Fast 33 chasing #33
Fenaroli Races Car for the First Time
Hallett, OK 3-28-10
Kart racer Natalie Fenaroli can now add Race Car Driver to her moniker after successfully competing in her first car race in Hallett, OK last weekend. With tremendous focus every session she got better and smoother as she learned to race the car. Practice Friday helped tremendously as she took to the car well. Her first session was around 1.56 minutes. The second session she got down to 1.49. In the third and 4th sessions she started consistently running 1.45. The 4th session had no good times but lots of spins! 5th was all over the place but she made it to 1.39.
On Saturday with lots of other cars to follow and race she ran many 1.39’s and 1.38’s. She was already faster than 2 other cars in practice on Sat, but the fast Miatas were running 1.32-1.33 around the 1.8 mile, ten-turn circuit. She ran with lots of cars on track and a couple classes that were much faster so she was constantly being overtaken. She handled it well with no issues; the key being predictable and smart driving on her part. She got better all day, shifting smoother and finding the right gear and line on some of the corners. She had numerous spins but the car was fine in all events. The car was really running well with not much for her pit crew (mom, dad, sister) to do except manage tires and tire pressures. Natalie’s mom kept busy keeping track of her times and managing the in-car camera down-loads after every session.
On Sunday she qualified with a 1.38 and had no issues. It was a great clean session and she stayed in the thick of things. In her first race, the 6 lap prefinal, she again drove smart, maximizing her seat time on the track. She was also learning to not be such an aggressive late braker because she was losing momentum and the Spec Miata class she was racing in is very much about momentum. She continued to work on finding the right gear for the corners and being smooth. Speed and good lap times will come as she learns, but it is not her primary concern right now. Tim Webb, who had been her driving instructor at her first school, came out and worked with her Saturday and Sunday. Working with Natalie between sessions reviewing video shot from her in-car camera, Tim was able to see Natalie drive and work with her on the proper gearing, line and technique. She was a sponge for information and instruction and it showed because from session to session she worked with Tim and got more consistent. In the main she was in the thick of it, keeping good pace with the pack till she could not find a gear and trailed off the back. A lap later she tried to pass another car back and spun. She drove the rest of the race in great form working on all the things she had learned. Her best time was one of the last laps of the day 1.35.3. She has 6 more races to find three seconds and there is little doubt she can; she has already started to understand smooth is fast and adjust.
We would like to thank several people that made this great milestone possible: Rick Fiske for use of his http://www.premiercobras.com Spec Miata. Tim Webb for spending his weekend helping Natalie learn how to drive a race car and Holly at SPARCO USA who overnighted all new FIA Nomex fire gear to Natalie including a new suit. We have enjoyed a great relationship with SPARCO’s kart racing gear distributor QTM for several years now and we are pleased to stay affiliated with SPARCO as Natalie moves to auto racing. Also thanks to Mr & Mrs BW for your support. Racing is fun and rewarding for Natalie but increasingly expensive. Without the above mentioned folks and people like Natalie’s neighbor, Gary Schumacher, who welded up seat mounts for Natalie, it would not be possible.
Fenaroli part of Henry Ford History of Women in Motorsports
Daytona Beach, FL 1-28-10
Natalie is honored to be included in a 5 year traveling exhibit on the History of Women in Motorsports. The exhibit was put together by The Henry Ford and the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation and opened at the end of January at the Daytona Experience in Daytona Beach, FL. Natalie attended an event celebrating the opening of the exhibit and a VIP meet and greet with many racing leaders and executives from ISC and NASCAR. See the attached PDF for more information about this fantastic display. Thanks go out to all those that put together this ground-breaking exhibit, it is indeed an incredible honor for this young lady to be alongside so many greats! One of the pictures is Natalie with Indy diver Lyn St. James who was the major force getting the exhibit put together. Behind them you can see Natalie’s picture and bio on the panel that represents “the future”.
Natalie’s 2010 Schedule
Date Event
3/27-3/28 COMMA Race CCW, Hallett, OK
4/10-4/11 Heartland Sprint Series, Independence, MO
4/24-4/25 COMMA Race CCW, Hallett, OK
5/1-5/2 Heartland Sprint Series, Independence, MO
5/22-5/23 COMMA Race CCW, Hallett, OK
6/5-6/6 Heartland Sprint Series, Independence, MO
6/26-6/27 COMMA Race CCW, Hallett, OK
7/10-7/11 Heartland Sprint Series, Independence, MO
7/24-7/25 COMMA Race CCW, Hallett, OK
8/14-8/15 Heartland Sprint Series, Independence, MO
8/21-8/22 COMMA Race CCW, Hallett, OK
9/25-9/26 COMMA Race CCW, Hallett, OK
Heartland Sprint Series, Independence, MO
10/30-10/31 COMMA Race CCW, Hallett, OK
COMMA Races in Hallett, OK will be in the Spec Miata
Heartland Sprint Series races in Independence, MO will be in her TAG and or shifter kart
Contact: contact@nataliefenaroli.com
2-21-2010 Natalie mentioned on WindTunnel
ROLEX 24 HOURS OF DAYTONA
Jan 30Th 2010, Daytona Beach FL.
