Archive for Amanda Ferguson
Aug
14
10 Questions with Amanda Ferguson!
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And now the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the 10 Questions to tide you over while our office is closed for vacation…Amanda Ferguson!
This could be one of our favorite “interviews” yet. Amanda is very intelligent, extremely well spoken and has a good sense of humor to boot. And at the ripe old age of 16, she’s made a very good accounting of herself here in this state we call home.
We like Amanda. In a short time, she’s managed to compete on both dirt and asphalt, wings and no wings. That’s the kind of sprint car driver we like – jumps in any kind of sprint car and gasses it. We’re going to go out on a limb here and predict a very bright future for Ms. Amanda Ferguson.
Without further ado, competing at Cordele, GA this weekend with the USCS Asphalt Thunder Series…Amanda Ferguson!
Who got you involved in sprint cars? There wasn’t any one person that got me involved in sprint cars. It was a family decision that evolved from my 8 years of racing. My dad is who influenced me to start racing a quarter midget in 2000. In 2007, after 7 years in a quarter midget I decided to follow a friend (Brittany Frosh) into mini sprints. While I loved running with the FMSA, I still wanted to go faster. When a good deal came along in 2008 on a dirt car my parents agreed to let me move into a full size sprint car. I figured if Matt Kurtz could go from quarter midget to mini sprint to full size sprint so could I. Matt and I raced together in quarter midgets when I was 10 years old.
What is your favorite track to race at and why? That depends on whether you are talking about asphalt or dirt. My favorite asphalt track is New Smyrna. It is the fastest track I have ever raced on and I loved every minute of the race. My favorite dirt track would probably be Ocala. The reason I like Ocala is because it is a very challenging track with a unique shape. There is no perfect set-up because turns 1&2 are so different than 3&4. I think this puts more emphasis on the driver’s ability.
Which is your favorite car – wings or wingless and why? This is a really tough question. There are things that I love about both. Winged on dirt is exciting, unpredictable, and sometimes out of control while wingless on asphalt is more about finesse in throttle and breaking control. I guess if I had to choose, I would say wingless because the emphasis is more about driving ability and less about horsepower.
Which track has the best food? I usually don’t eat track food, it’s way too greasy. Usually, Jennifer Butler brings enough food to the track to feed a small army, but there have been a few times I have had to eat a track cheeseburger. Charlotte County Motorsports Park usually has decent burgers at their pit concession. They grill them right there which means you usually have to wait a few minutes, but the burger is always fresh.
You hooked up with Keith Butler this year, how has that been working out for you? I am so grateful to Keith and Jennifer for giving me the opportunity to drive one of their cars. The difference in the way an asphalt chassis handles compared to my dirt car on asphalt is like night and day. Since I began driving their car I feel that I have improved so much. I have won 3 heat races, but am still looking for that feature win. It is a tough field with Keith Butler, Mark and Gary Gimmler, Scott Adema, Stan Butler, and sometimes David Slawiak all competing for the win. They are all great drivers and I have learned a lot from them this year. Mostly, though, I have to thank Keith for all the help, advice, and support he has given me. He and Jennifer are not just car owners to me, they are great friends.
How does one get a 4.4 GPA? I thought 4.0 was the highest score until you and your big brain came along and wrecked it for the other students. Schools use GPAs to rank their students academically. At some point, somebody realized that a student making an A in basic math and Earth Science isn’t the same as somebody making an A in Honors Calculus and AP (advanced placement) Physics. So, a “weighted” GPA system was devised awarding students 5 points for an A in honors classes and 6 points for an A in AP classes. Since all my core subjects are either honors or AP classes it raises my GPA. On the old 4 point scale my GPA is a 3.8. I do occasionally get a B, so you see my brain isn’t as big as you think.
You recently celebrated your sixteenth birthday – congratulations! Does it seem silly to now officially get your drivers license after you’ve been driving a sprint car for a while? I have heard that so many times! For me getting my license isn’t about the driving, it is more about having some independence and being able to free my mother from her chauffeur duties. Over the years she has spent hours taking me to and from practices, races, cheer, gymnastic, and diving competitions. It’s kind of nice to be able to run to the store and do something for her now. Besides, have you ever driven in the Orlando area? It’s a scary place to drive with many drivers needing to go back to driving school! I’d rather be on a race track with 24 sprint cars than drive on I-4 through Orlando.
Have you ever seen snow? Yes, of course. I might have been born here in Florida but I love to travel with my family when we aren’t racing. Snow skiing is one of my favorite non-racing sports. I learned to ski in Breckenridge Colorado about 5 years ago. I actually just saw snow about two weeks ago. We managed to squeeze in a 10 day vacation to Germany back in July. We stayed in Garmisch which is in the Bavarian Alps and some of the mountains have snow year round. It actually snowed about 3 feet up on top of the mountains while we were there.
What is your favorite thing to do on the weekends when you aren’t driving a sprint car? Most of my weekends are busy with racing or race related activities like washing a car, changing the oil, breaking down/rimming up tires, oiling cylinders, adjusting valves, cleaning fuel injectors, etc. I try to help my dad as much as possible. Both he and my mother have given up a lot for me to pursue my dream of racing. Plus there are other chores like cleaning my room and helping mow our lawn. But, I do get a free day every once in a while and when I do, I like to spend time with my friends going to the beach, bowling, ice skating, and putt-putt golf.
Where is your favorite place to go to get some good buffalo wings?
Buffalo wings? Silly man, buffalo don’t have wings! Ha ha – that’s my big brain at work. Seriously, I am not a big fan of buffalo wings. I would rather have some of my mother’s homemade garlic and olive oil pasta. Put some fresh grated parmesan cheese on top add a piece of garlic bread and I am happy.