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| European Rallycross event at New Jersey Motorsport Park. |
Who do you look to for guidance with your driving; do you have any racing idols?
I don’t believe any rally driver doesn’t look up to the late, great Colin McRae. His driving and attitude toward the sport was intoxicating to anyone who saw him. However, as a woman I have a special spot for, Michele Mouton, who accomplished beyond what any woman rally driver has done, finishing as the runner up the 1982 World Rally Championship. She isn’t a “good woman driver,” she is simply a good driver by any standard and is an inspiration beyond her racing skills. Mouton also became the first president of the FIA’s Women & Motorsport Commission in 2010 to progress and encourage woman racing.
As I previously mentioned, I learned my skills from the Team O’Neil Rally School. And through that experience had the chance to work with Travis Hanson who quickly became a mentor and close friend of mine. He helped me build my car, has co-driven and coached me quite a bit through the years. He is an accomplished driver who has won some amazing races in a stock Subaru. In addition, my rookie season I had a friend and regional rally phenom Jason Smith as a co-driver and coach all season. His dedication to helping me grow, I think is really what makes him the person who I can thank the most. He taught me to drive hard and fight, which has been mentioned by many people as what sets me apart from most female drivers in the sport. I have been really lucky to have so much support from so many people.
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| Signing autographs at New England Forest Rally. |
Where and when was your first competition?
Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally (STPR) 2009, Wellsboro PA
How did you do in that?
As previously mentioned, I finished last. But I rose to as high as 3rd in my class in the regional rally.
What was your first “race” car?
My first and only (so far) race car has been a 1995 Subaru Impreza.
How old were you when you started racing? 25
Do/did you get flack from the guys you race against? Or have the guys always accepted you as a female in your series?
This can be a touchy subject with some of the veterans of the sport that didn’t much like a young woman chasing them down. But since I have proven myself as a driver I feel that all the men I race with respect me and my accomplishments. My goal as a driver has always been to race with the men not against them which seems to work out nicely.
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| Window sticker detail from Rally New York USA It rained and snowed at this tarmac event in April. |
Are there other racers in your series (you don't have to name, names) that you love beating?
Of course whenever you race you want to win, compare times and see improvement. So I would say that there are a few people that I have felt great about beating yeah; not to per se, beat them, but to have close times and share some rivalry.
I am happy to report that the women in the sport are great to race with. The only all woman team in the US,Tracey Gardiner and Maureen Hasher will be taking on the full National season this year. We have become great friends even before they tried to pull me out of a snow bank I buried my car in at last year's SnoDrift Rally.
Who does the work on your car?
I built my car myself with help of friends and advice of a few mentors in the sport. Currently, any work that needs doing that I cannot do myself my friends at KG Speed Factory take care of. They have experience in various makes and competition vehicles. My special need of a custom transmission and gearset are handled by Last Minute Motorsports who build and rebuild almost overnight for me if needed.
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| At STPR signing the Exedy goods to give away to fans was a highlight of the race. |
Last year you won the 2010 2WD United States Rally Championship which was your rookie season, and you were the first woman to win a Rally Championship in the US, can you explain to our readers how you felt after a season such as that?
I am the first woman to win a United States Rally Championship. Gail Trusses who won Production GT SCCA Drivers Championship in 1999 is considered the first woman in general to win a national title. The sanctioning bodies have changed since then, but Gail has the first title in US history. She is an inspiration with great driving skill across various motorsport genres teaching driving now at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It was really awesome to become one of only a handful of woman lucky enough to race in the sport of rally, let alone a National Champion, in my rookie season. So yeah, last year was more than an epic season!
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| STPR this past year was when Erika got her first big sponsorship with Exedy Racing Clutch. |
