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LATEST
Three women make the final 8 in Pro Stock
Motorcycle this year. Angelle made it finishing 2nd
in the series to date with 2060 points, 10 points
behind 1st. Karen Stoffer was 4th with 2040 points,
only 30 points out of first, and Peggy Llewellyn
was 7th with 2010 points, 60 points back. Karen
ended 2006 in 6th with 814 points
Bio
Snippets
Career
Highlights
Karen Stoffer, Pro
Stock Motorcycle drag racer
Stoffer Successful in
NHRA Return
Diversity in drag
racing
Schedule 2006,
2007
Points
Standing
Related Issue:
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Racers
Directory,
Women
in Racing,
Women
Racers,
More
Women in
Racing,
Race
Schedules,
Notable
Women
Snippets
Geico-backed NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Karen
Stoffer scored a critical pair of round wins to
advance to the semifinal from the No. 11 qualifying
position at this past weekend’s O’Reilly
Mid South Nationals.
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Karen won the Pro Stock motorcycle race at the
ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesvile
(Fla) Raceway 3/18/07
Karen Stoffer, Pro Stock
Motorcycle drag racer - 3/20/06
Karen Stoffer has enjoyed High Speeds, High
Performance and big interest in Motor Sports most
of her life. She has been involved in Motorcycle
Drag Racing since 1990 when she was selected as
Rookie of the Year at Los Angles County Raceway.
Karen's profession is the OS Global Programs Leader
for a division of General Electric.
She holds a BSBA in Logistics Management and a
minor in Computer Science from the University of
Nevada , Reno . Enthusiastic about sports, Karen
stays in shape through bicycling and going to the
gym. When she is not racing, at work or working
out, Karen attends the University of Nevada , were
she will complete her MBA.
Karen is passionate about everything she does
when she is at work she works hard and loves her
job when she is racing she maintains a laser like
focus. The key to Karen's racing success is her
burning desire to win and the setting of achievable
goals. Karen has displayed definite ability to
compete in motorcycle Drag Racing's highest and
most elite class - National Hot Rod Association's
(NHRA) Pro-Stock.
The evidence is in her record of achievements
Class Champion 1991, 1992, 1994, and 1997 with an
overall NHRA Division 7 Championship in 1993 .
Karen is among the first women to be licensed in
Pro-Stock Motorcycle Racing. She has held the AHDRA
National Record and has competition experience in,
NHRA, AMA Pro-Star, and NMRA with multiple wins in
the very quick Pro-Modified class. Karen finished
11 th in 2003 and 10 th in 2004.
Karen makes her home with husband Gary Stoffer
in Minden, Nevada . Her dream to win a NHRA
Pro-Stock Motorcycle World Championship fuels her
Drag Racing enthusiasm. Karen understands the power
of purpose with emphasis on personal development,
her riding, and communication, viewing all of these
skills as pertinent to a strong marketing partner
relationship.
Karen believes 2006 is the year to deliver an
NHRA Pro-Stock Motorcycle World Title to a World
Class Sponsor.
Stoffer Successful in
NHRA Return
GEICO-sponsored Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Karen
Stoffer made a triumphant return to the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series with a sixth-place
qualifying effort and a crucial first round win at
the AC Delco Gatornationals, from Gainesville
FL.
2005 Accomplishments
Houston OReilly ProStock Motorcycle Winner.
Earned one victory in three final-round
appearances; Finished in the POWERade top 10 for
the second consecutive year
2004 Accomplishments
Set career-best elapsed time and speed;
collected first career win (Houston); finished in
the POWERade top 10 for the first time in her
career
2003 Accomplishments
Recorded career-best performance numbers; was
the runner-up at Columbus; earned a career-best
finish in the point standings
2002 Accomplishments
Scored runner-up finish to Angelle Savoie at
Reading; Competed in her first NHRA event since
1996; Qualified for all four events she entered
1996: Made her debut at Denver along with
Angelle Savoie and Stephanie Reaves
1993: Division 7 Motorcycle Champion
1990: Began racing
Bio
Height/weight: 5'6", 115 lbs.
DOB: April 21, 1964
Hometown: Minden, NV
Hobbies: Sand racing four-wheelers, water sports,
rollerblading and going to the gym.
Career Wins: 3
PSM - 3
Career Final Rounds: 4
PSM - 4
Career Best E.T.: 6.97
Career Best Speed: 194.3
Notable: NHRA announcer guild member since 2000;
1993 Division 7 Motorcycle champion; Former
National Motorcycle Racing Association (NMRA)
champion in Top Gas, Super Gas and Super Comp.
Education: Holds two B.S. degrees (Business
Management, Logistics and Computer Science) from
the University of Nevada, Reno.
Husband: Gary
Stoffer Back in the
Saddle
GEICO-sponsored Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Karen
Stoffer made a triumphant return to the NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing Series with a sixth-place
qualifying effort and a crucial first round win at
the AC Delco Gatornationals, from Gainesville
FL.
“It was so great to be back,” said
Stoffer, who suffered a near career-ending accident
last November. “I got to have a lot of great
conversations with a lot of the fans that sent me
get well emails and cards throughout the season.
It’s hard to put into words just how much I
appreciate all the support. The next goal is to win
an event for all of them. They really deserve
it.”
Stoffer qualified her GEICO Suzuki TL-1000 in
the No. 6 spot with a best lap of 7.06 at 192
mph.
