Wow the Smart Ride 8 is now in the books with record setting numbers! All records were broken for this one! We raised over $675K for Aids/HIV and had a huge presence in the Florida Keys doing so! This was so much more emotional than I could have ever imagined! It was also one of the most well organized events I have ever had the honor of participating in! From beginning to end there was encouragement and camaraderie that cannot be described. I rode with Team Chic Optique and would like to thank Karen and Julie for being who they are and doing the things they do for the community! I am overwhelmed with emotion just writing about this event!
I arrived in Miami on Thursday, getting a ride from one of my friends to the Morningstar Renewal Center. Upon arrival there was a great ceremony, check in and dinner. I was full of emotion walking along the timeline of Aids in America thinking of all the friends I have lost and my own battles with running and hiding from HIV. 25 years ago I had to come to terms with it and it has been a very difficult road. We had a great speech and candle light moment before heading back to the hotel for the evening. Originally I was going to be a part of the safety crew and ride my Suzuki but I decided I needed to get healthy and I really enjoy cycling. I had alot of friends in this event and I feel privileged to even be there! I bought a nice Trek at the end of July from Lauderdale Cyclery (lauderdalecyclery.com) and started training with some really fast guys here in FTL. I know this event was NOT a race but I wanted to do this for myself and everyone I knew that was affected by this terrible illness. It was sort of a personal thing for me. We rolled out at 6:45 into the streets of Miami and it was a nice mellow pace. I decided to pick up the pace and see what I could do and challenge myself. I ended up at the first checkpoint with a few fast guys from Orlando and decided we were going to go for it! We rode together helping each other and pushing ourselves. What a surreal feeling! I did not know these people and we were sharing pain and suffering together...never felt so good. Many people do not understand that the speed pain and suffering are all part of the experience and ask why we do this. You have to experience it to understand! Slowly I got waved on by my comrades as they stopped at different checkpoints. I only wanted to stop once for the lunch stop and by that time I was alone. I got down Card Sound Road (what a gorgeous road on a bike!) and rolled into the lunch stop and was told I was the first in there! I grabbed a banana, Gatorade and thanked everyone for being there and rolled out. There was a guy passing the lunch stop behind me as I rolled out and thought here we go! We turned left on to US1 and headed for Hawks Cay. I was happy to see a tail wind of sorts (kind of a cross/tail wind) and put down some power cruising at 25-27 MPH. I looked back after 10 miles and saw I was alone. I did not give up I just kept at it as hard as I thought I could. The pains and worry of a flat were always there and I just rode through it. I couldn't believe I was doing this! For sure there has to be others ahead...
I was 8 miles from the finish when I looked back again. There he was. Maybe 100 yards back was a guy with aero bars and speed to match! I thought about it and said to myself "I didn't go 92 miles suffering to get passed at the end!" Now I know this was not a competitive event but this was about personal goals and feeling good. I am sure he saw me and felt motivated to catch me as well! Good friendly competition is healthy as long as it is looked at for what it is...having a great time doing something great! I jumped up to 28-30 MPH until I saw 100.0 miles on my speedo. I looked back and I was alone again! At that point it was just about the numbers. As I turned left into Hawks Cay I saw everyone cheering me on and I absolutely cannot describe the wave of emotion that came over me. As I rolled up to the line everyone was very excited to tell me I was the first across the line! I couldn't control my emotion and started to cry like a baby! All the effort, pain, suffering, cramps and self motivational speeches I was rehearsing did not prepare me for the feelings I felt. I was victorious in just finishing this leg and here I was 4 hours and 39 minutes later at my destination. I did it! It was a great personal victory! I remembered all my lost friends and pictured them looking down at me from above and felt them helping me along the way! I did this for all of them and all the others that I had never met that have been taken by this great tragedy. I felt so not alone at that moment my heart almost exploded. Then I saw all the people here doing the same thing for those they love and have loved. Lots of tears to follow! I got a great massage (Dean Allen-ahairstudio.com) and rested for a while when more people started arriving. I stayed over at the line and cheered as people had the same emotions flowing over them and shared in this great wave of love and honor for those that have passed and those that rode for them.
The evening continued on and we had a great dinner by Rosie's and others and shared in our daily experience. A few people did not like the idea that I was proud of finishing first but to me we all finished first! I am a competitive individual and to say the others that came in on my heels were not would be a big huge lie! We had a blast! I was joking with a few of the other competitive cyclists that if you put wheels, helmets and numbers on anyone, competitive spirit lives! The beauty of this is it is what you make of it. If you want a challenge, go for it! whether its you r first big ride or your 100th. Hawks Cay was a great experience and the rooms provided were 5 star! Comfort way beyond my dreams!
The next morning was the push into Key West. I woke feeling great and was ready. They let us go and I moved forward quickly. I rolled up to a group of people moving very fast and decided to stay with them for a while. I am glad I did! I started to think of the camaraderie and sharing nature of what we were doing. I could have not stopped with them at the rest stop as it was a 65 mile ride today and not 100. Most of my non-stop training rides were 50-65 miles so this would have been easy to just keep going. I felt a great bond as we rolled into the stop and decided to enjoy the ride more today. My personal accomplishment of doing so well in the Century ride satisfied my competitive spirit and personal goals. We rolled out and pushed each other for the next 40 or so miles. The 7 mile bridge was a magical experience as we traded the front with each other! I found out as we were riding my comrades were all from Fort Lauderdale! How cool! There was a girl riding a Tri bike (Triathlete/time trial type bicycle) and she was really fast! One of the guys in our group lost all feeling in his foot and we as a group all stopped until he felt better. No one was getting dropped here! We soldiered on averaging more than 25 MPH when 5 miles from the end I got a flat. I felt horrible that I was holding everyone up but we all stopped and I was helped with my flat by someone way faster than me changing it! as we were stopped a lone girl on another aerodynamic bike came flying through. Instead of trying to just catch her we all cheered her on! That's what it is about! We got going and other than a minor tip over on my part right at the end we made great time rolling into the finish. The guy that was right behind me the previous day got the personal best award rolling in first and the girl that passed us was close behind. What really made it great is we all crossed in at the same time and shared in this moment. We did it! 165 miles! WOO HOO!!! We had a great lunch and rolled out at 2pm for a parade down Duval street and the surrounding area finishing on the pier. We had a great ceremony and the finish was spectacular. We all bowed our heads and cried for the riderless bicycle walked to the podium at the end representing all those lost.
