June 18, 2025 • 44 mins
Kelly Anderson shares her extraordinary journey from a 51-year-old grandmother to a wheelie-popping drag racer with a mission to help foster children through motorsports. Her passion for racing ignited when she scribbled "I want to drag race" on a napkin at a coaching event, leading to her first race in October 2019 and eventually developing into a nonprofit organization helping foster youth.
• Recovery from alcoholism gave Kelly the confidence to pursue new dreams at age 51
• Achieved a perfect reaction time on her fourth pass down the drag strip
• Created MAVIX Community Outreach to introduce foster children to motorsports
• Expanded into land speed racing after her home track at Irwindale closed
• Named a Hoosier Hero ambassador from among 2,000 nominees
• Brings race cars to schools where troubled teens and foster youth can experience motorsports
• Racing transformed her from someone without direction into a confident woman with purpose
• Plans to develop scholarships connecting foster youth with motorsports trade opportunities
To support MAVIX Community Outreach or learn more, visit mavixcommunity.org or email mavixcommunity@gmail.com.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/womensmotorsportsnetworki/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/womensmotorsportsnetwork/
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindarussell/
TIKTOK: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindarussell/
X: https://x.com/IWMANation
FACEBOOK Personal Page: https://www.facebook.com/melinda.ann.russell
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Melinda Russell (00:02):
Welcome to the Women's Motorsports Network
podcast, the show that puts thespotlight on the incredible
women who fuel the world ofmotorsports, from drivers to
crew members, engineers to fansand everyone in between.
We're here to celebrate thetrailblazers, dreamers and doers
shaping the sport we love.
Each episode we share inspiringstories of females of all ages,
(00:24):
from every corner of theMotorsports universe past,
present and future.
It's a journey through theseasons of life filled with
heartfelt moments, laughter anda whole lot of horsepower.
So, whether you're a lifelongfan, a racer yourself or simply
curious about the extraordinarywomen behind the wheel, settle
in, relax and enjoy a fun anduplifting ride with us.
(00:47):
This is the Women's MotorsportsNetwork podcast, connecting and
celebrating women inmotorsports, one story at a time
.
Let's hit the track.
If you're looking to buy, sellor trade the stuff that strokes
your engine anything from truckparts to classic and muscle cars
(01:11):
, rvs to hot rods and everythingin between then check out our
official classifieds atRacingJunkcom.
Racingjunkcom is the world'snumber one online racing and
performance marketplace, theultimate one-stop shop where
you'll find what you need torock your ride.
If it belongs in your garage,it's for sale on RacingJunkcom.
(01:35):
Log on to RacingJunkcom to findthe gear you're looking for,
sell your extra stuff, keep upon racing news and tech tips and
more.
Again, that's racingjunkcom.
Hello everyone, this is MelindaRussell with the Women's
(01:57):
Motorsports Network podcast, andmy guest today is Kelly
Anderson, and Kelly looks allpretty and tan because she lives
in California, and I'm allwhite and pale because I live in
Michigan, and until today,we've hardly had any nice warm
weather.
So, kelly, I'm jealous of yourtan, but I'm glad we're finally
(02:20):
going to have some summer herein California.
We we deserve some summer here,finally.
So I'm finally going to havesome summer here in Calgary.
We deserve some summer here,finally.
So I'm so excited to have youon the show.
I learned a little bit aboutyou when we were at PRI and you
won an award, and I'll let youtell about that, but so first,
though, I want you to just sharea little bit about yourself and
(02:41):
your family, and then we'regoing to go on and learn how you
got involved in motorsports.
Kelly Barr Anderson (02:47):
Awesome.
Well, thank you so much forhaving me on.
This is really an honor and I'msuper excited.
So a little bit about me.
I am a 56 year old drag racinggrandma.
I am married 35 years orsomething like that.
I think I don't know forever.
I have four children and 11grandchildren.
(03:11):
Well, 10 grandchildren one onthe way so 11 grandchildren.
I have a dog named Sophia.
She's a husky and she's crazy.
So, yeah, I have a nice, nicebig family, a very supportive
family.
Um, yeah, we're very blessedthat's awesome.
Melinda Russell (03:32):
Yeah, that's.
You have four children.
Yeah, I had, I had fourchildren.
My son unfortunately has passedaway, so my three, I still have
my three daughters and I gotyou beat on the grandchildren
how many?
17.
17.
And I have at the end of themonth.
So there you go, got you beatthere.
(03:56):
I'm a lot older than you, sothere's plenty of time.
You might end up beating me inthe long run.
Kelly Barr Anderson (04:01):
We'll see, oh, my gosh Crazy.
Well, some of them are mystep-grandchildren, but they're
still my grandchildren.
Melinda Russell (04:07):
Me too, they all count.
They all count, that's rightyeah.
So, Kelly, I know I love it,and every one of them is so
different.
Yeah, isn't it?
Kelly Barr Anderson (04:23):
crazy.
You know we weren't brought upin the motorsports world, which
I'm jealous.
When I see kids at the trackwith their parents or
grandparents I'm like man, whatI wouldn't give to live the
whole life of motorsports.
I started drag racing at 51years old.
I became a health coach andduring the time of being a
health coach they poured so muchgoodness into me that I got
(04:46):
self-confidence.
I got goals and dreams which Inever had, since I'm an
alcoholic in recovery 10 years,so over 10 years.
And they poured so muchgoodness into me that I just
started having dreams and myhusband would go out to
Irwindale drag strip andspectate with his friends and I
(05:06):
was like you know what?
I'm going to go out with themone night.
It'll be a date night.
So I go out there and I'mwatching these young kids and
I'm like dude, I could totallydo this.
Melinda Russell (05:15):
And I like to drive fast.
Kelly Barr Anderson (05:17):
And so I told my husband I went to a
coach's breakfast and they had anapkin dream.
So I wrote down on a nap.
Husband, I went to a coach'sbreakfast and they had a napkin
dream.
So I wrote down on a napkin Iwant a drag race.
And honestly, I don't even knowwhere that came from.
I didn't ever think that in mylife it wasn't something that I
had been passionate about.
Just it just came to me.
I want a drag race.
(05:38):
I come home, I go, babe, I wanta drag race.
And he's like, okay, okay,we'll take your six-cylinder
camaro out your daily driver andgive it a go.
And so we had a muffler,whatever system put on to make
it, which I thought was going tosound like a v8.
You know, you put the system onthere, it doesn't.
It sounds like a six-cylinderwith an exhaust system on yeah
(06:01):
so I go there's no way I'mtaking that car sounding like
that, that sounds ridiculous.
And so he's like, okay, so hetakes it to the shop and gets it
removed.
And I was like, oh my gosh,it's gonna happen.
It's actually gonna happen.
So October 10th 2019 was myfirst night of drag racing and,
like my fourth pass down thestrip, I got a perfect reaction
(06:21):
time.
I was absolutely hooked, like Icouldn't make enough passes.
I couldn't get enough of it.
It was like a drug One night.
I made 25 passes in one singlenight.
I'm a little bit excessive.
Melinda Russell (06:39):
That's crazy, yeah, and but you know, what I
love about your story is thatyou were not one bit afraid and
you were not even thinking thatyou were too old or you, I'm a
grandma, I shouldn't be doingthis or I'm not gonna take my
daily driver out on that track.
You didn't think about any ofthose things, you were just hell
bench, you were gonna go do it.
Kelly Barr Anderson (07:00):
Yep, that's for sure.
And what Kelly wants, kellygets.
Melinda Russell (07:05):
I'm glad for that.
Yeah, that's cool.
Yeah, so tell me about yourwhat?
What are you um?
That was, that was 2019.
Yep, so what have you beendoing?
You're still racing.
What are you racing?
What's your success been?
Tell me all about it.
Kelly Barr Anderson (07:24):
So, uh, uh, right now we're doing not as
much drag racing becauseIrwindale closed, uh in December
, which was devastating, yeah,um.
So since that happened, afriend of mine, jeff Stilwell,
had connected me with somepeople in the land speed racing
scene and they said we'll putyou in a car, come on out.
(07:45):
And so we went.
A few weeks ago I got my firstlicense in the land speed.
Um, I really enjoyed it and, tobe honest, I didn't think I
would.
I was like you know what.
It's an opportunity.
It'll look good on my racingresume.
We'll just go do it, just to doit, and I fell in love with it.
I absolutely loved it.
The community, of course carcommunity.
Melinda Russell (08:05):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (08:07):
People in the car community are amazing.
Melinda Russell (08:09):
Yeah, they are, they are.
Kelly Barr Anderson (08:12):
And did the land speed racing out at El
Mirage, and now we're talkingabout building a car for that.
So we'll still drag race andwe'll still land speed race.
So you know, I'm trying to make, I'm trying to put everything
into these last years of my life, because I'm not getting any
younger and I want to make themost of it.
I tell you what, since 2019,when I started racing, I've
(08:34):
lived more life than I ever have.
It's insane.
Melinda Russell (08:39):
I could believe that because there was
something missing.
Wasn't there, Kelly, somewherein that path, that you just told
me something was missing andyou found it with racing and the
racing family yes, yes.
Kelly Barr Anderson (08:54):
So I honestly, like, when I first
started racing I was like thisis my calling from god.
Why would god say drag race,kelly?
This is is your calling.
And I really didn't understandwhy.
But I was just going with itbecause I knew it was from God.
And so I started a girls groupcalled the Gorgeous Irwindale
Racing Ladies, where weencourage females of all ages
(09:18):
and all motor sports and evencar shows and anything with a
motor and a woman.
We're like go, go, girl go.
And so the core group kind of itdwindled, it kind of fell apart
and I just hung in there and Ikept racing, I was just doing my
thing.
And then my grandson, my oldestgrandson, went into foster care
(09:43):
.
And when that, and my and histwo sisters, my oldest
granddaughters, and when thathappened, like that was so
devastating, I decided that'swhen I created Mavix Community
Outreach, which is our nonprofit, and we introduced foster
children and troubled teens tothe world of motorsports.
Because I tell you what, at 51years old, I hadn't, I hadn't
(10:06):
had passions or goals and I wasstuck in addiction for all my
life.
And then I found the racingworld and everything changed.
I mean, I got, I haveboundaries, like all these
things I never had in my life.
I found through the love ofmotorsports.
