My Trophy Life by Corry Weller

Better Than a Trophy

Fri, 3 May 2013 10:59:58 -0700

Well, it’s Friday....it’s been a few days since we drove home from Round 3 and 4 of the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series, and I’m finally starting to unwind and get a few minutes to sit down and write.

We had a great weekend! It didn’t start off so great, however, as I was really struggling in practice on Friday, and I just couldn’t seem to get comfortable on a track that I have a great history of doing well at. It’s bad enough when you go out there, and you know you aren’t driving to your potential, and you are disappointed - but when you can see if reflected on the faces of your crew and your family, man.....that really sucks.

There are some days in racing, where you feel you are at the bottom. Where you just are sucking so badly, that anything you do differently has to be better than what you have already done. Friday was one of those days for me. I could either wallow around in self-pity, and depend on others to have confidence in me (or not!), or I could suck it up, pull myself up by my boot-straps (so to speak), and go out there and be a professional racer.

I don’t like self-pity, so there was only one option for me. Saturday I went out there and threw myself into an uncomfortable race zone - I forced myself out of my comfortable driving style and started running my truck on the edge. And even though it was a little messy (I can’t even count how many times I biked on two wheels), it was still better than just sucking - and I found some lines. FINALLY!

For Saturday’s race I started deep in the field, because despite my rallying efforts in qualifying and picking up a couple of seconds, the rest of the field had also found some quicker lines.

I knew I had my work cut out for me, but I also knew this was Vegas. This is a track where I have always come home with a trophy - whether it was in my SR1 or in the Pro 4! I also prayed my little heart out in staging (yep, we covered this in a previous blog, remember?) and I knew that from that point on, whatever happened was supposed to happen. Now, that doesn’t mean I just hand over the wheel - it is 100% go time and I give everything I have out there - but there are so many things that can happen in racing that are just beyond our control as drivers, that it feels good to let those things go ahead of time. To not worry about every possible thing that could go wrong, every possible wreck or flip or broken part. Man, you just gotta let that stuff go....and hit that gas pedal!

I’ll skip over all the awesome details, and shorten this down to get to the point of this little story. We are getting my truck dialed in, little by little. We are getting faster, and it showed on Saturday when I was in an all-out battle with one of the fastest guys in my class for third place - and we held it. I love a good race....LOVE it!! So not only was it just a lot of fun to fight for the podium on Saturday, but it also showed that we are indeed showing some of the speed that I know we are capable of!

It also showed that we belong in this class. We are not a sideshow, or a marketing gimmick. We are not here, hoping to just be running around somewhere in the field, putting on a decent show. We are here to compete. We are racers. I have never wanted anything more in my whole life, than to be in the seat of my truck, at full throttle, pitting my driving skills against some of the best in the industry.

And after my race on Saturday, I lost count of how many handshakes, “atta girl”’s, high fives and kudos I received from my peers. From my fellow racers. From guys I have looked up to since I discovered the world of short-course racing. And the awesome thing about that is.....they don’t give those out for no reason. You have to earn those. And more than any trophy, more than any bonus money I could get - it’s those handshakes and that acknowledgement that means more to me than anything else possibly could.

Yes, we had a great weekend in Vegas. And here’s to getting lots more handshakes and high-fives at Elsinore in two weeks! Oh yeah...and maybe a trophy or two!

Catching My Breath

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:15:35 -0700

I can’t believe we are already one race weekend into the 2013 race season, and the start of my second year racing in the Pro 4 class. Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was wondering what I would be doing, and if we would be able to continue racing in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series after they moved the UTV classes to the Regional series?

Destiny. I think that is why we are where we are right now.....I have felt, for a couple of years, now, that what we are doing right now - what we have done to get here - was meant to be. After starting my second season in Pro 4, and seeing how every piece to a very complicated puzzle fell into place to get me here again, I can’t help but feel it more than ever. I feel with every bone in my body that this is what I was meant to do. Why? I have no idea.....but I feel it’s important for some reason. It just feels right.

So, here we are again....only this year it’s different. This year, I am a truck owner. We are running our own team. Thanks to Carl Renezeder and his crew and support all last season, we have learned so much about this class and what it takes to run a program. We still have a lot to learn, but I have a very capable crew chief, who has a talent for taking these machines and making them easy to go fast. And as dysfunctional as our husband/wife, crew chief/driver, competitor/competitor relationship can be sometimes - somehow we make it work.......and when it works, we are a potent combination.