What an emotional event. I can't wait until next year!!!!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The Smart Ride 8
Well now that the 13 Hour race has come and gone I am working towards my goals for The Smart Ride! If anyone knows someone with a place in Key West I could use a place to crash Saturday night as hotels are expensive! I have almost reached my goal but need a few more people to step up and donate. On the link below you can make a donation for me from $1 to $1000. Every little bit helps! Here is the link...
https://thesmartride.org/8/pledge/index.php?participantID=354&step=step3
I hope the weather is better than it was in Virginia! I have developed a head cold from the trip and I really hope it goes away so I can start training again!
https://thesmartride.org/8/pledge/index.php?participantID=354&step=step3
I hope the weather is better than it was in Virginia! I have developed a head cold from the trip and I really hope it goes away so I can start training again!
Monday, October 31, 2011
13 Hour 2011
Race Update for the 13 Hour Virginia International Raceway Charge of the Headlight Brigade!
Thanks everyone for the kind words of encouragement on here Facebook and Twitter! It was a long drive too and from the race so I am a bit tired writing this. I have a large coffee next to me so I am sure I can get through it!
I arrived in Greensboro NC on Tuesday around 12 noon at the SRI Racing headquarters. The crew were diligently working on the #66 ITR BMW getting it ready for the event. I jumped in and gave a hand getting the car set up and ready for the event. I put my Trevor Project stickers on the car and had it embroidered on my drivers suit and was very excited to be displaying this very worthy charity! Wednesday we did a bit more and were pretty well ready to go. We loaded up Wed night and headed to the track for the Thursday test day.
I had brought my bicycle up from Florida as I am training for The Smart Ride mid November. When I woke up on Thursday morning I got my spandex on and stepped out of the trailer to find 30 something degree weather! It was also very dark but I got a great ride in around the VIR race facility. Nothing like the NC/Virginia countryside! The crew got to the track as did my co-drivers and we got ready for the test day. I was first in the car and the set up seemed pretty good in the dry weather but we had a fuel leak and the fumes were getting to me. We had to come in and fix it so I only got 2-3 hot laps in the car between coming in and going out trying to fix it. Other than the brakes giving us a few problems the car was great. The other drivers tested the car through the day as we had one session each and everything went really well. It turned out to be a great day but there were clouds looming on the horizon…
The next morning we woke up to cooler temperatures and a cloudy and misty day. It seemed to just get worse as the day progressed. We put a compromise setup on the car (making it handle better in the rain as there is less grip which makes it not as fast when its dry) as it was looking like a downpour during qualifying and the first half of the race. We had some glitches with the brakes locking and were trying to figure that out right up to qualifying time. We heard cars out there so I suited up and jumped right in. It was pouring but the SRI Racing BMW had the measure of it. I got in 8 good laps then the brakes started to lock on me going into T1 and off I went! I got the car slowed pretty good before hitting the tire wall drivers side first. I was able to get away from the wall but got stuck in the wet grass. How embarrassing! Sri came on the radio and told me we were 4.5 seconds ahead of 2nd place in qualifying! Good thing the car wasn’t really damaged other than minor cosmetics after pushing a few dents out! The alignment was still good and the car felt great for the remainder of the evening. We came in 10th overall and 1st in class by a big margin! I love the rain! Now we just need to get the brakes to stop locking…
Race day!! We woke up to miserable rainy and cold conditions Saturday morning and got the car prepped for a rain start. The weather showed big green blobs of rain and more on the way so on went the Hoosier rain tires. The crew got the car to the grid in a timely manner and the rain slowed. As soon as I got out on track for the start it stopped and my windshield fogged up from the lack of airflow. Ugh! I didn’t get the best start but tried to hold my position. The second place ITR car got by me (he was on intermediate tires…the right call) and I tried my best to keep the rains cool but it just kept drying out. Eventually they got so hot and slick I went off turn one again! This time I got the car slowed enough and spun around so I didn’t slam the wall…maybe just a touch but I only lost 10 seconds getting it out of the mud…I came in 27 seconds behind the now 1st place ITR car and early for my stint as we were losing too much time with the rain tires on in the dry. We refueled and put the dry tires on and tried to get the rear anti sway bar reattached but it was a bugger and cost us a few minutes on track. Dan Parker was the next one in and he has proven to be a very quick racer and was able to keep on track and did a great job in the seat setting the fast lap for our team. Catsby was in next and cranked out many good laps until the front ball joint let go stopping us just out of the pits. We were able to get the car towed back, ball joint replaced and back out on track in 22 minutes! Unfortunately it put us back to 5th. The drama continues!