Melinda Russell (10:22):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (10:23):
And so I wanted to do a make, a make
something good out of the reallyugly days of my life.
And then, when Mavis was formed, I'm like that's why it's my
calling from God.
Now it all makes sense.
Melinda Russell (10:35):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (10:36):
You just gotta believe and hold on, and
you know so how did you come upwith that name?
Melinda Russell (10:41):
It has to mean something special.
Kelly Barr Anderson (10:43):
It does.
So my girlfriend, my businesspartner, Maria, is this okay?
So Maven, one of my sponsorssaid you're a Maven, it's a
woman who brings people together.
So she took the word Maven andPhoenix rise from the ashes and
made Maven.
Melinda Russell (11:03):
Oh yeah, that's cool.
Kelly Barr Anderson (11:05):
Yeah, maria Link is awesome.
She's my business partner.
She'd come out spectating withme and my husband when we'd go.
Then she was on board when Istarted drag racing.
Then we got her in a car forDemolition Derby.
She always wanted to do aDemolition Derby, so now she
does derbies.
And then I said I want to makemavix.
(11:27):
And she says, okay, let's do it, let's create mavix.
And she's been on board by myside through everything the bad
days of the girls crumble andbut girls of arundel still
around.
It's just.
It started out more like agroup and now it's an
organization where we justencourage women.
Melinda Russell (11:43):
Okay.
Kelly Barr Anderson (11:44):
Of all ages .
Melinda Russell (11:45):
Yeah, and so what?
What's the closest like dragstrip?
Now to you.
Kelly Barr Anderson (11:51):
So the closest would be Famoso
Bakersfield or Verona, San Diego.
Melinda Russell (11:56):
Okay, yeah, it's too bad.
Or when Dale closed.
Kelly Barr Anderson (12:00):
What a mess , I can't believe.
And it happened fast, like wedid not know until just a few
months before that it washappening.
We heard talk, but you know,you always hear talk, yeah, and
then it happened.
Melinda Russell (12:14):
It was like oh my gosh yeah, that's a shame
that was devastating yeah, sotell me more now about Mavix,
because I think that's whereyour heart is now.
So your grandchildren went tofoster care, which is so sad.
Kelly Barr Anderson (12:28):
It was so sad and it was during COVID.
So they were in for 13 monthsbecause everything was pushed
back, delayed, court was invideo and just it was a
nightmare.
And so they're back home withmom and then my son's doing good
, mom's doing great, the kidsare fabulous.
(12:48):
I get to have my grandson onceor twice a week now and, oh my
gosh, it's so awesome Life isgetting so good.
And so, you know, I just knewthat me back in the day, not
having any goals, any dreams, nopassions, no interest in
anything.
Well then you get yourself intotrouble.
As soon as I had a passion forthis, everything changed, and so
(13:12):
I figured we could introducesome foster children to this
world.
They don't have to drag race,they could work on cars, they
could tune cars, they could takepictures, they could do
videography.
Announcing there's so manyareas of motorists.
So right now we're trying to,you know, get us off the ground,
and you know we're going tohave a fundraiser coming up in
(13:35):
July at an escape room to raisefunds.
We like to take my race car toschools.
So we went to a school namedMcKinley and it was where they
have a lot of troubled childrenand foster youth, and we brought
the car out and then you get tostart it for them and they get
to get in it or just check itout up close and personal.
(13:57):
And it just didn't get that.
Could, you know, make them getinterested in the motor sports
scene.
We pass out hot wheels, likeall the kids love Hot Wheels.
Melinda Russell (14:07):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (14:08):
We do that and pass out little flags,
checkered flags, and hero cardsand stickers.
Melinda Russell (14:15):
Yeah, yeah, all the stuff kids love.
Kelly Barr Anderson (14:18):
Yep, exactly.
So we also work with a fosteragency that Maria started up.
So Maria works for Home Depot'sheadquarters and okay.
So they wanted her to do a goodevent for the community so she
decided to work with the fosterkids.
So she brings out about 200foster children and their
(14:38):
families at Christmas time andshe had us come out.
So we went out and we were like, oh my gosh, besides
devastating and sad, it'sbeautiful to be out there.
Bring the race car out to the.
She has a little car show therenow and so all the cars are
there and the kids vote on theirfavorite car and I usually win.
But last year she said no, youcan't vote for her car because
(15:02):
that's not fair.
Yeah, so we host an event now.
We partner with her on that.
We get a lot of donations fromFoster Love, which is the
largest nonprofit in the countryfor foster youth.
They give us bikes andskateboards, and clothing and
shoes and like beautiful items,and they come to our event and
(15:25):
then they basically shop, sothey take what they want for
free.
You could have the bike, youcould have the skateboard, you
could have this and that andthey go out with arms so full
and their cars are stuffed.
I've delivered bikes becausethey couldn't take everything,
you know.
Melinda Russell (15:39):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (15:40):
So we just want to make a difference in
their lives as much as wepossibly can, and it's an honor
to be able to work with the kids.
Melinda Russell (15:48):
Yeah, so that's interesting that this is what
you do, because I just did aninterview last week with a gal
that works for University ofNortheast Northwestern I don't
know if it's Eastern or Western,it's UNOH and it's in ohio and
she's a recruiter for thecollege and she went to college
(16:10):
there and she actually recruiteda young gal from like, not very
far from me, that races, thatI've known from racing, and she
said something to me and it'salong the lines of what you're
doing.
She said she goes into the highschools and gives her
presentation about theirmotorsports program because
(16:30):
they're a huge motorsport.
They have a, they have, um, arally team, they have a drifting
team, all kind and then theyhave degrees in motorsports and
all.
It's just amazing.
So she said she goes into theseschools and when she gives her
presentation she said the thingthat really gets her the most is
(16:51):
when a kid says I, I didn'tthink I could go to college
because I'm not a good studentand I don't want to be a nurse
or a chiropractor or a teacheror a whatever.
Yep, but this is really cool.
I want to do this.
Yes, that is beautiful and thenthey go to unoh and and, like
(17:12):
the young gal in uh that livesclose to me, she's working on an
arcane this summer wow, yeah,yeah, that's amazing, it is, and
so you're.
You know you're doing the samething.
You're exposing them tosomething that they would never
have known about, and to thepoint to where you you're
(17:32):
changing lives and you probablydon't even know it.
Kelly Barr Anderson (17:35):
Yes, yes, like I say, you change one life
as a generational line.
Melinda Russell (17:40):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (17:40):
All their kids, all their grandchildren,
like just generations to come.
Melinda Russell (17:45):
Especially motor sports.
Yes, Because we know that.
You know that really is agenerational hobby, more than
not.
Kelly Barr Anderson (17:54):
Right, I call it.
It's not a hobby, it's alifestyle.
Well, it's a lifestyle.
Melinda Russell (17:58):
You're right, it assumes you, it does.
Yeah, you can't think aboutanything else.
Kelly Barr Anderson (18:04):
Right, and I tell you what if you are into
cars, you don't have money fordrugs.
So, that's a victory.
Yeah, keep them out of trouble.
I say, you know, take care ofit before it becomes a problem.
And if they start young in themotorsports world just having
the interest in it alone, yeah,it could change the trajectory
(18:25):
of their lives.
Yeah it really does and so ourlong-term goal is to connect
them with trade schoolscholarships in the motorsports
industry, which could bephotography, still Like it could
be chefs.
There's chefs for John Forrest.
Oh yeah, NASCAR has chefs.
Yeah, so there's so many,everything pretty much could be
in the motorsports industry.
Melinda Russell (18:47):
So that's our long-term goal.
Well, you need to get connectedto Mara Henderson Would you
connect me.
I'll connect you because she'sthe gal at UNOH.
Yes, and you know they recruitfrom all over the place.
Yes, she and you would be agood connection I would love
(19:07):
that very much.
Kelly Barr Anderson (19:08):
Yeah, that'd be awesome.
Melinda Russell (19:10):
She's amazing too.
I just love talking to, I justlove sounds like it.
Yeah, I love her already, Iknow.
So, kelly, what?
What has been your favoritething if there is a favorite or
your favorite things about beinginvolved in the motorsports
community?
Kelly Barr Anderson (19:28):
oh, the fans.
I just love the fans.
So at irwindale, the returnroad, oh, you're against the.
I drive my car as close to thefence as you can get and I and I
rev.
They always like it when Iwould rev my engine.
So they start doing this likerev, rev, rev.
So I'm going down the returnroad.
They go nuts yeah that is.
(19:52):
That is it.
The fans were always myfavorite thing, because I do
more exhibition running than Ido racing like I didn't really
do a lot of competition okay, Ididn't do much summit or any of
that stuff.
We mostly just did exhibitionruns and and I I'm good with
that and so what?
Melinda Russell (20:09):
what kind of car did you?
Did you do that and or do you?
Kelly Barr Anderson (20:12):
have.
So I have a 2000 f body, camaro, uh, and and I do a lot of
wheelies.
We, we pop a lot of wheeliesand the fans love them.
The racers sometimes, don'tthey?
They talk trash sometimes, butyeah, but the fans love a good
wheelie and lord knows, I dosure they do do, Absolutely they
do.
Melinda Russell (20:32):
Oh my gosh, that's so fun.
So how do you think and I knowI know this has changed you
being in motorsports, but youknow a lot of people.
I'll say well, how do you thinkbeing involved in motorsports
has made you into the person youare today?
And you've already shared thatit's really changed your life.
But, yes, do you want to talkabout that a little more?
Kelly Barr Anderson (20:55):
um, well, I mean, honestly, being in the
motorsports world has consumedmy entire world and I'm not sad
about it, you know.
I mean I it made me a betterperson, made me a stronger,
independent woman.
Of course I have my husband whohelps me with everything, but I
mean, I'm an independent womanwho knows what she wants.
(21:15):
I go after it.
I have boundaries, which is anew thing in my life, because
back in the day I was alwayslike, yes, okay, whatever, like
I didn't want to make someonemad.
Now it's like this is how it isand this is the way.
You know, I try to follow God'sword.
Perfect at it, that's for sure.
But I have structure, I haveconfidence.
(21:37):
I mean they're and havingconfidence is a really good
thing, as long as you're humbleabout it.
And I go through phases whereI'm not, and then God says don't
you dare, it's all about me,sister.
And I gotta reel myself back inand get back on track and keep
my eyes on the prize, which isJesus.
