed up for a bit with her family, but since our seats were not located together, we lost each other early in the day and never could hook back up. Not sure what it is about all that broadcast equipment, but when ESPN was filming, no cell phones were working.

The 1st Jeg's Pro Mod Challenge event of the year kicks off in Gainesville as well, so of course I was excited to cheer on Mike Ashley's return to Pro Mod. His first round run had him in #16 position entering the last attempt, and he was bumped out early in the round. We were all on pins and needles as he made his attempt to get into the show, but in grand Gotham City style, they moved straight to the pole with a 5.94! YAY Gotham!

After the final round of qualifying, we headed over to Max Naylor's Vegas Fuel energy pit party. Max was kind enough to host the Nitromater.com meet-up at the Gators, and my sister and I had a great time meeting all the people who showed up from the Mater clan. They are all great people!

I really love what Max is able to do for VegasFuel. He's got a great program together, and makes his sponsor proud! We did get to try the new Energy drink, and it tastes great!

Gator Nationals Day 2: Friday Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 07:44:00 +0000

Rain, Rain, Rain.

What every drag racer dreads. Friday ended up being a cold, rainy, muddy, miserable day at the track. They completely cancelled qualifying around 4pm, putting added pressure on racers to qualify in only two session on Saturday.

The only good to come of the rainy conditions, were that it gave plenty of time for the meetings I had set up this weekend with different folks. With the rain coming in around 10am and settling in all day, there wasn't much else to do but sit, talk, and strategize.

After mulling around in the rain all day trying to stay warm, we headed back to the hotel early for some food and sleep.

Photo: Competition Plus

Gator Nationals Day 1: Thursday Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 17:44:00 +0000

Since I was riding with Ben & Leanne, I got up extra early to get ready, get Spike (my dog) to the boarder's, and get over to Ben's house by 8am. I was so excited, I showed up around 7:30, hyper and pumped to get going.

We pulled out of Grant around 9am and started our 10 hour journey to Gainesville. I got the back seat, which meant I had plenty of room to stretch out for a nap. Between packing and the company event I went to the night before, I didn't get into bed until after midnight, and had to get up extra early to finish off packing. Ben handled driving duty all the way until Gainesville.

We arrived at the hotel around 5:00pm in Gainesville. Leanne and I got changed to head over to the Ale House. The Ale House is always the unofficial hangout for drivers and crew since it is right across the street from the hotels that most all the teams stay with. We got there around 6pm to make sure we got seats, and waited for everyone else to show up.

Since I grew up in Orlando, the Gator Nationals have always felt like my "home" national event. The last couple of years, I use the event to meet up with and spend time with old high school friends, and my family. My sister, Melanie, has a birthday in March like mine, so I treat her to the event for her birthday. Frankie, Tommy, and Mikey are all my high school buds that love NHRA just as much as I do, so they were pumped to come up as well.

Around 9pm, the place got packed quickly, and with 5 dollar buckets of beer, our table had a blast. There were plenty of drivers and teams hanging around, and if you didn't make it, you really missed out. Just a few that we saw during the evening: Dave Connolley, Morgan Lucas, Ashley Force, Del Worsham, JR Todd, and several others.

Not wanting to ruin my Friday, I decided to call it a night early around 12:30am. Its off to the track for a good wake up whiff of NITRO!

NHRA Gator Nationals: Itinerary

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:38:00 +0000

Its been a long standing tradition for me since I lived in Orlando, to attend the NHRA Gator Nationals in Gainesville, FL every year. Even though I now live over 10 hours away in Alabama, I'm not letting it stop my tradition. I'm headed down first thing tomorrow with some friends and will be meeting up with hometown Orlando friends and family as well. Its always a great experience.... friends, family, Nitro, and tire smoke! Nothing better on Earth! An action packed weekend to the max!

My trip kicks off at the Gainesville Ale House Thursday night. The Ale House in years past, has always welcomed race fans, and usually have a Pro Mod display in the parking lot. Not sure if they will be having that this year, but the Ale House is usually to Go-To hang out for drivers and crews of all the professional teams. Thursday night is also a big night because everyone has a ton of energy before the weekend kicks off. Expect big crowds and trouble finding tables though... but that's just part of it.

Friday, we head over to the racetrack and watch qualifying. If you've never been to an NHRA National event, you're really missing one heckuva experience. You can walk in the pits, meet the drivers and crew, get some upclose pictures, maybe even some autographs. You can also watch while they work on them, and during warm-ups, you can even experience your first Nitro Cloud (Take my advice and be sure and get a front row spot for that... you simply MUST experience it once in your life!)

This year on Saturday night, once qualifying is over, we'll be meeting up at Max Naylor's VegasFuel Pro Stock hospitality area for a Nitromater get-together. Max does a super job with the guys at VegasFuel Energy Drinks, and always has a rocking hospitality area for his fans.

Then on Sunday, after a long, exciting weekend, we'll cap it off with eliminations and head back home after the finals. I'm hoping to have some great photos and lots of great things to talk about after I return from my trip, and may even be able to sneek some updates from the hotel wi-fi.

If you'll be attending the Gator Nationals and want to meet up, please send me a comment below!

Have a great weekend!

WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW!

Race the Strip, Not the Street

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:00:00 +0000

The NHRA has started its own campaign against street racing that I think should be applauded.

I think they should be bringing this message to the schools to educate young teens on the dangers and tell them about the safe, responsible place to race.

So many good things happening in our sport, I hope that these counter all the negative press that these illegal street races have cast on legitimate drag racing.

Fired Up: Subconscious Triggers

noreply@blogger.com (Erica Ortiz) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:26:00 +0000

There is no doubt that drag racing is an adrenaline junkie's dream: 3G's of Breathtaking, neck-breaking power and speed catapulting you across a 1/4 mile in just mere seconds. Its the ultimate adrenaline high... doing the burnout, staging the car, letting it loose at the drop of the tree, rowing through the gears and pulling the parachutes at the end.... but what gets you fired up the most for the run?

For some its listening to an ipod in the staging lanes to get amped up~ songs like Kid Rock's Bawitdaba or the Pro Mod anthem, Thunderstruck. I, personally, am a techno fan, and the break in DJ Tiesto's Silence gives me chills as I'm looking down the groove getting ready to run. Its like the quiet before the storm....

For others, it may be the act of suiting up and strapping into the car... the rumble of the engine when you fire it up.... or the deep breath you take as you pull into the lights.

Last night, I laughed a little as I realized a strange trigger for me as I was driving home from the gym. It was cold out, and I had just exited my Body Pump weights class, still wearing my little weight gloves. As I started up the car and put it in gear, I had a small, familiar feeling wash over me.

Maybe its withdrawals from not racing in so long.... but having that more desensitized feeling of the steering wheel and shifter through gloves definitely sparked that gut feeling you get when racing. My grip of the wheel and shifter changes, my posture in the seat is more erect. Even my sight becomes more laser-focused. Its odd how small triggers can subconsciously change the way your body reacts and behaves, as if it is pre-programmed to do what it does best.

I smiled.... and for a brief second, I could close my eyes and be inside the seat of my racecar, ready to stage. I revved my little street GT up a little and laughed, about 300 cubic inches of displacement and 176mm of turbo-whistle short.

What gets YOU fired up?