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From the Tennessean:
A victory for Renshaw will make ARCA history
By LARRY WOODY
Staff Writer
The Automobile Racing Club of America, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, has never had a female winner.
Shawna Robinson came close with a second at Daytona in 1999, and Patty Moise captured a couple of poles. But no female has visited an ARCA Victory Circle.
Could Nashville's Deborah Renshaw become the first?
Veteran ARCA driver/owner Bob Schacht, whose Mooresville, N.C., team is providing cars for Renshaw this season, thinks so.
''Deborah has talent,'' said Schacht, who is also Renshaw's coach and advisor. ''She has a good feel for the car and she thinks while she's driving. I've been very impressed by what I've seen so far.
''There are areas she needs to improve in, such as making pit stops, but that's because she has no experience doing it. They don't pit much in weekly racing. As far as going out and driving a race car, she can do it.''
The third of Renshaw's five scheduled ARCA races is tomorrow night at Nashville Superspeedway. Qualifying begins at 5 p.m. today.
Renshaw, 24, who is in her second season at Fairgrounds Speedway, made her ARCA debut on July 12 at Kentucky Speedway. After a few practice laps she qualified seventh and finished eighth in a field of 39.
Two weeks later at Pocono she charged from 35th to finish 11th. She was running a strong fifth behind eventual winner Casey Atwood when she was forced to pit and repair a dragging exhaust pipe.
Andy Hillenburg, the 1995 ARCA champion who supervised Renshaw during a driving school at Charlotte, said ''she's the real deal.''
Patty Schacht is the wife of the team owner and serves as Renshaw's spotter. A former ARCA driver herself, her qualifying speed of 199.604 mph at Talladega in 1987 is the fastest recorded lap by a woman in a stock car. She echoed her husband's praise of Renshaw.
''I've watched a lot of young drivers race our cars and I haven't been this excited about one in years,'' Patty said.
How far can Renshaw go?
''All the way to Winston Cup,'' Patty said. ''She has the talent and she also has the personality and the marketability. I think she can make it to the top. I'm pulling for her.''
Patty said she followed the recent Fairgrounds Speedway controversy that erupted when several male drivers conspired to get Renshaw disqualified.
''I had to deal with that stuff years ago,'' she said. ''Some of the guys messed with me too. I didn't want Deborah to race any more at Nashville because I was worried about her. But I can see her point — she didn't want to let them run her off.''
Renshaw credits the Schachts for her impressive ARCA start.
''Bob builds great race cars and he and Patty and the entire team bring so much experience to the table,'' she said.
''Bob not only gives me great cars, he's a terrific coach. And Petty constantly offers me advice and support. Without them I could not have progressed this quickly.''
Renshaw was pushing 200 mph on the straightaways at Pocono — almost twice as fast as the laps she turns at Fairgrounds Speedway — but said the higher speeds are no sweat.
''The biggest adjustment from Late Models to ARCA has been the car's handling,'' she said. ''The Late Models are more herky-jerky; my ARCA car is smoother and requires more finesse. You have to baby the throttle and the brakes.''
Renshaw has two more ARCA races after tomorrow — Talladega and Charlotte, both in October. Meanwhile, she will drive in some of the remaining five Late Model races at the Fairgrounds, starting with Sunday afternoon's feature.
After that?
''I'm really not looking too far ahead,'' Renshaw said. ''Right now I'm focused on my ARCA duties. After the season is over we'll explore our opportunities for next year. We never know what the future holds; that's what makes it exciting.''
A victory for Renshaw will make ARCA history
By LARRY WOODY
Staff Writer
The Automobile Racing Club of America, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, has never had a female winner.
Shawna Robinson came close with a second at Daytona in 1999, and Patty Moise captured a couple of poles. But no female has visited an ARCA Victory Circle.
Could Nashville's Deborah Renshaw become the first?
Veteran ARCA driver/owner Bob Schacht, whose Mooresville, N.C., team is providing cars for Renshaw this season, thinks so.
''Deborah has talent,'' said Schacht, who is also Renshaw's coach and advisor. ''She has a good feel for the car and she thinks while she's driving. I've been very impressed by what I've seen so far.
''There are areas she needs to improve in, such as making pit stops, but that's because she has no experience doing it. They don't pit much in weekly racing. As far as going out and driving a race car, she can do it.''
The third of Renshaw's five scheduled ARCA races is tomorrow night at Nashville Superspeedway. Qualifying begins at 5 p.m. today.
Renshaw, 24, who is in her second season at Fairgrounds Speedway, made her ARCA debut on July 12 at Kentucky Speedway. After a few practice laps she qualified seventh and finished eighth in a field of 39.
Two weeks later at Pocono she charged from 35th to finish 11th. She was running a strong fifth behind eventual winner Casey Atwood when she was forced to pit and repair a dragging exhaust pipe.
Andy Hillenburg, the 1995 ARCA champion who supervised Renshaw during a driving school at Charlotte, said ''she's the real deal.''
Patty Schacht is the wife of the team owner and serves as Renshaw's spotter. A former ARCA driver herself, her qualifying speed of 199.604 mph at Talladega in 1987 is the fastest recorded lap by a woman in a stock car. She echoed her husband's praise of Renshaw.
''I've watched a lot of young drivers race our cars and I haven't been this excited about one in years,'' Patty said.
How far can Renshaw go?
''All the way to Winston Cup,'' Patty said. ''She has the talent and she also has the personality and the marketability. I think she can make it to the top. I'm pulling for her.''
Patty said she followed the recent Fairgrounds Speedway controversy that erupted when several male drivers conspired to get Renshaw disqualified.
''I had to deal with that stuff years ago,'' she said. ''Some of the guys messed with me too. I didn't want Deborah to race any more at Nashville because I was worried about her. But I can see her point — she didn't want to let them run her off.''
Renshaw credits the Schachts for her impressive ARCA start.
''Bob builds great race cars and he and Patty and the entire team bring so much experience to the table,'' she said.
''Bob not only gives me great cars, he's a terrific coach. And Petty constantly offers me advice and support. Without them I could not have progressed this quickly.''
Renshaw was pushing 200 mph on the straightaways at Pocono — almost twice as fast as the laps she turns at Fairgrounds Speedway — but said the higher speeds are no sweat.
''The biggest adjustment from Late Models to ARCA has been the car's handling,'' she said. ''The Late Models are more herky-jerky; my ARCA car is smoother and requires more finesse. You have to baby the throttle and the brakes.''
Renshaw has two more ARCA races after tomorrow — Talladega and Charlotte, both in October. Meanwhile, she will drive in some of the remaining five Late Model races at the Fairgrounds, starting with Sunday afternoon's feature.
After that?
''I'm really not looking too far ahead,'' Renshaw said. ''Right now I'm focused on my ARCA duties. After the season is over we'll explore our opportunities for next year. We never know what the future holds; that's what makes it exciting.''
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