Melinda Russell (21:55):
So yeah, yeah.
So what does your family thinkabout you being so involved in
motorsports?
Kelly Barr Anderson (22:00):
they love it.
They love who I've become.
They love it.
So my husband, all his life.
It would be like, okay, myyoungest son, baseball, private
lessons, baseball practice,everything.
Then my daughter soccer, boom,boom, boom, soccer, travel, go
with her.
Uh, my youngest son was, uh,swimming band archery.
(22:20):
They did all that.
And then now it's my turn yeahnow he supports me 100.
It's really funny because wefilmed on a few shows, so my, my
husband, paul, is now known asKelly's husband, so don't be
like filming.
Okay, kelly over here, kelly'shusband, go over there.
Melinda Russell (22:39):
Isn't that funny.
Kelly Barr Anderson (22:40):
Yeah, he loves it.
He loves it.
He wouldn't change a thing.
Melinda Russell (22:45):
That's cool.
Kelly Barr Anderson (22:46):
Yeah, it's great.
My kids are so proud of me.
Melinda Russell (22:51):
I'm sure they are.
I'm sure they are?
Kelly Barr Anderson (22:52):
I'm sure they are.
It's a.
It's a wonderful life.
Melinda Russell (22:56):
I know I can tell, but you're so um, you're
the excitement that you sharewhen you talk about it and you
know, I know if you're listeningto this you can't see the look
on her face, but if you go toYouTube later she'll be there
and it's just.
It's a pleasure to just watchyou talk about what you've done.
Kelly Barr Anderson (23:16):
Thank you, I really appreciate that.
It is my heart, yeah, that'sfor sure.
Melinda Russell (23:21):
So what's your favorite memory?
Do you have one from like whenyou were running your car?
Kelly Barr Anderson (23:27):
I have a memory, a funny memory, a cool
memory and a funny kind ofmemory.
Melinda Russell (23:32):
Go ahead.
Kelly Barr Anderson (23:32):
So John Forrest was at Irwindale
watching his grandchildren dosummit racing his granddaughter
Autumn and at the time I hadtotaled my first car, which was
Stacy OG I guess.
And then I was running a DodgeDart that we had bought.
We bought the Dart because itcame on the trailer that we
wanted, so I ran it.
(23:53):
I ran a 7.0, and I saw John.
I went over to him, got apicture and I go, I'm going to
get into the sixes tonight.
And then I'm going down thetrack on my next pass he's on
the fence below up in front ofhim.
I go oh my God, I never gotinto sixes and I got ahead of
myself bragging about my six,six, second run.
I was gonna do so.
That's a memory.
(24:13):
And then I got to share it withhim at pri two years ago.
I told him the story.
Yeah, that was that was that'scool I love, john forrest, john
forrest has always been myfavorite, since I was dating my
husband and geez 87, 86 maybe.
And he took me to Pomona forthe first time, my first time at
the drag races.
(24:34):
And John Ford here, he comeshalfway down the track.
I was like, wow, that's amazing.
I fell in love with John rightthen.
Huge fan.
Melinda Russell (24:44):
How could you not be a fan of that guy?
Kelly Barr Anderson (24:46):
Right.
Melinda Russell (24:47):
Right.
Kelly Barr Anderson (24:47):
Yeah, yeah.
Melinda Russell (24:49):
Yeah, for sure.
So, do you?
Do you work on the car too, orjust I don't you know?
Kelly Barr Anderson (24:57):
I wanted to , I.
But then me and my husbandfight too much when I try to ask
questions and get all up in thebusiness.
He's like just let me do it.
So I did take a beginner'sautomotive class at citrus
college for a semester okay so Icould oil, which I was so proud
of myself.
I changed the oil, yeah, butthat's okay.
(25:18):
We're going to keep our roleshow we know he's taking care of
me my whole life, like we'vebeen together since I was 16.
So 40 years we've been together, married 35.
And he's he likes to take careof me.
So I was like you know what,I'm not going to fight with him
to help work on the car, which Idid want to work on the car, so
I just let him do it.
It's faster and easier.
Melinda Russell (25:39):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (25:40):
Yeah.
Melinda Russell (25:44):
And, you know, maybe that's his way of being
very supportive.
It's like this is my role.
Yeah, that is your role.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Yeah, I don't think I could.
You know, my husband's a welderby trade and although we're
more retired than not, um, Icouldn't be a welder and work in
the shop with him.
Kelly Barr Anderson (26:02):
yeah, no way, right exactly how to keep a
happy marriage.
Stay out of each other's way.
Melinda Russell (26:08):
Have your own space.
Yeah, and sometimes he'll sayyou'all, I'll say we this or are
we gonna go to this, or that.
He said what am I?
A mouse in your pocket, youknow, because I'm?
I'm the bigger sports fan thanhe is.
Oh, okay, and so you know hegoes to the races and stuff, but
he, um, he would just assume,maybe not at times right, right,
(26:36):
yeah, I get it so it.
So let's pretend that it's raceday.
Yep, what's your what?
What do you do?
What's your routine on race day?
Um?
Kelly Barr Anderson (26:48):
um, I try to hydrate pretty good because
usually you sweat.
So I call race day P5000because I I will have to go to
the bathroom.
I get so nervous, but it'salways nervous excitement.
Yeah, it's like until my firstpass.
I'm like going to the bathroomconstantly and uh, but once I
make my first pass I'm usuallygood.
Melinda Russell (27:07):
Okay.
Kelly Barr Anderson (27:08):
You know, um, back in the day, when I was
being healthier, I would alwaysgo for my morning walks and my
morning walks for my Zen, andI've gotten out of that habit.
I think it and look forward tothe fans and the other racers
and all your friends and it'sjust it's actually a smaller
(27:39):
community than you would think.
Like yeah, even the big guyslike know who we are and it's
like yeah it really is.
Melinda Russell (27:46):
You know, we talked before we started
recording about how, when Ifirst started the women's
motorsports network, I justthought it was such a big, big
community that I didn't evenknow where to start in
motorsports.
And then I decided I was goingto focus on the women of
motorsports.
And as you get involved, arethere, are there hundreds of
(28:09):
thousands of women in racing?
Yes, there are, if you look atall the different kinds, but
overall it's a small community.
It really is.
People know each other.
Yeah, you get to know eachother.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Yeah, they really do.
Yeah, do you eat or not eat whenyou go on race days?
Kelly Barr Anderson (28:32):
I usually don't eat a lot, not on race
days.
I eat plenty on the rest of thedays, yeah did you have any
superstitions?
Same shirt, same socks no, no,thankfully I'm not a
superstitious person but.
Melinda Russell (28:47):
I did.
Kelly Barr Anderson (28:47):
I used to always get my walks in because
it helped me keep my head calmand you know, calmer you can
tell I'm not the calmest ofpeople.
Melinda Russell (28:59):
You're a little excitable yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (29:02):
I love it.
It's funny because I'mexhausted, but for some I talk
about racing and motorsports.
I like life comes into me.
Melinda Russell (29:10):
You just have a lot of energy, and I love that,
thank you.
When just have a lot of energy,and I love that, thank you.
When you had a bad when you hada bad day at the track, which
we all do, how did?
Kelly Barr Anderson (29:19):
you react.
So okay, one time, going downthe return road, I had a, I had
a bad pass.
I was so mad, I drove down,pissed off.
I was like, didn't look at thefans.
I drove down, pissed off.
I was like, didn't look at thefans and and then I thought you
know what that could be theirfirst impression of me, because
a lot of them may not have seenme before, they're not all
regulars and I told, and I toldmyself like I will never go down
(29:42):
the return road mad again, soI'll pull off, get out of the
car, unsuit like just cool downand then go back down.
Because you know what, when I'ma fan and I'm spectating, I
don't even know who won, halfthe time I don't even know what
happened, but I like that car, Ilike that racer, I like that
person, I want to wave, I wantthem to wave at me.
And so I thought, every time Igo down the return, I have to
(30:05):
give them an experience thatthey won't forget.
And you know, so that wassomething for me.
That was a really big deal.
Melinda Russell (30:13):
Well, you know that's.
I hope other people listen tothat, because even you know
professional drivers and Ifollow really all sport, all
motor sports, but NASCAR is myfavorite, oh, nice and and so
you know a lot of those guyshave bad days and or they're
busy and they don't want to signautographs, but it's the same
(30:35):
thing.
You know those fans are payingyour way, right and and yeah,
you can't always do it, you know, but um, I, I think more people
need to think of it that way,that yeah I.
They may be seeing this for thefirst time and I want to leave
them with a good impression.
Kelly Barr Anderson (30:55):
Yeah, exactly, you only make one first
impression.
Melinda Russell (30:59):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (31:01):
One of the reasons why I came up with okay,
I met Shirley Muldowney at NHRAonce and she was having a bad
day and I was like wow, and Ithought I don't want to leave a
first impression like that's nota good one.
Melinda Russell (31:13):
You know what I mean.
Kelly Barr Anderson (31:14):
Like I could be having a bad day but
they don't know that, right,they don't know what's going on
in my life.
All they know is they want tomeet you, they want to
experience your energy.
They want to, you know.
So you just have to really tryto just kind of save it for when
you get home.
Melinda Russell (31:29):
Exactly, save it for when you get home.
Exactly, you just have to putthat aside and and be in race
mode, be in fan mode, all thosethings, and then, when you get
home, so you can deal with it.
Kelly Barr Anderson (31:40):
We did a no prep event a year after I
started racing in stacy og andthat's when I totaled my car.
So I totaled the car.
It wasn't that big of a dealreally.
I'm surprised it got totaled onthat slow of speed, but it did.
And I mean the kids are runningup to me and I have to just
forget about the crashed carthat they're loading into the
trailer and be happy, and I was.
(32:00):
I mean, you just gotta just bethere for the people.
Melinda Russell (32:05):
They don't yeah yeah yeah, so when you first
went to the racetrack anddecided you know you were going
to race that car, did you feellike you didn't fit in, or you
just always felt like you wereaccepted?
Kelly Barr Anderson (32:19):
I didn't think twice.
I felt like I fit in.
I mean, I knew it was mycalling and you know, just
because it's my calling from Godor whatever, like it's not
always going to be easy, it'snot always going to be, no, no
drama.
There's going to be drama.
There's going to be trials andtribulations.
