Shari Wood -  MRS. PRESIDENT      Back

written by Amy B. Taylor

The Western Washington Racing Association located in Washington State, has a woman as their club President. Yes, you read it right. Shari Wood has been an elected official for the past two years.

photo courtesy of Ron Devitt

Shari’s a married mother of two girls, and a part-time Hairdresser. So how in the world did she end up the leader of a male dominated, non-profit organization you might ask? Easy. Her brother raced a Thunder Car, a contact class with the association, and she got hooked. When the Lightning Truck division started, Shari’s husband, Frank, built a truck to compete in the class. Shari’s first elected office was Secretary. When she was nominated for President she accepted and hoped to be elected. Why? “I decided to step up and try to make a difference. Besides, the President doesn’t run the entire club,” she chuckles.

The club itself, made up of mostly male racers, elected her and re-elected her for a second and final term. “When trying to deal with people, I always try to find something good in everybody, “ says Shari. Therefore she’s not had too many obstacles on the home turf. However, dealing with other tracks when setting up away races has had its difficulties. “Sometimes these guys just don’t wanna deal with me because they don’t take me seriously. But I’m not afraid to ask a ‘man’ (one of our male board members). ‘Hey so-and-so is having a problem dealing with me. Can you please give them a call?’” She’s not out to prove a woman can do the job, just there to get the job done.

When asked about whether she ever wanted to just throw her hands up and quit, she states, “Oh, maybe close a few times. And only once, just a few weeks ago, I was in tears. That was the first time I let myself get that angry.”

Wood is glad she took on the challenges of running a volunteer organization such as this. “It kept the good folks that are here for the love of the sport involved”, states Wood.

The 2003 season will find Shari behind the wheel of a Thunder Car herself, and she is very excited to compete. Her husband, and biggest supporter, Frank, will scale back his racing in an effort to help Shari with hers.

Hats off to Shari, for a job well done! Racerchicks.com wishes Shari Wood continued success in her involvement in racing! Thanks for taking the time to make a difference for other racerchicks!