It is Father’s Day of course, and this past weekend I spent it with my Dad. He came out to support me at the TORC races on the podium and to check out what off-road racing is all about. Pretty sure he didn’t leave his chair at all on Saturday and liked the idea of getting me into it. The past few years I have had to make a “Happy Father’s Day” phone call to him. This guy has shaped who I am! I have looked up to him and trusted him since he first became apart of my life like 22 years ago. I cannot imagine life without my Dad. He makes everyone laugh, risks his life as a firefighter (watching him stand at the races brought tears to my eyes) and is always there for you when you need him. He gives tough love but yet he is so understanding. My Dad is my hero and my best friend. Murph you have made me who I am and given our family the best life that we all share. You’re the best.

Despite the 2011 Traxxas TORC Series getting rained out at both Red Bud and Crandon…racing just keeps getting better and better! More fans are tuning into the live stream, winning more giveaways at the races and getting exclusive interviews and videos. Since my Dad gave me racing, and racing has shaped my life in so many ways, I wanted to ask other racers why they admire their father’s. They were all asked the same question, “how are you most like your father?” Tears were brought to my eyes as those answering the question. Please check out this video. These guys race because of their fathers, just like I do. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/USACTORC#p/u/8/QgaaaAnkLgk

Tomorrow I will drive the super cool ‘Ram Runner’ to Detroit for an auto show. Following the drop off, I will make a quick stop at Red Bud MX again before heading to Indy, the empire of racing country (sorry North Carolina),  to do some business at the USAC office. Then it’s off home to hang with my brother and ride motorcycles everywhere we can!

Traveling is quite the experience yet I feel a great sense of freedom. I love  being around people, probably why I talk so much and love large crowds, but my alone time is something that I have come to really enjoy.

There are a lot of new things coming up in my life. The next stop in the TORC Series is Charlotte Motor Speedway. I grew up a huge NASCAR fan and am finally getting the chance to see NASCAR country and the east coast! Assuming I return home and do not stay, I will be packing my bags and moving to Arizona with my good friend Amanda around August 1st. It is time for a change. My snowmobile racing days are sadly over and I feel Minnesota is no longer where I belong. The snow kept me there, and family of course, but I can always come home! It is time to start a new adventure. Maybe meet a new man? Oh, if I only had time and the desire to! It should be no surprise to the people who know me, that I do not plan things. Have I ever been to Arizona? No, but it is the perfect time to go! Better now than never! I will be five hours from California and Las Vegas. I cannot wait to start modeling again and pursue some casting calls.

Anyway, Happy Father’s Day to all the Dad’s who have given their children a home, food, personalities and the talents they have been able to pursue and develop. We are who we are because of our father’s! Please keep checking back in with me and following my facebook.

“We ride and not worry about the fall…”

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I think the highlight of the last few days was that my hotel room appeared to look like Christmas Day. Oakley has sent me a few pairs of sunglasses and sandals to rock on the podium. Apparel Freaks sent me some clothing as well. The 5 minute and 30 second boards will be here any minute and now I realize they really need to come and clean my room!

I am so excited for this weekend and it is not that far away. The models fly in tomorrow night.  Outfits will finally be ready Friday morning. Friday evening the TORC Girls along with myself will make a few hour apperance at Lane Automotive’s Annual Car Show. Saturday morning its time to rock and roll! I have been in my room practicing PSA’s for MOPAR. At least I find it normal and natural to talk to myself. Practice makes perfect. It has been a while since I have been able to rock my broadcast journalism skills. This opportunity with TORC has been a dream come true. I am so blessed to have been given this chance by Kevin Miller, CEO/President of USAC Racing, and I hope to prove to him I deserve it.

We are doing some cool and different things this season. So fans get ready to get involved! I really hope to meet new people and raise the number of attendance this year at so many of the race tracks. TORC is an awesome racing seriees that I feel is really on it’s own level. It is a combination of so many things and talented drivers that come from many different backgrounds.

Back to practicing and watching videos of influences such as Erin Bates, Jamie Little and of course Meshia Johnson who I worked with on Sled Head 24-7. Here is a quick preview of what the track is shaping up to be.

It is such a blessing to work with people my age and an environment the same in which I grew up in.  I am able to drive around to new places I have never been to and talk with people about the upcoming race. My back pain has been down to about a 1-2 (instead of the typical 5-6) and that must be because I ditched my desk job. However, I still do sit at a computer for a majority of the day communicating with people in the TORC Series, organizing and planning the event schedule.

