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LATEST SNIPPET
Great weekend in Baltimorewith her highest
finish of the year Saturday bringing her TrueCar
Racing/Virgin Star Mazda to a 6th place finish! On
Sunday had a great start, ran as high as 4th with a
competitive pace, then got hit from behind twice
and had brake issues & finished 10th.
Direct access to
this web page: http://bit.ly/d2poFw
Bio
News
Freiberg Proves
Auto Racing Isn't Just A Boys'
Club
Ashley Freiberg
Scores 2nd 2010 Skip Barber Series Titles in
Lime Rock Finale
Snippets
Results
Schedule
Related Issue:
Women
Racers
Directory,
Women
in Racing,
Women
Racers,
More
Women in
Racing,
Race
Schedules,
Notable
Women
Contact: www.ashleyfreibergracing.com
or E-Mail
Bio
Birth Date: November 22,
1991
Hometown: Homer Glen, Illinois
Current Home Base: Homer Glen, IL
Who started you: My brothers, Eric and Brian
Biggest influence: Danica Patrick
Father's Thoughts: As long as I love racing, he
loves me racing too.
Your encouragement to others: No matter how tough
it gets racing "in a man's feild," never, ever give
up or lose sight of what you're dreams are. Keep
pushing. As long as you have faith, nobody can stop
you from making it there.
Snippets
Ashley Freiberg – First open wheel road
series. Getting used to the new levels of downforce
and massive grip from the slick tires. Debut race
on 3/24 at St. Petersburg.
* * *
In the Star Mazda Series, Ashley Freiberg (#91
TrueCar/JDC Motorsports) slid into the Top 10 in
Race 1 with a 9th place finish, but stumbled a bit
in Race 2 when her car nosed into the wall
alongside Camilo Schmidt's #21 Linares
Racing/Mindeporte Mazda and could not continue. She
ended with a 19th place finish, giving her 14
points thus far.
* * *
Ashley Freiberg Scores 2nd 2010 Skip Barber
Series Titles in Lime Rock Finale
* * *
For the year of 2010, I am planning on competing
for the BF Goodrich Skip Barber National
Championship presented by MAZDA. I am graduating
Highschool in January so I can put 110% of my focus
toward winning the season so that I can win the
full season in the Star Mazda 2011 Championship.
Before the Skip Barber National season starts, I
will be testing in the Star Mazda car as much as
possible.
* * *
Ashley is the first female to show consistent
front-running speed in the Skip Barber National
racing series. Racer, May, 2010
* * *
Recently swept the weekend at Road Atlanta in
the Skip Barber Southern Series. It was a feild of
about 20 cars and I was first in both practices,
qualifying, and won both races.
* * *
For the year of 2009
Ashley Freiberg is planning on racing in a couple
BF Goodrich Skip Barber National Series presented
by MAZDA races depending on how well she does at
the Skip Barber Karting Shootout on December 27,
2008.
News
Freiberg Proves Auto
Racing Isn't Just A Boys' Club
The Baltimore Grand Prix will feature a number of
storylines during the three days of racing
throughout downtown. Although the spotlight will be
on the IZOD IndyCar race on Sept. 2, an intriguing
story of the weekend involves Ashley Freiberg. The
20-year-old will race in the Star Mazda Series
events on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2.
Freiberg did not compete in the inaugural
Baltimore Grand Prix, but she attended the event
and said Baltimore was impressive.
"My fondest memory was definitely how
enthusiastic and amazing the crowd turnout was,"
Freiberg said. "I have never been to a race weekend
that was as packed with fans as this race was, and
I have to say it was very cool to have that energy
surrounding the weekend."
A year later, Freiberg will be part of creating
that energy as her TrueCar Racing team competes in
the Labor Day weekend event. The Star Mazda Series
is part of the Road to Indy program, a ladder
system designed to help drivers progress from the
USF2000 National Championship to Star Mazda and
then to Indy Lights before making the step to the
IZOD IndyCar Series. Both the USF2000 National
Championship and the Star Mazda Championship
include road courses and ovals -- similar to the
IndyCar Series -- to help drivers hone their skills
as they progress through the system. The Grand Prix
of Baltimore will feature Rounds 13 and 14 of the
Star Mazda Championship.
