Girls Like Them Fast And Furious Too!

While today we have women racing in Indy, NASCAR and a

variety of different racing venues, years ago this wasn't

the case.

In fact, during the era I grew up in women were looked

upon in a very different light. If you deviated from the

norm you were labeled as a "tomboy". However, there were

many, like myself who loved to drive, work on cars and got

a lot of satisfaction in doing so. Just because we did

however, didn't mean we weren't women, girls, ladies,

whatever you wish to be called.

Many of us so called "tomboys" were the product of being

first born girls with dads who wanted the prodigal son

first, but got a daughter instead. My dad and I watched

sports together, baseball, football, basketball. In fact,

my dad was the neighborhood dad (those who grew up when I

did will understand) and played with all the kids in the

neighborhood. We would have touch football games, kickball,

baseball, t-ball and even badminton and volleyball games.

I developed an avid interest in cars, because my dad

worked for Rolls Royce and was always bringing some great

cars home. He brought home Joe Namath's Jaguar, a Silver

Cloud Rolls Royce (owned by one of the builders in the area

I grew up). In fact I got to drive it, which was a thrill

to say the least.

Cars had character back then, you could tell them apart.

While my dad for years drove a Ford Station wagon (for

business), he also owned Dodge's and some Chevy's. My

mother loved the Mustang and got one in 1965. I liked them

bigger, so my first car was a 1962 Chevy Belair (2 door). I

nicknamed her "The Black Beauty" she was a great car.

My dad showed me how to change my oil and filter, and to

take care of my car. We also worked on the brakes and much

more together. I would spend a whole day, cleaning, washing

and waxing that car. It was the perfect car for my "lead

foot". I can't count the number of cars that would pull up

next to me, and reeve up their engines thinking "It's a

girl, she'll never beat me off the line"! Well, how wrong

they were. I can count on one hand those that took me off

the line!

I hung around with a group of friends, mostly guys, but

some girls also. The cars were varied, Mustangs, Vettes,

Chargers, Chevelle's and a multitude of street cars. We all

loved cars and driving them, and especially driving them to

their limits. Which we did! Did us girls always beat the

guys, nah, but it was sure fun when we did!

So remember, next time you come up next to a lady driver,

"Girls like them Fast and Furious Too!

Copyright 2005 DeFiore Enterprises