Endurance racing is fun and unpredictable because you have so many variables. Lots of different drivers, crews and lots of time on the track and anything can happen. As we were getting towed back in 2 of our close competitors were in the pits fixing their cars! We went out on the same lap and it was race on! Now we were in a heated battle for 3rd. Craig Lippe was next in and did a stellar job trading lap times and positions with the #99 BMW Z3 ITR car. He had the longest stint in the car at 2 hours and 40 minutes! He was easy on the tires and brakes driving the car into the darkness. We had to stop early for dry tires and our mechanical gremlin put our pit strategy off. If my stint went on a bit longer and we didn’t have the ball joint failure…..anyways, it was Sri’s turn at it and he pulled his stint without incident but the extra pit stop put us back to 5th. It was now my turn to try and reel in our competitors!
I got into the car not knowing what to expect as the brakes were iffy for all the drivers and we had to brake in a straight line (no turning in on the brakes as they would just lock and flat spot the tires) so we had a bit of a compromise in our lap times. The car was surprisingly good considering the problems we had! The tires had a few minor flat spots causing some weird vibrations but it seemed to handle fine. I got out quick and we got word that we had a 90 second penalty for a minor (less than 12 inch) fuel spill! Noooooooooo! Oh well I came in and served my time and got out there to try and do something with our competition. Virginia International Raceway in the dark is a fun and different experience. The corners come at you quicker and you tend to turn in too early so it took me a few laps to acclimate myself to it. It was also the first time to really lap the car in the dry conditions. I caught all the ITR cars in our class and passed them. Then there was a call for oil in Hog Pen (the last corner on the track…a very fast right hander down a hill) I had just passed the Z3 and was trying to put some distance on him when I found the oil. It launched me off the outside where there was another car stuffed into the wall from said oil. I was able to get it back on without losing too much time but they threw a full course caution anyways so I was able to catch up. After the restart I was going back and forth with the #99 again and was ahead when going into turn 4 a Miata that we had passed on the straightaway before mad a bonehead maneuver and passed all of us stopping in my left rear door. I saw the lights coming and they were coming fast! I figured it was either the Prototype car that was vying for the win or the eventual winner in a very fast BMW M3 so I gave him room on the inside. It didn’t matter. He spun me 180 degrees and now I was facing oncoming traffic at night on a blind corner! I was able to restart and get the hell out of there! Luckily the car was undamaged. We all did our best and our 5th place finishing position was a hard pill to swallow after all that work! Our consolation was we still finished 18th overall out of 59 starters!
There is always next year! Thank you to The Trevor Project, SRI Racing, our crew and drivers! Hopefully we will get it next year!
Thanks everyone for the kind words of encouragement on here Facebook and Twitter! It was a long drive too and from the race so I am a bit tired writing this. I have a large coffee next to me so I am sure I can get through it!
I arrived in Greensboro NC on Tuesday around 12 noon at the SRI Racing headquarters. The crew were diligently working on the #66 ITR BMW getting it ready for the event. I jumped in and gave a hand getting the car set up and ready for the event. I put my Trevor Project stickers on the car and had it embroidered on my drivers suit and was very excited to be displaying this very worthy charity! Wednesday we did a bit more and were pretty well ready to go. We loaded up Wed night and headed to the track for the Thursday test day.
I had brought my bicycle up from Florida as I am training for The Smart Ride mid November. When I woke up on Thursday morning I got my spandex on and stepped out of the trailer to find 30 something degree weather! It was also very dark but I got a great ride in around the VIR race facility. Nothing like the NC/Virginia countryside! The crew got to the track as did my co-drivers and we got ready for the test day. I was first in the car and the set up seemed pretty good in the dry weather but we had a fuel leak and the fumes were getting to me. We had to come in and fix it so I only got 2-3 hot laps in the car between coming in and going out trying to fix it. Other than the brakes giving us a few problems the car was great. The other drivers tested the car through the day as we had one session each and everything went really well. It turned out to be a great day but there were clouds looming on the horizon…
The next morning we woke up to cooler temperatures and a cloudy and misty day. It seemed to just get worse as the day progressed. We put a compromise setup on the car (making it handle better in the rain as there is less grip which makes it not as fast when its dry) as it was looking like a downpour during qualifying and the first half of the race. We had some glitches with the brakes locking and were trying to figure that out right up to qualifying time. We heard cars out there so I suited up and jumped right in. It was pouring but the SRI Racing BMW had the measure of it. I got in 8 good laps then the brakes started to lock on me going into T1 and off I went! I got the car slowed pretty good before hitting the tire wall drivers side first. I was able to get away from the wall but got stuck in the wet grass. How embarrassing! Sri came on the radio and told me we were 4.5 seconds ahead of 2nd place in qualifying! Good thing the car wasn’t really damaged other than minor cosmetics after pushing a few dents out! The alignment was still good and the car felt great for the remainder of the evening. We came in 10th overall and 1st in class by a big margin! I love the rain! Now we just need to get the brakes to stop locking…
Race day!! We woke up to miserable rainy and cold conditions Saturday morning and got the car prepped for a rain start. The weather showed big green blobs of rain and more on the way so on went the Hoosier rain tires. The crew got the car to the grid in a timely manner and the rain slowed. As soon as I got out on track for the start it stopped and my windshield fogged up from the lack of airflow. Ugh! I didn’t get the best start but tried to hold my position. The second place ITR car got by me (he was on intermediate tires…the right call) and I tried my best to keep the rains cool but it just kept drying out. Eventually they got so hot and slick I went off turn one again! This time I got the car slowed enough and spun around so I didn’t slam the wall…maybe just a touch but I only lost 10 seconds getting it out of the mud…I came in 27 seconds behind the now 1st place ITR car and early for my stint as we were losing too much time with the rain tires on in the dry. We refueled and put the dry tires on and tried to get the rear anti sway bar reattached but it was a bugger and cost us a few minutes on track. Dan Parker was the next one in and he has proven to be a very quick racer and was able to keep on track and did a great job in the seat setting the fast lap for our team. Catsby was in next and cranked out many good laps until the front ball joint let go stopping us just out of the pits. We were able to get the car towed back, ball joint replaced and back out on track in 22 minutes! Unfortunately it put us back to 5th. The drama continues!