Freiberg is competing as a member of TrueCar
Racing and its "Women Empowered" initiative.
TrueCar is empowering women that aspire to become
championship drivers by providing full sponsorship
support, professional coaching and training,
marketing exposure and top-tier racing
opportunities throughout the United States.
Freiberg joined the initiative in December
2011.
"I have always loved being a role model for
girls and women of all ages," Freiberg said. "So to
become a part of something I already believe in and
support was a perfect fit for me. What is really
cool about the Women Empowered initiative is not
that we are screaming feminism in everyone's face,
but rather that we are showing that we are equal to
men in many ways … that we can compete against
them equally and do just as good of a job as the
best of them."
Freiberg started racing go-karts when she was
13, and spent time developing the basics of her
driving. During her second year of competition,
Freiberg won her first national championship, an
accomplishment that made her decide to move into
formula cars in the Skip Barber Racing Series.
In 2010, she won 25 Skip Barber races, including
two championships and one national race. To expand
on her driving skills, she also raced in a few Skip
Barber MX-5 Cup races and won four out of the six
she entered. Because the next step was moving to
the Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear,
Freiberg decided to run in one of the races at the
Autobahn Country Club. She finished fifth in a
field of 23.
Racing is an expensive sport. Following the 2010
season, Freiberg found herself without any
funding.
"I spent 2011 making phone calls, writing
emails, going to meetings and going to racetracks
searching to find a way to get back into the seat,"
she said. "At the end of 2011, I was called back by
TrueCar and earned a fully funded ride in the Star
Mazda Championship for 2012."
This year, Freiberg competed in 10 race
weekends, running in 18 total races. She said the
cost of a full season depended on the number of
people on a crew, how many test days a driver runs,
etc., so the pricing fluctuates, with the average
cost falling around $500,000 annually. Freiberg's
crew consists of an engineer, mechanic, truck
driver and her team owner.
Freiberg said she did face challenges outside of
funding, competing in a male dominated sport.
"I would have to say the biggest challenge is
not really ever having a legitimate chance to be
the underdog," Freiberg said. "Being a woman
definitely has put more of a spotlight on me than
most of the other drivers I race against. Sometimes
it can be a great thing. Other times, it can be not
so great. I can tell you that it has toughened me
up in a lot of ways, though."
She also said she hoped TrueCar Racing's women's
empowerment initiative and her involvement would
lead to other female drivers competing in
open-wheel racing.
"My advice to young girls thinking about
competing is to work hard, be strong, be you and
have fun," Freiberg said. "There will be pressures
coming at you in all different angles, and you just
have to find a way to block them out and do the job
you came there to do.
"Without doing these four things, unless you are
the one out of a million with supernatural talent,
it will be challenging to be successful."
Freiberg's advice comes from experience.
She said she couldn't recall the exact number of
races she has been in and awards she has won. But
she said her biggest achievements included her five
national karting championships, two Skip Barber
Series Championships, the Skip Barber National
Series win, four Skip Barber MX-5 Cup wins, being
honored with the 2010 Best All-Around Driver Award
in Skip Barber and being nominated as a Team USA
Scholarship candidate. Because most of her winnings
from these races went to her teams, Freiberg
estimated that she earned approximately $5,000 from
these accomplishments.
Freiberg said her ultimate goal was to become an
IZOD IndyCar Series Champion.
"I guess it is the drive I have to always want
to better myself," Freiberg said. "I would label
myself the nerd of racing because I love to get
completely absorbed in every aspect of it and I am
always learning something new, whether it is about
the car, my driving, the tracks. … I can never
be satisfied with what I already know.
"I just love every single bit of driving the
car, and the way it feels when I drive a corner
really well or make a good pass. I can't really say
specifically when the moment was when I decided I
wanted to make a career out of racing. I think that
it was sort of a domino effect of things. I got
into racing because I simply loved to drive, and I
loved driving well even more, and as a result of
that, I have always pushed myself to be as good as
I could be.
"Any success that I have had has happened as a
result of that desire, and has also shown to myself
that if I really commit myself and work hard at
something, I could achieve it."
