We had a fun chat with Michele Graaff; a passionate Mini GP owner who takes to the track on weekends. Michele is one of many people we are fortunate to talk with who will inspire you to get in your car and take it to the track. Not only is she a talented driver and the VP of the Puget Sound MINI Motoring Club, but she also has a great sense of humor and one of those people you just want to be friends with as soon as you meet her.
More about Michele in her own words:
”I am an academic advisor at University of Washington, writer and editor on the side, working on a few different freelance projects. Owning a MINI was a catalyst for learning performance driving because it’s such an accessible car for a lot of people Upgrading to the MINI JCW GP came from realizing my track skills would eventually require bigger brakes, and some other improvements. I love MINI so much that I was recently elected vice president of Puget Sound MINI Motoring Club. We are an all-female volunteer board of the largest non-profit MINI club in the region. Our mission is to encourage local owners enjoy the culture of MINI. My personal journey has put me onto the track, so most of my free time is spent nerding out over how to become a better driver. I’ve done this mostly alone, picking the brains of a handful of amazing coaches and friends, and lots of reading. This has evolved into me wanting more drivers (especially women!) to understand that getting out on the track isn’t just for people with the “right car” or giant bank account (though you’ll certainly go broke with this passion.) We are fortunate to have a lot of great resources for high performance driving in our area, from ProFormance to the local car clubs hosting HPDE days. Right now, I’m starting to learn pit crew support for a couple of IRDC/ICSCC racing friends. Maybe a race car will be in my future, but for now, I love my MINI GP and everything that goes with it.”
You can find more from Michele on her IG: https://www.instagram.com/mgsees/
