Life is a highway
Student racer explores hobby with family, fulfills childhood driving desire
Natalie Saeger
Issue date: 9/25/08 Section: Student Life
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This might seem quite unimaginable, but there is in fact a pig, named Bob, who races. Bob won't be found on your friend's farm or in the traveling circus. The only place Bob can be found is on the hood of a race car driven by one of the members of the Flying Pig Racing Team.
Junior Katie Beeson is a member of the team and races competitive Enduro racing as a hobby with her Flying Pig Racing Team family.
It was destiny
Even before the Beeson family became involved with racing Beeson said she had always found herself interested in driving.
"I used to go golfing with my dad, but I hated golfing and only went to drive the golf cart … go-kart racing was also one of my favorite things to do," she said.
Looking back on it, Beeson said it makes sense that she races now.
"The day I got my driver's license was my birthday, so the very first day I could get it I got my license and driving has always been one of my favorite things to do."
Rick Beeson, Katie's father, said he isn't surprised his daughter is a racer because she has always been the type of person willing to try different things.
What's enduro racing?
"Enduro" is short for endurance and is a race of 300 laps. Katie said the races can take place on an oval asphalt or oval dirt track.
"We race on a quarter mile asphalt track, so it's a high school sized track," she said.
Anywhere between 50 to 80 cars are on the track going 60 mph. Katie said the first person to cross the finish line after 300 laps is the winner.
Rick said enduro racing is the lowest possible form of racing available where anyone can get involved.
"When I started racing … there were only two races I knew about," he said. "Now it appears to be growing in popularity and one of the reasons is because it's inexpensive."
He said he pays about $1200 per car and invests good tires for his cars.
"I make sure I buy good tires for the cars because you can get the most out of the race," Rick said. "Usually each tire is around $85 a piece and I put three of them on each car."
Entry fees are also involved, Rick said, but are reasonable too.
Along the safety lines, Katie and Rick agree that enduro is a pretty safe form of racing.
"All flammables need to be removed from the car before racing, like the carpet and passenger back seats," Rick said. He added that the cars are required to also have a roll bar, a 5-point safety harness, reinforced wheels, which can be accomplished by using oversized lug nuts, a welded shut driver's side door and a steel plate welded on the outside of the driver's side door for added protection.
Katie said the 5-point harness is an extreme seat belt. It's called that because there are five seat belts.
She added that a helmet, gloves and neck brace are always needed for safety, as well as having to wear long sleeves and long pants. There are also a number of rules about what can't be in the car.
"The only needed equipment really is the safety gear," Katie said. "But the most dangerous thing I can think of is to avoid keeping your thumbs on the inside of the steering wheel because you can dislocate your thumbs or break your wrists."
To be a good enduro racer, Katie said you have to know what to do in certain situations and not let your fear get in the way.
The birth of Bob, a family affair
The first member of the Beeson family to get involved with the sport was when a friend of Rick's asked if he would be interested in racing in the next enduro race.
"I've always liked driving faster than I should," Rick said. He was given the chance to put his fast racing skills to the test about three years ago in July.
After thinking it over, Rick found himself months later participating in the Halloween enduro race. After that race he was hooked and ready for more, with Katie eager to help - and paint.
Rick admits he has no artistic ability, but an old pig character that he used to draw ended up on the hood of the racing car and became the racing family mascot.
"Katie said a pig should go on the hood," Rick said.
"This cartoon character that looks like a pig, but has bunny ears on it and I named it Bob," Katie said. "So our cars are the lime green ones with the big pig on it and we call our racing team the 'Flying Pig Racing Team.'"
Not too long after Rick became involved with enduro racing, Katie wanted to become involved with racing, as well as her brother, Eric Beeson.
"It's turned into a family affair," Katie said.
In the stands Katie's mother, Michelle Beeson, said she tries to cheer for her when she hears their names announced in the starting line-up. She also has her family's fans wear "Bob" t-shirts.
Starting out
When Katie first pitched the idea of racing to her parents, feelings were mixed.
"My dad was really pumped," Katie said. "We relate on a sports level … he's been my ball coach, my basketball coach and now he's like my racing coach."
Katie added her mom never pictured her racing.
"I said she was nuts and that I was apprehensive about it," Michelle Beeson said in regards to her daughter's racing idea. "I knew she wanted to do it and she was going to and I was going to support her no matter what."
Before Katie hit the competitive track, Rick started his daughter out participating in a summer non-competitive women's Wednesday night racing league.
On July 4th, Katie had her first race at the 141 Speedway in Mary Bell, near Appleton.
Rick remembers her being quite nervous for that first competitive race.
"I was shaking," Katie said. "A shaking I've never experienced before in my life."
Katie said her dad came out before the start of her first race to strap her in, hand off her gloves and give a pep talk.
"I just told her to go low, go slow, run your race and run your line," Rick said. "Survive the first 100, drive the 200 and race the 300."
As soon as the race started, Katie's mind started to turn on to racing and the things her dad had told her in terms of strategy.
"I had a game plan in my head and as I was driving I was remembering it," Katie said.
"She was nervous at first, but I saw during her race she could handle it. I knew for her second race I could be on the track with her," Rick said.
Michelle fondly remembers the first time her daughter raced.
"Seeing her get into the car and knowing she had the confidence to get out there and do that was the proudest mention I have of Katie and her racing," Michelle said.
A woman in a man's world
Racing typically has been known to be a male-dominated sport. Rick said people tend to be a little surprised when they find out a girl is racing and are really surprised when they see a girl driving well.
In Katie's last race she said there were two to three women and about 47 men participating. With these girls she said she somewhat has a connection because they're females racing among a bunch of men, but also provides a race within a race against the women.
For Katie, though, her reasoning behind driving isn't to prove she can participate in a male-dominated sport, but rather that it's a cool sport to be in.
"It's more like, way to go on being a racer than just a girl who wants to prove she can race," Katie said.
Michelle said that what her daughter is doing really makes her feel good and "proud" to know Katie is doing something different as a female.
Looking Ahead
The next race the entire Flying Racing Pig Team is scheduled to participate in is the upcoming Halloween race and scheduled at 2 p.m., November 1 at 141 Speedway.
"We'll race until it's not fun anymore," Rick said.
Katie's goals for her upcoming race involve extending her racing skills.
"Next race I will be on the outside of the track almost the whole time ... that's going to be true," Katie said.
Rick recalled one of his proudest moments to races ago when Katie Beeson accomplished an advanced racer skill.
"Katie had been doing her low and slow and passed someone on the outside and asserted her position on the track," he said. "She put some people across her bumper and actually got spun but didn't panic and was able to get back to racing.
"She exploded her skills."
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