Source: www.pressboxonline.com/blog.cfm?id=5172
Ashley Freiberg Scores
2nd 2010 Skip Barber Series Titles in Lime Rock
Finale
Ashley Freiberg (Fry-berg) completed a sensational
2010 racing campaign last weekend at Lime Rock Park
by winning three of four races and collecting her
second Skip Barber Series championship.
Freiberg, the18-year-old driver from Homer Glen,
Ill., joined a selected group of drivers in Skip
Barber Racing history to win two series titles in
the same season. Ashley scored the Southern Region
crown in April and the Summer Series last Saturday
on the 1.54-mile road course in northwest
Connecticut.
Freiberg’s Saturday Barber formula car
victory was the 23rd feature win for the personable
female racer.
“The win at Lime Rock was a great way to
finish off the 2010 season,” said Freiberg, a
Team USA Scholarship finalist. “I want to
thank everyone who helped me this year especially
my sponsor Akzo Nobel, my family and friends and
the Skip Barber people. To win two series
championship in the same year is a great
accomplishment. I hope to continue my progression
in auto racing and move up to the next level in
2011.”
Freiberg also captured two main events in the
MX5 Cup for Mazda sedans at Lime Rock last
weekend.
“I never thought I could win 23 races in a
year,” said Freiberg. “Actually, I
probably could have won some more without a few
mishaps. But that is racing. Overall, it was a
great year.”
Freiberg also won the Skip Barber “Coaches
Choice Award” in the BFGoodrich Barber
National presented by Mazda which is given to the
best overall performance by a driver on and off the
track.
Freiberg scored several firsts for the Skip
Barber racing program by becoming the first woman
to win a series championship (Southern Region) and
the first woman to win a Barber National Series
race (New Jersey Motorsports Park).
“We are working hard right now for the 2011
season,” she said. “A driver has to put
in a lot of time off the track too. I have been
working behind the scenes in getting things ready
for the upcoming season. I look forward to another
exciting year.”
Freiberg will be in Indianapolis this week to
participate in the Lyn St. James Women in the
Winner’s Circle Foundation charity karting
event set for Thursday, Oct. 14, at Fast Times
Karting Center
17-Year-Old Wins Karting Race, Teaches Sports
Stars To Drive Fast
Ashley Freiberg has been jet-setting with the best
of them lately. The 17-year-old racer from Homer
Glen, Ill., isn’t about slow down either.
Freiberg participated in four racing events a
week ago in Atlanta and West Palm Beach including
winning a charity karting race, setting the fast
race lap in the BFGoodrich Skip Barber National
open-wheel competition and teaching other women
sports stars, (Olympic Medalists and XGame’s
World Champions) how to drive fast in the AMG
Mercedes Driving Experience.
Now, the Lockport High School senior prepares
for her final Barber National race of the year this
weekend (Oct. 9-10) at Lime Rock Park, Connecticut,
currently ranked sixth in the national point
standings in her rookie season.
“That was a pretty wild week with all of
the racing and driving events,” said Freiberg,
who spent much of last week working on her studies.
It was a blast winning the charity karting feature
with Shannon McIntosh in the John
Gorsline-sponsored charity race event. Then I ran
well at Road Atlanta in the Skip Barber National
events. And finally, it was a great experience to
drive with these amazing sports stars in the AMG
Mercedes experience. It was just a great week for a
young woman like me to be involved.”
Freiberg, a former karting champion, defeated a
very competitive field in Tuesday night’s
Petit three-hour endurance charity race before
concentrating on the Barber action.
In the two-race weekend at Road Atlanta, Ashley
qualified fourth and was running competitive with
the leaders in the opening race before being
knocked out of contention by another driver. In the
second contest, Freiberg charged from 11th to
fourth including establishing the race’s
fastest lap. The fourth place finish moved Freiberg
to sixth in the current national standings entering
this weekend’s season finale at Lime Rock.
“I felt pretty good about the second race
at Road Atlanta,” explains Freiberg. “I
wasn’t happy about getting taken out of the
first race. At the green flag I knew I had some
time stating 11th. I patiently chose when and where
to make my passes and not put my car in a position
to risk not finishing the race. I was getting
accustomed to the track. It was a great feeling to
move up and race with the leaders again. It was
similar to the Road America race where I finished
on the podium. It was also great to set the fastest
race lap, too.” Freiberg wrapped up her busy
week by participating in the prestigious two-day
AMG Mercedes Driving Experience at the new Palm
Beach International Raceway. She drove a variety of
AMG Mercedes sedans with world class female
athletes from different forms of competition such
as XGame’s Champions in surfing, skiing and
Olympic Medalists skiing and snowboarding.
