New Breed Racing Team, Alesi and Ayrton Gerthe

November 19, 2004 - IHRA Drag Review - Porta-Tree Green Light Gang, An Interview With Mom, Lisa Gerthe, story by Jeanne Gendreau
The Gerthe family sat down in the early part of this year to compare race and track calendars to determine which races they hoped to attend. Parents Lisa and Duane and their junior racers Alesi and Ayrton then made a plan. Lisa Gerthe said, "We settled on racing for points at Lone Star Raceway as our priority, along with Temple Academy Dragway. We also decided to run the IHRA Mr. Gasket Pro-Am Division 4 schedule as well as the I-10 Series. We never dreamed that the '04 season would be such a special one for New Breed Racing." Ayrton won the 12-13 year old class at the PM-1 Junior Nationals held at San Antonio Raceway in March. A month later, fourteen-year-old Alesi won the Gambler's Race and the divisional at West Texas Raceway Park and Ayrton placed second at the divisional at Lone Star in May. Alesi placed second at the "re-re-rescheduled" divisional held at Lone Star Raceway, putting her in second place for junior points in Division 4. Alesi placed her sights on the track championship at Temple Academy Dragway. That would have put her in the Junior Race of Champions at the team finals, but she came up ten points behind in tying for the lead with just two weeks until the team finals. She decided to race with the Lone Star team. Ayrton did his best with the Temple Academy team, so he raced for Temple. The week between the last points race in Temple to the final points race at Lone Star was a very stressful week. Alesi had decided to give her spot up on the Temple team to her friend Garrett Jonse, but she knew she had to go rounds at Lone Star to make the team. Lisa said, "Not winning the track championship in Temple was difficult for Alesi, because she is extremely hard on herself, but I reminded her things don't always work out the way we'd like them to." "Her dad and I talked with Alesi and she knew she'd have to be mentally prepared for the challenge before her. We knew she could do it if she set her mind to it. Thanks to some good friends and lady luck, Alesi won the final points race at Lone Star, allowing her to achieve her goal of racing with Lone Star at the team finals." "On our way down to San Antonio on Thursday, Alesi told me she was determined to win the Iron Man on Sunday. Each day, she went over to the tower to have a visit with that Iron Man trophy and said she would touch it when the IHRA ladies were not looking!" Lisa said. "The kid's cars were performing beautifully and Alesi had been deadly on the tree and before we knew it, Ayrton had made it to the quarter finals and Alesi was in the finals in the Saturday night Gambler's Race against her friend Zack Kagels. There were over sixty cars in the Saturday night race and I hadn't moved her dial much all day, but when the race was over, her car had fallen off. We dialed her at 8.30 and she ran an 8.41. Alesi was disappointed, but happy for Zack. We were puzzled as we went over the car with a fine toothcomb and didn't find anything wrong. We worried all night. In the morning, we went to hear Pastor Bill Dickerson and, as usual, he had a message I know was just for our team! He talked of how we have to take responsibility and accountability for our actions and not blame others or our cars when things don't go our way. In addition, he talked about how we all have a purpose and we need to know God takes care of his people. He had me in tears because I was doing some soul searching and deep thinking, not only about my life, my kids and their cars, but also about a situation that had happened back home a few days before. Ayrton had a classmate that took her life and it shook our schools and our community. Pastor Bill spoke of an attitude of gratitude, which is what I am trying to instill in my children; learning to take a negative situation and make it a positive. That is what will get you through the tough times." On Sunday, out of a field of sixty-four cars, Alesi found herself in the finals and just one round away from that Iron Man she'd been visiting everyday. There was one car/driver standing between her and that trophy; Michael Zampese. Michael is also an excellent driver and as much as Alesi wanted the Iron Man she knew Michael wanted it just as bad. Alesi was nervous and she told her mom, "I don't want another second place." Lisa said, " Alesi and I talked as she sat in her car in the staging lanes. The track clean up and the running of the other classes gave us enough time to talk through her thoughts, so she could focus on the job she had before her." Alesi won the Division 4 Team Finals Junior Championship, Sunday, October 10, 2004 at San Antonio Raceway. Lisa said, "We are still floating in the clouds since that win light came on for Alesi. She worked so hard to win but it wouldn't have been possible without the love, help and support of so many people. Unless you race, especially in the junior class, it's hard to fully understand the relationships that develop between the teams, kids, parents and crew. These families become your family. We are grateful to every person who has helped with a tire tube, a chain, jets, fuel, race suits, towed us back to the pits, shared a starter, provided shade or spoken a word of encouragement. You share in our success." Ayrton finished fifth divisionally in Junior Dragster Advanced and Alesi finished second in Junior Dragster Masters. New Breed Racing thanks John Harden, Craig Blossom, Hunter Patton, Kim and Cindy Shapley, Chuck, Carol and Chris Talley, Travis and Kathy Crim, Rusty and Donna Kagels, Tim and Judy Lee, Todd and Judy Zampese, Greg and Peggy Duffield, Rick Dailey, Rae Jean and Brian Kilpatrick. Lisa finished, "Duane and I do our best to ensure our equipment is the best we can afford (sorry guys, we're spending it now), but it still takes a driver to 'Git-R-Done' as Michael Zampese would say! Duane and I feel we're blessed with the two most wonderful drivers any team could have and we're even more blessed to call them our children! Alesi, Ayrton; we love you and pray we are providing you with the proper foundation to be everything you dream to be and much, much more!"