2018 - What A Year ...

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What a year…..

2018 was not an ordinary season for me.  You would think after racing for over 31 years, it would be “Ground Hog” day.  Not the case at all.

Sometimes I really ask myself, “Why do I keep racing?”  Well, it’s because I have so much passion and respect towards the sport.  I love it.  Every time I get into a race car I keep learning.  I have not yet done the perfect lap and this pushes me harder and harder.  When I race, I want to race against the best so my game can be elevated.

Running in a series for a partial season really sucks.  I really want to win another championship.  But I realize without additional sponsorship it’s just not going to happen.  So I just try to make the best out of what I can do.  I have learned to make the almighty dollar stretch as far as I can.  I started in five races in 2018.  Was able to be on the podium 4 times with one win, 1 2nd, two 3rds and 2 new track records.  The last race at COTA was bitter-sweet as I had to retire with suspension damage when I was hit by our team car at the start of the race.  That was a tough pill to swallow.

However, I did win the 2018 Trans Am TA3 Northern Cup Championship.  It’s the 13th Championship over my career and I am hungry for more.

Not racing more in the Northwest is a bummer for Fred and me personally.  However, driving iconic race tracks in Trans Am draws me out east.  But I do miss my “homies” back home in Portland. 

Nevertheless, my biggest victory in 2018 was off the race track - finishing up Chemo (juice) when I was diagnosed with colon cancer last July.  My last “juice” treatment was in January 2018.  I was so driven to get my health and strength back that I worked hard.  But in usual Cindi form, I overdid it.  I ended up hurting my knee while training and then had to have hernia surgery in April on my stomach when I overdid it at the gym.  So I had to turn over my spring driver testing duties to another dear friend who drove my car.  Once I got through these challenges, I was off and running.  Getting behind the wheel for the first time at Indy was my personal triumph. Happy I shared this with my family, friends, crew and most of all, my better half Fred.  I have to admit, I got a little choked up on the radio while I was sitting on pregrid before my first on track session.

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