“I flew to West Palm Beach where I met many
female athletes at the reception dinner before the
AMG Driving Academy weekend started,” said
Ashley. “They were all great people. It was
cool for me to relate to them with how they had to
sacrifice everything to follow their dreams. I
mentioned to them that tonight was my homecoming
dance at school, they all laughed and said, we
never made any of our dances at school or most
anything else either. It was an awesome motivation
for me to hear them tell me to never give up. It
was weird, yet amazing, to be teaching some of
these girls how to drive fast. They caught on so
quickly to what I would tell them, and they were
really fast! Shannon Bahrke, Olympic Silver
Medalists of 2002 and World Champion in 2003 and I
connected well; we were always in the car together.
She would always say to me “you’re a
little bad ass on the track”. Shannon will be
returning to the winter Olympics in 2010. As for
the AMG Mercedes, WOW, what can I say, they are
incredible!
And then it was time to go home, arrived in
Chicago at 1:00 AM from West Palm Beach, had to get
up for school at 4:45 AM, out of school at 1:00 PM,
homework until 5:00 PM and then off to Traffic
School for a SPEEDING TICKET
Illinois Racer To Participate In Karting and
AMG Mercedes Activities Too - 9/21/09
Ashley Freiberg has been studying hard during her
senior year at Lockport Township High School. She
needs to get ahead on her studies as her racing
schedule is busy as ever this week.
The 17-year-old open-wheel racer from Homer
Glen, Ill., wanted to make sure she had her
homework completed when she left today for her
whirlwind racing trip through the Southeast with
five days of racing and appearances.
Freiberg’s (pronounced Fry-Berg) primary
racing endeavor will be practice, qualifying and
two feature races in the Skip Barber BFGoodrich
National Series presented by MAZDA competition
beginning Tuesday, Sept. 22, during the Petit Le
Mans weekend at Road Atlanta. The main event races
are set for Thursday and Friday, Sept. 24-25, on
the fast 2.54-mile, 12-turn circuit northwest of
Atlanta. Freiberg, a series rookie, currently ranks
seventh in the Barber National point standings.
“It will be a hectic week for me,”
said Freiberg, who scored a podium finish last
month at Road America. “I have been studying
very hard to get ahead in my classes. That way I
can concentrate on my races and special appearances
this week. The special events are very exciting,
too.”
Freiberg will kick off her busy week on Tuesday,
Sept. 22, with participation in the 8th annual
Motorsports Ministries Petit Kart Challenge in
Atlanta. Invited by John Gorsline, Freiberg will
team with Shannon McIntosh in the three-hour
endurance contest, raising funds for Motorsports
Ministries and Breast Cancer charities. The
Gorsline Company of Rochester, N.Y., hosts the
popular annual racing affair.
“I am honored to be invited by John for
this event,” said Ashley, a two-time WKA world
karting champion. “And I want to thank him for
his assistance in racing in the prestigious charity
event.” Following her racing week at Road
Atlanta, Freiberg will travel to West Palm Beach,
Fla., to be part of the coveted AMG Mercedes
Driving Experience at the new Palm Beach
International Raceway. Ashley will drive AMG
Mercedes sedans with world class female athletes
from different forms of competition such as surfing
world champions, Olympic skiing medalists, X Games
snowboarding gold medalists and pro freestyle
skiers. The two-day special event, set for Sept.
25-26, will be filmed for future telecasts.
“I am so excited to meet these amazing
athletes in the spectacular event at West Palm
Beach,” said Freiberg. “Plus, driving
those amazing AMG Mercedes cars will be truly
fantastic for a young racer like me. The whole week
is something I will never forget.”
