Joe Salas, creative genius behind 4theriders, was one of my earliest motorcycling mentors. I happened to be on a “Snellbux” ride with him almost three years ago and I remember him demonstrating to me how to hang off the bike, looking a bit like a big gorilla in tattered leathers (this should have been a red flag) clinging to a small tree. Although Joe was beset by a few unfortunate crashes, his words and advice were really helpful and got me off to a good start.
He’s also a great photographer and a big supporter of the lady racers. He contacted me proactively this week asking me if I would like photos of the girls for my blog, and of course I said “hell yes!” Thanks a million Joe, your support means a lot to us.
Jennifer Lauritzen, Christie Cooley
For the first AFemme race, we were gridded by bike number, which meant I was dead freaking last on the three row grid. Fortunately I got one of my best starts on record and can be seen here rocketing past Jennifer Laurtizen. I’m pretty amazed because I feel like I can even see the front end of my bike raised up from the weight transfer. Why don’t I get starts like this in my normal races? Maybe because I knew it would take everything I had to out-start Zoe Rem, who was a row ahead of me and takes off faster than a rocket ship and has no fear dicing through starting lap traffic.
Joy Higa in the lead, followed by Angie Loy & Christie Cooley
I even found myself side by side with Angie Loy. I can’t remember if she was on the second row or in the first. But I was like, “holy crap, that’s Angie next to me.” We were both following Joy Higa up the hill into turn 2.
Zoe Rem, Jennifer Lauritzen, Deb Barton, Cassy Gaddy, Shandra Crawford
I think Deb Barton is coming up “round the outside, round the outside, round the outside” (a bit of Eminem stuck in my head this morning) on her Honda RS125, because she gets by me before turn four I believe and eventually settles into second behind Angie “Pony” Loy.
Holeshot-lina Moreda taking the holeshot in Clubman Middleweight
A pretty epic photo, one to treasure. This is Shelina Moreda, in her second or third race ever, taking the holeshot in Clubman Middleweight, a race only for the newest racers. Those are all men behind her. Just FYI. It’s pretty much her life off the track too, hee hee.
Future AFemme racer Josie Gomez
Josie Gomez is going places, this much is true. I think she’s only 21 or 22 and finishing up school so she can start making money to come racing. She’s already fast on the street and does the occasional track day. Come racing Josie!
See what us AFM girls have to put up with? Grids so freaking big that when I started on the back row of my first 650 Twins race last year, I was gridded 74th of 74 and could barely see the green flag. As you can see I am starting to put more and more boys behind me. Good thing, because the starts are extra scary when you’ve got dozens of excitable noobs gridded ahead of you.
