After playing phone tag for a
few days I was finally able to ask Erin a few questions. The butterflies were
not there this time. It seems to be getting easier and easier each time I talk
to a driver. Maybe it helped that I didn’t know exactly what time she was
calling, but no the less things went smoothly.
Media attention is something
she has had to get used to. Erin has been heralded as “Nascar’s Danica”. “It’s
helped (the media attention given to Danica). It’s lead to a ton of
interviews. I’ve been called Nascar’s Danica and that has attracted sponsors.
I think all of the attention given to her has helped all women drivers.” Being
compared to someone else can never be easy though. “Yes and no there is added
pressure but the pressure has been positive. It gives me more confidence. I’ve
had all of this media attention and unless you are writing badly about it me
it’s all been positive. I’ve got a great team behind me in Evernham and that
relieves a lot of the pressure."
As a female myself, who toils
in a male dominated world, I know at times that acceptance can be fleeting.
Erin feels she is accepted in most cases. “My team accepts and believes in me.
You get competitors though that from time to time gives you the eye.”
We all find ourselves facing
obstacles to obtain our goals. “I don’t know what my biggest obstacle has
been. I guess getting myself situated with good teams. As a female being able
to get good equipment and being able to prove myself.” She certainly has been
lucky in with that. From her sprint car owner, Mike Woodring, that put her out
there at a national level to signing with Evernham Motor sports she has had
excellent equipment.
A World of Outlaw winner, an
ARCA front runner, and now soon to be Busch driver, Erin has covered a wide
range of racing. So why not IRL? “About four years ago I wanted
to go to the IRL. I started looking at the Infinity Pro series. I started going
to both IRL and Nascar races. I couldn’t get into Infinity Pro everyone wanted
money which I didn’t have. It was basically impossible they would ask about
money which I didn’t have but not about my talent which I did have. You can
still get to Nascar based on talent like Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne. My
childhood heroes, Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon are in Nascar. Indy is still has
awesome cars and with my engineering background they fascinate me.”
The Busch series is
her next step. “I am looking forward to it. It’s a huge step. I have an ARCA
car that is completive that is being fielded by a Cup team that is going well.
The competition level is going to be increased. I’m very excited though.” If
her past is any indication of her future she is certain to be a shining star on
the circuit.
Her talent was
certainly proved, at least in my eyes, at Richmond International Raceway this
year. Going into the corner she kept her car from going into the fence with no
brake pedal. “I’m not sure how I did it. I knew I was in trouble. I entered
the corner too deep. When I realized I had no brake pedal I knew that I had to
scrub some speed. I just did the best I could do. I spun the car to cut my
speed. I’m amazed that no one hit me.”
Drafting amazes me
and asking the drivers what it’s like has become a standard question for me.
Someday I hope that I get to feel it since I’ve yet to find one that could
really describe it for me. “I haven’t done a lot of it. I guess you feel a
little of it in Michigan and Pocono. You don’t do it in sprint cars with the
big wings. I think it’s really important and really neat. It’s a whole new
learning experience for me that I need to learn more about.
Erin Crocker is a
down-to-earth girl. She’s got her head on her shoulders, the drive in her
heart, and pure talent. I look forward to watching her in the Busch series and
in the future the Cup series. As always you are more than welcome to share your
thoughts and opinions with me at
rissmeek@aol.com.