Car Chick

Sweetie Girl Racing Events September and October

Join Sweetie Girl Racing (SGR) for these exciting events in September and October:

Intro to Kart Racing and Advanced Driving at Grand Prix Kartways
Sunday, September 11, 2011
9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
 
Feel the need for speed? Come join us for a half day comprehensive racing and advanced driving course. All levels of drivers are welcome, and instructors will go through both in-class and on-track driving instruction. Not just for those looking to become the next Indy 500 racer, the course is great for improving everyday driving confidence and skills for the street. Learn more…

Advanced Driver Training at Toronto Motorsports Park
Saturday, September 24, 2011
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
 
Team SGR is excited to present our next 2011 track event, powered by Sailun Tires. PLUS come experience the new Scion TC on a race track in the hands of a professional race car driver! Learn more…

Girls’ Night at the Garage – Basic Car Care & Maintenance
Thursday, October 13, 2011
6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Tired of feeling the pinch in your purse? Regular preventive maintenance can save you from unexpected and expensive repair bills. We'll talk about the importance of maintaining your car properly and explore basic maintenance items you can do yourself. Learn more…

Ralph Lauren Classic Car Collection in Paris

Fashion designer Ralph Lauren is best known for the popular Polo Ralph Lauren clothing line of casual and semi-formal wear for men and women, featuring clean lines and classic silhouettes. He brings this same sense of style to his lines of accessories, fragrances, home (bedding and towels) and housewares. Passionate about style and the search for beauty, Lauren is also an automobile collector. He owns more than 70, some of which are extremely rare.

The Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris is currently hosting an exhibit, The Art of the Automobile: Masterpieces from the Ralph Lauren Collection, featuring 17 of the most extraordinary vehicles in the history of automobiles. This includes two of the world's most expensive vehicles: a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO and a 1938 Bugatti 57 SC Atlantic Coupe, both reportedly worth an estimated $30-$40 million each.

“Racing is what unites these vehicles, each containing an impressive number of innovations. They reveal different approaches to design, some more reasoned and less intuitive than others, but they all illustrate the search for maximum efficiency resulting in beauty: not only beauty of line, but also of details and the mechanical body, the design of which is every bit as meticulous as the curves of their coachwork,” states the exhibit program.

If you're in Paris, this exhibition is well worth a visit. These machines are truly works of art with the most exquisite lines and attention to detail, and represent Lauren’s passion for style and beauty.

The Art of the Automobile: Masterpieces from the Ralph Lauren Collection
Musée des Arts Décoratifs
107, rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr
Exhibit ends August 28, 2011

Pictured: Jaguar XKD, 1955 (green) and Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Mille Miglia, 1938 (red)

Exotic Rides for Charity - Saturday, July 23 and Girls Night at the Garage - Tuesday, July 26

Check out these two awesome auto events:

Exotic Car Ride Charity Day
Saturday, July 23, 2011
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Brampton Powerade Centre
7575 Kennedy Road South – North Parking Lot

ILR and SGR are proud to bring you the annual Exotic Car Ride Charity Day. Mix, mingle and ride in an exotic car of your choice! A TRUE enthusiast's charity event you won't want to miss!

Come for a "spirited" ride in a Viper, Ferrari, Cobra or Lotus on the autoslalom course for a $25 donation to the James Fund. 100% of the donations go to support the James Fund at the Hospital for Sick Children.

For more information, visit the Sweetie Girl Racing Facebook Page.

Girl’s Night at the Garage

Tuesday, July 26, 2011
6:45 p.m. to 9 p.m.
AutoNiche Auto Repair Service
1-19 Laidlaw Blvd, Markham, ON L3P 1W5

Basic Car Care and Maintenance – Tired of feeling the pinch in your purse? Regular preventative maintenance can save you from unexpected and expensive repair bills. We'll talk about the importance of maintaining your car properly and explore basic maintenance items you can do yourself.