The Tilted Kilt, who’s faith in me has been amazing, is back with us again, making sure we can stay in this class that I love so much. And with the co-support of my newest sponsor, Optima Batteries, we were able to buy the truck and bring it in-house, where we can personalize it to my driving style and make me even more comfortable in it. Optima has opened their arms and made me feel so welcome.....there is so much potential wrapped up in this new season! Maxxis is back....man, they have been good to me!! Such an amazing tire, and again, another company who makes me feel like part of the family! We picked up AIRAID as an associate sponsor - and they have been amazing to work with so far. And LoanMart - those guys are awesome!! They have been more instrumental in getting us here than anyone knows.....and it’s a pleasure having them back onboard this year as an associate. Eclipse RV, who let us use that amazing Attitude toyhauler last season, is also back to support our program this year! I have so many companies who are so excited to work with us.....AZ Driveshafts and AAMCO (Hillkiller Transmissions, to be exact) here in Mesa have been instrumental in getting us up and running for our first race! So many companies that I could go on for pages.....I just can’t thank everyone enough, and it’s overwhelming when I think about the support we have gotten and continue to get!! 
Our first race - man, what a whirlwind. 5 weeks of 14 hour days, 7 days a week, a test session, and getting everything in order for our first race weekend on our own. I think I have found my stress limit, after those 5 weeks!! But we did it - and we did it so well!! Our pits were awesome...the truck was awesome....our weekend was packed with support and friends and help and FANS!! We finished top 5 on Saturday, and despite completely losing the rear drive due to a part that was about 5 years old, we still finished 8th on Sunday. WITH all of my bodies in tact - that is no easy feat in this class - haha!

Vegas is next, and I’m ready. The truck and the crew will be ready. In the weeks between now and then, I will be busy doing all of those things that need to be done to keep a program running: e-mailing sponsors, social media, videos, photos, working in the shop, getting bruises and scratches and probably ripping another nail off (no, I can’t give up my nails....!), ordering parts, sending out parts, coordinating crews, making reservations, being a mom, working out, and doing the normal stuff just to run my personal life. And every second of that work - every bit of blood, sweat and tears, will be worth it when I’m sitting on that starting line waiting for whatever my destiny is going to bring.

This is truly living the dream......

From Champion to Rookie!

Mon, 2 Apr 2012 13:10:41 -0700

Wow. The culmination of weeks and weeks of finalizing deals, making sure designs were done and printed, and getting everything a new Pro 4 team needs to have done finshed, down to the wire, before my very first race weekend in LOORRS is finally over! In the midst of magazine and radio interviews, photo shoots, and TV interviews, I never really had time to get nervous or wonder what I had gotten myself into, so going into the first round of the Lucas Oil Series as a Pro 4 racer was fraught with much less anxiety than I would have thought. My stress was all leading up TO this race - being in the truck and sitting in staging for the first time was almost a calming time for me. I am familiar with staging. I am familiar with the feeling of being strapped into my seat and having the rumble of the engine in my ears.....it was almost soothing, in a way. This was what it was all about.

So how did my first weekend go, you ask? It was good. Very good. I have apparently underestimated just how many fans we have out there, and how many friends and industry peers support our program and love what we are doing. I mean, I knew there were a LOT, but had no idea just how many! I was overwhelmed (in a really good way) with the outpouring of support we received at our first race! For all of you who came for the weekend, for the day, or even just for a few hours - THANK YOU - from the bottom of my heart. Not just for supporting OUR program, but for supporting the series - without you wanting to come to our races, we would have no series.

FRIDAY:
Friday’s practice was pretty uneventful....I took the opportunity to get familiar with the track, and how the truck felt on it - everything felt really good, and I was looking forward to qualifying!

For qualifying, I knew based on previous experience that it was important to make sure I had a good solid TIMED lap under my belt before stepping up my speed. You don’t want to wreck or break on the first lap of qualifying......that’s a good way to start in the back for race day! I guess knowing that and DOING it are two different things, because I went out in qualifying and promptly snap-rolled myself right on over in turn 2. As I’m rolling, I’m counting how many times I go upside down.....one.....two.....and back on my wheels! Fired it back up, and took off - tentative at first, until I knew the truck felt OK, then I started working for a decent time. Qualified 10th overall, but bested my best time by a second! (baby steps....)