But I knew that that was mycalling and I never thought
(32:39):
twice about it.
I just jumped off head firstand that was it.
There wasn't a.
Should I do this?
Should I nope?
It was on that's awesome, yeah.
Melinda Russell (32:50):
So what was your biggest challenge when you
first?
Kelly Barr Anderson (32:58):
getting enough seat time.
I mean like I couldn't getenough.
And you know what I alwayswondered?
I always wondered do you everget your fill?
Do you ever feel like satisfied?
Because back in the day it waslike a drug and I couldn't get
enough and so I'd make the 25passes.
I still want more.
I still want more.
Now I could do three passes.
I'm like all right, put the caraway, I'm good, I'm going now
(33:18):
you know, from going 13 secondsin the eighth mile to five,
whatever, whatever, five, seven,five, point, seven seconds, you
get your fill.
You get you know, and I've madethousands of passes yeah so
yeah you do, you do.
Melinda Russell (33:35):
I mean, yeah, I think you do get to where and
and I don't want it to soundlike that you don't care as much
because you still care, but youdon't have to go overboard
anymore.
A little is satisfying yep, yep, exactly.
Kelly Barr Anderson (33:52):
And I'm an extremist, I'm all or nothing,
and yeah, I actually have alittle bit of self-control when
it comes to yeah, you know whyhurt the car, why risk crashing?
Because, honestly, the morepasses you make, the more you're
risking it.
You're gonna hit the wall, likeeventually things happen.
It's just the more you makepasses, the more opportunity for
something to happen yeah, I tryto be like, okay, we got the
(34:14):
car down and put it away tillthe next time yeah, I agree,
don't take too many chances,because that's not a good thing,
right?
Melinda Russell (34:22):
yeah, yeah, so, um, what are you doing now?
Are you just working with your,your outreach, or are you doing
any?
Yeah, I know you did land speed.
What if you got planned for thesummer?
Kelly Barr Anderson (34:36):
so, you know, honestly, my husband says
I nap and I work, I nap and Iwork.
I don't get much sleep and I'malways working.
I'm either emailing orcontacting people.
I am a board member of the CalRods Car Club so I, you know,
work with them a bit.
I'm on, I am on the, I'm thevice president of the San
(34:58):
Gabriel Valley Boss Ladies,which is a networking group, and
that's how I've, and theybrought me in as a non-profit.
So they only have one categoryper, you know realtor and the
balloon.
Melinda Russell (35:08):
Like me and I.
Kelly Barr Anderson (35:10):
Yes, and so I am the non-profit, and so we
all work together to try to makeus better, to get our story
down, to get our presentationdown.
You're a one-minute commercial,so when you're in an elevator
you got to pop it off.
Melinda Russell (35:23):
Right.
Kelly Barr Anderson (35:24):
Know what you're talking about.
I've had so much growth.
That's once a week and that's alot Like we really work hard.
Melinda Russell (35:31):
Yeah, it is.
Kelly Barr Anderson (35:33):
I've worked harder this last year and a
half on Mavix than I have, youknow so Well, it's a big
commitment that once a week andit doesn't set.
Melinda Russell (35:40):
You wouldn't think it is, but I was in B&I
for quite a number of years forsend out cards and it is a
commitment.
Kelly Barr Anderson (35:48):
Yeah, yeah, it really is.
Yeah, but it's great stuff.
I mean, we become great friends.
Yeah, I don't really hang out,I don't.
I pretty much am home alone.
I'm like a loner, unless we'reat an event and then I'm all
over the place, but then I'mhome alone decompressing, yeah
sitting in my room by myselfquiet like I have to have a lot
(36:10):
of downtime to rejuvenate thiscrazy head yeah, so um, so yeah,
we do a lot of like, uh, mixersand a lot of you know, bringing
other teams and yeah okaygetting mavix's name out there
yeah and are you gonna doanything with your car this
summer uh, we're gonna run fuelfest at pomona in june, in a
(36:31):
couple weeks, okay.
Um, we're probably gonna build aland speed car, I think, down
the road here and um, but I'mstill gonna drag race because
that's my first love, okay youknow, it just won't be as much,
because we have to travel so farand then you have to get a room
I know rent a trailer orwhatever so I got a motor home
(36:52):
for sale if you're interested.
Melinda Russell (36:54):
Oh really, well , is it a diesel?
You better believe it is really.
Yeah, well, where are you atwhat state?
I live in michigan, but youknow you can fly here and drive
home, it's real we'll have toconnect later.
Kelly Barr Anderson (37:08):
Send me some info on it, I will okay
thank you, it's nice, it's just.
Melinda Russell (37:12):
We got older.
My husband wasn't comfortabledriving anymore driving it, and
so we we sold our big house.
We built a smaller house.
That's nice, though, and thatit's easier for both of us to
take care of yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (37:27):
Yeah, definitely send me some pictures
on it and some info on it.
I will, yeah, I will, so forsure.
That's awesome.
Melinda Russell (37:34):
So now tell me, if somebody wanted to follow
you on, like I'm social media orwhatever, how would anybody
follow you, get connected?
Kelly Barr Anderson (37:42):
be friends with you.
So my Facebook page, mypersonal.
I have two Facebook's.
Because one of them was forMavix, I had to create a
Facebook.
You can follow me at Kelly BarrAnderson and BARR to ours,
kelly Barr Anderson on Facebook.
Instagram is fullthrottleoroughoutalfabulous one
word.
And our website for Mavix ismavixcommunityorg.
(38:07):
Mavixcommunityorg.
Melinda Russell (38:10):
And is there opportunity for people to like
donate or help or in any way?
Kelly Barr Anderson (38:16):
with your outreach.
Yes, if you go to my website,you can donate there or send me
a message there.
Mavixcommunity at gmailcom ismy email for that.
We love support.
I mean help us get our name outthere.
Financial donations is great.
We're getting ready to ourfundraiser, like I said in July,
our first big one.
(38:38):
Yeah, we want to get our nameout there.
We want to make a bigger impact.
I would like to travel thecountry.
Melinda Russell (38:43):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (38:43):
And go all over to the schools and stuff
like that.
Melinda Russell (38:46):
See, you need that motor home, then I know, so
you can do that.
Kelly Barr Anderson (38:49):
That's right.
Send me that info, sister.
Melinda Russell (38:51):
I will tonight.
I'll do it tonight for sure,Thank you.
So, Kelly, is there anything?
Well, one thing we didn't talkabout you were a Hoosier hero,
oh.
Kelly Barr Anderson (39:01):
I am a Hoosier hero.
Melinda Russell (39:05):
How did that come about?
How does that work so?
Kelly Barr Anderson (39:07):
that okay.
So I've seen last year I sawthem and post become a Hoosier
hero, be an ambassador forHoosier brand, and we love
Hoosier tires.
We've run them quite some time.
The only time we really didn'trun them was when, uh, covid,
you couldn't get them.
I know we.
I mean I ordered a set and ittook like I don't know a year
and a half to get them, and then, uh, but we run faster with
(39:30):
hoosiers so that last year I sawthey're doing it, so I sent the
link to everyone.
Like, nominate me please, if youfeel, if you feel I'm a hoosier
hero quality, whatever,nominate me.
So I got nominated and I was atmy daughter's in Arizona and I
got the email.
I said congratulations, youmade top 25 out of 2000.
I was like, oh my God, like Icannot even believe this is
(39:53):
happening right now.
And then it goes to voting, andthen they do where the motor
sports uppers, whoever, wherethe motorsports uppers, whoever
I don't even know who they areuh, they vote and then it goes
to the community and so you sendthe link to everybody.
It's a full-time job.
Yeah, I quit doing contestsbecause I was like, oh, it's way
(40:13):
too much work and it's annoying, but this was a something very
near and dear to my heart and Ireally, really wanted to do it.
So then, uh, I had a meetingand Maddie Gordon is the one
that told me I was a Hoosierhero yeah they all expense, paid
trip to PRI and then you domedia day and it was just the
(40:34):
trip of a lifetime.
I love PRI anyway, but it wasall about Hoosier that year last
year, yeah, yeah and so now I'man ambassador and they sent me
some tires, and they sent megear and cleaning supplies.
Oh my god, they're so good tous.
It is such an honor To be aHoosier hero.
I cannot believe it.
Melinda Russell (40:56):
I'm glad we didn't forget about that.
Kelly Barr Anderson (40:57):
Yes, thank you, I would have felt terrible.
Oh, thank you.
Yes, it truly is an honor.
Like my life, you know, a lifebeyond my wildest dreams.
Melinda Russell (41:09):
Yeah, I can tell, I can tell that you're
very happy, very happy, yeah,yeah, that's good and that's
what it.
That's what it's all about.
You got to get up every morningand and be ready to do whatever
it is that makes you happy.
Kelly Barr Anderson (41:22):
Yep, and it's not easy.
It's a lot, a lot of work, alot of behind the scenes that no
one sees.
Oh, for sure it really is likea 24-7, seven days a week.
Yeah, commitment to everythingwe're doing, but it's worth it.
Melinda Russell (41:35):
Yeah, it certainly is.
Yes.
Well, Kelly, I don't have anyother questions, but do you have
anything else that you wouldlike to share?
I know I'll think of it afterwe hang up.
Kelly Barr Anderson (41:46):
I hate that when that happens.
Yeah, I know I do too.
I mean, I feel like we'vecovered it all.
Yeah, it's truly an honor to beon the show.
Thank you so much for reachingout.
Melinda Russell (41:58):
Oh, I appreciate that.
Thank you so much, and I'm soglad we were able to connect
after a couple of you know I hadto cancel and you had to cancel
and finally we were able toreach out.
Yeah, that's awesome so well.
Kelly, thanks again for being onthe show.
If you just hold on for onesecond, I'll get with you when
it's over.
Thank you, uh-huh.
Promoting a track takes heartand now showing appreciation can
(42:30):
be just as easy with send outcards.
You can thank sponsors,volunteers, drivers and fans
with personalized digital cardssent right from your phone or
laptop add, add a photo, write amessage and hit send.
It's that simple Unlimitedsends for just $10 a month.
Go to sendoutcardscom, forwardslash 53240.
(42:54):
That's sendoutcardscom.
Forward slash 53240.
Because gratitude builds greattracks.
That's it for this episode ofthe Women's Motorsports Network
podcast.