Tickets:
$20 in advance
$25 at the door

If you have questions or would like to register, please contact AutoNiche by email at info@autoniche.ca or phone 905 205 0228 during shop hours.

Jessie Sulidis of “The Bachelor” loves the Honda Indy Toronto

I met Jessie Sulidis of “The Bachelor” and “Bachelor Pad” fame at the Honda Indy Toronto. The petite brunette was there with Jensen Motorsport and Napa Autoparts to film a webisode series based around the team and the auto parts distributor.

This was the perfect assignment for Jessie as she has been a racing fan for many years. In 2004 she was crowned Miss Molson Indy and acted as a media ambassador for the series, travelling around North America to all the races.

She was hooked.

“My girlfriends didn't understand why I like racing so much, until I brought them down here,” says Jessie. “There’s so much to do –- racing, fast cars, meeting the drivers, concerts. It’s a big, fun festival.”

Due to Jessie’s appearances on reality shows like “The Bachelor” and “Bachelor Pad”, I had to ask an obvious question –- what about all the men at the Honda Indy Toronto?

“Yes, there are lots of men,” she laughed. “A lot of men. The suites are rented by big businesses and host parties for lots of successful businessmen. It's really a great time.” Sounds like fun.

I spent two days at the Indy, and I can tell you that the guys weren't just in the suites; they were in the stands, in the pits and paddocks, and on the patio.

So ladies, why not get a group of your best gal pals together and plan for a day of high octane fun at the race track -- it's a cool way to spend a hot summer day. Stay tuned for more details on the 2012 Honda Indy Toronto.

Read more about Jessie’s adventures at the Honda Indy Toronto.

Actor Ashley Judd’s Hubby Dario Franchitti Wins Honda Indy Toronto

Just in case you missed it, the handsome hubby of actor Ashley Judd took the checkered flag in the 25th anniversary race of the Honda Indy Toronto. This was Dario Franchitti’s third win on the streets of Toronto. His teammate Scott Dixon was second and Ryan Hunter-Reay was third.

The race seemed to have more laps running on full course yellow (meaning caution after an accident) than actual racing time as cars collided at various turns. As Paul Tracy quipped early on “Lots of hand gestures will be used at this race!”

I was standing track side at the pit exit as the race began after one yellow flag, with about 10 laps to go. As the drivers reached full speed approaching turn one, I saw three cars side by side going into the turn and jumped thinking “they're never going to make it.” Sure enough, the yellow flag came out. So did the crane.

For all of the exciting highlights of the race, visit Honda Indy Toronto.

“Racing to the Race” Dan Aykroyd, Honda Indy Grand Marshal Stopped for Speeding

It seems Dan Aykroyd was in a hurry to get to the Honda Indy Toronto today to act as grand marshal of the big race. He was pulled over for speeding this morning by a “great Toronto policewoman” as he was “racing to the race”.

The officer let him off with a warning.

“I'm going to slow down after the race,” he said.

The Canadian comedian and actor was asked if he was ready to utter the most famous words in racing, “Gentlemen, start your engines”.

Aykroyd answered that as “male bastions are being knocked down all around the world” and with “female empowerment”, the words would be slightly altered to “Drivers, start your engines.”

When asked what he was most excited about in the race, he responded seeing the Canadian drivers, Tagliani and Tracy (and said that he will be following Hinchcliffe who he met earlier in the day) but also seeing the female drivers. Three women competed in the race – Ana Beatriz of Brazil, Simona De Silvestro, originally of Switzerland and Danica Patrick of the United States.

“As the father of three daughters, I'm very interested in female empowerment, and I'm hoping to have a leader in the pack and maybe a winner.”

But most of all, he wanted to see that the race “starts safely, ends safely and the most skilled driver wins.”

Aykroyd also had praise for the IZOD Indy sponsorship. “[IZOD] has done a great job branding themselves…what they're doing is putting their name on one of the classiest, high profile world events they can. I think they’re doing a great job of making stars out of their drivers, stars out of their teams, and they’re making Indy racing a star around the world… But what’s great today is that the people who are the real focus are the skilled drivers on the track.”

