In a message dated 9/26/00 12:38:15 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
marka@telerama.com writes:
<< I don't think you really beleive that. Perhaps its just me that doesn't.
However, I bet that if I call up Jean Kinser and offer to be an
instructor, after all I'm the CP ProSolo National Champion! (grn.), that
she'd be pretty surprised. >>
No-I wouldn't be surprised. Have already had some applicants from this
year...you don't have to be a national champion to work for me. A good
people person, communicator, customer service and can recognize skills, lack
of them, offer advice, ideas and yes, have to be able to drive all types of
cars pretty well. Open minded is a biggie and that leaves alot of people
out. I have had one of the best drivers in solo ever come and apply, and
believe me, he is one of the best. But his communication/instructing skills
were a bit lacking. The "Don't you know who I am?" will get a foot in the
door but there is so much more to just owning a title. True champions are
those on and off the track.
I guess on the subject of all this...I truly believe that what keeps all of
us going is motivation of some sort. We all have goals we set, ambitions,
people we want to strive to come close to. Then, when that is achieved, we
keep going with it until it no longer is much of a challenge or need to set
new ones. Most of the top women drivers I have known in this sport
throughout the 12 years of doing this and running every class and type of
car there is practically, have made the move into the open classes at some
time. My benchmarks were Renee Eady, Kay Bailey, Lynne Kozlak, Stacy
Retmeir, women who were running in the top 25% of the op0en class times but
yet still ran in the women's for the money aspect. In the past 5 years, most
of my "heros" have moved into the open. I have 6 championships, and several
of them had times that would have trophied in open classes, yet comparing
that due to running at different times is not really reality to me. But, the
ladies class is to bring out more women and give an alternative to running
with the open. More women would come out if some of these top women who
continually win year after year, set some new goals for themselves and run
against/with the men. If we have manufacurers willing to pay these classes
for women, great. We get more turnouts. But, the respect of the women who
know when the time has come to say bye to the jackets and move on has greatly
improved since years ago. I personally think, and now have experienced that
when you run with the open class, you never really lose. You gain much more
in the self esteem, self respect, and respect from your peers male or female.
In autocrossing, and I have gotten to sample this since starting to
roadrace. If some of these women are running in hardly fought battles in the
ladies class, then that is great..but most top women have the drive and
hunger for more and will move on.
Jean Kinser
Owner Evolution Performance Driving School
My opinions-no flames please...
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