Always love seeing how dedicated you are and how hard you work. One random day and it all spiraled out of control, the same that happened to me a few years ago.
Now that a strong, fast race car sat in the garage, the exhaustion from the long nights at the shop quickly faded. All of the hard work that we put into the last 60 days felt surreal. It was like waking up from a nightmare—like the crash and rebuild never happened.
I find myself in the garage many nights feeling so thankful for all the support from the motorsports community to help rebuild this dream. Without the help of friends and partners, this 60-day race build would not have been possible.
Building a race car from scratch in 60 days was grueling, and I hope to never have to do it again anytime soon. Knowing that we can pull off something like this gives me the confidence that we have the power to accomplish anything we want. Just like the friends who helped me in this build, I would not hesitate to help someone in the same situation. This camaraderie is what makes the motorsports community so great.
Having the car at home meant it was finally time to rest. Continued pain from the foot had me back at the doctor’s office for a serious visit: A dozen X-rays since the day of the crash missed an additional critical fracture in my mid-foot.
After an MRI and CT scan, I was back on crutches in a cast: no weight bearing on that foot for three more months. Luckily the off-season was here, and it was time to rest.
So, what’s next?
Despite a shortened 2019 season, we put the old No. 12 on the podium five times in eight race weekends. The crash took us out of contention for a championship, but I’ll be back hunting for even more success in the 2020 season.
The new M3 is faster than the old one. The weekend after the SCCA Runoffs, we ran the car at New Jersey Motorsports Park, winning both Saturday and Sunday.
The new No. 12 will be back on track this 2020 season for more SCCA Majors, Hoosier Super Tour, and NASA races. The current season is shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but things are looking up as tracks are reopening and organizations are holding socially distanced events.
Past that, my goal is to sustainably race in a professional series such as SRO, Trans Am or IMSA. The leap from club racing to a pro series is a huge step to make, but seeing others make it work gives me the confidence that I too can make it happen.
“Racing sustainably” is the hardest part, as I watch talented drivers work so hard every year to maintain a seat. I’m working harder than ever to put together a race program to attract a partner who can help make this story a success.
I love the TCR cars, as they have great manufacturers and competitive fields all around the world. One of my favorite race series to watch is V8 Supercars. Many of their drivers also race in TCR Australia. It is one of my dreams to race TCR at an international level alongside some of my favorite racers at Mount Panorama.
But it is wild to look back just a few years to when I did my very first track day at the Nürburgring while learning to drive a manual in the rain. I never would have thought that day would change the rest of my life. While I’ve filled those years with learning and climbing the racing ladder, I feel as if I have just scratched the surface with my motorsports plans. The successes of the past few years have whetted my appetite for even bigger goals in motorsports.
Read the rest of the series:
Part 2: The Day After the Wreck
Part 3: Seeking Racing Justice
Part 4: Building a New Race Car From Scratch
Part 5: A New Roll Cage for the New Race Car
Part 6: The Thrash to Meet a Firm Deadline, the SCCA Runoffs
Part 7: Before Returning to the Track, Time to Make It Look Like a Real Race Car
How Christina got her start in motorsports.
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Always love seeing how dedicated you are and how hard you work. One random day and it all spiraled out of control, the same that happened to me a few years ago.
So you finished the season with a broken foot??? Yikes!!!! Best of luck on 2020 and beyond.
I also has a thaught. Have you ever considered taking your story and condensing it down in to a book for kids? There are a lot of excellent life lessons here as well as inspiration that many kids could use to chase ones dreams.
Also as a Dad of three girls I think your story would resonate with many little girls telling them it is ok to play with race cars if you want to and more importantly it is ok to follow your dream
Thank you for this excellent series of articles telling your story of perseverance and determination. I'll be rooting for you in all your future races.
Agreed on the series of articles, excellent. You are a great role model not only for women, but you exemplify what it takes to be a racer. Keep up the hard work and heres hoping great things for your racing future!
Looks like a pretty great team you have there. Teamwork makes the dream work! Also, I had no idea you drove on the Nürburgring... in the rain... while learning to drive a manual - all at the same time? I've never been there myself but I'm pretty sure from what I've seen and heard about, 1 out of those 3 things is usually a challenge in itself. My you've come a long way though! Hope you make it to the big leagues because you are an idol for the up-and-coming racers of all ages.
*gasps* how did you get that engine bay so clean??
edit: xP
I make this comment about my teenage aspirations to becoming a professional motorcycle racer "I only lacked three things to become 125cc World Champion, money, dedication and talent".
There are loads of talented drivers out there as well as drivers with money but people totally underestimate or have no clue the amount of dedication required. If I had to pick one of the three attributes that's most important I'd pick dedication; you can find sponsors/work three jobs/live in a hut/hire a driving coach/get a simulator etc. but if you're not willing to dig deep to get there, no amount of talent or money is going to help.
Christina my friend you've shown a huge amount of dedication............I suspect you'll find your way to a pro series.
Success comes form grit and tenacity, can't wait to see what you accomplish in 2021 and beyond.
Hope to see more of your writing too, hopefully the next series will have a more positive title. Best of luck!
Christina - Beyond the insanity of building a fresh race car in 60 days, I'm curious about one thing: How on earth did you afford to build it after building the first car shortly before?? Those don't look like cheap builds and I didn't get the feeling that your job provides you with an endless budget. Did I miss something about sponsors? Have you maxed out every credit card you could get your hands on? Late night card shark?
PS - I understand this may be a sensitive topic and you can tell me/us it's none of my/our business. ;-)
Re: the last photo. What SCCA class does the pink car run in?
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