He added, “And what better place than Toronto to host – a first class city to host a first class event.”

Dragon Robert Herjavec Fires Up His Ferrari at the Honda Indy

I'm a fan of the hit CBC series “Dragon’s Den” and admit that, like many women, my favourite Dragon is Brett Wilson. Robert Herjavec has always been a close second. I was inspired by his true rags to riches story -- at the age of 8, Robert arrived in Canada with his parents to escape communism in Yugoslavia. He took odd jobs and worked hard with passion and drive to amass a personal fortune that is today worth over $100 million.

Robert recently returned to one of his first loves, motor racing, and is competing at the Honda Indy Toronto this weekend, racing his red Ferrari, #007 (that's him in the baseball cap). When I caught a glimpse of him in pit row during qualifying, he was smiling and joking with the crew, and seemed as excited as a little kid, exuding energy and enthusiasm.

I later caught up with Robert again as he was welcoming people to take a seat behind the wheel of his car and have a photo taken with him (I later found out this was for his clients, not a public event). I was a bit surprised by how fit he looked in jeans and a t-shirt, and liked the casualness of his new longer haircut, making him look younger than he does on the show. But what struck me was his friendliness, shaking hands warmly and smiling as he answered questions and made sure people didn't bump their heads when entering the car.

About an hour later he hit the track in the first of two Ferrari races this weekend. The Ferrari Challenge is a series that combines amateurs and seasoned novices at some of the most competitive and challenging race tracks around the world. Seeing this field of beautiful and powerful machines and hearing the roar of the engines as they raced around the Toronto road track was a highlight of the day, and I cheered on #007. Robert finished near the top of the field and tweeted “Awesome and incredible race - finished 6th - unbelievably intense!”

I think I may now have a new favourite Dragon. And it has nothing to do with the fact that Brett has left the show. Really.

On the CarChick "About" page, I state that my driving dream is to one day -- when the DVP is closed to traffic for the weekend -- drive a bright red Ferrari flat out from the 401 down to the Gardiner Expressway.

Problem is, I don't know anyone who owns a red Ferrari (Yeah, that’s the problem.)

Hmmm. Robert?

Danica Patrick at the Honda Indy Toronto

Of the three women in the 26 car field of the Honda Indy Toronto this weekend, July 8-10, Danica Patrick is by far the best known. The “Go Daddy Girl” has graced the cover of Sports Illustrated, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is the face of the Danica Patrick Collection of exquisite Tissot watches, has been nominated for a Teen Choice Award in the Choice Female Athlete category, and much more.

In 2008 she earned her place in motorsport history as the first woman to win an IndyCar race, finishing first in Motegi, Japan.

But whether modelling, making public appearances or speeding around a racetrack, there is no question: Danica makes it all look good.

Although I knew she was petite at 5’ 2” and 100 lbs., when she walked into the press conference at the Honda Indy Toronto this afternoon, she looked tiny –- a huge talent in a small package! Wearing jeans, an Indy t-shirt and colourful running shoes, she was the vision of poise and confidence as she answered media questions.

What is your strategy for winning? Staying on track, not making mistakes, and being smart. I hope to start higher so any improvements I make during the race will be even better.

How do you feel about coming to Toronto and the Toronto fans? We need to race in places where people want to come out to see racing, and Toronto has a core set of fans. We race in new locations, but after a couple of years, the newness wears off. The Toronto Indy is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and it is one of the best road courses. We go to where the fans want us to go, and they want us here.

With two 6th place finishes in Toronto, what is your strategy? Qualifying is a point of weakness for me. I don't get on well with the red tires [for qualifying], but feel fine when I get on the blacks. I want to qualify well and race well.

Her best advice? Drive like you have something to prove…every time.

And her favourite singer? Canadian rocker Alanis Morissette.