We hope you've been inspired bythe stories I shared today and
(43:16):
feel more connected to theamazing community of women in
motorsports.
Remember, whether you're behindthe wheel in the pits or
cheering from the stands, yourstory matters and together we're
driving change and celebratingevery milestone.
If you enjoyed today's episode,be sure to subscribe, leave us
(43:36):
a review and share it withsomeone who loves motorsports as
much as you do.
And don't forget to follow uson Facebook and Instagram for
updates, behind-the-scenescontent and more incredible
stories.
So until next time, stayinspired, stay connected and
keep racing through life.
This is the Women's MotorsportsNetwork podcast, where every
(44:00):
woman's story is worthcelebrating.
Welcome to the Women's Motorsports Network
podcast, the show that puts thespotlight on the incredible
women who fuel the world ofmotorsports, from drivers to
crew members, engineers to fansand everyone in between.
We're here to celebrate thetrailblazers, dreamers and doers
shaping the sport we love.
Each episode we share inspiringstories of females of all ages,
(00:24):
from every corner of theMotorsports universe past,
present and future.
It's a journey through theseasons of life filled with
heartfelt moments, laughter anda whole lot of horsepower.
So, whether you're a lifelongfan, a racer yourself or simply
curious about the extraordinarywomen behind the wheel, settle
in, relax and enjoy a fun anduplifting ride with us.
(00:47):
This is the Women's MotorsportsNetwork podcast, connecting and
celebrating women inmotorsports, one story at a time
.
Let's hit the track.
If you're looking to buy, sellor trade the stuff that strokes
your engine anything from truckparts to classic and muscle cars
(01:11):
, rvs to hot rods and everythingin between then check out our
official classifieds atRacingJunkcom.
Racingjunkcom is the world'snumber one online racing and
performance marketplace, theultimate one-stop shop where
you'll find what you need torock your ride.
If it belongs in your garage,it's for sale on RacingJunkcom.
(01:35):
Log on to RacingJunkcom to findthe gear you're looking for,
sell your extra stuff, keep upon racing news and tech tips and
more.
Again, that's racingjunkcom.
Hello everyone, this is MelindaRussell with the Women's
(01:57):
Motorsports Network podcast, andmy guest today is Kelly
Anderson, and Kelly looks allpretty and tan because she lives
in California, and I'm allwhite and pale because I live in
Michigan, and until today,we've hardly had any nice warm
weather.
So, kelly, I'm jealous of yourtan, but I'm glad we're finally
(02:20):
going to have some summer herein California.
We we deserve some summer here,finally.
So I'm finally going to havesome summer here in Calgary.
We deserve some summer here,finally.
So I'm so excited to have youon the show.
I learned a little bit aboutyou when we were at PRI and you
won an award, and I'll let youtell about that, but so first,
though, I want you to just sharea little bit about yourself and
(02:41):
your family, and then we'regoing to go on and learn how you
got involved in motorsports.
Kelly Barr Anderson (02:47):
Awesome.
Well, thank you so much forhaving me on.
This is really an honor and I'msuper excited.
So a little bit about me.
I am a 56 year old drag racinggrandma.
I am married 35 years orsomething like that.
I think I don't know forever.
I have four children and 11grandchildren.
(03:11):
Well, 10 grandchildren one onthe way so 11 grandchildren.
I have a dog named Sophia.
She's a husky and she's crazy.
So, yeah, I have a nice, nicebig family, a very supportive
family.
Um, yeah, we're very blessedthat's awesome.
Melinda Russell (03:32):
Yeah, that's.
You have four children.
Yeah, I had, I had fourchildren.
My son unfortunately has passedaway, so my three, I still have
my three daughters and I gotyou beat on the grandchildren
how many?
17.
17.
And I have at the end of themonth.
So there you go, got you beatthere.
(03:56):
I'm a lot older than you, sothere's plenty of time.
You might end up beating me inthe long run.
Kelly Barr Anderson (04:01):
We'll see, oh, my gosh Crazy.
Well, some of them are mystep-grandchildren, but they're
still my grandchildren.
Melinda Russell (04:07):
Me too, they all count.
They all count, that's rightyeah.
So, Kelly, I know I love it,and every one of them is so
different.
Yeah, isn't it?
Kelly Barr Anderson (04:23):
crazy.
You know we weren't brought upin the motorsports world, which
I'm jealous.
When I see kids at the trackwith their parents or
grandparents I'm like man, whatI wouldn't give to live the
whole life of motorsports.
I started drag racing at 51years old.
I became a health coach andduring the time of being a
health coach they poured so muchgoodness into me that I got
(04:46):
self-confidence.
I got goals and dreams which Inever had, since I'm an
alcoholic in recovery 10 years,so over 10 years.
And they poured so muchgoodness into me that I just
started having dreams and myhusband would go out to
Irwindale drag strip andspectate with his friends and I
(05:06):
was like you know what?
I'm going to go out with themone night.
It'll be a date night.
So I go out there and I'mwatching these young kids and
I'm like dude, I could totallydo this.
Melinda Russell (05:15):
And I like to drive fast.
Kelly Barr Anderson (05:17):
And so I told my husband I went to a
coach's breakfast and they had anapkin dream.
So I wrote down on a nap.
Husband, I went to a coach'sbreakfast and they had a napkin
dream.
So I wrote down on a napkin Iwant a drag race.
And honestly, I don't even knowwhere that came from.
I didn't ever think that in mylife it wasn't something that I
had been passionate about.
Just it just came to me.
I want a drag race.
(05:38):
I come home, I go, babe, I wanta drag race.
And he's like, okay, okay,we'll take your six-cylinder
camaro out your daily driver andgive it a go.
And so we had a muffler,whatever system put on to make
it, which I thought was going tosound like a v8.
You know, you put the system onthere, it doesn't.
It sounds like a six-cylinderwith an exhaust system on yeah
(06:01):
so I go there's no way I'mtaking that car sounding like
that, that sounds ridiculous.
And so he's like, okay, so hetakes it to the shop and gets it
removed.
And I was like, oh my gosh,it's gonna happen.
It's actually gonna happen.
So October 10th 2019 was myfirst night of drag racing and,
like my fourth pass down thestrip, I got a perfect reaction
(06:21):
time.
I was absolutely hooked, like Icouldn't make enough passes.
I couldn't get enough of it.
It was like a drug One night.
I made 25 passes in one singlenight.
I'm a little bit excessive.
Melinda Russell (06:39):
That's crazy, yeah, and but you know, what I
love about your story is thatyou were not one bit afraid and
you were not even thinking thatyou were too old or you, I'm a
grandma, I shouldn't be doingthis or I'm not gonna take my
daily driver out on that track.
You didn't think about any ofthose things, you were just hell
bench, you were gonna go do it.
Kelly Barr Anderson (07:00):
Yep, that's for sure.
And what Kelly wants, kellygets.
Melinda Russell (07:05):
I'm glad for that.
Yeah, that's cool.
Yeah, so tell me about yourwhat?
What are you um?
That was, that was 2019.
Yep, so what have you beendoing?
You're still racing.
What are you racing?
What's your success been?
Tell me all about it.
Kelly Barr Anderson (07:24):
So, uh, uh, right now we're doing not as
much drag racing becauseIrwindale closed, uh in December
, which was devastating, yeah,um.
So since that happened, afriend of mine, jeff Stilwell,
had connected me with somepeople in the land speed racing
scene and they said we'll putyou in a car, come on out.
(07:45):
And so we went.
A few weeks ago I got my firstlicense in the land speed.
Um, I really enjoyed it and, tobe honest, I didn't think I
would.
I was like you know what.
It's an opportunity.
It'll look good on my racingresume.
We'll just go do it, just to doit, and I fell in love with it.
I absolutely loved it.
The community, of course carcommunity.
Melinda Russell (08:05):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (08:07):
People in the car community are amazing.
Melinda Russell (08:09):
Yeah, they are, they are.
Kelly Barr Anderson (08:12):
And did the land speed racing out at El
Mirage, and now we're talkingabout building a car for that.
So we'll still drag race andwe'll still land speed race.
So you know, I'm trying to make, I'm trying to put everything
into these last years of my life, because I'm not getting any
younger and I want to make themost of it.
I tell you what, since 2019,when I started racing, I've
(08:34):
lived more life than I ever have.
It's insane.
Melinda Russell (08:39):
I could believe that because there was
something missing.
Wasn't there, Kelly, somewherein that path, that you just told
me something was missing andyou found it with racing and the
racing family yes, yes.
Kelly Barr Anderson (08:54):
So I honestly, like, when I first
started racing I was like thisis my calling from god.
Why would god say drag race,kelly?
This is is your calling.
And I really didn't understandwhy.
But I was just going with itbecause I knew it was from God.
And so I started a girls groupcalled the Gorgeous Irwindale
Racing Ladies, where weencourage females of all ages
(09:18):
and all motor sports and evencar shows and anything with a
motor and a woman.
We're like go, go, girl go.
And so the core group kind of itdwindled, it kind of fell apart
and I just hung in there and Ikept racing, I was just doing my
thing.
And then my grandson, my oldestgrandson, went into foster care
(09:43):
.
And when that, and my and histwo sisters, my oldest
granddaughters, and when thathappened, like that was so
devastating, I decided that'swhen I created Mavix Community
Outreach, which is our nonprofit, and we introduced foster
children and troubled teens tothe world of motorsports.
Because I tell you what, at 51years old, I hadn't, I hadn't
(10:06):
had passions or goals and I wasstuck in addiction for all my
life.
And then I found the racingworld and everything changed.
I mean, I got, I haveboundaries, like all these
things I never had in my life.
I found through the love ofmotorsports.
Melinda Russell (10:22):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (10:23):
And so I wanted to do a make, a make
something good out of the reallyugly days of my life.
And then, when Mavis was formed, I'm like that's why it's my
calling from God.
Now it all makes sense.
Melinda Russell (10:35):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (10:36):
You just gotta believe and hold on, and
you know so how did you come upwith that name?
Melinda Russell (10:41):
It has to mean something special.
Kelly Barr Anderson (10:43):
It does.
So my girlfriend, my businesspartner, Maria, is this okay?
So Maven, one of my sponsorssaid you're a Maven, it's a
woman who brings people together.
So she took the word Maven andPhoenix rise from the ashes and
made Maven.
Melinda Russell (11:03):
Oh yeah, that's cool.
