Friend of Randy Herrick and daughter of Bill, Chris Cutrer has stepped out of the shadows to claim her Second G Prepared Ladies National Championship. A resident of host city Topeka, Kansas Chris drove the family 1979 Fiat X 1/9 on Hoosier tires to victory at the 2008 Solo National Championship. She is a member of the Kansas Region SCCA.
RR: Is this your first attendance at Nationals?
CC: No. I believe this was my 12th Nationals
RR: Is this your first National Championship?
CC: No, I achieved my first National Championship in the same car, same class last year in 2007.
RR: What was your favorite memory of the competition?
CC: Seeing that my times were competitive in the open class with each day of competition.
RR: What do you think was your key to success?
CC: Focus and the fun of competition.
RR: Who has most influenced you?
CC: Obviously, my father, who owns the car, and who got me interested in racing as a young child and encouraged me in the sport since I was 15 years old.
RR: Who inspires you?
CC: Again, my father, and other competitors who truly enjoy the sport and have great attitudes and are not concerned with only winning, but enjoying the time they spend in the sport.
RR: Do you have any special pre-race routine, or any superstitions you follow?
CC: No special routines, just try to take some time to chill out and focus on the task at hand after I get settled in the car prior to pulling out of grid.
RR: Do you have any driving aids or tools you use to help you?
CC: I usually work with the course maps when I am reviewing my strategy for each run. I look at the map and then visualize the turn/section in my head from the driver’s seat perspective, and try to talk myself through what I need to do to improve or tackle that area/obstacle
RR: What do you think you do differently than your competition?
CC: At this point, I have just had more experience than the current competitors in my class. However, I haven’t always been in that situation. I was once the baby/rookie in my class and had MANY less years of competitive experience than all the other ladies.
RR: Have you attended any driving school?
CC: Unfortunately no. School, work or mothering obligations have always interfered. I’d like to attend an Evolution school in the next few years.
RR: Describe your driving style.
CC: My first run is often tentative, and then I’m pretty much “balls to the wall� after that. You only get three chances to prove what you’ve got!
RR: What was your first –and favorite autocross car?
CC: Well, I’m a little spoiled I guess. This car is the same car I’ve competed in for the last 16 years. It’s obviously my favorite, as I haven’t got anything for comparison. At some point, I’m sure I’ll try something else. I’ve competed in other cars here and there, but nothing consecutively, so I really don’t know how I’d do when I haven’t got some “seat time� behind the wheel on a routine basis.
RR: If you could change one Solo rule – either for your specific class or in general — what would it be?
CC: I’d let our car lose some weight! We are much heavier than our competitors in our class. But overall, I’d change the rule that they have about minimum number of competitors in a class. I don’t think it’s fair to push a class of older cars into non-existence just because there is a select group that believes there isn’t enough interest to keep the class.
RR: Who would you like to thank for your success?
CC: My dad and his friends who have helped with preparing the car and giving me pointers along the way.
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