Young Ashley Freiberg Scores First Podium
Finish In Skip Barber National Series Race At Road
America
Young female racer Ashley Freiberg put herself in
the national motorsports limelight this past
weekend with her first podium finish in the Skip
Barber BFGoodrich National Series presented by
MAZDA race held Saturday, Aug. 22, on the famed
four-mile road course at Elkhart Lake’s Road
America. Freiberg (pronounced Fry-Berg), 17,
started 14th in a 15-car field and drove her
Mazda-powered open-wheel car through the pack to
the challenge the two lead drivers, Conner De
Phillippi and Court Vernon, before settling for
third in the eight-lap race. Unfortunately,
Freiberg’s charge on the leaders was halted
due to a full-course caution period on the
race’s final lap.
“We had some problems with the car in
qualifying,” said Freiberg, a senior at
Lockport Township High School in Lockport, Ill.
“So I had to start in the back of the field.
The car felt great during the race, and I was able
to fight my way towards the front.
The last couple of laps were crazy, there were
five of us sliding in and out for position, one
second your in first or second, the next your in
fifth. We had some great wheel-to-wheel racing and
I was in position to fight for second when the
yellow came out. It was a great weekend and to be
racing up front with Connor and Court was pretty
cool. Connor is currently 1st and Court is 2nd in
the points for the Skip Barber BFGoodrich National
Series presented by Mazda. I have learned a lot,
“Your on Your Own” when the race is
winding down”. I want to thank my coaches Phil
Lombardi and Gerardo Bonilla, along with the Skip
Barber mechanics and staff for providing us with
great cars for an awesome race!!”
Freiberg, a former WKA world karting champion,
is making her initial campaign on the Skip Barber
open-wheel series after beginning her racing career
at age 13 in karts. Earlier this year, Freiberg won
the Skip Barber regional races at Sebring, Fla., in
February and Elkhart Lake last month.
Freiberg currently ranks seventh in the in the
2009 Skip Barber National point standings after ten
of 14 races.
In Sunday’s National race, Freiberg moved
to second in the field before contact with another
car dropped her to fifth.
Freiberg will return to Skip Barber BFGoodrich
National Series action on Sept. 22-25 at Road
Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., as part of the Petit Le
Mans powered by Mazda6 American Le Mans Series
weekend.
Ashley's first Star Mazda Race Event
The race at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, IL
was going to be my first Star Mazda Race Event. I
have tested in the Star Mazda a couple of times,
and this was going to be my one-off race of the
year. The Star Mazda Series presented by Goodyear
is a very competitive open-wheel racing series that
brings in top drivers from all over the world. My
intensions on doing this race were to learn the
most I can by getting a feel for the car, the team,
the engineering, and what I need to do to better
myself before I run a full season.
On Thursday and Friday I was only able to get in
50 minutes of practice because of mechanical
issues; the rest of the 22 drivers were on track
for three hours. My parents were very skeptical
whether or not I should continue the weekend
because I am so new to this car, this track, and
this series. The seat time was crucial for me to be
competitive. Because I had shown so much
confidence, my parents gave me the OK to race.
Qualifying was Saturday morning, but due to rain
over night, there was standing water on the track.
This had caused multiple spins and red flags for my
qualifying session. This allowed the whole group to
get only one timed green flag lap, I qualified
19th. For race 1, I experienced my first standing
start. Now that’s a ride!!! I was really
nervous, but I held my ground and moved up a couple
of positions at the start. During the race I moved
up from 19th to 14th and about three laps into the
race I was hit in my right rear wheel from someone
making their way back onto the track after they had
gone off in front of me. I ended up spinning and
finishing a lap down in 19th place.
I qualified for my second race in the 19th
position once again, but I made up for it at the
start. I was able to make my way up to 11th by mid
race but fell back to 13th which was where I stayed
for about 6 laps. As the race went on I made a few
rookie mistakes that unfortunately gave up a few
positions and caused me to finish 18th. But in the
end, I was able to prove that with a little more
seat time in the car, I will have more confidence
and be very competitive in the Star Mazda
Series.
Ashley Freiberg Races SCCA National with Star
Mazda Series Team GDT
Ashley Freiberg, a 17 year old junior at Lockport
High School in Homer Glen Illinois had the
opportunity for some (high level) practice prior to
the Skip Barber National Race weekend, April
23–26. Ashley attended the SCCA Oak Tree
Double National Race at the Virginia International
Raceway in Alton, Virginia with team GDT in a Pro
Star Mazda. Ashley is planning to race in the Star
Mazda Series next season, so this test has served
many answers. Ashley has learned a great deal this
week and we know this experience her will help her
along the way. Going into this race Ashley had no
expectations on were she will end up because of the
variety of different race cars in this class, the
goal was simply to get more seat time and make the
most out of it as well.