Endurance racing is fun and unpredictable because you have so many variables. Lots of different drivers, crews and lots of time on the track and anything can happen. As we were getting towed back in 2 of our close competitors were in the pits fixing their cars! We went out on the same lap and it was race on! Now we were in a heated battle for 3rd. Craig Lippe was next in and did a stellar job trading lap times and positions with the #99 BMW Z3 ITR car. He had the longest stint in the car at 2 hours and 40 minutes! He was easy on the tires and brakes driving the car into the darkness. We had to stop early for dry tires and our mechanical gremlin put our pit strategy off. If my stint went on a bit longer and we didn’t have the ball joint failure…..anyways, it was Sri’s turn at it and he pulled his stint without incident but the extra pit stop put us back to 5th. It was now my turn to try and reel in our competitors!
I got into the car not knowing what to expect as the brakes were iffy for all the drivers and we had to brake in a straight line (no turning in on the brakes as they would just lock and flat spot the tires) so we had a bit of a compromise in our lap times. The car was surprisingly good considering the problems we had! The tires had a few minor flat spots causing some weird vibrations but it seemed to handle fine. I got out quick and we got word that we had a 90 second penalty for a minor (less than 12 inch) fuel spill! Noooooooooo! Oh well I came in and served my time and got out there to try and do something with our competition. Virginia International Raceway in the dark is a fun and different experience. The corners come at you quicker and you tend to turn in too early so it took me a few laps to acclimate myself to it. It was also the first time to really lap the car in the dry conditions. I caught all the ITR cars in our class and passed them. Then there was a call for oil in Hog Pen (the last corner on the track…a very fast right hander down a hill) I had just passed the Z3 and was trying to put some distance on him when I found the oil. It launched me off the outside where there was another car stuffed into the wall from said oil. I was able to get it back on without losing too much time but they threw a full course caution anyways so I was able to catch up. After the restart I was going back and forth with the #99 again and was ahead when going into turn 4 a Miata that we had passed on the straightaway before mad a bonehead maneuver and passed all of us stopping in my left rear door. I saw the lights coming and they were coming fast! I figured it was either the Prototype car that was vying for the win or the eventual winner in a very fast BMW M3 so I gave him room on the inside. It didn’t matter. He spun me 180 degrees and now I was facing oncoming traffic at night on a blind corner! I was able to restart and get the hell out of there! Luckily the car was undamaged. We all did our best and our 5th place finishing position was a hard pill to swallow after all that work! Our consolation was we still finished 18th overall out of 59 starters!
There is always next year! Thank you to The Trevor Project, SRI Racing, our crew and drivers! Hopefully we will get it next year!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Here we go!
Well the vinyl and embroidery are done all I have to do is drive 12 hours up there and do some prep work on the car for the Charge of the Headlight Brigade 13 Hour Race! Should be alot of fun and I will update afterwards with pictures and maybe some video...watch my twitter feed and facebook page for updates.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
That time of year again!
Hello all, the 2011 Charge of the Headlight Brigade is almost upon us. This is a 13 hour endurance race at Virginia International Raceway http://www.virnow.com/ . I am very excited to say I will be driving a BMW in this event! I have my Trevor Project logos ready and waiting and am having some embroidery done on my suit. I will be tweeting updates throughout the race and will put links in for results and such. This is a great step in the right direction as I got some private support to move forward with Racing for Diversity!
The 2012 plans involve Pro racing and trying to get the word out on many important subjects. I am hoping to bring light to some of our bigger problems like LGBTQ suicide issues, bullying issues, our environment and health and fitness issues with adults today.
I am also excited to say I am doing The Smart Ride 8 in November! This is a 165 mile ride for AIDS/HIV funding. We go from Miami to Key West and should be a great time for a great cause! If you want to make a tax deductable donation you can go to: http://thesmartride.org/ and make a donation...dont forget to use my rider number (#354). The training I have been doing for this event has opened up a new hobby/fitness training routine that I am really enjoying! Cycling in Florida is pretty flat but we make up for it with speed and headwinds! I just started riding with a group on the weekends and they regularly hit 28-32MPH for a good distance! Its amazing how fast a group can go and how it pushes you individually. I have been dropped out the back of the group for the first few weeks but am now beginning to hang with them. Speed averages on my bike computer are now cresting 20MPH after 50+ miles! I have never been able to do that before. My overall fitnes has improved dramatically and my mountain biking skills have also improved with sheer speed and strength. My legs and butt have also reaped many benefits ;-} but I still won't shave my legs.
I am still trying to reach Elton John, Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin and others to see if they would like to be a part of my diversity project. Imagine if they helped with thier resources! I could have a green racing project that helps LGBTQ youth with a great message! It would also benefit everyone with acceptance! If anyone knows how to reach out to these people please pass the word on!
I am working with Holly Chervnsik at Stinger Sports Marketing and we are working towards some great things!
I hope to see more positive things in the near future so stay tuned!!!
