My SCCA Life: Amanda Hahn

Colorado Region
SCCA member since 2011

"I got involved in the SCCA through my father when I was 15 years old. He wanted to make sure I would be able to handle myself in any type of dangerous driving situation I may encounter in the winters of Colorado. He bought an NB Miata, taught me to drive a manual, and I took my driver's test.

The first race I participated in was the day after I received the hard copy of my permit in the mail. Going in, I didn't really think I would enjoy or excel at racing cars, so I was very hesitant about trying it out – but after I tried it, I realized it was something really cool and worth doing.

The first season was a big learning curve, but the feeling of getting to go out on the weekend and drive as fast as I could was liberating. When I finished my first season with no really noteworthy finishes, I reached out to a fellow autocrosser after an event to see if it would be possible for me to try his car. Luckily for me, Robert Thorne was willing to let me drive it. That event was the first time I placed well, and we agreed it would be a good idea for me to be in the car for the season.

Afterward, Robert and I began dating, and the seat in his car became more permanent. Now, three seasons later, I have been thriving in that car, taking home championship titles both locally and Nationally. The SCCA has been a wonderful family to me, and I am very grateful for the experiences I have gotten through the autocross community."

This story originally appeared in SportsCar, the official member magazine of the Sports Car Club of America. To join the SCCA and receive SportsCar for free, head to www.scca.com.