About me and my passion for cars

I don't know where I got it from. My Dad wasn't really a car guy, per se. He always loved Vettes, and early on was a GM guy. My Mom got him a '73 Nova for their 25th anniversary. My middle sister got it when she graduated high school. She sold it to a friend of mine in 2001. He sold it to another friend of mine a few years later. I wish I would have had the space and time to properly have restored it, but I didn't. I wish I had my Daddy's car.

Ok, back to the history lesson. Ever since I can remember, I used to stare out the rear window of our car (we didn't need no stinking child seats back then, we BEHAVED) wherever we went and I could tell you the make and model of whatever was behind us. 24/7/365, day or night. I knew the headlight configuration or the trim model. Attention to detail, I guess. My Dad definitely gave me the gift of that. I guess I was a closet car-chick in the making.

Fast forward to the early 90's, and I became a huge NASCAR fan. Early on it was Rusty Wallace, then Ernie Irvan. Then Terry Labonte took over. One day in '97, I was a guest of security at the newly built LVMS here in town. There were no fences around the garage area yet, that's how new it was. I happened upon a young looker named Bobby Labonte, who drove the Busch Series #44 Shell car. What a cutie! I talked to him for what seemed like forever and got a great photo of us together. I was hooked and became a forever fan. That would be the most time I'd get to spend with Bobby, as his career skyrocketed right after that. I've talked with him on many more occasions since then across the nation. In 1998, I subscribed to the old adage "what wins on Sunday sells on Monday" and bought a new white Pontiac Grand Prix GT. If I could have only had it painted in trim like the #18 Interstate Batteries Pontiac, my life would have been perfect. Everything in my house was all things lean, mean, green Interstate Batteries #18 and Bobby Labonte. In 1999, Bobby took a photo with me and he was holding my badge from work. In 2001, after the Vegas race, I waited very patiently in the garage area outside Bobby's hauler to congratulate him on his 2000 Winston Cup Championship, and took some swag for him to sign. Bobby finally came out to talk to me, even though it was really late. One of my favorite pieces of memorabilia I have is a leather jacket from the 2000 championship season that Bobby signed that night (along with then crew chief Jimmy Makar) and a die cast from 2000 season. In 2012, I went and saw Bobby at the Phoenix race, and had the photo from 1999 with me to have him sign. I asked him if he remembered taking the photo with me, and he said he did. Thousands of folks he meets every year, and he still remembered me and taking that photo. Now THAT's class. I'm still a die hard fan to this day, with Tony Stewart being a very close second.

Fast forward to 2003, I start dating a guy from Michigan. Met him in '99 at the local Harley-Davidson shop. He was the service manager where I used to take my Sporty (then Hertiage, then Bagger) to get serviced. Then I didn't need to, I had a wrench of my own at home! Total car guy, and he drag raced motorcycles when we started dating. He blew the head on his '89 GSXR 1100 during a test pass. Got him a new '05 Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa LE in Gunmetal Gray. He built into an 8 second, stock wheelbase/no wheelie bar 360hp turbo bike. I say, "I ride. I wanna do that. Will you find me a bike to race?" Two weeks later we're in San Diego buying a 2004 Busa LE. Fastest production sportbike on the planet. I've never had a sportbike, so I figure if I get something I'm not likely to outgrow, I'll be satisfied. Yep, with a lot of know how and good teaching from my boyfriend, a good friend of ours who raced NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle at the time, and another good friend who raced MIROCK back east, I raced it in a local series at The Strip @ LVMS. I lost. A LOT. But -- I WON my first NHRA Divisional Open event, on Father's Day 2006. That Wally looks mighty fine on the mantle, yes sir!

That Michigan guy turned me into the full blown car chick that I am today. L-O-V-E going to SEMA and Barrett-Jackson. I'll tape B-J from other cities and watch all of it from start to finish on my days off. I love cars! Oh, by the way, I married that Michigan guy in 2009, and we're living happily ever after, racing off-road in The Best In The Desert Racing Association. Please check out our Facebook page under "Aldrich Racing."

Last, but certainly not least, just wanted to mention that I'm a huge James Garner fan. Please check out my tumblr blog called "I Just Totally Dig James Garner!"

My first car

1984 Dodge Daytona

Car I wish I still had

My first 'Stang. His name was 1SWT1: A 2005 "Screaming Yellow" Ford Mustang GT 5-speed. Cervini's carbon fiber hood & deck lid painted to the feature line, black Shelby spoiler, California Special rear bumper, sanded/painted mirrors with carbon fiber overlay, custom billet powder coated black antenna, Screaming Yellow powder coated upper and lower grilles, gently tinted rear lenses, all badges black powder coated, American Racing black wheels wrapped in Nitto ZR55s, and a Flowmaster cat-back exhaust. It was home grown 100% at Gaudin Ford, Las Vegas, Nevada. Special thanks to Dave Schmitt, my Gaudin service advisor, and to the Gaudin Body Shop staff of Matt Gondini, Chris Duele, and "Jimmy" in the paint shop. DAMN -- I miss that car.

My dream car

A 1966 Shelby G.T. 350H, ala James Garner's tool-around ride in "Grand Prix.". I WILL have that car.

Car clubs I’m in

No time for that...I race!

Favorites

• Type of racing: Off-road
• Driver: Monty Aldrich (a.k.a. my husband) Pilot of the #1998 Murray Motorsports/Aldrich Racing Can-Am Commander
• Driving song: "Greatest Hits" by The Eagles; "Endless Summer" by The Beach Boys
• Car movie: Grand Prix, 1966
• Car book: Anything Mustang related
• Car magazine: all of 'em

— Profile last updated: May 29, 2013