Some people have motor oil in their veins. Hunter Anderson got his first taste of high performance when he was six years old, sitting on his father's lap to steer his '56 Porsche Speedster through the canyons of Southern California. From there he was hooked. Hunter's racing exploits have taken him from a SCCA GT2 Rookie Of The Year season in 1986 to a three-hour Enduro at Riverside International Raceway, where he drove under the famed Dunlop Bridge. Hunter claims that at age 52 he “can still … rock on the road like few others.” With a pedigree like this, we believe him.
Originally from England, Lee Clark certainly dispels the stereotype of the quiet, reserved Brit. A self-described alpha type, he enjoys rock climbing, mountain biking and motorcycling when he isn't pushing cars to their limits on rally courses. His driving experiences include everything from a year at the wheel of an Audi A2 Quattro originally driven by Hannu Mikkola to an airborne barrel roll while taking on the Scottish International Rally. Lee is looking forward to adding another impressive notch in his driving gloves when he suits up for the Dunlop Drivers Cup.
If you could put a BMW on skis and race it, Kevin Clarke might be in heaven. He's a former professional ski racer and announcer who currently counts alpine skiing, cross country skiing, heli-skiing and water skiing among his hobbies, along with a love of rebuilding and driving BMWs. In fact, Kevin currently owns eight BMWs “in various states of restoration and repair,” which means that not only is he over-qualified for his membership in the BMW Car Club Of America, he's practically a one-man BMW car club himself. Kevin dreams of one day driving a BMW from Alaska to Argentina. Until then, he'll get a wicked tune-up at the Dunlop Drivers Cup.
Imagine the thrill of riding over 100 mph on a motorcycle. The speed. The rush. The bugs on the visor. Bennie Cobb doesn't have to close his eyes and dream, because he's done it. (Hopefully with his eyes open.) And he doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon — which is a good thing since he has a passion for speed and is a member of the Dunlop Drivers Cup U.S. Team. And speaking of dreaming, the businessman in Bennie comes out when he's asked what dream feature he would add to his vehicle if he could, he said “sponsors, lots of sponsors.” We hear ya Bennie, loud and clear.
Juan Copas participated in a rally called the Jiye 4x4, a name that means “path seeker.” The path that Juan seeks is clear: he wants to race cars. Ever since his father put his hands on the steering wheel as a three-year-old, he's had a love of racing. He grew up watching Formula 1 racing and today has a dream of racing in Germany. Ask Juan what it takes to win the Dunlop Drivers Cup and he'll say “Consistency, Concentration and Courage.” Add “Copas” to that list and you've got four Cs of racing that add up to one tough Drivers Cup competitor.
Todd won the Media Representative class for a chance to race at this year's Dunlop Drivers Cup World Finals. And as you'd expect of someone whose first car was a Porsche 924 Turbo, he's got acceleration in his veins. His father used to drag and street race, and now Todd, who works for Sport Compact Car Magazine, is a motorcycle enthusiast who used to test drive Porsches in Southern California. Todd's dream car would be equipped with laser-guided missiles and a "Get out of my way, Nervous Neil" bumper sticker. There's no missile car at Drivers Cup — nor is there anyone named Nervous Neil — but we're sure Todd will still find ways to have fun, and, as he says, "Drive like I'm late."
Some drivers are written about. But when a driver describes his driving style as “orgasmic,” you let him speak for himself. Ladies and gentlemen, Richard Ferrell: “There is no place on the planet I'd rather be than behind the wheel … I flat out love to drive anything with a motor, from backhoes to BMWs … For me, executing a corner well is the closest you can get to good sex while still wearing clothes. You want me on this team because I'm damned good at what I do, I'm already a firm believer in Dunlop performance products, and I absolutely LOVE to win.” Richard had us at “orgasmic.” We're looking forward to his attitude — and his acceleration — at the Dunlop Drivers Cup.
