Rolex Series' First Female Victor Hopes to Repeat at United Auto 200
Hiskey Set To Return To Site Of Historic Win Rolex Series' First Female Victor Hopes to Repeat at United Auto 200 PHOENIX (April 2, 2002) -- Kim Hiskey, of Bellevue, Wash., inked her name in the record books last year during the Rolex Sports Car Series race at Phoenix International Raceway when she became the series' first female driver to capture a win. Despite the pouring rain, which brought out the red flag for knee-deep puddles in the infield, Hiskey and her teammate, acclaimed Porsche factory driver Randy Pobst, persevered to win the GT class. One year later, Hiskey and Pobst have added two more wins to their resumes and are set to race for another in Phoenix at the United Auto 200 presented by azcentral.com and cars.com, April 20. Even before she took to Phoenix International Raceway's road course last year, Hiskey had already made history with her entry into the race. Although she previously raced in the Rolex Series, she always did so in someone else's race car. The Phoenix race was the debut of her own Crazy Redhead Racing #15 Porsche GT3 R, making her the first female car owner in the Rolex Series. Hiskey's Crazy Redhead Porsche led for nearly the entire 200-mile race, and the 37-year-old mother of two was behind the wheel when it captured the checkered flag. "It was pretty amazing," Hiskey remarked. "Winning my first Grand-Am race is something I will never forget. That's when I knew my racing career had really started to take off." The win at Phoenix was only the start of the success for Hiskey and her Crazy Redhead Porsche. The team went on to capture three more pole positions, in addition to its GT victories at the Road America 500 and Grand-Am Finale at Daytona. "The 2001 season turned out better than I could have ever dreamed. Randy, (crew chief) Greg (Fordahl) and the entire crew did an outstanding job. I couldn¹t have asked for anything more from them." Hiskey started off the 2002 racing season with high hopes, but was struck with disappointment at the season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona. The Crazy Redhead duo teamed up with ZIP Racing for the 24-hour race. With the foursome of drivers accounting for nearly half the 2001 GT wins, the quartet was expected to be a potent combination, but engine failure in the first hour forced their Porsche into retirement before either Hiskey or Pobst could record a lap. The two drivers raced in another ZIP Racing Porsche at the Nextel 250 in Miami. After leading most of the race, a fueling problem during a pit stop dropped the pair back to a third-place GT finish. For this month's United Auto 200, Hiskey and Pobst will return to the familiar green-and-white #15 Porsche of Crazy Redhead Racing. "I think it's going to be great to have the car, Randy and the whole crew back together. We were so successful last year that I'm really looking forward to this year with them." While at the track, Hiskey continues to break racing's gender barrier, but when she returns to her Seattle-area home, she fills the shoes of a mother to an eight-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son. Hiskey can be found shuttling her children to the ski slopes and go-kart races, in addition to making visits to their schools with her race car to share her experience with future sports car enthusiasts. "It's great to know that my kids are proud of what I do," Hiskey remarked. "They have been so supportive of me and my hectic racing schedule, which takes me away from home quite a bit." Hiskey can be seen racing at Phoenix International Raceway in the United Auto 200 presented by azcentral.com and cars.com, April 18-20. Tickets are available online at www.phoenixinternationalraceway.com or by calling 602-252-2227. Additional information about the Rolex Sports Car Series and the United Auto 200 can be found online at www.grand-am.com. -30- EDITORS NOTE: Kim Hiskey photos are available on the Grand American media-specific website at www.grand-am.com/media. Additional information may be requested from: Grand American Road Racing Association Christie Hyde (386) 681-4182; email: CHyde@grand-am.com