Things heat up for Jessica Brannam and Tiffany Daniels during desert race

Team Glacier Bear Racing went into the Best In The Desert Vegas-Reno 500 mile race full of optimism. Team drivers, Jessica Brannam, Tiffany Daniels and Cliff Daniels, worked late into the night on the eve of the race planning strategy and plotting their course. Even though this was the first time for all three to try their hand at off road racing, there was no lack of confidence amongst the young group of drivers.

The morning of the race, the team found a few problems that needed to be addressed. The biggest of the problems was with the two-way radio system. Unfortunately, the crew was not able to correct the problem with the radios. This meant that the drivers would have to take to the desert course without a means of communicating with their crew.

As the truck was pushed into line at the starting grid anticipation was building. Tiffany and Jessica were scheduled to start the race with Daniels behind the wheel and Brannam navigating. The teammates declared, “We are ready”!

The two rookies drivers headed off into the desert. Meanwhile, the crew left to meet their drivers at the first pit stop area 20 miles down the course. Brannam was scheduled to take over driving duties from Daniels at the first pit stop. As we all know, plans don’t always work out the way they should.

After traveling only one mile, the Glacier Bear Racing Ford F250 was bogged down in the desert sand. The young ladies got out of their truck and proceeded to dig their truck out of the silt. After working for about 10 minutes, the teammates were able to free their truck and get back on their way.

Brannam said, “It was no big deal. We worked together and got ourselves unstuck”. She went on to say, “We are not two helpless females out here, we are racers just like the rest of these guys”!

Brannam and Daniels did not let the set back get them down. In fact, they felt even more confident knowing they could get them selves out of trouble if they had to. Unfortunately for them, their troubles were not over.

At the five mile mark of the five hundred mile race the teams truck started to loose power. Daniels pulled the truck off course to see if they could figure out what was wrong. As the drivers exited the truck they noticed a fire under it. The two quickly sprung into action to extinguish the flames.

Despite their efforts and the efforts of another team that stopped to help, the fire kept getting bigger. The ladies recognized that there was no saving the truck. Because they had no radio communication with their crew, they had no choice but to start walking through the desert to seek help.

Meanwhile, a very nervous crew waited at the first check point for their drivers and truck to arrive. It had been over two hours since they last saw their drivers. Of course, the crew had no idea that the truck had burned to the ground and the girls were stuck in the desert.

“The worst thing was not knowing what was going on”, declared team member and Brannam’s mom, Diane. “We started the race worried about the girls not being able to communicate with us, and now we were just sitting there not knowing what was going on”.

After the long wait, the crew was relieved to finally see their drivers coming into the check point with the safety crew.

Unfortunately for Jessica and Cliff, they never got a chance to drive. “We were all very excited about getting our chance to drive. It just wasn’t meant to be”, Brannam said. She continued, “I am very grateful for the opportunity Glacier Bear gave me. This was an experience I will never forget”.

Tiffany Daniels…Racing toward NASCAR history

 

Michael Morisi

As the news continues to highlight the top female NASCAR drivers who are hoping to be the next one to make history, one in particular stands out from the rest. Tiffany Daniels has been racing for 8 years and has been a consistent top 5 finisher. She has several wins to her credit and was the 2003 Women’s National Legends Champion. Out of the car, she has accomplished a great deal as well. A 2007 magna cum laude graduate of UNC with a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a Motorsports Concentration and a minor in Public Relations, she works full time for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates as a Support Engineer on the #40 Sprint Cup car.

Tiffany started the 2008 season splitting time with her brother who is also an accomplished Late Model driver and a sophomore at UNC in the Mechanical Engineering program. She has posted two solid runs at Southern National Speedway and South Boston this season. Her next race at South Boston will be in the Eddie Sharp #22 Camping World East car for her debut in that series on May 31.

Tiffany has been very busy off the track as well this season. Earlier this year, Tiffany participated in and completed Phase Two of the Women in the Winners Circle Foundation’s 2007-2008 Driver Development Program and along the way was presented with a prestigious honor, the Kara Hendrick Memorial Award by former Indy Car racer Lyn St. James, known as the American Woman Racing Icon of the Century, who is the founder of the Women in the Winners Circle Foundation.

“The Kara Hendrick Memorial award is given out by Lyn St. James in memory of the late Kara Hendrick, a USAC driver who was killed the day she set a track record at one of her local tracks,” explained Daniels. “Lyn gives out the award when she sees someone that has similar spirit and talent to Kara Hendrick. It is not something she gives out every year, so it is a prestigious award and I am honored that someone like Lyn thinks highly enough of me to give this award. It means a lot to know she realizes how hard I have been working and how determined I am to make it in racing, which is a tough sport. To have Lyn St. James recognize me is really special.”

“All the drivers who attend our program really want to succeed in racing, but not every driver grasps the concept of just how hard they have to work,” explained St. James. “And when they do sometimes it’s just overwhelming and often they have to take a step back and go to work. Then on occasion I see a driver who not only has the talent and potential, but takes the information and knowledge we share and runs with it. It actually motivates and empowers them to move forward. And they are able to keep their smile and spirit intact as well. Tiffany demonstrated all of that in my opinion. She has the potential to go far and carry Kara’s spirit with her.”