I am looking forward to standing up on that podium and interviewing people who share the same extreme passion for motorsports and competition.  The nerves have not set in yet and I believe they will be coming very shortly. Media day is Thursday, Friday is our pre-race party at Lane Automotive’s Annual Car Show and then Saturday it’s time to rock my dream job. Confidence will come with experience; but I have faith in the years of my own racing career and in my ability as a reporter to bring  both energy and knowledge of racing to this sport. Yes, it is different, but it is also so much the same. Practice makes perfect. I better get used to talking to myself!

Being on the road like this is exactly what I thought it would be like. I am used to it. Despite the fact I wish I could eat healthier and workout a lot more, that just isn’t going to happen at the level I invision. We are working long days at the track just trying to get things done and promoting at night. Chelsea Lately’s newest book is my comfort and so is her talk show. Once again, nothing out of the norm.

It is going to be a crazy week once again. I have realized this is living my dream job. I am excited to meet new people this season and become a face of the circuit. There are so many racetracks I have always wanted to go to like Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina and the Cycle Ranch motorcross track in Texas and TORC is giving me those opportunities.

I look foward to this season which is only 5 days away. I better get back to work!

I started my new job today with the TORC Series. Those of you who have never heard of it or don’t know what it is check out torcseries.com. I am so excited to start my new adventure with a place where I have proven I belong. Nothing like getting on a plane on Monday morning to head to work! I am in South Bend, Indiana close to the Red Bud motocross track which is hosting the first round of the series. I am also in the same town as my sisters and I could not be happier. It is so funny how life happens. It has been almost a year since I last seen them, and 10 years  before that!

I am in my “turtle shell” for another 3 weeks. This broken back thing really needs to go! Once I get home from this first race I go back to the spine specialist and we determine if I am good to go! This summer will be pretty tame for this girl, sadly. I will not be lifting anything over a few pounds by the end of summer, however, that will not slow me down. I have a few things in the making with Kumho Tires and racing Corvettes that I am super pumped about. “With age comes cage!” Yet, I can’t wait to buy a new Yamaha TTR 110 since I sold my XR 50 to my neighbor last weekend.

Anyway, as of now I heard I might be the next podium host for the TORC Series and I cannot be more excited to share my passion of motorsports and racing with others. It’s going to be an awesome few weeks. I never thought I would end my days at my old job of “hell” so fast. I cannot be happier right now!

Keep up with me on my new journey!

DM16

Physical therapy is coming along. I need to quit working out and attempting my fate on the elliptical at the gym, because we are not seeing the improvement that we need to be in my neck and pain level. I just can’t sit around all day at work and come home and do it all night. I am so ready for a change. Injuries are tough. Especially when your so used to pain; you just know how to work through it. I guess when you break your back two seperate times that will do that to you (not a good thing). I am anticipating, if that is the right word, my upcoming appointment with the Doctor. I have been working with a great PT. However, she is just slighty worried which worries me.

On a brighter note the sun was shining today in good ol’ Minnesota.  It is going to rain tomorrow, so I guess that is why they say April showers bring May flowers. I really think I am ready to move and it wouldn’t take much. This girl is ready to start something new, I am just not certain exactly what that will be. A few things are in the working which I am so excited for! I will announce some stuff soon. I just love motorsports what can I say. Thanks Dad?

I love Sara Evans’ new song “A Little Bit Stronger”. It’s like Sara, are we talking about a back ache or heart ache?

Woke up late today and I still feel the sting of the pain, but I brush my teeth anyway. Got dressed through the mess and put a smile on my face. I got a little bit stronger. Riding in the car in the car to work, and I try to ignore the hurt so I turned on the radio and stupid song made me think of you…..

But like she says, I will be okay even on my weakest days. It’s all about getting a little bit stronger. Mentally and physically. It will be alright again. Life is all about the purpose!

I have a family that I will never forget and memories that will last in mind forever. Sponsors that have made this happen year after year–after year. My parents have stood by me through tears, injuries, finances and frustration. Nothing is better than being told we’re proud of you.  Todd Plaistad’s comment rings in my head, “Whatever track it was, everyone kept saying holy shit that girl has balls. You were doubling things the Semi Pro’s  weren’t (I was actually the only sport rider to do that hill for what it was) and you beat the boys all weekend. You are so respected. You’re one hell of a racer.”

This career has put me into the retired numbers of hillcross, where I stand beside Paul Greenwaldt the “Godfather”. Our numbers are ours to keep and the respect of fellow racers will last forever. It means so much to me to have this simple little plaque. I don’t think it’s supposed to make me cry, but it does in the blink of an eye.

