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I was born in El Paso, Texas, graduated from MacArthur,
Burges H.S. and UTEP. I was raised in an idyllic home
with a mother that always told me and my 2 brothers we could do
anything and a prodigal father that could explain any problem we
could dream up with as much detail as we could
understand. I moved to Southern California 6 days after
graduating with a Metallurgical Engineering degree to work for
Edelbrock Corp. in Torrance, California in the Engineering
department. After almost a dozen years and over 50 new product
designs I returned to El Paso with my wife Patricia, 2 sons Daniel
and David and one on the way (Derrick). We came home for
family. I currently work at Axxion Corp. as their Operations
Manager. It has been my pleasure to be involved with Pan
American region and its board of directors and members these past
few years and will always treasure my friends in this club. I
think it is time for me to step aside and let others enjoy the
administration of this club, that being said, I hope to be an
active member for a long time. I don't like to brag or be
in the spotlight so I have not done a spotlight on myself before
now, but because Bob Wilkinson wouldn't do his spotlight until I
did, here goes.
1.
How long have you been a
member of SCCA?
I have
been a member of SCCA and Pan American region for 6 years. I
joined in April 2000 after exchanging emails with Maxine
Armstrong Porter (the RE at the time). I did an
internet search on El Paso and Auto Racing and came up with the
weblink to the Pan American website that Karl Goodloe built and
maintained.
2.
What
was your first car?
My first
car was my parent's 1971 Dodge Charger with a 318 engine and a 3 on
the tree automatic. My brother Adrian (the best natural
engineer I know) and I used our spare change and help from our
parents to put headers / mufflers / and wide back tires and
rims on my Mom's daily driver. My brother and I can remember
walking home from school one day and seeing our Mom and
Grandmother going
down Edgemere with the air shocks pumped up,
the back of the car raised so the tires wouldn't rub the body
work, at 30 mph sounding like it was going 60 mph
because of the headers and blown out thrush mufflers.
3.
What
was/is your favorite car?
My
favorite car...that is a tough question. I have a few
favorites:
1. Overall I'd have to say my current
car; a 2001 Corvette Z06. A great street car and a better race
car.
2. My 1969 Camaro Z-28. I purchased this car after
falling in love with my brother's hugger orange 69 Z-28. It
didn't have much of the
Z-28 stuff when I bought it,
but, my brothers and friends help me make this car run
fast and look great. This car was my heart and
soul
for a time. My Mom nicknamed this car the
obsession. My girlfriend at the time would have
agreed.
3. My
1971 Vega hatchback. This car started my love for speed and
power. I traded a perfect 1967 VW bug for this car.
It had a 327 engine and a 4 speed manual transmission. It was
nothing to look at but could pull some pretty cool wheelies after a
bunch of engine
and rear end work.
4. A
rear engine dragster with a small block Chevrolet / Powerglide
transmission that my best friend and I bought and raced for a
couple
of seasons before I left for
California.
4.
What
is your favorite racing memory?
Wow,
another very tough question. I have been in and around
motorsports and racing since I was about 14, I am 43
now so that is
almost 30 years. At the risk of
boring everyone that reads this, I'll mention only a
few:
1. Being
in the garage of the #3 Chevrolet Lumina of the legendary Dale
Earnhardt at the 1992 Daytona 500. We were supplying
manifolds and water pumps to Richard Childress Racing and I was
gathering data and feedback from the crew when Dale came
around
the hood and looked at me and must have thought "what the
heck is this Mexican kid doing to my car?" He tolerated my
presence and although never really talked to me, made me feel
welcome.
2.
My
first pass down the drag strip. I was in line at the El
Paso dragway with cars and drivers that I used to watch with great
admiration; Pro Class Dragsters, Corvettes and Camaros driven
by Jesse Serna, Bill Ruddick, Billy Graham and Art
Pena. People were at the fence as I went into the burn-out
box. I felt like if I were at Indianapolis.
3. Racing
a number of seasons with the So Cal Sprinters Kart Club in
Riverside, California. After racing cars with 300-500
horsepower I thought I knew it all but these 140 pound, 18
horsepower karts (aka go-karts) with real race car drivers
like Paul Tracy, Robbi Gordon, Richie Hearn and Alex Barron
intimidated me more than any other kind of racing I particated
in. Watching and racing with those guys made me realize that I
was not cut from the same cloth as them. There are race car
drivers and then there are guys that drive race cars...I am
definitely in the latter category.
4.
Being in the pit lane at the Long Beach GP with Mario and Michael
Andretti, Paul Newman and Carl Haas. Hearing Michael warming
up a 700+ Indy car with Al Unser Jr. next to him was so exciting
that I still get goose bumps when I think about it.
5.
Who
is the racer you admire or respect the most?
This
one is difficult too but I can boil it down to Alex Zanardi. I
saw him come from deep in the field at both Long Beach and Laguna
Seca to win. I was at the Long Beach GP when he did the
first ever "doughnut" after winning an incredible race from the back
of the
field after spinning early in the
race. Zanardi along with Michael Andretti, Alan Prost and
Valentino Rossi are my favorites.
6.
How
do you rank the following (driver, car, car preparation)?
This one
is easy: 1. Driver; 2. Car and 3. Car preparation.
As I mentioned previously, I have been to the mountain and seen the
light.
The talent and commitment of race car
drivers is God given. You cannot compete at the
highest level of motorsport without those gifts.
Anyone can buy a car and race preparation but in my opinion
you cannot buy or learn talent.
7.
What
makes you successful?
My
complete and total faith and trust in God.
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