Deb Mefford Marion, Iowa RacinMamma24@aol.com

Bio:

My name Deb Mefford and I race in the Women on Wheels division at Hawkeye Downs, in the Saturday Night Short Track Program. I live in MArion, IA with my husband Jim, who is also my crew chief and mechanic. We also team with Tink Willey who runs in the Outlaw Superstocks on Sat. nights and the Superstocks on Fri. nights. I have 2 grown children, a daughter and a son, and also a grown step-daughter. We have 2 granddaughters that love racing, and we are waiting for a 3rd grand baby in Jan. I started racing in 1996 in a couple of Women on Wheels races to get some practice to run in an Outlaw Hobystock class that year. My 1st big race would be that race, and also my first big wreck. It is one I hope to not ever see again. But, I was the only car out of several that made it back out and I didn't even finish last! What a rush. I got hooked on the "need for speed" as a kid, my hot rod uncle kinda started it, and it just went from there. I got the name Motorhead in high school because I would race with the boys and wanted to hang around with the guys and their cars. I enjoy having good finishes at the races. It means alot to me to see my husband and fans be thrilled with good runs. It is so much fun to have good close and clean racing, and at the end when the fans are screaming and cheering, it's that that makes it so great and fun. And for all the drivers to have had fun is very important,too.

YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCE: In the racing, I'd have to say alot of people, I spent alot of years watching what different drivers do and mentally teaching myself for when the time came to get in a car I'd learn from what I haad watched several drivers do.

YOUR FAVORITE MUSIC PERFORMER: Stevie Nicks

YOUR FAVORITE FOOD: A good juicy steak

YOUR FAVORITE DRIVER: Jeff Gordon (I get alot kidding)

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT YOURSELF, YOU: Oh, I don't think I want to tell that one.

FIVE YEARS FROM NOW I HOPE TO BE DOING: Racing in the Superstocks, and maybe just one time having a chance to hot lap a Sportsman car.

FIRST RACING EXPERIENCE: Women on Wheels in 1996

FIRST BIG CRASH: Outlaw Hobbystock special in 1996

BEST PART OF RACING: Close, clean and hard racing and getting the best finish you can, and still like each other.

WORST PART OF RACING: Bad calls by officials and people who wouln't just race, have fun and have to be dirty doing it.

IF YOU WEREN'T RACING YOU WOULD BE DOING: Boy, I couldn't tell you. This has been the kind of life I've had ever since being with my husband, camping more? It's to hard to say.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY TO YOUR FANS: THANK-YOU so much for all your support, all the kind things you say and for all the good wishes. It means alot to our race team and I love to give you the kind of entertainment you pay to come watch and support. Without the fans we wouldn't have a show.

Pit Crew:

My husband Jim is crewchief, mechanis, body man, etc. We get alot of help from Tink Willey and my son Travis who also races part time, and many friends and family. Also, there is always some one in the pits from other teams that are always there to help and that is "racing family".

Car:

It's a 1984 Monte Carlo that my little sister trashed a few times and then she blew the motor and parked it in a field and we aquired it in 1997 and just thru it together in 1999 and went racing and have learned along the way, and it was hard first 2 years. I used te get a "little" mad at it and threaten it, telling it I was gonna put it in the wall if it didn't start behaving like a race car. LAst year we got it to come around and figured some stuff out and this year the car just decided to handle great for us and we have had a great year with the car.