Racing snowmobiles is what I live for. It all started with getting hit by a car crossing a road on one of those things, re-learning how to walk and racing in the Semi Pro ranks in Hillcross and almost beating a few pros along the way. I have been “King of the Hill” and a champion many times over. Our mod was one of the fastest sleds in the circuit. I hated losing. It’s like one huge piece of me is missing but it’s time. I am lucky to be walking and I realize that.

There is just something about firing up the mod, doubling and flying through the air, being the one to the beat as I lined up #1 qualifier so many times and the love for Ski Doo snowmobiles. Very few of us know those feelings and its nothing but an addiction thats hard to break. Now it’s time to scrapbook 10 years of racing and put the sleds up for sale. On to the next one. Racing is in my blood and it’s time for a roll cage. Next year is gonna be a long winter.

It has been a few days since I have been able to keep up with everything. I updated DooTalk and totally forgot about this as well. My back is broke again. I have added t8 to my list along with t4, t5 and my fibula. The doctor’s are not happy about how bad my back looks at my age. They cannot stress it enough. I have had 1 serious back injury and this just made it even worse. I have wedging vertebre in t5 and my t8 is mimially fractured in comparison to the disaster in my midback. I basically missed out on a a total fusion of practically my whole damn back. We are hoping that a lot of physical therapy can realign me and strength my paraspinal muscles. I am in a lot of pain. I am just glad I do not have to wear a brace again. Dr. Wills said it will only help with the pain and I am a tough girl, so thank you Naproxen. I have a few more painful months again and then I can go back to the aches of every day life.

Racing is my passion and what has made me and molded me into this thing I am today, and I am not upset just disappointed. I am not ready to give this up. It might be time to marry another pro racer so I can make some fast babies or something. A girl has to accept things sometimes. My body can’t take much more. My back is like an 80 year old woman and I am 24. The doctor said I have been through way too much trauma. Not sure about my racing days, but as of now my hillcross days are over. I did the # on my bucket list: To become a Semi Pro men’s snowmobile racer and I have. Not how I wanted to go about it, but I have raced my races with a broken back. All of them. I will call it a win.

Physical therapy starts Thursday and I will get a much better idea of what my next few months old. All i know is its time to heal and let my body rest.

I obviously raced this past weekend! Took a 1st in Semi Pro 600 and 3rd in Pro 600 hilldrags. I had a blast. Did it with a broken back before, nothing was going to stop me this time. At least I got to ride my mod again. My blonde bombshells, a.k.a  best friends, and Miss Amanda the brunette were able to come. We had a crazy fun weekend, it was just disapointing because they didn’t get to see me in element.

Year #10 is in the books. Mom and Dad…. we did it!

I can’t wait for this weekend’s upcoming race! It’s the big double header, which also marks an end to another successful year for the MSRA snowmobile racing circuit that hopefully has changed and influenced the sport of hillcross and hillcross racers forever. I hope to see a lot of fans there that have never seen something like this before, because its pretty wicked stuff.

I trust in the LORD that tomorrow will be an answer and a guidance into the future. I also believe in him and his healing powers and hope that this pain and annoying achy pains can be tamed very soon. I know to except the consquences of my “actions” and that when you play with the big dogs you sometimes gotta pay for it to. But what doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger.

There was not a lot of differences in sport and the semi pro classes yesterday, which was kind of suprising. The energy was awesome. My best friend Kelsey was able to come to one, and she made it known that she did not want to see me out there. It made me laugh. She loved the energy and all the people. It is easy to see how the race track is one big happy family.

Sunday funday has begun with my roomate and I. We love movie days. It might be time to buy a new snowboard to. I have begun to think new hobbies are in desire. Snowmobiling and racing are here to stay, I am well aware of that. As me and the “Birdman” a.ka. the race director for MSRA Racing have discussed, “I know its hard when you lose something that helped define who you are.”

Anyway, back to my movie.

Hello everyone, and happy Tuesady! I finally was able to pick up my posters. I got myself into what felt like a never ending poster project, where everyone felt like they weren’t ever going to have a new work of art to hang in their shops, mancaves, etc. This stack of posters isn’t going to sign itself, so I better get  busy! They are not exactly how I expected them to turn out, you will probably laugh and say typical woman. At least they are done. DooTalk is going to be assisting in mailing these out. They are 12×18 sized prints, fairly decent sized.

This is a big thank you to all the 2011 Dani Medin sponsors and everyone else who not only donated laps to our DooTalk race program, but everyone who loves to ride and has a passion for the snow.

Enjoy! They are coming to a mailbox near you!

DM16