SATURDAY:
Practice on Saturday went well.....I just took it smooth, since it was a pretty slippery track, and we cranked out 3 laps pretty quick. I had a decent time, and was ready for the main - might as well get this whole “first race” thing over with! Me and my bright yellow “rookie” bumper were ready to go!

Before we get into the race recaps, I feel it’s important to share my goals for this season. I’m not one of those super talented drivers who can go out and drive anything fast with little to no seat time. I have to work at being fast. And I tend to do it in steps - I set small personal goals that push me, but don’t pressure me into doing anything too stupid. My goals for this first weekend were to 1.) Finish each race, 2.) not roll or wreck myself, 3.) Not wreck anyone else. If I could manage a top 10 in there, then that was a bonus. Now, these aren’t the lofty goals that some people had in mind for me, and I’m sure there are plenty of fans out there who figured if I was a Champion in the SR1 class, that I would be able to hop right into a Pro 4 and get on the podium pretty quick. While I appreciate the confidence (very much!) in my abilities, I also know that I have probably taken on the biggest challenge of my life with this class, and while I’m totally ready and excited for it, I’m also realistic about it. Do I think I can be competitive in a Pro 4? Absolutely. Do I think I can get there in a couple of weekends? Heeeeeeellll no. Not only do I still need to learn full control of my 900HP beast, I also need to learn how to do it in a field full of other trucks without taking anyone out because of a mistake on my part. This will be a full season of learning for me......of growing as a Pro 4 driver......of learning how this class interacts with each other.....and of learning just how far I can push my truck before it pushes back. I may progress slower than some in this class, but when I get there, I will be good.

So...where was I? Oh yes.....so,

I was too busy talking with the media and fans to really get any butterflies, and soon enough it was time to strap in for my very first Pro 4 race! We lined up along the front straight, two by two, and after one parade lap around the track, the green flag dropped, and all 15 of us went racing into the first turn, 900 HP engines screaming and fans on their feet! I was careful to not get caught up in several wrecks right off the bat, but two trucks wound up slamming into my driver’s side, bending my a-arm. I knew something was wrong right away, but I kept going. In racing, you just run it until you can’t drive it anymore, and that’s what I did! I made a couple more passes before my front a-arm snapped in half, and I was forced to end my race early, since it made it impossible to steer. I still wound up with a 10the place finish, and some lessons learned in Round 1!

SUNDAY:
Our crew fixed the truck Saturday night, and it was good as new for Sunday morning’s qualifiers. Once again, the gates opened and tons of fans milled around our pit, anxious to see the new truck and setup. “I love the Tilted Kilt!” could be heard, as well as “Do you guys have any shirts for sale?” which let us know that we have a great fanbase that is looking to show their support for the team (t-shirts and giveaways are already being planned for the next round)!

Qualifying went better than on Friday, as I managed to keep all four wheels firmly on the ground this time! I beat my previous best time, but so did the rest of the field, so once again I would start towards the rear of the field for Round 2. Since I still have so much to learn in this class, I didn’t mind being near the back, and when the green flag dropped, we all shot forward into the first turn once again! Learning from yesterday, I didn’t poke my nose into the pack until it started stretching out, as I didn’t want to have any contact that would put me out of the race again. Avoiding wrecks and broken trucks, I made my way up through the field one by one, and had some fun, door to door battles with a few of my competitors, while still learning the finer points of throwing a 4000lb race truck into the corners and over the massive jumps. Just as I was making some good headway up through the field, I spun out in a tricky turn and lost my position before I could get straightened out and going once again. Despite that setback, I still raced hard and took a 9th place finish overall. There is no doubt the guys in the Pro 4 class race hard and fight for every position they can get, and I’m looking forward to getting faster and being just as competitive as they are in the not-so-distant future!

I was in for one more surprise as I drove back to the pits and got out of my race truck – a line of people had formed around my truck, all of them asking if they could get a picture with me and the race truck! They thought it was awesome that a girl was racing in the Pro classes, and was holding her own. I spent the next hour or so posing for pictures and signing just about everything people could get their hands on!

All in all, my first race weekend was a good one, and I was already looking forward to the next two rounds!

I’m Just....Me.

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700

As this new race season comes closer to kicking off, you can imagine our whole world is about to be turned upside down, with the new Pro 4 ride and all that comes with it.