Kelly Barr Anderson (11:05):
Yeah, maria Link is awesome.
She's my business partner.
She'd come out spectating withme and my husband when we'd go.
Then she was on board when Istarted drag racing.
Then we got her in a car forDemolition Derby.
She always wanted to do aDemolition Derby, so now she
does derbies.
And then I said I want to makemavix.
(11:27):
And she says, okay, let's do it, let's create mavix.
And she's been on board by myside through everything the bad
days of the girls crumble andbut girls of arundel still
around.
It's just.
It started out more like agroup and now it's an
organization where we justencourage women.
Melinda Russell (11:43):
Okay.
Kelly Barr Anderson (11:44):
Of all ages .
Melinda Russell (11:45):
Yeah, and so what?
What's the closest like dragstrip?
Now to you.
Kelly Barr Anderson (11:51):
So the closest would be Famoso
Bakersfield or Verona, San Diego.
Melinda Russell (11:56):
Okay, yeah, it's too bad.
Or when Dale closed.
Kelly Barr Anderson (12:00):
What a mess , I can't believe.
And it happened fast, like wedid not know until just a few
months before that it washappening.
We heard talk, but you know,you always hear talk, yeah, and
then it happened.
Melinda Russell (12:14):
It was like oh my gosh yeah, that's a shame
that was devastating yeah, sotell me more now about Mavix,
because I think that's whereyour heart is now.
So your grandchildren went tofoster care, which is so sad.
Kelly Barr Anderson (12:28):
It was so sad and it was during COVID.
So they were in for 13 monthsbecause everything was pushed
back, delayed, court was invideo and just it was a
nightmare.
And so they're back home withmom and then my son's doing good
, mom's doing great, the kidsare fabulous.
(12:48):
I get to have my grandson onceor twice a week now and, oh my
gosh, it's so awesome Life isgetting so good.
And so, you know, I just knewthat me back in the day, not
having any goals, any dreams, nopassions, no interest in
anything.
Well then you get yourself intotrouble.
As soon as I had a passion forthis, everything changed, and so
(13:12):
I figured we could introducesome foster children to this
world.
They don't have to drag race,they could work on cars, they
could tune cars, they could takepictures, they could do
videography.
Announcing there's so manyareas of motorists.
So right now we're trying to,you know, get us off the ground,
and you know we're going tohave a fundraiser coming up in
(13:35):
July at an escape room to raisefunds.
We like to take my race car toschools.
So we went to a school namedMcKinley and it was where they
have a lot of troubled childrenand foster youth, and we brought
the car out and then you get tostart it for them and they get
to get in it or just check itout up close and personal.
(13:57):
And it just didn't get that.
Could, you know, make them getinterested in the motor sports
scene.
We pass out hot wheels, likeall the kids love Hot Wheels.
Melinda Russell (14:07):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (14:08):
We do that and pass out little flags,
checkered flags, and hero cardsand stickers.
Melinda Russell (14:15):
Yeah, yeah, all the stuff kids love.
Kelly Barr Anderson (14:18):
Yep, exactly.
So we also work with a fosteragency that Maria started up.
So Maria works for Home Depot'sheadquarters and okay.
So they wanted her to do a goodevent for the community so she
decided to work with the fosterkids.
So she brings out about 200foster children and their
(14:38):
families at Christmas time andshe had us come out.
So we went out and we were like, oh my gosh, besides
devastating and sad, it'sbeautiful to be out there.
Bring the race car out to the.
She has a little car show therenow and so all the cars are
there and the kids vote on theirfavorite car and I usually win.
But last year she said no, youcan't vote for her car because
(15:02):
that's not fair.
Yeah, so we host an event now.
We partner with her on that.
We get a lot of donations fromFoster Love, which is the
largest nonprofit in the countryfor foster youth.
They give us bikes andskateboards, and clothing and
shoes and like beautiful items,and they come to our event and
(15:25):
then they basically shop, sothey take what they want for
free.
You could have the bike, youcould have the skateboard, you
could have this and that andthey go out with arms so full
and their cars are stuffed.
I've delivered bikes becausethey couldn't take everything,
you know.
Melinda Russell (15:39):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (15:40):
So we just want to make a difference in
their lives as much as wepossibly can, and it's an honor
to be able to work with the kids.
Melinda Russell (15:48):
Yeah, so that's interesting that this is what
you do, because I just did aninterview last week with a gal
that works for University ofNortheast Northwestern I don't
know if it's Eastern or Western,it's UNOH and it's in ohio and
she's a recruiter for thecollege and she went to college
(16:10):
there and she actually recruiteda young gal from like, not very
far from me, that races, thatI've known from racing, and she
said something to me and it'salong the lines of what you're
doing.
She said she goes into the highschools and gives her
presentation about theirmotorsports program because
(16:30):
they're a huge motorsport.
They have a, they have, um, arally team, they have a drifting
team, all kind and then theyhave degrees in motorsports and
all.
It's just amazing.
So she said she goes into theseschools and when she gives her
presentation she said the thingthat really gets her the most is
(16:51):
when a kid says I, I didn'tthink I could go to college
because I'm not a good studentand I don't want to be a nurse
or a chiropractor or a teacheror a whatever.
Yep, but this is really cool.
I want to do this.
Yes, that is beautiful and thenthey go to unoh and and, like
(17:12):
the young gal in uh that livesclose to me, she's working on an
arcane this summer wow, yeah,yeah, that's amazing, it is, and
so you're.
You know you're doing the samething.
You're exposing them tosomething that they would never
have known about, and to thepoint to where you you're
(17:32):
changing lives and you probablydon't even know it.
Kelly Barr Anderson (17:35):
Yes, yes, like I say, you change one life
as a generational line.
Melinda Russell (17:40):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (17:40):
All their kids, all their grandchildren,
like just generations to come.
Melinda Russell (17:45):
Especially motor sports.
Yes, Because we know that.
You know that really is agenerational hobby, more than
not.
Kelly Barr Anderson (17:54):
Right, I call it.
It's not a hobby, it's alifestyle.
Well, it's a lifestyle.
Melinda Russell (17:58):
You're right, it assumes you, it does.
Yeah, you can't think aboutanything else.
Kelly Barr Anderson (18:04):
Right, and I tell you what if you are into
cars, you don't have money fordrugs.
So, that's a victory.
Yeah, keep them out of trouble.
I say, you know, take care ofit before it becomes a problem.
And if they start young in themotorsports world just having
the interest in it alone, yeah,it could change the trajectory
(18:25):
of their lives.
Yeah it really does and so ourlong-term goal is to connect
them with trade schoolscholarships in the motorsports
industry, which could bephotography, still Like it could
be chefs.
There's chefs for John Forrest.
Oh yeah, NASCAR has chefs.
Yeah, so there's so many,everything pretty much could be
in the motorsports industry.
Melinda Russell (18:47):
So that's our long-term goal.
Well, you need to get connectedto Mara Henderson Would you
connect me.
I'll connect you because she'sthe gal at UNOH.
Yes, and you know they recruitfrom all over the place.
Yes, she and you would be agood connection I would love
(19:07):
that very much.
Kelly Barr Anderson (19:08):
Yeah, that'd be awesome.
Melinda Russell (19:10):
She's amazing too.
I just love talking to, I justlove sounds like it.
Yeah, I love her already, Iknow.
So, kelly, what?
What has been your favoritething if there is a favorite or
your favorite things about beinginvolved in the motorsports
community?
Kelly Barr Anderson (19:28):
oh, the fans.
I just love the fans.
So at irwindale, the returnroad, oh, you're against the.
I drive my car as close to thefence as you can get and I and I
rev.
They always like it when Iwould rev my engine.
So they start doing this likerev, rev, rev.
So I'm going down the returnroad.
They go nuts yeah that is.
(19:52):
That is it.
The fans were always myfavorite thing, because I do
more exhibition running than Ido racing like I didn't really
do a lot of competition okay, Ididn't do much summit or any of
that stuff.
We mostly just did exhibitionruns and and I I'm good with
that and so what?
Melinda Russell (20:09):
what kind of car did you?
Did you do that and or do you?
Kelly Barr Anderson (20:12):
have.
So I have a 2000 f body, camaro, uh, and and I do a lot of
wheelies.
We, we pop a lot of wheeliesand the fans love them.
The racers sometimes, don'tthey?
They talk trash sometimes, butyeah, but the fans love a good
wheelie and lord knows, I dosure they do do, Absolutely they
do.
Melinda Russell (20:32):
Oh my gosh, that's so fun.
So how do you think and I knowI know this has changed you
being in motorsports, but youknow a lot of people.
I'll say well, how do you thinkbeing involved in motorsports
has made you into the person youare today?
And you've already shared thatit's really changed your life.
But, yes, do you want to talkabout that a little more?
Kelly Barr Anderson (20:55):
um, well, I mean, honestly, being in the
motorsports world has consumedmy entire world and I'm not sad
about it, you know.
I mean I it made me a betterperson, made me a stronger,
independent woman.
Of course I have my husband whohelps me with everything, but I
mean, I'm an independent womanwho knows what she wants.
(21:15):
I go after it.
I have boundaries, which is anew thing in my life, because
back in the day I was alwayslike, yes, okay, whatever, like
I didn't want to make someonemad.
Now it's like this is how it isand this is the way.
You know, I try to follow God'sword.
Perfect at it, that's for sure.
But I have structure, I haveconfidence.
(21:37):
I mean they're and havingconfidence is a really good
thing, as long as you're humbleabout it.
And I go through phases whereI'm not, and then God says don't
you dare, it's all about me,sister.
And I gotta reel myself back inand get back on track and keep
my eyes on the prize, which isJesus.
Melinda Russell (21:55):
So yeah, yeah.
So what does your family thinkabout you being so involved in
motorsports?
Kelly Barr Anderson (22:00):
they love it.
They love who I've become.
They love it.
So my husband, all his life.
It would be like, okay, myyoungest son, baseball, private
lessons, baseball practice,everything.
Then my daughter soccer, boom,boom, boom, soccer, travel, go
with her.
Uh, my youngest son was, uh,swimming band archery.
(22:20):
They did all that.
And then now it's my turn yeahnow he supports me 100.
It's really funny because wefilmed on a few shows, so my, my
husband, paul, is now known asKelly's husband, so don't be
like filming.
Okay, kelly over here, kelly'shusband, go over there.
