GIRLS ON THE UP

RACY WOMEN FEATURE Le Mans Series and Sportscar Racer

(see article copy below photos)

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THREE OF THE LEADING LIGHTS OF THE WGGTS WANTED TO MOVE TO THE TOP OF THE BILL – SO THEY SET ASIDE THEIR RIVALRIES, FOUND A CAR AND ENTERED THE PETIT LE MANS

STORY: Jaimes Baker

As the number 81 Porsche 911 GT3-R crosses the line a nomex-gloved fist punches the air with joy. On the pit wall the driver’s two team mates respond in kind as the whole team erupts in celebration.

Up and down the Road Atlanta pit lane similar scenarios are acting themselves out as the emotion built up over 1000 miles and nine hours, of the Petit Le Mans race is released.

At first glance there seems no difference between the 81 pit and the rest, but look closer and you notice the two cameramen filming every second of the performance. Then you realize that something special is happening.

It is indeed special. For the three drivers of car 81 it’s special because they have finished. For most, though, it is the fact that the drivers are not called Allan, Randy or Bill, but Cindi, Divina and Belinda.

The idea to form a women’s team for the Petit Le Mans was the brainchild of 1999 Women’s Global GT Series champion Cindi Lux at Sebring this year. “The whole thing about the Women’s Global GT Series is that it’s like the minor leagues in baseball,” explains the ever-cheerful Cindi. “We need to improve ourselves. So I said to (WGGTS rival) Divina (Galica) ‘hey, let’s find a team, go out and get some sponsorship and make it happen.’ We wanted to do it for us. We know each other so well and we trust each other. It’s not a statement about a female team. We’re just drivers who want to progress.”

Finding a team was the easy bit, as Lux had raced at Petit Le Mans in ’99 with the G&W Racing outfit in a Porsche 911. Although it had lasted only one driving stint she had enjoyed the experience.

Team owner Cole Scrogham had also enjoyed having her in the team, and so when the call came he was keen to help. “We knew Cindi was really quick and after working with her we know how capable the drivers in the Women’s series are.”

But, as with most well planned projects, something always contrives to foil them. Third driver Sarah Wahl was forced to pull out of the team with a medical problem and Divina and Cindi were left to find a replacement. “We got on the phone to each other and said ‘who can we choose?’ “ says Galica. “We only asked three and Belinda Endress came up with the money in two days. She was a risk because she’s more of a novice. But she’s proved to me and Cindi that she’s very solid. I’m pleased she’s on the team because I know she won’t be the one who makes a mistake.”

Early on the Wednesday before the race, the girls arrive at the track for the test day. It’s the first time any of them have even sat in the car. The two one-hour sessions run relatively problem free, but all three are several seconds off the pace as each driver learns the car. “It’s been very difficult, but we just take it in small increments,” admits Lux, as one of the ever present film cameras is thrust into our faces. “Cole said, ‘just drive within your comfort zone. It’s a long race, we don’t need to be the fastest, we’re not going to be the fastest nor are we going to try to be the fastest. But we do need to keep the car on the race track.’ Our learning curve is still straight up, but I’ve never been happier in my entire life.”

As practice continues, it’s apparent that the three are picking up the pace, taking whole seconds off their best laps while others are looking for tenths. “It is all a bit last minute,” accepts Scrogham on the Thursday, “but that’s how it was planned. They have no more privileges than we’d give any other driver. We know the car is stable and proven, so there will be no surprises there. It’s just a case of them getting up to speed.”

Lux has opted to miss the Women’s race to focus completely on the American Le Mans Series effort, so she is nominated to do all qualifying duties. Her times so far have also been around a second faster than the others.

She and Darren Law, who is qualifying the team’s other Porsche, compare telemetry notes. The drivers in the 80 car won the Grand Am GTU title this year, so the girls are mirroring their more experienced team mates’ set-up.

During the first session Cindi has a moment at Turn 3 on her fastest lap. “I just went off road and got a little air,” she smiles. “Didn’t do any damage.” She ends up with a 1m29.204s time, 37th out of 39, but last of those cars who set a time. However, she only 0.158s off the next car, the Porsche of Mike Brockman, Randy Wars and movie legend Paul Newman.

On Thursday night there is a two-hour practice session and all three get a turn in the car. It’s vital for each to get as comfortable as possible before the race and Endress sets her fastest lap so far, in the dark, at the end of the session, on very worn tyres. It’s an indication of how steep the learning curve is and how quickly they are progressing.