Natalie went to the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona this past weekend. This is the third time she has gone to see this greatest American endurance race. We were thrilled when our friends at Mazda were able to win the GT class for the second time in three years. The #70 Speed Source Mazda RX8 owned and driven by Sylvain Tremblay is now a racing legend. Against the onslaught of Porsche 911s, the Mazda was darn near perfect. Anyone that has had the opportunity to hear the sound of that flat-black RX8 understands how different and amazing the song of this car is. Congratulations to Sylvain, John, and crew for another great memory we bid you good luck this season.
The weather was less than ideal with heavy rain at race time Saturday and cool and windy conditions Sunday. Thanks to the hospitality of the Toshiba Motor Sports crew we were able to get out of the weather and get warmed up when ever we needed too. Making the most of our time with Toshiba, Natalie learned about the company and their approach to business and racing. We are looking forward to a long prosperous relationship with them.
We ran into Chuck Beck in the parking lot and chatted with him checking out his beautiful new 904. I was surprised to see a stainless steel chassis under that sumptuous body. Chuck said that by the time you were done powder coating a metal chassis it cost about the same. In person this car is to die for.
Natalie with the DP Winning Porsche
Natalie was also able to see the new “History of Women in Motor Sports” exhibit that just opened at the Daytona Experience. The exhibit was put together by the Henry Ford Museum, and the Women in the Winners Circle Foundation. Natalie is honored to be part of the exhibit. She will return to Daytona next week for the NASCAR WWCF dinner and celebration of the exhibit launch. More next week on the exhibit.
Thank you Melissa for tickets!
Young Drivers Symposium
Orlando FL. December 11, 2009- Natalie Fenaroli attended a “Safe is Fast” symposium today put on by Bobby Rahal, the FIA and The Road Racing Drivers Club (RRDC). The training was incorporated into the annual Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show in Orlando FL. The topics covered included Mental Preparation, A Fit Safe Driver, Safety, Driver Coaching, and Making It Happen. All the speakers had great information and there were a number of Ah-Ha moments for Natalie. Several important contacts were made that may lead to great opportunities to road race abroad in the future.
There was a fun moment during the fitness talk when Fenaroli was asked up on stage to do push-ups. She was intended to be an example of limited upper body strength. She was asked if she could do 20 push-ups with the expectation she could not. As she approached 20 the instructor asked her to do 30, which she was able to do. Though it shot a hole in his intended example, he was a good sport, conceding many men he tests can’t do 30 push-ups!
Natalie would like to thank the FIA, RRDC, the speakers, Bobby Rahal, Jeremy Shaw and Tamy Valkosky for her inclusion in this first ever event of its kind.
Natalie is quoted in the RRDC Press Release: http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=353703&FS
PRI
Orlando FL. December 11, 2009- Natalie was interviewed on the MOPAR Stage by TracChic.com Watch interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w77WpOStMF0
Natalie Fenaroli Granted Car Competition License
Tulsa Oklahoma Oct. 30, 2009
Natalie did well at her first race car school. The school she attended was at Hallett race track near Tulsa Oklahoma USA. She drove a Spec Racer Ford for the school. She struggled in the first session as it was a steep learning curve driving a car and using a clutch. The 14 year old kart veteran really worked hard at the craft and was within 2 seconds of the two adults (both with lots of track time) by the 3rd session. They did a race for the 4th session and Natalie made her first pass! Her instructor Tim Webb said she set the guy up perfectly drafting down the straight, then pulling out and out braking the other car and getting cleanly through the corner. He was only sorry he was not closer to catch it on his in-car camera. She spun a couple turns later; that he did catch on tape!
Scott Stevens the track owner has granted Natalie a COMMA competition license so she can race at Hallett next season in the www.Premiercobras.com Spec Miata and anything else she can get her gloves on. He was also complementary of her skill, approach and how she carried herself.
The bottom line is she did well driving her first race car so she will now direct her attention to cars. She will continue do karts too and will add the TAG 125cc back into the mix of race karts because it offers more parallels to the race cars than the shifter kart.
It was a very good day driving a race car. She definitely showed that spark.
Natalie with Danica Patrick 555 Long Beach GP 2010