Teresa Morten

Sometimes we take for granted how dangerous racing can be. Here's her story on the bad side of racing - the times when it hurts us ....both inside and out.

For the 2001 racing season this female racer went from her brand new Grand American Modified racecar to a borrowed one and then to her backup chassis and still finished a strong 3rd in the points race!

Teresa Morten started the season in her brand new Grand American Modified chassis and was just getting used to the car when she crashed hard into the wall during the 6th race of the new 2001 season. "It was an ugly wreck, I walked away but the new car was finished" Teresa tells us. (Read "A Survivors Story")

After the wreck Teresa and her crew, which includes her husband Tim Morten and friend Ryan Yamasaki knew they had their work cut out for them. "We were trying all week to get transfer parts for our backup car, but nothing was going well. Wrong parts were arriving instead of the ones we ordered, others were on back order," Teresa says with frustration recalling that week. Come Wednesday night Teresa made a phone call*."I need a car," she said. The answer on the other end was 'no problem it will be at the track for you come Saturday!'

Teresa had called UraceIt.com - a new business that rents out racecars for their racing schools. "Doug was more then willing to help out and the funny thing was the car had been my cousins," Teresa tells us with a laugh. Teresa got fitted for the car and acclimated with it and went out to take the green. "We started in the back due to the fact that I was in a wrist brace from the accident and my grip on the wheel wasn't as strong as it should be" Teresa informs us. "You need a strong grip on the wheel with a 2500 lb. car moving at 120 mph, I needed to be safe and smart. "Teresa and her team ended up finishing in the top 10 that night and it moved her into a 4th place for point standings. With the next week off, her and her team got the backup car ready and her wrist strengthened. They returned in the backup car to take home a Trophy dash win and a top 3 finish - moving the team into 3rd! "It was a great night," Teresa recalls. "The crowd was very excited and loud to see us out and going for it again."

The team ended the season just 12 points out of 2nd place, but the memory that stays in Teresa's mind was that she never gave up!  "I knew my team worked too hard to get us in that top 5, I wasn't going to just give up and whine about the car. IT was totaled, but it saved me from serious injury and I had to move on - just like a Racerchick should!!

For the new 2002 season Teresa and her team will be back, racing a Sportsmen Late Model on the ½ mile track this season at Altamont Raceway Park in Tracy, California as soon as possible. During the first race of the season, first race of the night Teresa had just took the lead when a defective part caused the rear-end housing to tip and the driveline to break. The driveline whipped up and hit her elbow. The blow broke her elbow and the injury has forced her to be out of the racing season for the next 6 to 8 weeks.

"It was a really tough thing we were doing so well in a new car and the new division. "To have this happen because of a $44.00 part is just senseless," says Teresa with sadness in her voice. "I really am having a had time with it, not being out there. It has hurt our whole racing season." But you can bet as soon has the doctor says she can, Teresa will be out there tearing up that ½ mile track and if not for the points race for the win. "We won on this track before and we will do it again", Teresa says with a huge smile, remember - "I never give up!" Spoken again like a true Racerchick!