As race day approaches the girls become visibly more relaxed and comfortable. Cindi qualifies the car 37th, but faster than two of the other 14 GT class Porsches with a 1m28.550s lap. Photo shoots are arranged and the girls joke with each other as the snappers work. The three had started the weekend as rivals, but it is becoming very clear that they have rapidly been molded into a team.

Divina has seen all this attention before during her days as a Formula 1 driver. But there is also a lot that is new. “This is totally different to anything I have raced before,” she says. “I don’t think I’ve ever driven such a peaky engine on such a twitchy car. It feels like it can swap ends at any minute. I’m very conscious of bringing the car back for the others but sometimes it’s fate whether you do that. I won’t do any of the silly driver error things, my concern is that someone gets aggressive and takes us off because they can’t get round us at the point they want to.”

That fear comes back to haunt her sooner than she could possibly have expected. On the seventh lap Cindi is missing as the field streams past the pits. She radios in that she has been hit but is rejoining. She has lost only a lap, but now the pressure is on.

The rest of her stint passes without incident, although everyone else seems to be hitting problems, including a massive accident for David Murray in the Skea Porsche after he is hit by a Cadillac prototype.

After an hour and a half the 81 Porsche comes rumbling down the pit lane and stops bang on the mark. Lux climbs out and Divina scrambles into the car, Cindi straps her in and jumps back over the pit wall. Seconds later the car is back in the race. The two cameramen have been running around desperately trying to cover everything. This is the full glare of the media spotlight, and it’s very intrusive.

Lux walks to the back of the pit disconsolately and takes a seat. She shakes her head briefly as the adrenaline levels drop and team medics puts a cool towel on her neck. One by one team members walk past and give her an encouraging thumbs up. “Where’d he hit you?’ shouts one guy. The medic waits to give her a check over but the media come first.

“We were just going into Turn 7 and one of the Panoz prototypes tagged me on the right rear and spun me around,” she shrugs. “One of the other Porsche GT cars had nowhere to go and hit me on the same place. It’s very frustrating. We went down a lap but there is a ton of cars parked out there already. If that’s the attrition in the first hour and a half then if we can run clean we can still get a good result.”

As the race settles down an air of calm falls on the pit lane. The high attrition rate has seen the 81 car climb up to eighth at half distance. Even the cameramen are sitting down.

Suddenly the golf cart with the refueling crew arrives and the G&W pit is alive and purposeful. Fuel hoses are tested and mechanics heave new tyres onto the pit wall. The pace car is out after a prototype has gone off. It’s good timing, the stop can take place while the field is at a much reduced pace.

As Endress arrives in the pit, Lux is waiting. The driver change happens while the fuel is going in. Only after the refueling is finished can the tyres be changed and the hacking sound of pneumatic wheel guns fills the air. When four arms are held high the signal is given and the engine bursts into life, first gear is engaged and the Porsche accelerates out toward Turn 1.

The medic passes Belinda two bottles of isotonic fluid and places the cool towel on her neck. “We’re getting a little tyre rub through turn five” she shouts to me through the pit fence. “Other than that it’s fine. I was a little more keyed up than I let on. And I think it really showed in my driving, I wasn’t as smooth as I normally am, especially during the latter part of my stint. The next stint should be great, I’ve got those nerves knocked out of me now.”

As the Audis and lone BMW and Panoz battle it out at the front, the girls are moving up the order. As darkness falls they are up to seventh in class. Everyone is used to the traffic now, but Scrogham is acting as spotter, telling the girls when to expect the prototypes.

“The problem,” says Divina, “is that everyone is waiting for us to make a mistake. So we’re not driving at ten tenths. We’re not at eight tenths, we’re probably only at six tenths because we just can’t afford to go off.”

With one lap left the team head to the pit wall in readiness to celebrate. The cheers are drowned out by Porsche engines as first the 80, and then the 81 cars cross the line. Seconds later there is jubilation as an official confirms that the third-placed Barbour Porsche that had completed more laps but was not running at the end would not be classified, leaving the G&W cars third and fifth.

Scrogham looks overcome. “It’s a tribute to the team. The fifth is probably more satisfying than the podium for the 80 car. I told everyone that we were looking at top five finish for the girls and everyone scoffed at me.”

In the background the three girls are in a tight embrace. Their dream of finishing in the top six has come true and they are celebrating.

Cindi looks across. “How do you feel?” I ask. But the emotion is overpowering and she just nods. Seldom can a simple nod have conveyed so much.

As the podium celebrations begin the three girls stand together, talking laughing and comparing stores. They are almost lost in the crowd around the podium. Not three girls, but three racing drivers. Happy, tired and looking forward to the next time.