Ashley arrived at the track Thursday morning and
the team and crew were ready to get to work. They
had to make quite a few adjustments to the car to
fit Ashley, the position of the pedals, weights,
and more. In Ashley’s first session she was
only able to get four laps under green because of
multiple red flags. In fact, there wasn't one
session without a red flag, which allowed her group
to get in only 17 laps under green for the entire
practice day. By the end of the first day, Ashley
was able to lay down a lap time of 1:51:4. The
current Star Mazda Series drivers that had been at
VIR testing the week before were laying lap times
of low 1:50’s and high 1:48’s, so Ashley
was not far off.
On Friday morning Ashley had only two sessions,
a practice and a qualifying session. The first
practice, once again, was red flagged. So she ended
up using that round as a warm-up session. For
qualifying, it became more of a hunt for a lap with
no traffic than anything else. “Because I was
grouped with cars that had a very wide range of
speed, both much faster and much slower, and on top
of that with drivers with a very wide range of
talent, it was very difficult to find a free
lap,” said Ashley. She did happen to get one
clean open lap, where she pulled a lap time of
1:49:9. Ashley ended up qualifying 4th out of 57
cars and finished 5th in the race.
“I love driving this car! And it was really
exciting for me to know that I am capable of
pulling lap times within a second of the Star Mazda
pro drivers in my second time testing in the
car.” Ashley’s race was Saturday morning
April 18th; she couldn't wait to get into this
unbelievable race car. “This is so
unbelievably fast compared to some of the cars I
have driven Ashley said” It’s really
cool, the feeling of the arrow down force gives you
the confidence to drive the car much harder/faster
through turns, you can brake way later because of
the added down force also. With the results from
her two tests in this car, Ashley has been given
the “boost” and now has a better
understanding on what she needs to focus on.
“I am driven, I work hard…period, and I
will make it to THE NEXT LEVEL. I am confident that
I will be very competitive by the time April of
2010 rolls around.” Ashley said.
Team GDT has been great with me. The Engineer
and crew were very pleased with the results from
this weekend.” Bob Markley and lead Mechanic
Paul Mata have given me great support and
confidence. Everyone was great at Team GDT, I had a
blast, the car was awesome and I can’t wait
for an opportunity like this to come again. I would
also like to give a big thank you to JW Roberts for
this awesome opportunity.
This Wednesday, Ashley will be leaving once
again to VIR to race in the BF Goodrich Skip Barber
National Series presented by MAZDA. “It should
be interesting getting back into the Skip Barber
Race car, this car is a great learning tool and I
know I will always have a lot to learn”
Ashley’s races will be on Saturday and Sunday,
April 25-26, as support races to the Rolex
Series.
17-year-old Homer resident passes homecoming
dances for race track
It's an insurance agent's worst nightmare: a
17-year-old girl driving at speeds of up to 130
mph.
But Ashley Freiberg doesn't reach those
ridiculous speeds in her family's Chevy Suburban,
and the Lockport Township High School junior isn't
texting her "bff's" in the process. Freiberg
reaches those speeds in a Formula RT/2000, on a
three-mile race track.
The Homer Glen resident has a passion unlike
most her age, and her gender: she races in the BF
Goodrich Skip Barber Racing Series — a racing
series for entry-level open-wheel drivers. And she
races well.
Freiberg last month earned her first Skip Barber
Series victory — at the Sebring International
Raceway in Sebring, Florida.
"I still haven't stopped smiling about it,"
Freiberg said of her hard-fought victory, in which
she beat out a field of 16 drivers, all of which
were men. "As I got to the checkered flag I had
never felt so happy in my life... winning was an
unbelievably exciting and emotional moment for me,
my parents and some of my instructors and
mechanics. I put so much hard work into this."
That she did. Freiberg had been in pursuit of
her first Skip Barber Series victory for more than
two years.
