CAUTION: Some additions were made to the story for DRAMATIC effect!
Dirt Racing Love
From the moment one walks into her room he or she can tell Lisa Shickel sure loves racing. With two white walls and two bright red the small room is filled with racing pictures, models, and other memorabilia. The number eight and eighty-eight somewhat cover a lot of the wall space. She loves Dale Earnhardt Jr. Her room is not only covered in NASCAR things but dirt racing pictures, hats, and clothes also. It is not hard to picture her. Average height, light brown curly hair complemented by fiercely blue eyes, athletic build, racing t-shirt, hat, Adidas shorts, and the usual Puma shoes.
Lisa does not see the world through the eyes of a normal college student. Lisa is twenty and prefers to spend her time working on her number fifteen dirt late model. She does not mind getting her arms greasy or have dirt covered legs. For her this is her life and it has an effect on the way she sees a lot of things in the world. Her world as well as her families revolves around racing. This is her love and passion.
Lisa loves racing so much because she was born into it. “My dad has been racing dirt late models for thirty-two years. My grandpa has been racing for even longer than that.” She grew up on the race track. Lisa was always surrounded with racing even at home. Her dad’s car is in their garage, which is his workshop. “Ever since I was a baby my mom has taken me to the racetrack so I grew up going to the races every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night.” When one is surrounded by something so much they tend to love or to hate it. Lisa, obviously just so happens to love it.
She has always felt this compelling need to race. “Being raised on it I naturally always wanted to race just like my dad.” She could not avoid the urge to sit behind the wheel.
“I would have to say that the best thing about racing is the thrill and adrenaline rush of trying to finish the best possible position that you can in that race.” She loves the “game” as some would say. “There is no better feeling than being side by side with one or two cars and just having that natural sensation inside I that just wants to push that race car to the limit and go that extra mile to succeed. It is an overwhelming feeling and when I get it there is nothing else going through my brain. I forget everything else I am dealing with for that brief moment. It is just something that is in me. That feeling is amazing.”
Lisa’s racing career started at age thirteen when she started racing go karts. While racing go karts, Lisa had an accident that could have scared anyone away from racing for good.
“It was at Pheasant Run Raceway in Clinton, Illinois. The go karts do not have roll cages, so there is no seat belts either. I was starting in the third row inside in my heat race. We took the green flag and went into turn one.”
“As we went through the middle of the corner, the karts in front of me slowed down and I ran over the tire of the kart in front of me. Before I even realized what had happened I was flipping end over end in the air. My shoulders hit the ground and I continued to tumble. By this time my whole body except for my leg had flopped out of the kart because there is no seat belt.”
My leg was caught between the chassis and the body of the kart. Then, I finally landed on my back. The first person I remember coming to see if I was okay was the father of one of my competitors. He held my head until the ambulance got there fifteen minutes later.”
“I remember the wind being knocked out of me and trying to catch my breath as I laid there. My dad was the next person over there. He was holding my hand and making sure that I was okay.”
“Finally the ambulance got there, and they put a neck brace on me because my neck was really hurting. While I was in the ambulance, the EMT and I were talking for a while. I mentioned to him that my leg was stinging and felt cut. So, he cut my uniform starting at my ankle, and we found that my leg was cut up from getting stuck in the kart. I was upset that he did this because he ruined a perfectly good race suit by cutting it open.”
“Then they took me in for X-rays. I had to go to a neurologist and he said that I chipped my spine.”
Racing has taught Lisa perseverance and that one should never let fear stop them from doing the things they love.
At age sixteen Lisa’s dad bought her a late model. She has had a few experiences with the bigger car that could have easily caused her to stop racing, but again she pushed forward and overcame her fears. She has also had some wonderful experiences with this car. Her favorite memory thus far in her career is when she won her first semi feature.
“During the whole twelve lap race I was counting down the laps. Once I took the lead the race seemed to drag on and I was just ready for it to be over. I was just taking my time and driving smooth, trying not to mess up so that nobody would pass me. Finally on lap twelve, I crossed that finish line and was the first to see the checkered flag. It was one of the most exhilarating feelings that I have ever had. I remember pulling into the infield right after the race to weigh and being the first one across those scales. There was such an adrenaline rush going through me.”
It is memories like these that she will always remember and be able to share with her friends and family. Lisa believes that racing is what holds her family together. “Racing has always been a very important aspect of my family. It is the one thing that our whole family can relate to and have fun with.” The family is running in four different directions, but when someone mentions racing it causes each of the members to stop and become united. “My family does not take any vacations or make any plans unless we take into consideration that we will be missing a race, therefore missing an opportunity to learn, have fun, and succeed at what we do. If there is anything going on, on a Friday or Saturday that might interfere with the racing schedule, we usually choose racing over whatever that may be.” The family is dedicated and supports each other though this simple way of life.
Racing has had a huge effect on Lisa’s relationship with her dad. “Being involved in racing has really brought my dad and me very close together because we have things to talk about. There isn't a weekend that goes by that during and after a race we aren't talking about setups and how my racecar felt after a race or a night of racing all together. It is fun for us to talk about those things and I learn a ton about how to set up my car.” Her dad helps her in many ways but mostly he helps her to learn about racing. He rarely steps in and takes over on her car. He tends to ask her questions to help her to think though a problem. There are many times when he will ask “what do you think?” She says that this helps her to become more independent.
Outside of her car Lisa is considered a sweet kind of girl. She is always thinking and an optimistic way and loves to think the best of everyone and every situation. She has a way of wanting to please everyone. This is an enormous difference than when she is in her car. Lisa may be one of very few female drivers, but she sure knows how to keep up with the guys.
While behind the wheel she does not worry about pleasing others. She wants to do her best and show just how aggressive and daring she can be when she is in her element. There are many spectators and other drivers that cannot believe that the same sweet girl outside of the car will run someone off the track when they try to pick on her.
"Racing makes me feel like I am right where I am supposed to be. It is my niche. I love almost every aspect of it. There is nothing like the smell of the fuel burning when you are warming up the engine or the feel of dirt in your hair and on your face from a long hot night at the track. Before a race when I am buckling up my belts and putting my helmet on, that is my time to unite and become one with my racecar. That is my focus time when I center my thinking on what I need to accomplish and how I am going to accomplish it. There is nothing else in the world that matters at that moment except me and my racecar.”
The bottom line is that Lisa feels that racing is her thing. She feels as though she was made for it. She has said that racing is her “therapy” and it helps her to discover and get to know herself. It helps her to let out certain aspects of her personality that may never be seen without racing. It helps her to learn and apply other things to her life. This is her life and how it differs from almost everyone else’s. Racing makes her feel real and alive.
Sandra and Kassandra :]
Sandra and Kassandra :]
