Broadly Meets Verena Mei. The story of an American female rally driver, and what it's like to compete head-to-head in a male-dominated sport.
Microsoft Lumia's Person of Action: Verena Mei
Some Girls Play Video Games, Verena Mei Lives Video Games
After Rally America posted Verena Mei's Fiesta Movement submission video a few months ago, she was chosen to become one of 100 Agents to be the voice of the new 2014 Ford Fiesta, with only 20 (including Verena) being ST agents.
Verena get's the use of a brand-new 2014 Ford Fiesta ST that comes with insurance and gas money! Every month Fiesta Movement sends her on a special mission to accomplish, based on the monthly theme. Verena then documents the mission for all to see as she also competes in the Rally America National Championship in a Ford Fiesta.
She most recently competed at the New England Forest Rally and landed fifth in the Two-Wheel Drive Category - her best finish of the year.
For the Fiesta Movement July was Gaming month and Ford sent Verena Mei on her second mission called Virtual Rally-ty. In this video segment Verena attempts to see which Verena Mei is faster on the rally stage; A real-life Verena or a virtual Verena. Check out her video:
"I love video games, but It's been years since I've played any, so I thought it would be super fun to see what it'd be like if Leanne and I rallied in the game. Most of my real footage was from last weekend at New England Forest Rally, which is now my favorite rally. I had a blast playing DIRT 3, and editing out all the laughter was the hardest part!"
"I love being part of the Fiesta Movement, and my 2014 Ford Fiesta ST is amazing! I wish my race car was that fast, responsive and comfortable!"
Don't miss Verena's first Fiesta Movement mission. June was #fitness month and Verena's first month as an agent. While back home in Hawaii, she set out on her mission to learn to paddle board on the north shore. "I always wanted to paddle board, and being in the ocean, in my element, was perfect for my first mission."
Join Verena on her adventures by following, liking, posting and let her know what her next adventure should be! #FiestaMovement @VerenaMei . August is #Adventure month for Fiesta Movement, so stay tuned she embarks on another awesome journey!
Source: Rally America
Three-time STPR® winner Nathalie Richard teams up with Verena Mei
This year’s Waste Management Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally®, presented by Citizens & Northern Bank, more commonly known as STPR®, turns the ‘girl power’ up a notch as champion Nathalie Richard will co-drive with Verena Mei for the tokidoki / TrueCar Rally team in the Fiesta dubbed “Trixie.” The rally is based out of Wellsboro, Pa. and runs Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1.
Nathalie Richard will co-drive Verena Mei at STPR
Nathalie Richard, who's won more rallies than any other co-driver in North America, will call the notes for Verena Mei at next week's Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally.
Mei's regular co-driver Leanne Junnila is unavailable: Richard's perennial pilot Antoine L'estage is unable to compete after the big accident at the Oregon Trail Rally which wrecked his Mitsubishi Lancer WRC...
And so 8-times champion Richard is taking over in the co-driver for the young U.S. driver in her Fiesta.
L'estage has tweeted: "Good luck, and have fun girls..."
The Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally - STPR - starts on Friday May 31 in Wellsboro Pennsylvania.
Source: iRally
8 Time North American Champion Nathalie Richard Co-Drives with Verena Mei and the tokidoki/TrueCar Rally Team at STPR
Verena Mei & Nathalie Richard team-up for STPR
This year for STPR, Verena Mei brings on the most decorated Co-Driver in North America, Nathalie Richard, as a guest Co-Driver for the tokidoki / TrueCar Rally Team. "I'm very excited to drive with the record setting North American Champion! It will be a great experience driving with Nathalie. She's won STPR 3 times, including last year, so I know she'll push me hard. I'm very fortunate to work with empowering women," says Verena Mei.
Richard, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, who usually co-drives for Antoine L'Estage on the Rockstar Energy Drink Rally Team, will take Leanne's Junnila's seat for STPR. Junnila will return to New England Forest Rally with Verena and the tokidoki/TrueCar Rally Team and together, complete the rest of the 2013 Rally America season.
Please welcome Nathalie to the tokidoki/TrueCar Rally Team at STPR!