We never would have gotten here without the hard work of our team over the years, without our sponsors seeing something in us and believing in us, and without our fans who have been there for us through good weekends and bad.

Now, more than ever, as we stand on the cusp of the unknown (but an exciting unknown), I get messages and e-mails from people that let me know how much they look up to me, how much their daughters do, and that I’m a great role model for the sport. To read those things is humbling, for sure......because when I look at myself in the mirror, I just see me. With all of my bad traits, quirks, and normality - the same as everyone else, except I just happened into a streak of luck in my life that has led me to this place. That is the ONLY thing that makes me different from anyone else, and it’s hard to see myself as anyone to really look up to, because - honestly - I don’t feel any different than I did when I was a geeky 12 year old girl with freckles and kind of a bad haircut.

There are plenty of other drivers out there who would do amazing in the Pro 4 that I am lucky enough to be racing this year. There are plenty of other people who are just nicer and better people than me, who deserve to have the same opportunities that have somehow found their way to me and my team. I hope I never forget that. I hope I never feel comfortable enough in what I do to ever take it for granted, or to not fully appreciate it every single day. This is truly a dream come true.

I hope everyone realizes that it is an honor for ME to meet my fans, and for me to be able to talk to those “not yet” racers who have that gleam in their eye, and who want to do what I do someday! I am honored to be able to work with a bunch of great people who have made it their goal to be sure I go through this year with as much success as possible - my crew, my team, my sponsors, my friends, and everyone else who believes in our program and who can see so many possibilities for our future.

If anything, I am the one looking up to all of you. I am the one that is being inspired by the outpouring of support and good wishes coming from people who have never even met me. I hope I am fortunate enough to meet all of you someday. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll get YOUR autographs at the next race! :)

First Week as a Pro Driver

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:00:18 -0700

Well, it’s officially been one week since I quit my regular job at MINI (which was a great place to work, by the way!), in order to concentrate full-time on my “now official” Pro 4 race program.

Last week we announced that I would be driving a Pro 4 Unlimited truck in the Lucas Oil Off Road Race Series for the Tilted Kilt in the 2012 race season. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that this program - which we have been working on since July of last year - has actually come into fruition, and I will be racing a Pro 4 this year. Not just any Pro 4, mind you - but, Carl Renezeder’s 2009 Pro 4, which is a championship winning truck. And.... it’s Carl Renezeder’s. You know.....just my favorite driver!

How do these things happen?? Well, with a lot of sacrifice, debt, blood, sweat and tears, actually. We have been working towards the goal of a Pro truck program probably since we started racing UTVs in CORR in 2008. Even when we were pitting out of our unfinished enclosed trailer, and I was washing my hair out of a bucket early in the morning so no one would see (so-o-o-o-o C-O-L-D in the winter, btw!), we still made sure our Rhino was clean every time it hit the track. We made sure we took care of our sponsors. We went into debt the first year we raced and put our finances in jeopardy in order to finish out the season, because we gave our commitment to the series and to the companies that supported us.

Most of all, we raced and we gained experience, and we watched the teams we looked up to and tried to learn from them. How were they presenting themselves? How did they treat the fans? How did they handle winning and losing?

We took this information and applied it to the next year, and the next, and slowly our program took shape into something that we were very proud of. It’s a good feeling to feel like you are a welcome part of a series, no matter what class you are in - and Jason and I have felt that with LOORRS, pretty much since the beginning.

The Tilted Kilt came on board with us when we were just starting our SR1 program, and it was just the shot of support we needed. I was on the podium almost every round after that, and we were aiming for that championship in 2011. Things had just sort of clicked for us in 2010, and we knew what we had to do in 2011 to get to the top of our class - and we did it.

The timing for this truck program couldn’t be any better, since LOORRS has eliminated the UTV classes from it’s program this year. If I wasn’t racing a truck, I don’t know what I would have done without the chance to continue to race in a series I love so much. LOORRS is our racing family, and I’m so glad we are able to continue racing with everyone this year!

So, have I been relaxing since I quit last Monday? Ummm....quite the contrary! I have been busier this past week than I ever was at my regular job! There are race suits to design, canopies to order, trucks to decal, shirts to create, press releases to write, blogs to maintain, sponsors to find and tons and tons of people to thank for getting us where we are today!

And that was only this week!