She began racing open-wheel rides in December of
2006 — when she graduated from the Skip Barber
three-day race school. In her first race with the
Skip Barber Series in June of 2007, Freiberg
finished fourth out of 15 cars. In the two years
following her first race, Freiberg enrolled and
graduated from a number of premier racing schools
— including the Lyn St. James Driver
Development Academy.
"Lyn St. James was the first woman to compete in
the Indianapolis 500 — even before Danica
Patrick was around. In fact, [St. James' was
Danica's mentor," Freiberg said. "You have to
qualify to get into her school — she basically
picks girls that are serious about driving.
"The training I received there I couldn't have
received anywhere else."
Freiberg's need for speed began when she was
just 13 years old.
"My brother and his friend raced go-karts. I
always thought it was too dangerous and that I
wouldn't be good at it, but I gave it a try."
Four championships later, including a World
Karting Association national championship, Freiberg
moved on to the bigger steering wheel.
Freiberg said her victory in Sebring on
Saturday, Feb. 14, came down to the final laps of
the 13-lap, 39-mile race.
With two laps to go in the race, during which
Freiberg led at one point by 10 car-lengths, the
second place car passed her for the lead at the
white flag.
That's when she said her Skip Barber instructor,
professional race car driver and friend, Gerardo
Bonilla, helped her maintain her focus.
"He told me, "alright Ashley, this is going to
be the best lap of your life — come on girl,
let's go, let's go!'"
She then passed her opponent and lengthened her
lead — and drove past the checkered line with
arms pumping up and down. A bucket of ice water
over her head followed minutes later — a
tradition for first-time Skip Barber race
winners.
Freiberg said it doesn't really phase her that
she is a female competing — and winning —
in a predominately male sport.
"Honestly, it doesn't really affect me. Once
you're in the car it doesn't matter whose driving
it — it's how fast you're driving it," she
said. "I'll admit I do get more attention because
of it, and that does make it more difficult.
Sometimes people will be quick to point out an
error I make just because I am a girl."
The adrenaline rush of traveling at speeds in
excess of 100 mph is what draws her to the sport,
she said.
"It's so exciting — I love everything about
it. The adrenaline rush is so crazy, I love being
at high speeds, wheel-to-wheel with another
driver."
Racing has caused Freiberg to miss out on
certain things most 17-year-old high school juniors
do.
"I recently had a choice between going to my
homecoming dance or my first stock car race," she
said, adding that she chose the stock car race. "It
makes me feel a little left out but at the same
time it's worth it — this is what I love to do
and I am pursuing it as a profession." She still
finds time to be honor roll student at LTHS.
Freiberg said she has her parents to thank,
along with all the coaches and mentors she has come
across, for helping her along the way.
"I would never be as far as I am today without
the help of my parents," she said. Her parents
often foot costs in the thousands of dollars for
her to race. "They have supported me so incredibly
much during my race career — I don't know what
I'd do without them."
Ashley's parents, Chuck and Donna Freiberg,
admitted it's a little nerve-racking watching their
daughter reach ridiculous speeds on the track.
"She's been in a couple of bad wrecks but the
safety equipment is just great," Chuck Freiberg
said. "You kind of cringe when she's on the race
track, but you have to let them do what they to
do."
He said he was one proud father to see his
daughter take home her first Skip Barber Series
race.
"My wife and I were both there [for the
race]. It was an unbelievable feeling —
she has worked so hard for it over the years
between training, dieting and working out."
Up next for Ashley Freiberg is participation in
a support race for the American Le Mans race in
Sebring, Florida on Tuesday, March 17. Her next
Skip Barber Series race is planned for Friday,
April 24.
"It's so exciting — I love everything about
it. The adrenaline rush is so crazy, I love being
at high speeds, wheel-to-wheel with another
driver." Ashley Freiberg, on reaching speeds of up
to 130 mph on the race track.
Ashley Freiberg Captures First Win in BF
Goodrich Skip Barber Race Series presented by
MAZDA
It was Saturday morning; 17 year old Ashley
Freiberg of Homer Glen Illinois, and a Lockport
High School Junior arrived at the Sebring
International Raceway in Sebring, Florida to race
in the BF Goodrich Skip Barber Race
Series presented by MAZDA. This race weekend
actually started the Thursday before, but because
she did not want to miss any school days, she
decided to skip the Thursday and Friday practices
and show up for the qualifying runs that morning.
