One of the only female Masters drivers, Neena Kik has been making a name for herself this year. With a deep family connection to racing and a love for traveling, Neena currently sits in the top five in national points, and is working hard to finish strong for what could be her last fully dedicated year racing.
Hometown: Hermiston, Oregon
Division: Masters (Asphalt)
Number: 3
1. How did you get into racing?
Well racing has always been a part of my family. My grandfather built the Hermiston Raceway back in 1967, so ever since then we have been in the racing game. We never really raced ovals until my dad won a raffle ticket for an old model Legend Car, and the next thing you know, each of us had our own. I started racing when I was 30 years old, in 2010. I actually started in the Hornet class, but the next season I got into a Legend, thanks to my dad.
2. What has been your favorite racing memory?
My favorite moment was when I won my first main event ever, and it was actually here in Hermiston. We had a Friday race, which was out of the norm for me, and I actually got hit and rolled my car three times. Well, my dad had an extra body, so we put his body on my car, and I called my car Frankenstein. That next race out, I came out with a vengeance, and I won my first main event. It was so much fun.
3. What has been your favorite track to race on?
Every track has special piece to it. Hermiston Raceway is my home track and it’s sentimental and special to me because of that family connection. Plus, it’s literally next-door to where we live, which makes its easy travel wise. I also love Wenatchee because it is super close racing. Stateline is a fun track too. For road course I’d say the Oregon Raceway Park was the most challenging one I’ve ever done, but that made it exciting. And Pacific Raceway is just beautiful. I also think the road course at Las Vegas is so fun because it is flat and very fast. So, I like a lot of different tracks, but I’d say that we stick more to our local tracks, especially because we are the dealers for Hermiston, Wenatchee, and Stateline. Often the schedules conflict, and we have to be at these tracks over any others.
4. How do you get focused or in the zone before a race?
I just get in and go pretty much. I don’t really have a specific routine. I just make sure my tire pressures are where they need to be, that my car is fueled up, and that the nuts and bolts are good and tight, so nothing falls off. Sometimes when I’m in the staging area and I’ve gotten sinched in, I do pray for everyone’s safety and patience and wisdom to drive smart. I also pray for my own safety, patience, and wisdom as well, so that I don’t get angry or over drive my car. I just try to breathe because when I was working at parole and probation, I found I am actually very calm in high stress situations. And it’s the same situation here. I put myself into a calm state and just do what I have to do. I also discovered this year that bubble braids are good luck for me. I know that sounds kind of weird, but I didn’t do it in Vegas last weekend on Saturday, and my race wasn’t as good.
5. Who is your role model in racing?
I’ve always admired Peyton Saxton and his driving style, and when I was running road course, Jesse Love amazed me. I knew he was going to make it to NASCAR. I just didn’t know he would make it that fast. Watching some of these kids, and how humble they are and how hard they work is pretty amazing to me. It makes me excited for the future of racing.
6. What are your ultimate racing goals?
I’m 44 years old, so I’m not going to NASCAR or anything, but I just want to have fun honestly Racing is my outlet. I set my goal in February to win the Hermiston Championship, and I did that. And then noticed that I’m currently fifth in national points, which kind of sparked another fire in me. I am ecstatic about it because I have never been up that high in national points. I think my highest previous to this year was twelfth or thirteenth, and that was even when I was running a lot.
7. Where did your “Dang3rous” nickname come from?
When we first started racing, we all got used cars, with a number established to the car. Well, my dad and my two brothers-in-law, all changed their numbers, and subsequently blew up their motors. So, I thought maybe I shouldn’t change my number, because I think it might be cursed to do that. So, when I got my first car, it had a 3 on it, and I just kept it that way. And then Russell Wilson came out on the Seahawks and was number 3, so I made it into a Seahawk theme car, and it was always Dang3ous Wilson, so I just decided to use the name. But it’s not because I’m dangerous on the track or anything. I’ve since moved away from that theme, and now have one that I like a lot more because it represents me, and not someone else.
8. What has your experience been like being one of the only female Masters drivers?
I’m just one of the guys. I just go out there, put my helmet on, and race. I don’t see myself as a woman on the track, just a driver, and I would hope people wouldn’t race me differently because I’m a woman. I’m in a man’s sport, but I do know that we have a lot more talented women coming up in the sport, and that’s exciting. At the beginning I was the only female in our area that was racing for a few years, so I’m glad to see that has changed.
9. How is it sharing the love of racing with your family?
It really makes it special. Racing has been a family thing since we started in 2010. My dad pretty much does anything he can to keep us on the track. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my parents. My nephew is 15, so and it’s his first fully dedicated season towards the Legend Car. Prior to that he did Bandos for about two years, so it has been fun to see him grow. We all just stick together and learn from each other, and I really love it.
10. What do you like to do outside of racing?
I have a daughter, who will be three in December, so I love spending time with her. I also really like to travel. I used to work with the county doing parole and probation, but now I’m a stay-at-home mom and work from home, which is nice. Everyone always asks if it’s my last year racing, and to be honest, I don’t know. My daughter is an IVF baby, and I have one more embryo. I’m working on my second transfer this month, and if it does take, then I’m probably going to be out next year. That’s why I gave it my full commitment this year. If I do race after that, it will probably be just here and there. I mean I put in 14 years of racing, and I’ll still have my car, so it’ll be race ready for when I do choose to go. But it just all depends on what life chooses to bring.
11. What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out in racing?
I would say be patient, take every experience, and learn something from it. Learn how to work on your car, don’t just be a driver, but know your car. My dad was very big on that. He said that if we wanted to race, we had to learn about our cars. I set goals every year with what I wanted to learn and realized that knowing all about your car helps you to be a better driver. It’s more gratifying when you know what’s going on.
12. What surprised you the most about racing?
These are hard cars to drive. They are hard to learn, they are hard to chase, and hard to understand their geometry. I was never good at math, but the geometry of these cars is very important, and I never knew how much went into the setup of these cars. I mean driving skill is important but if you don’t have a good setup then you won’t be as successful as you could be. This was the first year I gave control of the setup to someone else. That was hard for me, but it has paid off.
13. What is the biggest lesson that racing has taught you?
Don’t let your anger get to you. There was a moment when my anger got the best of me and caused me to take it out on another car and driver. I got out of my car after, and I realized that I was actually more embarrassed about my actions than what I got out of it. I did more damage to my car than their car, so it really was karma for me. So just don’t let the anger get the best of you because it is never worth it. I told my dad, if I ever do that again, don’t let me get back in that car. It’s normal to get angry or upset, but you can’t let it impact your behavior. It’s a learning process about how to handle those situations, but it is also one of the most important lessons.