Evan
Monday, July 4, 2011
AMAZING
I have been working on figuring out how to do some promotions to gain visibility and maybe compete again. I started searching and looking at different blogs and such and found some disturbing stuff. We all know Fred Phelps is a coward that hates everyone but when you see the number of supporters and fans he has its disturbing. I looked at his blog http://blogs.sparenot.com/ (comments are off of course as he is afraid of public opinion) and he really is an activist of the worst kind. I wish I had as much support as him. I am one of the few people that represent the LGBT community by coming out in my sport and my demographic hasnt yet supported me and the trevor project. Are there that many more wealthy hateful people that would support someone like that in comparison to our community? Disturbing. We have alot of wealth in our community and it seems to be a very self serving group we are part of. There are lots of great people that work their asses off to help and support our organizations but the majority of the wealthy ones only seem to support themselves and tax write offs. When will someone step to the front and help some sports figures compete in the mainstream straight sports? It will not happen without support.
I wish I had a better way to reach people as I am no marketing expert. It looks like people like Fred Phelps reach people through extreme hate and negativity. I can not to that. I need a way to reach out to the ones that want to help. I have many letters and packages out to people that don't seem to care. Does anyone care is the question. As I go back to work and try and dissapear into normal society I take with me the bitter taste of rejection. I really wish someone could change that...
thank you everyone for your support and words of encouragement through the past few years and sorry I couldn't find people or companies to support an Out racer.
'till next time,
Evan
I wish I had a better way to reach people as I am no marketing expert. It looks like people like Fred Phelps reach people through extreme hate and negativity. I can not to that. I need a way to reach out to the ones that want to help. I have many letters and packages out to people that don't seem to care. Does anyone care is the question. As I go back to work and try and dissapear into normal society I take with me the bitter taste of rejection. I really wish someone could change that...
thank you everyone for your support and words of encouragement through the past few years and sorry I couldn't find people or companies to support an Out racer.
'till next time,
Evan
Friday, June 17, 2011
California
Latest proposal:
E. Darling Enterprises Racing in California!
Hello all and welcome to the racing world! I am the only Out race car driver trying to support my community. The Trevor Project is a great organization benefiting our GLBTQ youth with a suicide prevention hotline. This is a resource we desperately need. My goal is to make it to California in August/September to race in two World Challenge races. These are televised road races broadcast all across North America. The September race in Sonoma CA will be a truly international affair as the WTCC (World Touring Car Championship) will be making its way to our shores! Come be a part of something truly big and positively impacting our community!
The races will be at Infineon Raceway on August 26-27 2011 as well as Laguna Seca California September 16-18. The goal is to race in World Challenge road racing an a Touring Car Class. The cost for these two weekends would be 60k. This includes additional media coverage and interviews generated by myself and my publicist John Blanchette. Helping out for this event would have long standing benefits with our community as a whole as I would be the first to come out at the start of my pro career and be successful! Sponsorship would put you as the first to support an Out sports figure still active in sports!
Come be a part of something special! The goal is 60k but any amount to reach that goal is greatly appreciated! I really want this to work and really believe in it. We need sports role models and I would like to be one. Come with me and be one too!
Evan Darling
Edarlingenterprises.com
E. Darling Enterprises Racing in California!
Hello all and welcome to the racing world! I am the only Out race car driver trying to support my community. The Trevor Project is a great organization benefiting our GLBTQ youth with a suicide prevention hotline. This is a resource we desperately need. My goal is to make it to California in August/September to race in two World Challenge races. These are televised road races broadcast all across North America. The September race in Sonoma CA will be a truly international affair as the WTCC (World Touring Car Championship) will be making its way to our shores! Come be a part of something truly big and positively impacting our community!
The races will be at Infineon Raceway on August 26-27 2011 as well as Laguna Seca California September 16-18. The goal is to race in World Challenge road racing an a Touring Car Class. The cost for these two weekends would be 60k. This includes additional media coverage and interviews generated by myself and my publicist John Blanchette. Helping out for this event would have long standing benefits with our community as a whole as I would be the first to come out at the start of my pro career and be successful! Sponsorship would put you as the first to support an Out sports figure still active in sports!
Come be a part of something special! The goal is 60k but any amount to reach that goal is greatly appreciated! I really want this to work and really believe in it. We need sports role models and I would like to be one. Come with me and be one too!
Evan Darling
Edarlingenterprises.com
Monday, May 30, 2011
Revival of Hope
I must apologize for not writing more on my blog but frankly not much has been happening lately. I have run out of funds for publicists and such and agents want nothing to do with an Out Gay Race Car Driver LOL. Don't take that as I have given up...I will never give up. I will always be trying, sometimes more than less depending on my schedule, funds and attitude. If any of you have friends that may want to get involved don't be shy!
I am in the process of sending out a large batch of emails to some prominent people. If you are someone I emailed or an agency representing someone I am trying to contact, let me know!
My latest plan has me looking for private sponsorship as corporate sponsorship seems like a stretch, LGBT issues are hot but big companies seem scared to support Out Pro's anywhere for fear of losing out on straight business. I am also trying to hit up some non-racing/sports industries as the impact of supporting an out person in a straight sport is exposure to an audience that may not be thier market but the splash of media to follow and people to see would definitely be the right demographic...everyone!
My other "BIG" plan involves you, the reader of my blog, facebook fan/follower and Twitter follower. I would like to send out some of my hero cards (autographed of course!) for a donation. 50% of what is sent to me gets sent to The Trevor Project and the other half goes towards my racing plans for 2011/2012. If I recieve enough support I will be racing for all to see! Donations of $50+ will recieve an E. Darling Enterprises racing hat (pictures of products will be up shortly on my website) and get thier name/logo somewhere on my race car...obviously a $50 donation would be a small spot and a $50k one would be much bigger ;-)...Either way I wil photograph the logo/name(s) and email them to you.