“We learned a lot this weekend,”
Stoffer said. “We feel like we can be
competitive out here and that we have a legitimate
shot at the championship.” Stoffer scored a
huge holeshot win over friendly rival Craig Treble
in the opening round with a .004 reaction time and
a 7.13 to Treble’s quicker but losing 7.11 and
.032 bulb.
“Craig brings out the best in me,”
Stoffer said. “He has taught me so much about
racing and I have had so many tough races with
him.”
Stoffer is now seventh in the POWERade points
series, just 60 points out of the lead.
“I’m really excited,” Stoffer said.
“I can feel the team starting to gel.
It’s going to be a great season.” Next up
for Team Geico will be the NHRA O’Reilly
Spring Nationals from Houston, TX, March 31st-April
2nd.
Stoffer and the entire team extended a special
thanks to all of this season’s loyal
supporters: GEICO Motorcycle Insurance
1-866-326-2035, Mac Tools, Bates Leathers, NGK,
Airtech, Wrath Motorsports, Square One Graphics,
and Vance and Hines Motorsports.
2006 Race
Schedule
March 16-19 ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals
Gainesville, FL
Mar 31 - Apr 2 O’Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals
Houston, TX
May 4-7 NHRA Southern Nationals Atlanta, GA
May 18-21 Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals
Columbus, OH
June 8-11 CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals
Chicago IL
June 15-18 K&N Filters NHRA Supernationals
Englishtown, NJ
June 23-25 O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals
Madison, IL
July 14-16 Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals Denver,
CO
July 28-30 Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals Sonoma,
CA
August 10-13 Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals Brainerd,
MN
August 18-20 O’Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals
Memphis, TN
Aug 30 - Sep 4 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
Indianapolis, IN
Sept. 14-17 Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals Reading,
PA
Oct. 26-29 AC Delco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals Las
Vegas, NV
Nov 9-12 Automobile Club NHRA Finals Pomona, CA
Source www.prostockbike.com
Diversity in drag
racing
Take a look at the National Hot Rod Association
standings, and see what's there.
Antron Brown is first in the Pro Stock
Motorcycles, and teammate Angelle Sampey is
third. Melanie Troxel is fourth in Top Fuel
standings. J.R. Todd is 10th in Top Fuel but has
three victories, including last Sunday at Reading,
Pa.
Tony Pedregon (fourth) and Cruz Pedregon (10th)
compete in Funny Cars, Hillary Will is ninth
in Top Fuel, and Karen Stoffer is fifth in
Pro Stock Motorcycles after a victory at
Reading.
That's what those drivers want you to see when
some of them come to Virginia Motorsports Park
tomorrow. Not their sex or their skin color.
"Right now, it's a big deal because I'm an
African-American," Todd said. "If I weren't, I
don't think they'd be making as big a deal as they
are.
"I've been on CNN and SportsCenter and USA Today
because I'm African-American. Eventually, it's
going to slow down, and it will just be, 'Hey, J.R.
won another race.' That will come with time when
you get more minorities involved."
The NHRA will bring its show to Dinwiddie this
weekend for the Torco Racing Fuel Nationals. What
fans will see is while other racing series may give
lip service to diversity, it's a base principle at
the top level of drag racing.
The participants know it's a story. They're
constantly going to cities they see only once a
year, and there will be new interviews and more
talk about them. But they don't want it to end
there.
"I think that's an important next step in the
progression of women in motorsports," Troxel said.
"It's natural for it to be noteworthy, but it makes
it kind of a novelty, like 'Oh, look, there's a
woman.' But when that's all there is, people get
tired of it."
Troxel and Sampey participate in the Hostess
Race Divas program, appearing on calendars and
snack packaging along with the Indy Racing League's
Danica Patrick.
Troxel said she agreed to the program because
she knew it would bring attention to herself, her
team and her sponsor.
It wasn't as easy for Sampey.
"I had to have people tell me that I needed to
use that to my advantage. That's why I hate it more
than anybody else," Sampey said. "People are having
trouble finding sponsorships, and it's not fair for
me to say, 'Sponsor me because I'm a girl.'"
"In my mind and in my heart, I'm just a racer.
When the helmet goes on, you can't see the faces.
We want you to give us attention because we're
winners."
They've definitely earned that right. While
Sampey and Brown won't be competing at the Torco
event -- it's a weekend off for the Pro Stock
Motorcycle class -- they've combined for five wins,
including the first four events of the year.
Brown, an African-American, and Sampey, a woman,
are shining examples of how diversity isn't a dirty
word for the NHRA.
They've both worked their way to the top ranks
of the motorcycle class, and Brown said that gives
the NHRA an advantage over NASCAR or most other
forms of racing.
In comparison, NASCAR's top three series offer
only two women (Erin Crocker and Kelly Sutton), one
Hispanic (Aric Almirola) and one black man (Bill
Lester), none in the top 10 in points. The NHRA
also offers a diverse group of fans.
"With the NHRA, there's a lot more entry-level
racing for minorities," Brown said. "NASCAR, they
have [the Automobile Racing Club of
America] and all that other stuff, but you
still have to be rich. NHRA, you can go to the drag
strip and race anything from your mom's station
wagon to dirt bikes. You just have to come out
there and drag race with it. That's the advantage
they have."
For Todd, who is just 24, it's a time of new
role models and new chances to shine.
"There's still a lack of women and minorities
out here, but we need to see more of them," Todd
said. "By me picking up the win this year, the
first African-American to win in a nitro category,
that opens up the door for more minorities. It
shows it can be done."
Source: Jill Irwin,
www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149190982731
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WomenInRacing.org
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