What does David Furchak bring to the Dunlop Drivers Cup? “Action! Adventure! And one good-looking face!” But David is more than just a self-proclaimed pretty face; he knows his cars, having just completed a complete motor build-up of a ’95 Mustang GT. When he’s not tooling around the garage, David hangs with his fellow auto enthusiasts in a group they call Caintmakit Racing. After some autocrossing in two SCCA regions, he’s ready to make an impression at the Dunlop Drivers Cup: “If selected, I look forward to having the time of my life, both on track and off, while representing Dunlop, my country and myself in the best way possible … by winning.” We look forward to David’s performance, too.
Many race car drivers share their hobby with their fathers. Not many can say they dropped a new engine in their car with help from their mom. But then, Charles Horton is used to the unusual. Currently a resident in anesthesiology, Charles was once an EMT who can tell you stories about the night he “ … discovered an ’85 Ford ambulance could hit 100 mph.” (We trust that was under controlled conditions and no laws were broken.) He’s a member of the Toyota Land Cruiser Association who still owns a ’73 Land Cruiser FJ40 that was his first vehicle. Charles says it will take “skill, determination and the grace of God” to win the Dunlop Drivers Cup. This September, he’ll get a chance to test his skills – and his faith – at the track.
Billy Link, a Discount Tire Store Manager from Houston, Texas, topped the Dunlop Retail Manager Representative class for a chance to drive in this year's Dunlop Drivers Cup World Finals. After years of motorcycle and off-road SUV experience, Billy dreams of one day taking on the sand dunes and trails in Baja, California. In the meantime, he will find plenty of hills and thrills at Dunlop Drivers Cup. He says it will take a "fast … smooth and smart" performance to win, and when it comes to his driving style, he's the "last to come off the gas." Dunlop Drivers Cup will be Billy's chance to satisfy his life-long urge to adrenalize.
CJ Salgado got her first taste of high-speed exhilaration on a set of roller blades. The experience must have made an impression. These days she fulfills her need for speed on a Suzuki SV650 motorcycle. Within a month of getting her motorcycle license, she embarked on a spur-of-the-moment journey: a trip from Austin, Texas to the Oklahoma border and back in one day. That's about 900 miles, which she successfully completed without the use of the interstate. And that may have only been a warm-up, because next she says she wants to drive her bike from Austin to the Florida Keys. But before she heads to the beach, she'll be suited up for a different trip: the Dunlop Drivers Cup.
Egon Szenttamasy's list of hobbies is as interesting and eclectic as his name. From paragliding to scuba diving, cave exploring to Amazon survival courses, Egon's life screams “been there, done that.” But if you can't relate to a guy whose first vehicle was a 1986 Gurgel X-12 (Never heard of it? They're big in Brazil. ), don't worry — Egon lists his beer cooler as his favorite tool in his garage. He also says that a balance of driving skills is key to winning the Dunlop Drivers Cup. For a guy who dreams of traveling the Trans-Amazonica highway during rainy season AND wishes he could race with the Fittipaldis on the F1 circuit, having balance shouldn't be a problem.
Some people dream of owning and driving a race car. Dallas Tinsman aims a little higher — she dreams of owning an OV-10 military aircraft. But then, nothing seems impossible to a woman who once drove 1,000 miles (each way) to buy an ATV she wanted. Dallas grew up learning about engines from a neighbor, and today she spends her garage time working on trucks and ATVs. One of the ATVs she custom built took a best in show in 2005. So she knows how to build 'em, and she knows how to ride 'em. She hopes to someday take an ATV trip across Australia. But before Dallas heads to the outback, she'll take on the race track at the Dunlop Drivers Cup.
Where can a driving enthusiast find a job that will satisfy his jones for high speed? Ask Steve Woolum, a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff who is assigned to the fleet management unit. When he's not tuning up rides for L.A.'s finest, he's working on pet projects at home, like dropping a Mopar Stage 1 turbo upgrade kit into his Dodge SRT-4. Steve describes his driving style as “smooth, consistent and calculating,” which sounds like a big step forward for a guy whose first car was a '71 Pinto. But with dreams of becoming a professional race car driver and one day taking on the German Autobahn, Deputy Sheriff Woolum is ready to do some speeding of his own during the Dunlop Drivers Cup.
