Dan Wheldon

Oct 17, 2011.   We are stunned and saddened at the death of our friend Dan Wheldon in Las Vegas yesterday. We first saw Dan at the Las Vegas SKUSA Super Nats in 08 where he came like Natalie to race go karts. In Vegas Mike Kitchel of Panther racing invited Natalie to come visit at the 09 Long Beach GP the following spring. Kitch had talked up Natalie to the people at Panther so when she hit the Panther tent at LB a number of people wanted to meet her. In a funny turn of events Dan came over to chat with Natalie but had to wait his turn. He gave her a hard time for being in such demand and never let her for get it; thus a friendship was begun. If we needed tickets he gave us some of his and when a TV crew was following Natalie at the 2010 Long Beach GP he put aside time to talk her up for the cameras. The true memory of that moment was after the “interview” was done they both took a couple steps back and proceeded to joke and kid each other and just hang out. He was totally genuine even when the cameras were gone; he really was that nice a guy.

Though Dan was not born in the US he had adopted our country and called it home. In the Panther pits they had National Guard Soldiers that were often severely wounded being honored with a fun weekend at the races. Dan went out of his way to meet and honor them.  I heard him say he thought he had the easy job compared to them.

Our thoughts go out to his wife Susie and his two young sons and the many friends he had. Thanks Kitch and Misty for helping us get to know him just a little; we are so sorry.

 

 

Natalie traveled to Indianapolis for the Women in the Winners Circle Dinner.

 This year the honoree was Shirley Cha Cha Muldowney. It was at Don Schumacher Racing in Brownsburg in conjunction with the NHRA US Nationals this weekend.

On August 21 2011, Natalie drove a winged open wheel car for the first time

during a test day at Hallett. The car was Argo chassis 001 (technically her sister’s car). The car is an old school car close in size and power to a Formula Continental but a bit heavier.  Natalie followed what Andy Neale had taught her about going out and learning the braking points and shifting points in the first session. Natalie came in to report the brakes were not great but worked OK. The second session she started working on her line more. Because she knows the track, during the third session her times dropped rapidly as she started putting the sections together. By the time she was done for the day she was running very good times especially for her first time in a car with down force. This was a definitive moment that Natalie served notice that she has only begun her climb, but climb she can. Thank you Tim Webb for your help and feedback during Sunday’s successful test and Jesse Prather for sorting the car and pouring a custom seat for Natalie. Natalie hopes to race the car this year in at least two events if she can find sponsorship for the car.

 2011 Natalie Fenaroli late season race report:

Natalie has had an action-packed season of racing this year with many milestones met. 

Her season started in the cold of March

where she set a personal best time that was good enough for 5^th place in the season opener racing her www.premiercobras.com Spec Miata in the COMMA series at Hallett raceway outside of Tulsa, OK. 

Race two in April Natalie looked strong again

but a spin sent her to the back of the pack. She was able to race back through a number of cars but had to settle for a disappointing 8^th on the weekend. June’s race saw a similar outcome with Natalie finishing 7^th after getting shuffled back during the main.

In late June Natalie had a great adventure.

She went to New Zealand with her mom to learn how to race open wheel cars! A Formula Ford was made available to Natalie at the Ruapauna race track on the edge of Christchurch, NZ.  Canterbury Driving School based at Powerbuilt Raceway at Ruapuna Park is owned and operated by Andy Neale and his wife Michelle. Natalie spent 7 days with Andy driving in all kinds of weather and in a Mazda RX7 as well as the FF. Her one-on-one time with Andy really helped set a foundation for her future move to open wheel. Natalie and her mom stayed with a family down the road from the track, Martyn and Rachel Sim and their two daughters.  Natalie experienced several earthquakes while there including a 5.x, a ground breaking experience indeed! Natalie could not have made such a great trip and learned so much without the help of the Sims, the Neales, Jeremy Shaw who let Natalie borrow his FF and helped get the wheel rolling, Bill Gagne and especially David Sheehan. Many Thanks!

In July, after looking racy during Saturday’s practice for race 5,

Natalie’s Miata lost the transmission during practice Sunday morning. A search of the pits for a trans turned up a transmission and an offer to borrow another car. Chris Miller who is the point’s leader checked with Craig Silburg who was not going to run that weekend but whose car was at the track to see if Natalie could run his car. Craig graciously agreed so Natalie did not have to go home early. Though the car was not as strong as the www.premiercobras.com Spec Miata, she was able to drive to a decent 5^th place finish. Thanks Craig; that was cool of you!

Race 6  she did well, right to the point where the rear end failed on her Spec Miata.

 The car was not handling well for Saturdays’ practice as Natalie came to grips J with new, more aggressive brake pads on her car. Sunday was a different story. With her race tires on and a night to analyze how different her car was with much more initial bite, Natalie adjusted her style and dropped her times in Sunday morning’s practice. She qualified a disappointing 7th losing 2 spots by less than 1/10th. The prefinal race showed Natalie as a road warrior taking it to both drivers that had edged her out in qualifying and getting another spot to finish the race in 4^th in one of her most solid drives yet. The main started well and Natalie established herself firmly in 4^th gapping 5^th and the rest of the field by 10 car lengths by the third lap when her rear differential broke putting her out of the double points race.

  

Natalie Tests Electric Vehicle at Bridgestone Proving Grounds in Texas(click for link to story)

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