Highlands Today 12 Hours of Sebring Tab - March 2000

Every woman - Endress a driver of many talents

Sebring - It isn't that Belinda Endress can't make up her mind about what she wants to do for a living. A livelihood. A leisure-time pursuit. In fact, the 37 year-old resident of Newbury Park, Calif. Has tried a number of things. Wrestling? Done That Skiing? That too Stunt Work? Uh-huh Equestrians? Yes Modeling? Tried that, too Running? Ditto River Rafting? Bicycling? Motorcycling? Power boat racing? Yes to all four. Her latest pursuit brings Endress to Sebring International Raceway during the 48th annual Superflo 12 hour of Sebring competition, which run March 15-19. She will be competing in the inaugural appearance f the Women's Global GT series at Sebring. Endress finished eight overall in 1999 and was named Most Improved Driver by the series' staff. This event is one of five support races to the 12 Hours feature event. The Women's Global GT series is a 45-minute race around the 3.7 mile track. Las season, Cindi Lux, of Alhoa, Oregon, won the series title, edging out Divina Galica of Sebring. Among the early entries are Milka Duno of Venezuela (third in series points in 1999) Drivers are divided into two groups for qualifying races at each event and the top eight finishers from each group advance to the feature race. "We expect 15-to-16 entries in the race", Jan Sfaffer, press officer of the Women's Global GT series, said. This is the first of six series competitions for 2000. Endress' experience in racing has also involved road courses, dirt track, oval track, slalom and drag racing. "I/m a very curious person," Endress said. "You only go around once in life. I like to try different things." Yeah, but racing around a track with numerous turns at speeds up to 140 miles per hour on a straightaway. On average the cars on tighter courses without cautions probably average 88-to-97 mph. At Sebring, the 5-foot-6, 120-pound Endress will have to deal with 17 turn and bends. "I'm not a daredevil," she said in a February telephone interview with Highlands Today. "I'm a very calculating person." Which mean Endress knows her business, her way around a track. While she says it's a fun pursuit, sports car racing takes a business-like approach in all aspects. Endress started racing her own Camaro in SCCA Solo 11 Autocross and time trials and won the first race she entered, which was six years ago. Does she have other pursuits yet undertaken? Parachuting? No. "I like flying low to the ground, "she said. Endress said she will be in racing the rest of her life, either managing or driving. Endress said religion factored into her racing. "Racing is a selfish sport," Endress said. "With guidance from the Word, practicing a lot of self-discipline, determination and focus to succeed in racing has its benefits, as it transfers over into other aspects of your life. But when you humble yourself it will lift you up. It's that simple." Oh, about the wrestling, she broke into professionally as "Tornado Red". She acquired and regularly uses the wrestling ring once owned by Mildred Burke. Her modeling career, which began at age 14, has included advertisements to lingerie for catalogs and was in Playboy's December 1989 issue. Beginning in high school, Endress has competed in track, cross country and basketball. While in high school, she competed in endurance horse-riding competitions and after high school attended a jockey school, has worked at ranches and off track, she re-broke thoroughbreds for sport and pleasure-riding horses. She's worked as a stunt woman in movies and television shows and won several slalom races at Mammoth Mountain, Calif., in skiing.