Tiffany is a very dynamic, educated, professional woman who has the total package. As she continues her climb toward NASCAR history, she is certain to make a lot of headlines. For more information on Tiffany, check out her web site at www.tiffdaniels.com or contact Mike@hmiteam.com or 757-822-3017

 

Photos courtesy of 51 Sports Photos

 

Tiffany Daniels Honored By Lyn St. James With Kara Hendrick Memorial Award

Completion of Phase Two in Driver Development Program Puts Daniels on Fast Track to Success

 

SMITHFIELD, VA (March 17th, 2008) – Driving a race car in the current motorsports industry takes more than just skill behind the wheel and good equipment under the driver’s seat. It also takes confidence and mental preparation to handle the pressures of the industry. That is why former IndyCar racer Lyn St. James, known as the American Woman Racing Icon of the Century, founded the Women in the Winners Circle Foundation.

To continue her climb up the racing ladder, Tiffany Daniels participated in and completed Phase Two of the foundation’s 2007-2008 Driver Development Program and along the way was presented with a prestigious honor, the Kara Hendrick Memorial Award.

The first phase of the four-phase program was held in November 2007, which focused on fitness and mental preparation.The second phase continued the learning process by training drivers on how to work with the media as well as other business aspects of the sport.

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Tiffany Daniels Ready For Busy 2008 Racing Season

Female Racer Juggles Multiple Jobs In Motorsports To Help With Career AdvancementSMITHFIELD, VA (February 29, 2008) – Over the last 10 years, Tiffany Daniels has been involved in the racing industry in various forms. Starting off as a crew member working on chassis setup, timing and repair in the Bandolero series in 1998, Daniels honed her skills outside the driver’s seat before jumping behind the wheel of a Legends Car a few years later. During the 10-year time span, Daniels moved up to Limited Late Models as a driver and working at Ganassi Racing as a Support Engineer.

Now, in 2008, 23-year old Daniels will continue her climb up the ladder in motorsports by eating, breathing and sleeping racing.

“Basically this year is going to be about developing me as a driver, developing our marketing skills and getting prepared for opportunities that we are trying to work on for 2009,” said Daniels. “It is going to be about seat time and being ready for any new opportunities that we will be presented with.”

Mid-season in 2007, Daniels switched from Limited Late Models to Late Model Stock racing. In 2008, Daniels will make another switch as she will compete in a limited schedule in the UARA-Stars series.

“We are running a limited UARA schedule due to traveling and our budget,” explained Daniels. “We are not going to run every single race and we feel we do not need to. The competition is going to be extremely tough in UARA this year and they are going to be sending cars home every week, so we figured for our first full year of Late Model racing we will start our goals off with solid top 10’s, building our momentum and work towards solid top fives and even some wins by the end of the season.”

When Tiffany is not driving her UARA car, she will still be at the track, but as a crew member helping her Charlie Daniels Racing teammate and brother Cliff as he moves up the ranks of racing as well.

“It is a whole lot easier going to the track and focusing on one car at a time, whether it is mine or Cliff’s,” explained Daniels. “Right now it has worked out easier schedule-wise with my car for me to skip Concord (Concord Motorsport Park in North Carolina) and run Motor Mile (VA). It will let us focus on one car at a time as well as getting the best performance out of that car and we will learn different things in the process. It will be a good learning experience for us.”

Another opportunity that presented itself to Daniels this season is helping out a fellow former competitor from the Legends Car realm. Craig Goess is moving up this year to the NASCAR Camping World East Series in 2008 with Eddie Sharp Racing. In a deal that will get him some seat time before his season starts, Daniels will also get seat time in an ARCA car.

“One of Eddie Sharp’s development drivers will be racing in the this year and wanted a little more seat time before his season starts,” said Daniels. “He will run my car at Kenly (NC) on March 15th for the twin 50-lap races. Then they will try to work me into a few ARCA tests at possibly Caraway Speedway (NC) or some smaller, closer tracks so I can get some seat time in an ARCA car and prepare me for next year to possibly move up to ARCA or the Camping World East Series.”

Away from the track in March, Daniels will participate in Phase Two of the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation’s 2007-2008 Driver Development Program, which was established by accomplished female racer Lyn St. James to provide information and training for female racecar drivers who have demonstrated success on track and have a desire to pursue a career in professional motorsports. Daniels completed Phase One in November.

Outside of her own driving and personal development, Daniels will continue working her day job at Ganassi Racing, something she feels will help progress her career, personally and professionally.

“It is kind of like having two careers, but they are intertwined,” explained Daniels. “I have been able make contacts at Ganassi that have helped me with the Late Model and pick up some things at work to help me become a better racer. Then the experience in my Late Model helps me contribute more and be more confident at Ganassi. It really goes hand in hand.”

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