If you would like to partake in my plan, send me a mailing address to zracre@hotmail.com and I will send a signed card to you regardless. If you want to drop a donation in the envelope I send with it that would be greatly appreciated!
For this plan to work I am going to need all the help I can get...forward a link to this page to anyone you would think would want to help...If I get all my facebook friends to at least look at this and maybe some help out and maybe some forward to people that may have interest, I may get somewhere!
I am still trying to get Lady Gaga, Elton John and Madonna contacts to see if they want to partake in this as well...if Paris Hilton can have a motorcycle racing team one of these other superstars should be able to help me be an Out role model competing in a mainstream straight market. On the level of the above stars, sponsorship is not real expensive for the positive media and impact on society that will come from it...
Cheers,
Evan Darling
I am in the process of sending out a large batch of emails to some prominent people. If you are someone I emailed or an agency representing someone I am trying to contact, let me know!
My latest plan has me looking for private sponsorship as corporate sponsorship seems like a stretch, LGBT issues are hot but big companies seem scared to support Out Pro's anywhere for fear of losing out on straight business. I am also trying to hit up some non-racing/sports industries as the impact of supporting an out person in a straight sport is exposure to an audience that may not be thier market but the splash of media to follow and people to see would definitely be the right demographic...everyone!
My other "BIG" plan involves you, the reader of my blog, facebook fan/follower and Twitter follower. I would like to send out some of my hero cards (autographed of course!) for a donation. 50% of what is sent to me gets sent to The Trevor Project and the other half goes towards my racing plans for 2011/2012. If I recieve enough support I will be racing for all to see! Donations of $50+ will recieve an E. Darling Enterprises racing hat (pictures of products will be up shortly on my website) and get thier name/logo somewhere on my race car...obviously a $50 donation would be a small spot and a $50k one would be much bigger ;-)...Either way I wil photograph the logo/name(s) and email them to you.
If you would like to partake in my plan, send me a mailing address to zracre@hotmail.com and I will send a signed card to you regardless. If you want to drop a donation in the envelope I send with it that would be greatly appreciated!
For this plan to work I am going to need all the help I can get...forward a link to this page to anyone you would think would want to help...If I get all my facebook friends to at least look at this and maybe some help out and maybe some forward to people that may have interest, I may get somewhere!
I am still trying to get Lady Gaga, Elton John and Madonna contacts to see if they want to partake in this as well...if Paris Hilton can have a motorcycle racing team one of these other superstars should be able to help me be an Out role model competing in a mainstream straight market. On the level of the above stars, sponsorship is not real expensive for the positive media and impact on society that will come from it...
Cheers,
Evan Darling
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Up to date....
Well this year has been full of ups and downs. I have started working at a friends shop to try and get back to normal after my attempt at Pro racing and being an Out role model. My experience was pretty mixed and I wish it turned out different. I had great faith in the GLBT community wanting a role model in a straight oriented sport but found out the community as a group doesn't. My fans are great and everyone that has wanted to support me in the past have bveen a godsend and I thank everyone for that! but the community as a group has been dissapointing. HRC has a few people that sent me info after repeated requests but no real effort on their part to help promote me or my mission. I have done everything to get through to Ellen, Elton John, Madonna, Lady Gaga and other positive people influencing the GLBT community. I dont even get a response. My publicist (in the past...cant afford agents and publicists anymore) tried to contact them as well to no avail. If anyone knows how to contact these people please let me know! I am pretty sure mainstream companies would not sponsor an Out person as they probably believe they will lose market share so I have been marketing private individuals to try and at least get out there to perform. Still looking. Once im out and racing I still really believe I can make a difference by showing we are the same. I absolutely love the commercials for Ashley Fiolek as she overcame diversity issues and public question to be great at something she loves. Racing. Very touching story! So as I go to work everyday I try and come up with marketing ideas that havent been tried before and proven ones I would love to try again. Someone MUST want to see this happen! I really hope I am not alone believing we can all make a difference.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Here is a great story written by my Agent Jessica. Very touching and it shows the world can change for the better!
here is the link;
http://gayweddingmexico.com/blog/?p=165
the story;
A NASCAR DRIVER a ROCK AND ROLL STAR and a BOY….
Permalink | Filed under: Uncategorized | Jessica Arent @ 8:40 pm |
Life is extraordinary. Really extraordinary. You have no idea where you are going to end up or who will influence your life from one day to the next. Fate is always at hand. I relate to the kids whose parents toss them aside or isolate them because my parents simply never understood me, nor could they control me and therefore would prefer to have nothing at all to do with me. Disagreeing with my parents is apparently cause enough to be blocked from Facebooks, emails and phones. A hard lesson and experience regardless of your age, and a painful one I can say from first hand experience.
It took 43 years to put the peices of the puzzle together, and to understand that I was neither favored nor loved and especially not liked, and to understand what that meant to my perception of self, but more importantly I learned and understood what kids go through when they share the intimate part of themselves that tells the parent they are not the ideal the parent had in mind.
With all of this said, it is ironic that in my fight to stand up for my child, and take a position on equality it has brought me into the lives of extraordinary people. This past week, because of a brave OUT NASCAR driver, an introduction was made to a rock and roll icon of my childhood, and I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to have an intimate conversation and begin to get to know someone I idolized throughout my childhood. This man was part of a band that has seen 5 decades and countless hits, poured into the bedrooms of impressionable young girls and piped through the car radio’s of young boys around the world. Their music was harmonious and cutting edge and they are heard in movie soundtracks, flashbacks, classic radio and rock and roll stations, and even Southpark! To say I was not slightly awestruck to find myself sitting next to this man over cheesecake and cappuccino, or later to witness him pull off yet one more concert to a nearly sold out crowd, would have been a lie. I was inspired.