Keep up on the latest with Verena and Nathalie:
Twitter/Instagram @VerenaMei @NathalieRally
facebook.com/VerenaMeiRacing
facebook.com/NathalieRichardRally
verenamei.com, nathalierichard.com
Photo: Pinky Yoshimoto/Aaron Kathman
Source: Rally America
Rally America’s Verena Mei Surprises With New Co-Driver for STPR
As the days to STPR (Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally) rapidly approach, rally driver Verena Mei suddenly learned that her regular co-driver Leanne Junnila would not be available for the event. Leanne has been working hard at school and won a scholarship which gave her a rare opportunity to present at an International Design conference. As it would happen this conference that is only held once a year is the same weekend as the next round of the Rally America Championship. That didn’t leave Verena much time to get acquainted with someone new for the upcoming rally in Pennsylvania.
If we rewind back a little bit, you might remember the loss of the Rockstar Energy Team’s 2005 WRC Lancer at the Oregon Trail Rally a couple of weeks ago. Not having a car meant that the team had to pull out of STPR and possibly future Rally America rounds this season. Apparently that loss has a bit of a silver lining for Verena Mei. As fate would have it Rockstar Energy Co-Driver Nathalie Richard was now available and willing to step into the right seat to take Leanne Junnila’s place in the Tokidoki/TrueCar Rally Team Ford Fiesta for the STPR event.
Source: OpenPaddock.net
Ford Racing Gears Up for Second Round of Fiesta Movement
TrueCar Racing Names 2013 "Women Empowered Initiative" Team
TrueCar, an automotive pricing information and analysis company that creates a better buying experience for dealers and consumers, today announced the 2013 TrueCar Racing Women Empowered Initiative all-female racing team.
This season, the program will focus on supporting up-and-coming drivers at a grass-roots level as they continue to advance through the motorsports ladder. Ashley Freiberg, IMSA GT3Cup Challenge; Shea Holbrook, Pirelli World Challenge; Verena Mei, Rally America and Emilee Tominovich, Mazda MX-5 Cup will all be returning to the program for a second consecutive season.
Verena Mei returns to the 2013 Rally America National Championship, Oregon Trail Rally with Upgraded #335 tokidoki/TrueCar Ford Fiesta
Verena Mei and Leanne Junnila are back for their second year at Oregon Trail Rally! Last year the only all-female Rally America National Championship team, placed top-10 overall in the B-Spec TrueCar Ford Fiesta #335. This year Verena's tokidoki/TrueCar Ford Fiesta has moved up to the G2 class while still running the stock 1.6L 120hp Fiesta engine.
"Oregon Trail is my favorite event of the Rally America season, and I'm excited for it to start! I love the mix of tarmac, tight & twisty, and fast & flowing stages.” said Mei. “With all the long straights, and having a major horsepower disadvantage, I’m going to be pushing hard to keep my speed up in the corners. This weekend I have Fiesta R2 front brakes which allows me to brake so much later, and I'll be able to shave off a lot of time. I came into the 2013 season with a whole different mind set, more experience and confidence . . . I'm going for it!"
As always, Verena will be bringing something special to the race for the fans. Verena Mei's 2013 tokidoki hero card will make its debut this weekend at Oregon Trail Rally and will include original art by tokidoki co-founder Simone Legno and the new “Star Girl” tokidoki character based on Verena. There will also be new tokidoki x Verena Mei stickers - including the "Star Girl", “Rally Porcino” character. Last but not least there will be a contest sponsored by tokidoki!
tokidoki Verena Mei Twitter contest!
Verena's fans can enter to win $75 in tokidoki / TKDK merchandise!
How to enter: 1) Follow @VerenaMei on Twitter 2) retweet her "follow @VerenaMei on the Oregon Trail" post
One winner will be randomly selected and announced on 5/10/13
Source: Rally America
Verena Mei Secures Continued Sponsorship Support from Tokidoki
Tokidoki, the pop culture brand meaning “sometimes” in Japanese, is speeding onto the racetrack this year with its continued sponsorship of TrueCar/Star Girl Racing Rally Driver Verena Mei, driver for the only all-female team in the 2013 Rally America National Championship.
tokidoki is thrilled to support rally racing through sponsorship of Mei and her team. “Verena is a great driver, and she embodies the tokdioki spirit. She is tough and aggressive behind the wheel, while still being feminine and fashionable out of the car,” says tokidoki creative director, Simone Legno. “We’re excited to be a part of Verena’s winning team.”