Melinda Russell (22:39):
Isn't that funny.
Kelly Barr Anderson (22:40):
Yeah, he loves it.
He loves it.
He wouldn't change a thing.
Melinda Russell (22:45):
That's cool.
Kelly Barr Anderson (22:46):
Yeah, it's great.
My kids are so proud of me.
Melinda Russell (22:51):
I'm sure they are.
I'm sure they are?
Kelly Barr Anderson (22:52):
I'm sure they are.
It's a.
It's a wonderful life.
Melinda Russell (22:56):
I know I can tell, but you're so um, you're
the excitement that you sharewhen you talk about it and you
know, I know if you're listeningto this you can't see the look
on her face, but if you go toYouTube later she'll be there
and it's just.
It's a pleasure to just watchyou talk about what you've done.
Kelly Barr Anderson (23:16):
Thank you, I really appreciate that.
It is my heart, yeah, that'sfor sure.
Melinda Russell (23:21):
So what's your favorite memory?
Do you have one from like whenyou were running your car?
Kelly Barr Anderson (23:27):
I have a memory, a funny memory, a cool
memory and a funny kind ofmemory.
Melinda Russell (23:32):
Go ahead.
Kelly Barr Anderson (23:32):
So John Forrest was at Irwindale
watching his grandchildren dosummit racing his granddaughter
Autumn and at the time I hadtotaled my first car, which was
Stacy OG I guess.
And then I was running a DodgeDart that we had bought.
We bought the Dart because itcame on the trailer that we
wanted, so I ran it.
(23:53):
I ran a 7.0, and I saw John.
I went over to him, got apicture and I go, I'm going to
get into the sixes tonight.
And then I'm going down thetrack on my next pass he's on
the fence below up in front ofhim.
I go oh my God, I never gotinto sixes and I got ahead of
myself bragging about my six,six, second run.
I was gonna do so.
That's a memory.
(24:13):
And then I got to share it withhim at pri two years ago.
I told him the story.
Yeah, that was that was that'scool I love, john forrest, john
forrest has always been myfavorite, since I was dating my
husband and geez 87, 86 maybe.
And he took me to Pomona forthe first time, my first time at
the drag races.
(24:34):
And John Ford here, he comeshalfway down the track.
I was like, wow, that's amazing.
I fell in love with John rightthen.
Huge fan.
Melinda Russell (24:44):
How could you not be a fan of that guy?
Kelly Barr Anderson (24:46):
Right.
Melinda Russell (24:47):
Right.
Kelly Barr Anderson (24:47):
Yeah, yeah.
Melinda Russell (24:49):
Yeah, for sure.
So, do you?
Do you work on the car too, orjust I don't you know?
Kelly Barr Anderson (24:57):
I wanted to , I.
But then me and my husbandfight too much when I try to ask
questions and get all up in thebusiness.
He's like just let me do it.
So I did take a beginner'sautomotive class at citrus
college for a semester okay so Icould oil, which I was so proud
of myself.
I changed the oil, yeah, butthat's okay.
(25:18):
We're going to keep our roleshow we know he's taking care of
me my whole life, like we'vebeen together since I was 16.
So 40 years we've been together, married 35.
And he's he likes to take careof me.
So I was like you know what,I'm not going to fight with him
to help work on the car, which Idid want to work on the car, so
I just let him do it.
It's faster and easier.
Melinda Russell (25:39):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (25:40):
Yeah.
Melinda Russell (25:44):
And, you know, maybe that's his way of being
very supportive.
It's like this is my role.
Yeah, that is your role.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Yeah, I don't think I could.
You know, my husband's a welderby trade and although we're
more retired than not, um, Icouldn't be a welder and work in
the shop with him.
Kelly Barr Anderson (26:02):
yeah, no way, right exactly how to keep a
happy marriage.
Stay out of each other's way.
Melinda Russell (26:08):
Have your own space.
Yeah, and sometimes he'll sayyou'all, I'll say we this or are
we gonna go to this, or that.
He said what am I?
A mouse in your pocket, youknow, because I'm?
I'm the bigger sports fan thanhe is.
Oh, okay, and so you know hegoes to the races and stuff, but
he, um, he would just assume,maybe not at times right, right,
(26:36):
yeah, I get it so it.
So let's pretend that it's raceday.
Yep, what's your what?
What do you do?
What's your routine on race day?
Um?
Kelly Barr Anderson (26:48):
um, I try to hydrate pretty good because
usually you sweat.
So I call race day P5000because I I will have to go to
the bathroom.
I get so nervous, but it'salways nervous excitement.
Yeah, it's like until my firstpass.
I'm like going to the bathroomconstantly and uh, but once I
make my first pass I'm usuallygood.
Melinda Russell (27:07):
Okay.
Kelly Barr Anderson (27:08):
You know, um, back in the day, when I was
being healthier, I would alwaysgo for my morning walks and my
morning walks for my Zen, andI've gotten out of that habit.
I think it and look forward tothe fans and the other racers
and all your friends and it'sjust it's actually a smaller
(27:39):
community than you would think.
Like yeah, even the big guyslike know who we are and it's
like yeah it really is.
Melinda Russell (27:46):
You know, we talked before we started
recording about how, when Ifirst started the women's
motorsports network, I justthought it was such a big, big
community that I didn't evenknow where to start in
motorsports.
And then I decided I was goingto focus on the women of
motorsports.
And as you get involved, arethere, are there hundreds of
(28:09):
thousands of women in racing?
Yes, there are, if you look atall the different kinds, but
overall it's a small community.
It really is.
People know each other.
Yeah, you get to know eachother.
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
Yeah, they really do.
Yeah, do you eat or not eat whenyou go on race days?
Kelly Barr Anderson (28:32):
I usually don't eat a lot, not on race
days.
I eat plenty on the rest of thedays, yeah did you have any
superstitions?
Same shirt, same socks no, no,thankfully I'm not a
superstitious person but.
Melinda Russell (28:47):
I did.
Kelly Barr Anderson (28:47):
I used to always get my walks in because
it helped me keep my head calmand you know, calmer you can
tell I'm not the calmest ofpeople.
Melinda Russell (28:59):
You're a little excitable yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (29:02):
I love it.
It's funny because I'mexhausted, but for some I talk
about racing and motorsports.
I like life comes into me.
Melinda Russell (29:10):
You just have a lot of energy, and I love that,
thank you.
When just have a lot of energy,and I love that, thank you.
When you had a bad when you hada bad day at the track, which
we all do, how did?
Kelly Barr Anderson (29:19):
you react.
So okay, one time, going downthe return road, I had a, I had
a bad pass.
I was so mad, I drove down,pissed off.
I was like, didn't look at thefans.
I drove down, pissed off.
I was like, didn't look at thefans and and then I thought you
know what that could be theirfirst impression of me, because
a lot of them may not have seenme before, they're not all
regulars and I told, and I toldmyself like I will never go down
(29:42):
the return road mad again, soI'll pull off, get out of the
car, unsuit like just cool downand then go back down.
Because you know what, when I'ma fan and I'm spectating, I
don't even know who won, halfthe time I don't even know what
happened, but I like that car, Ilike that racer, I like that
person, I want to wave, I wantthem to wave at me.
And so I thought, every time Igo down the return, I have to
(30:05):
give them an experience thatthey won't forget.
And you know, so that wassomething for me.
That was a really big deal.
Melinda Russell (30:13):
Well, you know that's.
I hope other people listen tothat, because even you know
professional drivers and Ifollow really all sport, all
motor sports, but NASCAR is myfavorite, oh, nice and and so
you know a lot of those guyshave bad days and or they're
busy and they don't want to signautographs, but it's the same
(30:35):
thing.
You know those fans are payingyour way, right and and yeah,
you can't always do it, you know, but um, I, I think more people
need to think of it that way,that yeah I.
They may be seeing this for thefirst time and I want to leave
them with a good impression.
Kelly Barr Anderson (30:55):
Yeah, exactly, you only make one first
impression.
Melinda Russell (30:59):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (31:01):
One of the reasons why I came up with okay,
I met Shirley Muldowney at NHRAonce and she was having a bad
day and I was like wow, and Ithought I don't want to leave a
first impression like that's nota good one.
Melinda Russell (31:13):
You know what I mean.
Kelly Barr Anderson (31:14):
Like I could be having a bad day but
they don't know that, right,they don't know what's going on
in my life.
All they know is they want tomeet you, they want to
experience your energy.
They want to, you know.
So you just have to really tryto just kind of save it for when
you get home.
Melinda Russell (31:29):
Exactly, save it for when you get home.
Exactly, you just have to putthat aside and and be in race
mode, be in fan mode, all thosethings, and then, when you get
home, so you can deal with it.
Kelly Barr Anderson (31:40):
We did a no prep event a year after I
started racing in stacy og andthat's when I totaled my car.
So I totaled the car.
It wasn't that big of a dealreally.
I'm surprised it got totaled onthat slow of speed, but it did.
And I mean the kids are runningup to me and I have to just
forget about the crashed carthat they're loading into the
trailer and be happy, and I was.
(32:00):
I mean, you just gotta just bethere for the people.
Melinda Russell (32:05):
They don't yeah yeah yeah, so when you first
went to the racetrack anddecided you know you were going
to race that car, did you feellike you didn't fit in, or you
just always felt like you wereaccepted?
Kelly Barr Anderson (32:19):
I didn't think twice.
I felt like I fit in.
I mean, I knew it was mycalling and you know, just
because it's my calling from Godor whatever, like it's not
always going to be easy, it'snot always going to be, no, no
drama.
There's going to be drama.
There's going to be trials andtribulations.
But I knew that that was mycalling and I never thought
(32:39):
twice about it.
I just jumped off head firstand that was it.
There wasn't a.
Should I do this?
Should I nope?
It was on that's awesome, yeah.
Melinda Russell (32:50):
So what was your biggest challenge when you
first?
Kelly Barr Anderson (32:58):
getting enough seat time.
I mean like I couldn't getenough.
And you know what I alwayswondered?
I always wondered do you everget your fill?
Do you ever feel like satisfied?
Because back in the day it waslike a drug and I couldn't get
enough and so I'd make the 25passes.
I still want more.
I still want more.
Now I could do three passes.