The point however for me, was not to meet the man myself, but to create an introduction for my son. What is extraordinary about this artist, is that he is gay. He was and always has been, and while it was not until 1991 that he officially came out, he lived a life as a performer, and honestly, teenage heart-throb to boys and girls alike his entire career, one which began in 1962. Imagine, your life, under cover, in the limelight, a celebrity, and you are not living authentically to anyone, until 30 years into your career. What a tremendous hardship and journey. This man however, does not emit self pity. Not exactly 100% healthy at his age, and performing with the band part time, he takes his life as a gift and no longer for granted, and he tells a compelling story in a personal autobiography of his fame and fortune and his sexuality. What I wanted for my child in this meeting was to introduce him to someone that lived his dreams and aspired to greatness in his own craft, despite the odds and the pitfalls of being different. A remarkable success story, despite the odds and near loss of life.
While my child sat through coffee and cake, he had no clue who he was sitting with. This in itself was refreshing, because my newfound friend will tell you, he is just another person who is like anyone else, except that he got to live his dream of being a Rock and Roll star! But I watched my child’s face as he listened intently to the stories being told and knew that this man was leaving a positive impression on my child. Later at the concert, witness to the star quality and remarkable talent of this performer, and understanding the decades of the music and the following this band has even today, gave me a sense of incredible joy because my son was understanding the lesson I had hoped to impart. YOU CAN BE ANYONE YOU WANT TO BE REGARDLESS OF YOUR PREFERENCES. It is not about who you are in your love life, it is about who you are as a person.
After the concert this amazing man, and enormous heart, sought us out. It was a proud moment for me, beyond words, when he turned to my son and told him that he was a reflection of who this man had once been at the same age, and that HE was humbled to have met Chase. What was pivotal for me, were the words this great man said next “Chase, you are MY new hero. You are brave and courageous and you are going to leave an indellible mark on this world. You inspire me”. He asked Chase to be sure to stay in touch and invite him to his gradiation in a few years when that time comes. I was never so proud of my child as I was in this incredible moment.
We talked alot that day, this great artist and I. We talked about the kids who are cast out, unloved or even percieved as different and therefore tolerated or loved differently. We talked about his own relationship with his parents, and the difference in affection and disposition his mother had for him as opposed to his twin brother, who was straight. We talked about the parents obligation and responsibility to love each child unconditionally and with full acceptance because that is what the child is entitled to and should have and we talked about how “lucky” Chase is to have parents like my husband and I who would move the mountains and oceans to be sure our child knows he is loved and adored 100% for ALL of who he is.
WE can talk about “it gets better” to our LGBT youth. We can address the tomorrows in the Gay communities and express our desire to see the world change, but until we take an ACTION for today, until we open the hearts and minds of the world around us, and especially until we take those children by the hand and assure them that they are loved and wanted and respected and cherished, and until we show them by example and action that tomorrow will be better through the effort of today, it won’t make a difference. Our kids need answers today. Our kids need action today. They need leaders and mentors and they need love and acceptance. They need to know that we are all fallible and imperfect made this way on purpose and they are extraordinary no matter who they are.
While so many kids are cast out or isolated for being Gay or being headstrong, or “uncontrollable”, one thought comes to mind. Perserverence. I have seen many obstacles and made sacrifices to stand up tall for what I believe in and it has cost me relationships along the way, for me expecially the parent-child relationship. Perhaps this is what makes me the mother I am, and drives me harder to make a difference in the lives of those around me and for whom I champion. Perhaps it is overcoming the ideal to settle into the real, and surround myself with kind, tolerant and accepting people, is the world I create and now call family. Perhaps being cast out by my own parents, was the path God intended so that I could better relate to those who also were cast out for reasons of their own, and ultimately builds this exceptional, impactive and beautiful community around me. I no longer feel sorry for myself. I no longer feel sad for what I am missing because I have discovered that what I am gaining on this path has a far greater return in the end and gives me the tools to understand, be compassionate and forage new trails in this final frontier of equality.
I thank my NASCAR friend, Evan Darling, for making this possible for my son. I thank my performer Rock and Roll friend for the candor and generosity of heart and spirit with which he told his story and moreoever for opening heart and hand to us for the experience to meet him. WE thank them both, for making a difference in our lives in this moment.
here is the link;
http://gayweddingmexico.com/blog/?p=165
the story;
A NASCAR DRIVER a ROCK AND ROLL STAR and a BOY….
Permalink | Filed under: Uncategorized | Jessica Arent @ 8:40 pm |
Life is extraordinary. Really extraordinary. You have no idea where you are going to end up or who will influence your life from one day to the next. Fate is always at hand. I relate to the kids whose parents toss them aside or isolate them because my parents simply never understood me, nor could they control me and therefore would prefer to have nothing at all to do with me. Disagreeing with my parents is apparently cause enough to be blocked from Facebooks, emails and phones. A hard lesson and experience regardless of your age, and a painful one I can say from first hand experience.
It took 43 years to put the peices of the puzzle together, and to understand that I was neither favored nor loved and especially not liked, and to understand what that meant to my perception of self, but more importantly I learned and understood what kids go through when they share the intimate part of themselves that tells the parent they are not the ideal the parent had in mind.
