What a weekend! Between covering the OC Auto Show and hanging out with Kerryann, our newest Carster of the Month winner, I'm one tired guy. But it was all worth the time and energy spent, even though my exhaustion meant I had to turn down Kerryann's Sunday invitation to hit the canyon roads with a friend of hers -- in their Mitsubishi Evos, of course.
Dragging along Carster member Nick (hey - somebody has to hold the camera), I took off on Friday for the dual task of covering the OC Auto Show and presenting Kerryann with her prize-winning check. Just as we reached Anaheim, a familiar Evo went blazing past us. We looked at each other - is that her? Same paint color, same stickers, same racing attitude behind the wheel . . . it had to be. So we quick dial Kerryann's phone number and sure enough, we're trailing behind our Carster of the Month winner. She gives us a wave in her rearview mirror (she probably does that a lot) and leads us to her home in a quiet little cul de sac where all the houses have yards and there's a school nearby.
When we pull into her driveway, I notice the range of vehicles on display - a stunt bike, a 50cc, Kerryann's Evo and a huge 4x4 truck. Dang, these people are serious about their motorsports! But the Mitsubishi Evo is why we're here (though my eyes keep wandering back to the bikes), and Kerryann gives us the grand tour. What I notice the most are the treads on her wheels - pushed all the way to the corners and toasted. That's the mark of a true racer with some serious skills on the track. When I point out the abuse on her treads, she laughs and admits that she even has plans for hitting Willow Springs for some time at the Big Track this coming Friday. I'm immediately jealous.
She tells us that when she cashes her Carster check, she's putting it all back into Sancho. Yes, that's right, she calls her car "Sancho" . . . she even talks to Sancho like the Evo is her best buddy. "The thousand dollars is all for you, Sancho" she says, and pats the hood of the car affectionately, promising to upgrade the suspension for an even more serious ride. What a nut. But she's our nut, so we love her for it.
And because our latest winner is from the Southern California area, we arranged with the OC AutoShow to present the check to Kerryann onstage on Friday at the OC Underground. As you can see from the pictures below, we got a good reception, threw some t-shirts into the crowd and Kerryann even got some interview time with a Network motor sports crew after the presentation was finished.
Overall, I left Anaheim impressed with Kerryann's passion for racing and for her beloved car, Sancho. Even though she has plenty going on in her life between work, family and friends, she seems pretty adamant that cars and racing stay high on her priority list -- which explains why she's our newest Carster of the Month!
Congratulations Kerryann, and good luck at Willow Springs!
-rc1320 Carster Co-Founder