Verena and her co-driver, Leanne Junnila won the B-Spec Championship in 2012 started their 2013 season by placing 5th in 2WD National Class at last weekend’s Rally America’s Sno*Drift.
tokidoki Announces Sponsorship of TrueCar/Star Girl Racing Team Driver Verena Mei
tokidoki, the pop culture brand meaning “sometimes” in Japanese, is speeding onto the racetrack this year with its continued sponsorship of TrueCar/Star Girl Racing Rally Driver Verena Mei, driver for the only all-female team in the 2013 Rally America National Championship.
tokidoki is thrilled to support rally racing through sponsorship of Mei and her team. “Verena is a great driver, and she embodies the tokdioki spirit. She is tough and aggressive behind the wheel, while still being feminine and fashionable out of the car,” says tokidoki creative director, Simone Legno. “We’re excited to be a part of Verena’s winning team.”
Verena and her co-driver, Leanne Junnila won the B-Spec Championship in 2012 started their 2013 season by placing 5th in 2WD National Class at last weekend’s Rally America’s Sno*Drift.
TrueCar/Star Girl Racing Return for 2nd Year in Rally America
After their first year in Rally America where they finished 4th in overall 2WD and won the 2012 B-Spec Championship – the first all-female team to win any championship in Rally America’s history, Verena Mei and Leanne Junilla return to Sno*Drift today in Atlanta MI where temperatures will reach a low of – 9 degrees and snow is expected. The competition will be intense with both Ken Block and the 2012 overall champion, David Higgins both running.
"I've never been more excited to race than I am at Sno*Drift this year.” Said Mei, “Now that I have a rally season under my belt, have been working with Leanne for a year now, and more confidence behind the wheel, this race is a completely different race for me than last year."
The Girls of TrueCar Racing on Comcast SportsNet
The Girls of TrueCar Racing on Comcast SportsNet
Click here to watch them on a live taping: Comcast SportsNet TrueCar Racing
Some Girls Chase Boys, Verena Mei Just Passes Them
Don’t underestimate an Asian woman with mission and a passion. Verena Mei is a member of TrueCar Racing’s “Women Empowered” Initiative and a Rally America Driver. She’s appeared in the blockbuster movies “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift,” and “Rush Hour 2.” I got a chance to meet and talk with the beautiful and affable “fastest Asian-American female in the US” at the Indy Grand Prix Sonoma races this past Saturday.
TrueCar Racing Team in San Francisco Chronicle "All-female Team has True Passion for Racing Cars"
All the women of TrueCar Racing are at Sonoma this weekend to promote the team, although Legge and Shea Holbrook (in the Pirelli World Challenge series) are the only ones racing. That includes Emilee Tominovich, only 19, who is on track to join the American Le Mans series, and Rally America B-Spec series champion Verena Mei.
TrueCar Racing, the brainchild of CEO Scott Painter, is the first all-female racing team, with six drivers in six different series . . Mei is a former Hollywood stunt driver ("The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift"), and she and co-driver Leanne Junnila are the first all-female team to win a season Rally Car title.
"It's something that has changed my life," Mei said. "We've all been pursuing racing individually, and not having the tools to get to where we want to be has been the biggest challenge for all of us. ... Now we really have a chance to compete at the top levels."
tokoidoki Creates “Star Girl” Character for Verena Mei’s #335
tokidoki/TrueCar Ford Fiesta to Début at Rally America’s 2nd 2013 National Championship Event: “The Rally in the 100 Acre Wood”
If the new graphics on the #335 tokidoki/TrueCar Ford Fiesta look familiar, look to the drivers seat. Lead sponsor tokidoki has created a new character based on driver Verena Mei’s passion for racing, fashion and all things tokidoki. The character has been named “Star Girl” in honor of Mei’s Racing Team and lifestyle brand, Star Girl Racing.
“This is really taking sponsorship to a different level” said Tim O’Neil, co-sponsor and owner of Team O’Neil “bringing in such a great non-endemic brand is one thing, them creating a racing character based on a driver to go with their branding is very smart and brings new possibilities to the sport.”