The Official Website of Kristin Bumbera

Sara Fisher, who preceded Patrick in the IRL, was that series' most popular driver from 2001-03. Fisher is now driving in the Hendricks Motorsports organization with hopes of reaching NASCAR's Busch Grand National series by next season. Kristin Bumbera hopes to join their ranks sometime soon. Bumbera, 17, has been driving since the age of 8, when she drove a dirt-track go-cart at Hilltop Raceway in Waller. She moved up to the Mini-Cup series for two years before temporarily hanging up her helmet to help with her dad's race team. Kenny Bumbera drove in the ROMCO Super Late Models series (the predecessor to USRA) in 2001-02, and Kristin said she learned a lot during her time as part of her dad's crew. "I learned a lot of pre-race strategy from my dad," Bumbera said. "He told me to stay patient out on the race track and to have a plan for each race. After each race, he would go and sit down and think things over; he told me never to lose my head after each race." Running against "the guys" doesn't enter into her mind when she puts on her helmet and buckles into the driver's seat of a race car.


		Kristin Bumbera Set to Run for Houston Late Model Championship Saturday Date: Tuesday, March 15, 2005 Topic: Houston Motorsports Park Speedway Houston, TX (Mar 15, 2005) - NASCAR has Shawna Robinson and Sara Fisher; the Indy Racing League has Danica Patrick. Houston, Texas, has Kristin Bumbera. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Kristin Bumbera set to run for championship starting this Saturday By Chuck Licata Houston, TX (Mar 15, 2005) - NASCAR has Shawna Robinson and Sara Fisher; the Indy Racing League has Danica Patrick. Houston, Texas, has Kristin Bumbera. Female racecar drivers have been trying to make their way into the male-dominated sport ever since Janet Guthrie became the first woman to drive in the Daytona 500 (February 1977) and the Indy 500 (May 1977). Bumbera, who stands 5-foot-9, weighs all of 122 pounds and is headed to Texas A&M University after finishing her senior season at Sealy High School, still feels "weird" when people approach her in the pits and ask her about what it's like to be a woman in racing. "I tell them 'thanks,' and ask them if there's something else they'd like to know," Bumbera said. "They then usually ask me what it's like to run against men, and men who are older than my dad. I still find it funny; they're pretty shocked when they find out I'm running against 'the big boys,' and I don't quite understand why they're shocked." While the success of women drivers since Guthrie has been more of a footnote than an accomplishment, today's women drivers are ready to make their mark. Robinson is running in NASCAR's Busch Grand National series this year; she has also run some NEXTEL Cup races over the past three years. Patrick has made a big splash with the media entering her first season in the Indy Racing League. Sara Fisher, who preceded Patrick in the IRL, was that series' most popular driver from 2001-03. Fisher is now driving in the Hendricks Motorsports organization with hopes of reaching NASCAR's Busch Grand National series by next season. Kristin Bumbera hopes to join their ranks sometime soon. Bumbera, 17, has been driving since the age of 8, when she drove a dirt-track go-cart at Hilltop Raceway in Waller. She moved up to the Mini-Cup series for two years before temporarily hanging up her helmet to help with her dad's race team. Kenny Bumbera drove in the ROMCO Super Late Models series (the predecessor to USRA) in 2001-02, and Kristin said she learned a lot during her time as part of her dad's crew. "I learned a lot of pre-race strategy from my dad," Bumbera said. "He told me to stay patient out on the race track and to have a plan for each race. After each race, he would go and sit down and think things over; he told me never to lose my head after each race." Running against "the guys" doesn't enter into her mind when she puts on her helmet and buckles into the driver's seat of a race car. "I don't think about racing against guys, or what they're gonna say ordo if I beat them," Bumbera revealed. "I think about strategy - how I'm going to get a good start, how I'm going to make my way through the field, especially if I start towards the back of the field. It's all about strategy for the race when I'm buckled in." Bumbera is supported by her father Kenny, her mother Cheri, her sister Kendall (12) and her brother Boyd (6).