I'm like all right, put the caraway, I'm good, I'm going now
(33:18):
you know, from going 13 secondsin the eighth mile to five,
whatever, whatever, five, seven,five, point, seven seconds, you
get your fill.
You get you know, and I've madethousands of passes yeah so
yeah you do, you do.
Melinda Russell (33:35):
I mean, yeah, I think you do get to where and
and I don't want it to soundlike that you don't care as much
because you still care, but youdon't have to go overboard
anymore.
A little is satisfying yep, yep, exactly.
Kelly Barr Anderson (33:52):
And I'm an extremist, I'm all or nothing,
and yeah, I actually have alittle bit of self-control when
it comes to yeah, you know whyhurt the car, why risk crashing?
Because, honestly, the morepasses you make, the more you're
risking it.
You're gonna hit the wall, likeeventually things happen.
It's just the more you makepasses, the more opportunity for
something to happen yeah, I tryto be like, okay, we got the
(34:14):
car down and put it away tillthe next time yeah, I agree,
don't take too many chances,because that's not a good thing,
right?
Melinda Russell (34:22):
yeah, yeah, so, um, what are you doing now?
Are you just working with your,your outreach, or are you doing
any?
Yeah, I know you did land speed.
What if you got planned for thesummer?
Kelly Barr Anderson (34:36):
so, you know, honestly, my husband says
I nap and I work, I nap and Iwork.
I don't get much sleep and I'malways working.
I'm either emailing orcontacting people.
I am a board member of the CalRods Car Club so I, you know,
work with them a bit.
I'm on, I am on the, I'm thevice president of the San
(34:58):
Gabriel Valley Boss Ladies,which is a networking group, and
that's how I've, and theybrought me in as a non-profit.
So they only have one categoryper, you know realtor and the
balloon.
Melinda Russell (35:08):
Like me and I.
Kelly Barr Anderson (35:10):
Yes, and so I am the non-profit, and so we
all work together to try to makeus better, to get our story
down, to get our presentationdown.
You're a one-minute commercial,so when you're in an elevator
you got to pop it off.
Melinda Russell (35:23):
Right.
Kelly Barr Anderson (35:24):
Know what you're talking about.
I've had so much growth.
That's once a week and that's alot Like we really work hard.
Melinda Russell (35:31):
Yeah, it is.
Kelly Barr Anderson (35:33):
I've worked harder this last year and a
half on Mavix than I have, youknow so Well, it's a big
commitment that once a week andit doesn't set.
Melinda Russell (35:40):
You wouldn't think it is, but I was in B&I
for quite a number of years forsend out cards and it is a
commitment.
Kelly Barr Anderson (35:48):
Yeah, yeah, it really is.
Yeah, but it's great stuff.
I mean, we become great friends.
Yeah, I don't really hang out,I don't.
I pretty much am home alone.
I'm like a loner, unless we'reat an event and then I'm all
over the place, but then I'mhome alone decompressing, yeah
sitting in my room by myselfquiet like I have to have a lot
(36:10):
of downtime to rejuvenate thiscrazy head yeah, so um, so yeah,
we do a lot of like, uh, mixersand a lot of you know, bringing
other teams and yeah okaygetting mavix's name out there
yeah and are you gonna doanything with your car this
summer uh, we're gonna run fuelfest at pomona in june, in a
(36:31):
couple weeks, okay.
Um, we're probably gonna build aland speed car, I think, down
the road here and um, but I'mstill gonna drag race because
that's my first love, okay youknow, it just won't be as much,
because we have to travel so farand then you have to get a room
I know rent a trailer orwhatever so I got a motor home
(36:52):
for sale if you're interested.
Melinda Russell (36:54):
Oh really, well , is it a diesel?
You better believe it is really.
Yeah, well, where are you atwhat state?
I live in michigan, but youknow you can fly here and drive
home, it's real we'll have toconnect later.
Kelly Barr Anderson (37:08):
Send me some info on it, I will okay
thank you, it's nice, it's just.
Melinda Russell (37:12):
We got older.
My husband wasn't comfortabledriving anymore driving it, and
so we we sold our big house.
We built a smaller house.
That's nice, though, and thatit's easier for both of us to
take care of yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (37:27):
Yeah, definitely send me some pictures
on it and some info on it.
I will, yeah, I will, so forsure.
That's awesome.
Melinda Russell (37:34):
So now tell me, if somebody wanted to follow
you on, like I'm social media orwhatever, how would anybody
follow you, get connected?
Kelly Barr Anderson (37:42):
be friends with you.
So my Facebook page, mypersonal.
I have two Facebook's.
Because one of them was forMavix, I had to create a
Facebook.
You can follow me at Kelly BarrAnderson and BARR to ours,
kelly Barr Anderson on Facebook.
Instagram is fullthrottleoroughoutalfabulous one
word.
And our website for Mavix ismavixcommunityorg.
(38:07):
Mavixcommunityorg.
Melinda Russell (38:10):
And is there opportunity for people to like
donate or help or in any way?
Kelly Barr Anderson (38:16):
with your outreach.
Yes, if you go to my website,you can donate there or send me
a message there.
Mavixcommunity at gmailcom ismy email for that.
We love support.
I mean help us get our name outthere.
Financial donations is great.
We're getting ready to ourfundraiser, like I said in July,
our first big one.
(38:38):
Yeah, we want to get our nameout there.
We want to make a bigger impact.
I would like to travel thecountry.
Melinda Russell (38:43):
Yeah.
Kelly Barr Anderson (38:43):
And go all over to the schools and stuff
like that.
Melinda Russell (38:46):
See, you need that motor home, then I know, so
you can do that.
Kelly Barr Anderson (38:49):
That's right.
Send me that info, sister.
Melinda Russell (38:51):
I will tonight.
I'll do it tonight for sure,Thank you.
So, Kelly, is there anything?
Well, one thing we didn't talkabout you were a Hoosier hero,
oh.
Kelly Barr Anderson (39:01):
I am a Hoosier hero.
Melinda Russell (39:05):
How did that come about?
How does that work so?
Kelly Barr Anderson (39:07):
that okay.
So I've seen last year I sawthem and post become a Hoosier
hero, be an ambassador forHoosier brand, and we love
Hoosier tires.
We've run them quite some time.
The only time we really didn'trun them was when, uh, covid,
you couldn't get them.
I know we.
I mean I ordered a set and ittook like I don't know a year
and a half to get them, and then, uh, but we run faster with
(39:30):
hoosiers so that last year I sawthey're doing it, so I sent the
link to everyone.
Like, nominate me please, if youfeel, if you feel I'm a hoosier
hero quality, whatever,nominate me.
So I got nominated and I was atmy daughter's in Arizona and I
got the email.
I said congratulations, youmade top 25 out of 2000.
I was like, oh my God, like Icannot even believe this is
(39:53):
happening right now.
And then it goes to voting, andthen they do where the motor
sports uppers, whoever, wherethe motorsports uppers, whoever
I don't even know who they areuh, they vote and then it goes
to the community and so you sendthe link to everybody.
It's a full-time job.
Yeah, I quit doing contestsbecause I was like, oh, it's way
(40:13):
too much work and it's annoying, but this was a something very
near and dear to my heart and Ireally, really wanted to do it.
So then, uh, I had a meetingand Maddie Gordon is the one
that told me I was a Hoosierhero yeah they all expense, paid
trip to PRI and then you domedia day and it was just the
(40:34):
trip of a lifetime.
I love PRI anyway, but it wasall about Hoosier that year last
year, yeah, yeah and so now I'man ambassador and they sent me
some tires, and they sent megear and cleaning supplies.
Oh my god, they're so good tous.
It is such an honor To be aHoosier hero.
I cannot believe it.
Melinda Russell (40:56):
I'm glad we didn't forget about that.
Kelly Barr Anderson (40:57):
Yes, thank you, I would have felt terrible.
Oh, thank you.
Yes, it truly is an honor.
Like my life, you know, a lifebeyond my wildest dreams.
Melinda Russell (41:09):
Yeah, I can tell, I can tell that you're
very happy, very happy, yeah,yeah, that's good and that's
what it.
That's what it's all about.
You got to get up every morningand and be ready to do whatever
it is that makes you happy.
Kelly Barr Anderson (41:22):
Yep, and it's not easy.
It's a lot, a lot of work, alot of behind the scenes that no
one sees.
Oh, for sure it really is likea 24-7, seven days a week.
Yeah, commitment to everythingwe're doing, but it's worth it.
Melinda Russell (41:35):
Yeah, it certainly is.
Yes.
Well, Kelly, I don't have anyother questions, but do you have
anything else that you wouldlike to share?
I know I'll think of it afterwe hang up.
Kelly Barr Anderson (41:46):
I hate that when that happens.
Yeah, I know I do too.
I mean, I feel like we'vecovered it all.
Yeah, it's truly an honor to beon the show.
Thank you so much for reachingout.
Melinda Russell (41:58):
Oh, I appreciate that.
Thank you so much, and I'm soglad we were able to connect
after a couple of you know I hadto cancel and you had to cancel
and finally we were able toreach out.
Yeah, that's awesome so well.
Kelly, thanks again for being onthe show.
If you just hold on for onesecond, I'll get with you when
it's over.
Thank you, uh-huh.
Promoting a track takes heartand now showing appreciation can
(42:30):
be just as easy with send outcards.
You can thank sponsors,volunteers, drivers and fans
with personalized digital cardssent right from your phone or
laptop add, add a photo, write amessage and hit send.
It's that simple Unlimitedsends for just $10 a month.
Go to sendoutcardscom, forwardslash 53240.
(42:54):
That's sendoutcardscom.
Forward slash 53240.
Because gratitude builds greattracks.
That's it for this episode ofthe Women's Motorsports Network
podcast.
We hope you've been inspired bythe stories I shared today and
(43:16):
feel more connected to theamazing community of women in
motorsports.
Remember, whether you're behindthe wheel in the pits or
cheering from the stands, yourstory matters and together we're
driving change and celebratingevery milestone.
If you enjoyed today's episode,be sure to subscribe, leave us
(43:36):
a review and share it withsomeone who loves motorsports as
much as you do.
And don't forget to follow uson Facebook and Instagram for
updates, behind-the-scenescontent and more incredible
stories.
So until next time, stayinspired, stay connected and
keep racing through life.
This is the Women's MotorsportsNetwork podcast, where every
(44:00):
woman's story is worthcelebrating.
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.