Welcome to 2016, race fans! One of my resolutions for this year is to spend more time on this blog again. I got so far behind in 2015 that you haven’t even heard about how I got tased by Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas. Or all the interesting car-related observations I made in Southeast Asia. […]
Tag Archives: Racing
F1icane
posted by Motorista
After weeks of no rain, we’re gettin’ all hurricane-ish around here. On Formula 1 weekend, naturally. But it’s okay. I’m ready. Check my Twitter feed tomorrow for dispatches from a water-logged Circuit of the Americas!
USGP Weekend!
posted by Motorista
It’s here! The Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, TX kicks off this Friday, Oct. 23, and culminates in the big race on Sunday. Unlike the tragedy of last year, I am here and ready to go! The race weekend actually started today for me, with a pit walk at Circuit of the Americas […]
Travels in Southeast Asia: Singapore
posted by Motorista
Greetings, race fans! I’m sitting on the front porch of a beach house at Thong Krut, on the Thai island of Koh Samui. The wind is high, but the air is fresh. It’s Sunday night here, 12 hours ahead of my friends in Texas. What a trip. I intended to blog more frequently, but there […]
A True Champion
posted by Motorista
The 2015 IndyCar season ended yesterday, in a thrilling finish at Sonoma Raceway that left the season’s champion undetermined until the last turn of the last lap. It was pure, unadulterated racing. It also took place under a pall as grim as I have ever seen in any race paddock. The reason – on Aug. […]
Surprises
posted by Motorista
On the way to work today, I ended up behind a Buick that was quite good-looking. A BUICK. More specifically, it was a red Buick Regal and, I have to say, it looks fairly sporty in motion. I was shocked, and I’m not even being snarky about it. Buick’s SUVs are looking pretty good these days, […]
Motorista Goes International
posted by Motorista
I may be dealing with a self-diagnosed bout of adrenal fatigue (I kept calling it adrenal failure until my sister pointed out that that kills you – important distinction!), but I’m not too tired to be doing backflips-excited about my upcoming trip across the Pacific. You guys, I haven’t taken an honest to goodness vacation […]
Grace, At Speed
posted by Motorista
Somewhere in the whirlwind of the last few months, a most delightful announcement took place that makes me excited for 2016, girl power, and the future of motorsports in general. Ordinarily I would have been shouting this from the heavens on the same day, but I’ve been a little behind… On May 29, 2016, the […]
RIP, Jules
posted by Motorista
Very sad news that F1 driver Jules Bianchi, who was gravely injured at the Formula 1 Japanese GP in October, has passed away at age 25. Bianchi’s death is the first in F1 since Ayrton Senna on May 1, 1994. I will just repeat what I said at the time of his accident. Racing is […]
Practice Shouldn’t Be Interesting
posted by Motorista
The IndyCar folks are at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this month, getting ready for the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24. Between now and May 24, the teams are practicing – working on setups, seeing how fast they can get their cars to go around the infamous oval, etc. Today was…well, interesting. And […]
Strong Women: Denise McCluggage
posted by Motorista
Late Wednesday, the car world lost a true legend. A writer, racer and adventurer, who could do all of those things while being a woman! I speak of the one, the only…Denise McCluggage. (You may remember I was thankful for Denise at Thanksgiving 2013.) I hope to be like Denise McCluggage when I grow up. […]
Pink is More than a Color
posted by Motorista
Welcome to the month of May! In IndyCar world, that means one thing and one thing only – the Indy 500! Like last year, female driver Pippa Mann is racing in the 500, in partnership with Susan G. Komen. Like last year, I wanted to get involved. Luckily, Pippa has made it easy. Last night, […]
Pirelli World Challenge at Circuit of the Americas
posted by Motorista
The Pirelli World Challenge sports car racing series had its season opener at Circuit of the Americas at the beginning of March, and your faithful motorsports reporter was there for the Saturday race! (I had plans for Sunday.) I may have mentioned before that I love Pirelli World Challenge, but let me recap: I love […]
Forza Jules
posted by Motorista
A sober reminder at yesterday’s Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix that racing always exists on that knife edge between exhilaration and tragedy. Driver Jules Bianchi of the Marussia F1 team crashed, in pre-typhoon conditions, into a crane that was attempting to lift another wrecked car. The impact was strong enough to change the direction the crane was […]
15 Hours of Motorista: Lone Star Le Mans
posted by Motorista
Last Saturday, I claimed a personal record that probably no one else cares about: I spent 15 consecutive hours at Circuit of the Americas, that amazing racetrack less than 45 minutes from my house. If you count travel, that makes for a 16 1/2-hour day. It was delightful. The occasion was the Lone Star Le […]
The Fashionable IndyCar Watch Party – Sayonara 2014
posted by Motorista
Paraphrasing – greater love hath no woman than she who invites a friend over to watch IndyCar on a Saturday evening. I speak of Thea Wood, my good friend and style guru, who answered my Facebook plea for a watch party venue for the IndyCar race last night. Normally, I go to a neighborhood watering […]
Early Christmas?
posted by Motorista
If anyone would like to donate to a fabulous cause AND make one little Motorista very happy, consider this: The special pink Susan G. Komen helmet Pippa Mann wore in the Indy 500 is being auctioned on eBay, with 100% of the proceeds to benefit Susan G. Komen Central Indiana. This is the actual race-worn […]
I Love This Guy
posted by Motorista
Congratulations to my favorite IndyCar driver, Josef Newgarden, on his podium finish tonight at the Iowa Corn Indy 300! Josef is a young up-and-comer who has had mixed luck this season, but he is a mature and intelligent driver and, by all accounts, a wacky and fun-loving part of the IndyCar paddock. Take a look […]
Second Annual Father-Daughter GP of Houston: the Daughter Version
posted by Motorista
Lessons learned at the IndyCar Houston Grand Prix: rain won’t kill you, and the world’s best hamburger is made in a school bus. Dad shared his version of the weekend with you a few days ago. Now you get to hear what really happened. 😉 Saturday The weekend began at 5:30 a.m. for me, which […]
Second Annual Father-Daughter GP of Houston – the Father Version
posted by Motorista
Dad and I are in recovery mode after our awesome weekend at the IndyCar Grand Prix of Houston. I say recovery mode because we had so much fun we about overdosed. 🙂 I’m still sorting through photos, and have been busy at work, so am not yet ready with my own post about our Second […]
Motorista Presents: the Indy 500 Pink Watch Party!
posted by Motorista
We came, we saw, we had a great time! For those of you who may be new to the scene, I decided to host a “pink” watch party for the Indy 500 to support driver Pippa Mann, who was sponsored by Susan G. Komen and drove a pink car in the race. Read more background […]
The Indianapolis 500: What You Need to Know
posted by Motorista
The Indianapolis 500 – the “greatest spectacle in racing.” Two hundred laps, 500 miles. Tomorrow marks the 98th running of the Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (as well as my Pink Watch Party AND the first anniversary of this blog!). There will be 33 drivers on the grid, including one female, Pippa Mann. If […]
The Indy 500 Pink Watch Party!
posted by Motorista
All right, friends. The Indy 500 Pink Watch Party is moving full speed ahead! For those in the Austin, Texas area, here are the details: Date: May 25, 2014 Time: 11 a.m. Place: Blackfinn Ameripub (in the Domain) We are going to cheer on Pippa Mann and her pink Susan G. Komen car! Wear pink […]