With all of this said, it is ironic that in my fight to stand up for my child, and take a position on equality it has brought me into the lives of extraordinary people. This past week, because of a brave OUT NASCAR driver, an introduction was made to a rock and roll icon of my childhood, and I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to have an intimate conversation and begin to get to know someone I idolized throughout my childhood. This man was part of a band that has seen 5 decades and countless hits, poured into the bedrooms of impressionable young girls and piped through the car radio’s of young boys around the world. Their music was harmonious and cutting edge and they are heard in movie soundtracks, flashbacks, classic radio and rock and roll stations, and even Southpark! To say I was not slightly awestruck to find myself sitting next to this man over cheesecake and cappuccino, or later to witness him pull off yet one more concert to a nearly sold out crowd, would have been a lie. I was inspired.
The point however for me, was not to meet the man myself, but to create an introduction for my son. What is extraordinary about this artist, is that he is gay. He was and always has been, and while it was not until 1991 that he officially came out, he lived a life as a performer, and honestly, teenage heart-throb to boys and girls alike his entire career, one which began in 1962. Imagine, your life, under cover, in the limelight, a celebrity, and you are not living authentically to anyone, until 30 years into your career. What a tremendous hardship and journey. This man however, does not emit self pity. Not exactly 100% healthy at his age, and performing with the band part time, he takes his life as a gift and no longer for granted, and he tells a compelling story in a personal autobiography of his fame and fortune and his sexuality. What I wanted for my child in this meeting was to introduce him to someone that lived his dreams and aspired to greatness in his own craft, despite the odds and the pitfalls of being different. A remarkable success story, despite the odds and near loss of life.
While my child sat through coffee and cake, he had no clue who he was sitting with. This in itself was refreshing, because my newfound friend will tell you, he is just another person who is like anyone else, except that he got to live his dream of being a Rock and Roll star! But I watched my child’s face as he listened intently to the stories being told and knew that this man was leaving a positive impression on my child. Later at the concert, witness to the star quality and remarkable talent of this performer, and understanding the decades of the music and the following this band has even today, gave me a sense of incredible joy because my son was understanding the lesson I had hoped to impart. YOU CAN BE ANYONE YOU WANT TO BE REGARDLESS OF YOUR PREFERENCES. It is not about who you are in your love life, it is about who you are as a person.
After the concert this amazing man, and enormous heart, sought us out. It was a proud moment for me, beyond words, when he turned to my son and told him that he was a reflection of who this man had once been at the same age, and that HE was humbled to have met Chase. What was pivotal for me, were the words this great man said next “Chase, you are MY new hero. You are brave and courageous and you are going to leave an indellible mark on this world. You inspire me”. He asked Chase to be sure to stay in touch and invite him to his gradiation in a few years when that time comes. I was never so proud of my child as I was in this incredible moment.
We talked alot that day, this great artist and I. We talked about the kids who are cast out, unloved or even percieved as different and therefore tolerated or loved differently. We talked about his own relationship with his parents, and the difference in affection and disposition his mother had for him as opposed to his twin brother, who was straight. We talked about the parents obligation and responsibility to love each child unconditionally and with full acceptance because that is what the child is entitled to and should have and we talked about how “lucky” Chase is to have parents like my husband and I who would move the mountains and oceans to be sure our child knows he is loved and adored 100% for ALL of who he is.
WE can talk about “it gets better” to our LGBT youth. We can address the tomorrows in the Gay communities and express our desire to see the world change, but until we take an ACTION for today, until we open the hearts and minds of the world around us, and especially until we take those children by the hand and assure them that they are loved and wanted and respected and cherished, and until we show them by example and action that tomorrow will be better through the effort of today, it won’t make a difference. Our kids need answers today. Our kids need action today. They need leaders and mentors and they need love and acceptance. They need to know that we are all fallible and imperfect made this way on purpose and they are extraordinary no matter who they are.
While so many kids are cast out or isolated for being Gay or being headstrong, or “uncontrollable”, one thought comes to mind. Perserverence. I have seen many obstacles and made sacrifices to stand up tall for what I believe in and it has cost me relationships along the way, for me expecially the parent-child relationship. Perhaps this is what makes me the mother I am, and drives me harder to make a difference in the lives of those around me and for whom I champion. Perhaps it is overcoming the ideal to settle into the real, and surround myself with kind, tolerant and accepting people, is the world I create and now call family. Perhaps being cast out by my own parents, was the path God intended so that I could better relate to those who also were cast out for reasons of their own, and ultimately builds this exceptional, impactive and beautiful community around me. I no longer feel sorry for myself. I no longer feel sad for what I am missing because I have discovered that what I am gaining on this path has a far greater return in the end and gives me the tools to understand, be compassionate and forage new trails in this final frontier of equality.
I thank my NASCAR friend, Evan Darling, for making this possible for my son. I thank my performer Rock and Roll friend for the candor and generosity of heart and spirit with which he told his story and moreoever for opening heart and hand to us for the experience to meet him. WE thank them both, for making a difference in our lives in this moment.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Happy New Year!
Well it's January 3rd and still no sponsors. It has been a long 4 years of struggling and I thank the people that supported me through these tough times. It is a bad sign for young athletes and sports figures to see someone trying to be active in a high profile sport and not getting any support from Gay Inc. The big companies have not been very supportive and I hope times change soon and can be more inclusive so people can see that we all can prosper no matter who we are. Even though I am going back to work and cannot afford to renew my Pro license I will continue to try to get support for this endeavor and I will keep you up to date if anything changes! Also thank you to the many supporters and fans for staying with me!
Evan Darling
Evan Darling
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