Dotti Bechtol, 53, along with her hubby John, 60, could be seen competing with each other on the racing tracks. They both play with accelerators in nonprofessional vintage races held in O’Hara Township in Pennsylvania, USA.
Their ardent craze for Formula-1 racing was instrumental enough to pave their way into the vintage car events. They have covered major portion of the US and Canada, however, they could be seen competing mostly on the East Coast.
Now you must be wondering, who beats whom? Well, John comes out victorious most of the times, as Dotti says, it’s because, he ‘has the better car’. He drives a 1959 Lotus 18 and a 1969 Caldwell Formula Ford, while a British 1959 Elva MkIV is her favorite.
Sharing her experience on the tracks Bechtol said,
I am frequently the only female driver at races, and I get consistent comments from guy drivers that say they wish their wives would be more active in the sport. I don’t understand why more women don’t do it.
Forthcoming events:
The couple will compete on the 14th and 15th of this month in the 25th Anniversary Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix in Schenley Park. The Grand Prix in Schenley Park is the country’s major vintage event, witnessing more than 200,000 spectators’ enjoying the event as the cars zoom along the city streets.
More than 150 vintage cars with a total value of $10 million will take on the makeshift, two-lane course that involves bridges with stone walls, curbs and utility poles. Amazing ain’t it?
Racing as an escape
Apart from being a car racer, Dotti Bechtol, has been a successful person towards fund raising. She is the executive director of Health Hope Network, a nonprofit organization in Green Tree that provides free services to more than 200 stroke survivors in 30 locations across southwestern Pennsylvania. She says that her work is pretty tiring at times hence she ’sees racing as an escape’. Hmm... wish I could do it too, (sigh)!
