Amanda

Reimann follows in father's footprints - um, wide tire tracks

BY DAVID MORSE
For the Star When Amanda Reimann, who will be a senior at Chugiak High School next fall, asked her dad for the keys to the family car he was a bit hesitant.
Unlike most who have a mid-size SUV parked in the driveway, the vehicle parked in front of the Reimann’s Peters Creek garage is a 1,400-pound, 18-foot dragster with an 1,000 horsepower engine capable of reaching speeds in excess of 180 mph.

Amanda Reimann

But the 17-year-old has proven herself capable of handling a hot rod, having won multiple junior drag racing titles over the years. Now that she is driving the dragster against much older men, including her father Steve, she is making a name for herself in Alaska Drag Racing circles.
She has a bloodline pumping with the 118 octane level fuel that powers her dragster at more than $13 a gallon.
While Amanda’s father is not able to fit into the cockpit with her during hair-raising stints run at nearly 150 mph down a quarter-mile strip - clocking about 8.3 seconds - her father still plays integral part in Amanda’s success.
“My dad’s my crew chief, my mechanic, my everything,” she said, estimating that her father spends anywhere from 12 hours to 15 hours weekly on the family’s obsession - race vehicles.
Steve Reimann watched his daughter’s preparation for the Father’s Day race with a smile.
Who wouldn’t want their daughter to follow in their footprints, even if that print leaves a plume of oil-laced scent behind, along with a 14-foot tether to a parachute?
Steve had his start in racing back in Minneapolis in the late 1960s, he said.
In 1990 he moved to Alaska and has been a regular at the Alaska Raceway Park nearly ever since.
“It’s been a hobby of mine forever,” he said. “I’m pretty thrilled that my kids have gotten into it as well.”
Amanda is not alone on race day in the Reimann’s pits; her younger brother CJ has shown a flair for drag racing as well, but has moved into the modified snowmachine category.
CJ has already piloted his “jet sled,” equipped with wheels, rather than skis, at more than 110 mph.
But the siblings’ need for speed has been kept in check.
Amanda’s dragster was originally built and driven by her dad. In recent years, with his children showing a flair for the sport like their father, Steve had moved up to a larger block engine, a 560 cubic inch monster, capable of more than 1,000 horsepower and speeds in excess of 180 mph.
“He won’t let me have the bigger engine - yet,” said the 17-year old.
Amanda said that she has wanted to race since age four, having watched her father compete.
She has had to take gradual steps, advancing through the junior ranks.
On Father’s Day, she saw two of her former cars, junior dragsters, brought to the line.
Amanda raced the junior circuit from age 8 to 15.
In 2003, at 11 years old, she placed second - to her brother who was nine at the time.
Amanda said the sport holds a lot of allure for her.
The sport is expensive however, she said.
Sponsored by AVID, an audio-visual installation and design company owned by her father, Amanda burns nearly 2 gallons of fuel per run.
“Usually there’s two qualifying runs before the elimination finals,” she said.
Given the usual crowd of six to eight entrants in her division, another three races per day, brings the total to more than $120 in fuel costs alone, not including the gas needed to prime the engine and run pre-race and post-race diagnostics.
With track entry fees as well, the costs rev up.
“It’s pretty expensive to come out every weekend,” admitted Steve. “Fortunately, Mandy and CJ have been winning it back.”
The top two finishers in each division take home a 60/40 split of the class prize money. Plus, there’s contingency money offered by sponsors.
“And we’re always looking for sponsors,” said Amanda unabashedly.
Amanda is not the traditional metal head, she is an honors student at Chugiak High, carrying a 3.9 cumulative grade-point average. She expects to take at least one advanced placement course during her senior year.
“It’s just fun - I love going fast,” she said.
Reach the report at news@alaskastar.com.

This article published in The Alaska Star on Thursday, July 2, 2009.

Baby Fair in Anchorage.

 Hi everyone--I had my first booth at a Baby Fair in Anchorage and thought I would email a quick shot to you. The booth went over well-- traffic was steady and I seemed to get interest--always a good thing. Now maybe I will actually begin to get paid for this work!! So far all my ventures have been volunteer--but getting the word out by teaching parents to give their babies a massage is very rewarding for me whether it is a paid venture or not.

Summer is arriving here--we are getting rid of ash and getting down to green. Spring is a really pretty time up here. I will keep all updated--racing starts soon!!!

Love -Mary--Certified Educator of Infant Massage

NOT Spring Chickens!


Hi Terri--Steve is recovering from surgery well--slowly but well--I have just got so many irons in the fire I haven't been on email or internet
much--You have some more great recipes I will respond to soon on your blog--I'm sending this picture of some friends of mine--We went
to the wilderness on a train and cross country skiied and snowshoed and had fun on the train--We started out as the "NOT Spring Chickens"
and then my friend made up "peep necklaces" so we walked up and down the train to give"peep shows" :) and said we were Chicks gone wild-
it was so fun--there was a polka band on the train and about 750 people--Lots of fun and exercise--I really enjoyed the time with my
girlfriends--I have known all these girls since Kodiak--mid 1980-so we are good friends. Hope you and Chuck are hanging in there with
the bad economy--We have slowed down up here a bit and I would really like to get the other half of my warehouse rented out to stop
the negative cash flow!! Lots of love to you--We don't have too much ash fall here yet but things are still going on. The ash fall is mostly in
Trapper Creek where our cabin is--but we haven't had the chance to get there lately. More soon--Mary

Gone Fishing, Alaska Style.