I had heard of Teri Gorrell and seen her sunny face updating some of my racer girlfriends’ wall posts on Facebook, but had never met her or communicated with her until just yesterday morning. After not having raced in two or so years, Teri hit the track again this past weekend for the WERA National Round 1 at Roebling Road in Bloomingdale, Georgia.
Sadly for us, Teri, lead instructor for Femmoto, was the only chick racer this weekend at this event, but happily for us, she made an impressive showing, doing battle for first place in the 600 Superstock Novice race before tucking the front in Turn 2, and also winning the Women’s Superstock race.
I was fortunate enough to get a very warm, detailed reply to some questions I had for Teri about her exciting return to racing.
PBAC: I saw on your Facebook status that you thought this was your “best crummy weekend ever!” Why?
TG: This past weekend was the first time that I have raced in almost two years, financially it just hasn’t made sense for me until now. My motivation to race again was two things: One being that my boyfriend Matt will be traveling to most of the WERA rounds, making it easy for me to share costs and two, Femmoto is a race this year and I can’t go from being the Lead Instructor to not qualifying!
The weekend started off a little hectic because my bike had been in storage for over a month while I moved to Georgia. Needless to say it had some safety wire and drilling that needed to be done and that took a large portion of my morning. I ended up getting two really good practice sessions in and got a little help with the fuel mapping as well.
Race day I was ready to go, two practice sessions and two races on my schedule.
600 Superstock was a two-wave start with the 600 Superstock Experts; I got a great start and got in to turn one with just one guy in front of me. I went four laps with him just in front of me and almost had him beat going into Turn One, then I missed a shift and another bike got me! I was frustrated at my error and I got a little too “throttle happyâ€. I ended up tucking the front exiting Turn Two.
What I didn’t know until after the race was that I was actually battling one of the experts and that I was in first for the novices the whole time! If I would have relaxed a little and used my head instead of the wrist I would have ended up on the podium. I have very competitive lap times with the race winners. Bottom line, I learned a little and didn’t get hurt… Next time!
As for Women’s Superstock, unfortunately I was the only competitor. I am pretty disappointed that there weren’t a few more riders; I hope more come in the future. This is the number one reason that women’s classes don’t get taken seriously, lack of competition! Dust off your race bikes women!
Lucky for me, Sean from WERA put me in the 750 class; I was gridded three rows behind the last rider. On the drop of the green I was off and ended up mid-pack exiting turn one. I battled with two of the 750 riders until mid-race and then I made a conscience decision to chill out; I had already won as long as I get the bike in one piece across the checkered!
PBAC: So, who’s your racing inspiration?
TG: I would really like to thank Melissa Paris for showing me that it can be done; she is a fierce athlete and I am very proud of her. I am also inspired by Bonnie Strawser, founder of Femmoto; she is a mentor and a great friend.
PBAC: And I ask everyone this because I myself still have to figure it out; what’s your race day diet like?
TG: My race diet is usually a bowl of cereal with soy milk and two bananas for breakfast, PB and J is typically my lunch and another piece of fruit; apples are a great source of natural energy and way better than a Red Bull. I drink a Gatorade and a water between every track session, even if it makes me want to yak! Dinner… red wine and whatever sounds good!
Cheers to that! I love a glass of wine and a long, hot shower at the end of a track or a race day.
Teri plans to race most of the Michelin/WERA National Challenge Series. Good luck Teri, and thanks so much for the chat!