“I really wasn’t all that worried,”
said Ashley, “I’ve had some seat time
there, and because I’m in AP and Honors
classes, it’s just too difficult for me to
miss school.” Ashley was paired up with Skip
Barber instructor, professional race car driver and
friend, Gerardo Bonilla, who had helped her
throughout the entire weekend. Gerardo was at
Ashley’s side to study track maps, review car
data, in-car videos, and radio coaching
Results
Ashley Freiberg started
her racing career as an 11 year old working as a
Burris Circle Tour official in timing and scoring.
Her brothers, Eric and Brian, raced go karts on
asphalt ovals and, at the time, she was more
interested in playing basketball. As time went on,
she became more interested in racing. At 13, when
her brothers moved on to road racing with go karts
of higher speeds on road courses, she decided to
give it a try. So Ashleys dad, Chuck, sent her out
to the Jim Hall Kart Racing School out in Ventura,
California. That was where she fell in love with
the sport.
In December 2004, she
attended her first race with the World Karting
Association at the Daytona International Speedway
on the 24 Hour Road Course. There she raced in the
Jr. Sprint Lite and Heavy classes which reached
speeds up to 80 mph. That season, she raced in all
WKA races along with all of the Championship Enduro
Series (CES) races. At the end of the season, she
finished 7th in points with WKA and 4th in CES.
Finishing in the top ten in both series in her
first year of racing was a huge accomplishment and
she now knew she had the potential to finish at the
top.
The next season, in 2006,
she had to continue racing in the Jr. Sprint
classes for both series because she wasnt old
enough to move forward yet. At the end of that
year, she was undefeated in two different classes
in CES and also won a National Championship in WKA.
After winning these three championships in only her
second year, she decided it was time to start a new
challenge and step up to cars.
In 2007, Ashley attended
both the Three-day School and the Two-day Advanced
School with Skip Barber, so that in the summer she
could race in the Skip Barber Midwestern Series.
She also moved up to the Piston Port Can 340 and
360 classes with CES. Because she was racing the
Skip Barber Series, she didnt have enough time to
also race in the WKA series, but she did happen to
find time for one WKA race and it was the last race
of the season at Road Atlanta in Braselton,
Georgia. There she broke the undefeated season of
the points leader and took 1st place. She also won
her 4th karting championship in CES.
This year Ashley has
accumulated six top 5 finishes in the Skip Barber
Racing Series and 5 podium finishes. She also
attended her first race in the Formula Mazda with
the Sports Car Club of America National race at the
Infineon Raceway in Sanoma, California. There she
started 26th and worked her way up to finishing 4th
in her class. She has also recently moved up to
racing 125 cc shifters with CES, and in her only
race where she had no mechanical problems that
caused her to fall out, she finished 5th out of 19.
Ashley has also decided to start experimenting with
different types of racing to see what fits her
driving style best. This summer Ashley attended the
Finish Line Racing School in New Smyrna, Florida,
and has tested in a stock car at Hickory in North
Carolina, so she could get a taste of what its like
to drive a stock car. Ashley had also recently had
some help from Mazda to attend her first Skip
Barber National race at Road America in Elkhart
Lake, Wisconsin. There she qualified 10th and
finished 7th in her Saturday race, and qualified
6th for Sundays race but had a mishap in turn
one.
For the year of 2009
Ashley is planning on racing in a couple BF
Goodrich Skip Barber National Series presented by
MAZDA races depending on how well she does at the
Skip Barber Karting Shootout on December 27, 2008.
She is currently looking into a few Star Mazda
teams and looking for some days to do a few
practice/test sessions. She is currently racing in
the Skip Barber Southern Series and racing her
shifter kart as often as possible. Ashley is
planning on racing in a few SCCA races as well to
get as much seat time as possible. Ashleys main
goal is to get a ride in the Indy Racing
League.
Schedule
2010
I am planning on competing for the BF Goodrich
Skip Barber National Championship presented by
MAZDA. I am graduating Highschool in January so I
can put 110% of my focus toward winning the season
so that I can win the full season in the Star Mazda
2011 Championship. Before the Skip Barber National
season starts, I will be testing in the Star Mazda
car as much as possible.
* * *
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