GRAND AM: Hiskey Proves Women Know How To Drive Too
Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
April 21, 2001When Kim Hiskey slides behind the wheel of the #15 Porsche GT3 RS this weekend, she will be a one of a kind at this year's Sun Automotive 200. Hiskey is the only woman competing in this weekend's Rolex Sports Car Series race. Now 36 years old, Hiskey got a late start in racing starting only three years ago in SCCA races. Her first professional race came in 1999, but her love of cars began at a very early age.
"I have loved cars since I was tiny," Hiskey said. "My dad was born and raised in Indy, and I grew up under a car with my legs sticking out right beside his."
Hiskey, founder of Crazy Redhead Racing, is competing in the #15 as a cooperative effort with Fordahl Motorsports. It was her husband who gave her the idea for her racing team's name. "He always tells me I'm crazy for doing this," she said. "He's not into cars or anything. We kind of have reversed roles in our marriage."
Hiskey is also mother to two children - daughter Marissa (7) and son Jason (14) - however it looks as though it will be her daughter following in her footsteps rather than her son. "Her dream is compete at the Rolex 24 At Daytona with me. She is already competing in go-kart races."
While Hiskey is not the only female who competes on the Rolex Sports Car Series, she is the only one who competes on steady basis. But, she does not feel like she looked at any differently by her male competitors. "I've worked very hard to just be 'one of the guys.' It's actually kind of hard for me to play up the angle for marketing and media purposes that I'm a woman, because I have worked so hard to get away from that. But with women's sports becoming more popular, that is what more people want to see."
Although Hiskey is still new to the sport, she had a very successful season last year, finishing 11th in the GT Driver Championship standings and earning two podium finishes. She started off the 2001 season at the Rolex 24 At Daytona with an impressive 10th-place overall finish.
Borcheller Goes from Deliver Room to Drivers Seat
Thursday night Phoenix-native Terry Brocheller will be on the race track at Phoenix International Raceway helping the #54 JET Motorsports team prepare their BMW M3 for Saturday night's race. But only hours early Borcheller was coaching his wife through labor as she gave birth to their first son. The Borchellers became the proud parents of a 6 pound 14 ounce baby boy late Thursday afternoon. The happy parents, who already have a two-year-old daughter, have yet to name their son, but have said there are not any names like 'Race' on their list of possibilities. Borcheller won the Nextel 250 last month at Homestead-Miami Speedway and is hoping to make it two-in-a-row at the Sun Automotive 200 this weekend in front of a hometown crowd.
Local Driver Visits Phoenix Children's Hospital
Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series driver Darren Law visited the children at the Phoenix Children's Hospital on Monday. With helmet and fire suit in hand, Law explained to more than 30 kids what it is like to be behind the wheel of the #81 G&W Motorsports "poke-a-dot" Porsche.
"Being a father of two, I love to be around kids," Law said. "I wanted to take the race experience to the kids who aren't able to make it out to the track."
Law will be visiting children's hospitals in Grand-Am race cities throughout the remainder of the season. The involvement with the children's hospitals is done in conjunction with The Jennifer Fund, a charity established by one of the G&W Motorsports team owners, Steve Marshall and Children's Medical Center at the University of Virginia. The fund, which helps raise awareness for children with cancer and other blood diseases, was started after Marshall's daughter, Jennifer, was diagnosed with leukemia (she is in remission).
"I am honored to be involved with The Jennifer Fund," Law said. "It's a great cause and I am happy to help out in any way I can."
Law will be giving rides to outpatient children and their families on Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway prior to the Sun Automotive 200.
Text provided by Christie Hyde
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