Melanie Snow: A Shining Example Of Success
June 24, 2011 by Admin
Filed under Motorsport News
Three regulars from the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama are competing in the Porsche Carrera World Cup Saturday at the Nürburgring in Germany: Melanie Snow, who usually campaigns the #56 Snow Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car, Perry Bortolotti, whose #84 SpeedMerchants-Fiorano Racing entry competes in both the US series and the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada and Muscle Milk Team CytoSport’s #6, Mark Bullitt.
Snow arrived early at Nürburgring to take advantage of the touristenfahrten, or public drive-arounds of the racetrack. Behind the wheel of a rental Mercedes for several solid laps of the track, Snow noticed a strange symbol on the dashboard. “After about 4 laps a steaming coffee cup display shows up on the dash. I took the manual to the front desk of the hotel and asked them to translate. It means the car had been swerving and the driver needs a break!!” It is, after all, the Nürburgring Snow also noted the public’s enthusiasm while running their personal cars on the racetrack over the weekend. “It’s pretty crazy – anyone with a driver’s license can run the track. We saw lots of accidents Saturday! We went through a section in pouring down rain, and then two turns later we were on a dry track, so there was a lot going on. We saw motorcyclists down after a crash, car body parts scattered on the track and even a husband and wife fighting trackside after destroying their Lotus!”
“There’s been a lot of rain, but you just have to go with the flow. I’ve still haven’t got to take a dry lap, all my laps have been in the wet. But I’ve got the patches on my suit, all my gear passed tech, I fit in the seat perfectly and am ready to hit the track, so I hope all goes well in the first session. “But I have to say – my cheeks hurt from smiling so much! I’ve had a constant smile on my face, this track is just unbelievable.”
Porsche Motorsport North America President Jens Walther on Melanie Snow: “We thought it would be ideal for Melanie Snow, a mom and race car driving instructor, to represent Porsche at this unique race. As a former IMSA GT3 Gold Cup and ALMS GTC co-champion, she is certainly qualified as a driver – and as a successful career woman and mom, she can relate to our current and potential 911 customers. Porsche Motorsports North America would also like to encourage women who are up-and-coming in the motorsports world to consider the IMSA GT3 Challenge as a stepping stone to build their career, and Melanie is certainly a shining example of success in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.”
Qualifying for the Porsche Carrera World Cup takes place Friday at 3:25pm CEST, with the six-lap race at 11:30am CEST, just before the ADAC Zurich 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
Source: IMSA Racing
Photo: Friedrichphoto.com
