Leslie Durst-Armendariz campaigns the Horizon Motorsports All Motor Scion tC drag car. She is one of five racers currently sponsored by Scion. Her accomplishments include being the first racer to run an official 9-second pass in the NHRA Sport Compact All Motor class in her old Honda CRX. After a brief hiatus from drag racing and getting married, Durst-Armendariz returned in 2006 with the Horizon Motorsports Scion tC, quickly shattering records and becoming a top contender in the class.
Tunerzine.com: Hey Leslie, thanks very much for taking the time out of your busy race schedule to answer a few questions. Fill our readers in on what it is like to race an entire season throughout the nation in both NHRA Sport Compact and NOPI NDRA.
Leslie Armendariz: It’s a lot of hard work combined with a lot of fun. We travel most of the year and I see maybe a total of two months at home during the racing season, which starts in April and runs until October. It makes things a bit difficult when we need to work on the cars, so we spend a lot of time living in our toter home at the race track. It’s not always the most glamorous, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Tunerzine.com: How has the transition been from Honda to Scion?
Leslie Armendariz: It’s been great. I couldn’t ask for a better organization to be involved with. Scion is a brand based upon customization & personalization. I love the fact that they “get” what we do in the sport compact culture. They understand what we are all about and they encourage us to express our creativity through our cars. I was honored to be chosen as one of the first two drivers picked to represent their company.
Tunerzine.com: We have been very impressed by the accomplishments you and your team have made in such a short period of time with the Scion engine program. Can you give us some insight on what all was involved in terms of research and development to get it to where you guys were happy?
Leslie Armendariz: As far as the different platforms go, I won’t say there wasn’t a learning curve because there definitely was. Was it as steep as I thought it would be? Yes and no. I had a great team of people that surround me & helped make it happen. We had to have a lot of things custom made when we started since there wasn’t much made.
All of my sponsors really came through for me: Scion, AEM, Brisk USA, Calico Coatings, CP Pistons, Drive Shaft Shop, ERL Performance, EMCO, Goodyear Racing, Royal Purple, SCE Gaskets, Steen Chassis, TWM Induction, Web Camshafts and Vance & Hines Motorsports. They made sure we had everything we needed to get out on the track in time for the 06 season.
Tunerzine.com: What are your feelings with the current state of the sport compact automotive industry? What do you feel that the industry needs to continue to grow and survive?
Leslie Armendariz: Wow that was a loaded question there. I’m very opinionated about the scene in general and I’m not usually one to be quiet about it either. But rather than write a three page summary I will be to the point. I think the industry is definitely going through growing pains and changes. I understand the need for the diversification of the market’s interests. Yet, at the same time that’s exactly what it should be. I think there is room for every portion of this market to be represented in the media. Not just one form of motorsport.
Tunerzine.com: Where do you see the Sport Compact drag racing industry to be a year from now? What do you think drag racing needs to grow?
Leslie Armendariz: I hope bigger and better than it is now, but we need to dedicate ourselves as fans and participants of Drag Racing to show up at events and stop complaining about what is and isn’t fair. It’s racing, and just like life, it’s not fair, and it’s not always about winning. It’s about having fun. Get out from behind your computer! Show up! Have fun! Hang out with all your friends! That’s all everything really comes down to anyway. Giving us memories from which to tell our “one that got away - AKA ‘I would have kicked that guy’s ass all over the track if …’ stories”. I was talking with a fellow pro racer this weekend that is thinking of moving on. I told him to do so if he thought it was best, but I also told him once he had a normal life the things he would miss most would be right here at the race track….
Tunerzine.com: How does it feel being a female in the sport? We know we can’t really say it’s a male-dominated field anymore with racers like you, Julie Stepan and Stephanie Eggum, but there has to be differences out there – what are they?
Leslie Armendariz: You know I really hate this question, probably because it’s the one I get asked every time I get interviewed. I think you’ve actually asked me this before. Most of the time I don’t think there really is a difference; I’m a competitor just like anyone else. Once you’ve been racing as long as I have, I don’t think anyone else sees me that way anymore. Like, “that sucks dude I can’t believe you just got beat by a girl!” They know that I’m out here just like they are every weekend, working my butt off. I guess the only thing I can say that maybe irks me about being female in the industry is the objectification of women. I understand there is a time for models and that segment, but to write about women that are active participants in the industry is not right. It diminishes our accomplishments that we worked hard for. I mean come on guys put it in perspective. Would you like someone to write about your daughter that way??
Tunerzine.com: What keeps you and your team motivated to continue racing year after year?
Leslie Armendariz: I love going faster and trying to break records. I know it sounds different than the norm, and I know most people would expect the answer to be “to win a championship “. It’s not that I don’t want to. I just love going faster than the last time I sped down the track. I guess that’s honestly where it all began for me and I think it’s where our sport really started. When I started watching Sport Compact Drag Racing that’s all there was. It was all about “Who’s the fastest??” and watching that title change hands three times in an event. The constant evolution is what is exciting about NHRA Sport Compact Drag Racing.
Tunerzine.com: What is the other class you find the most exciting in the NHRA Sport Compact series? Why?
Leslie Armendariz: I would say Pro FWD & Sport FWD. I think both classes represent something very important in our sport. Pro FWD is honestly the epitome of FWD Drag racing, it’s the true “run whatever ya brung” class. This is the class I originally wanted to step up to when I moved to the Scion camp. Sport FWD really represents the roots of our sport. I like that you see the complete evolution of things by looking at these classes, and I think it’s great to see all the hard work everyone pours into their cars no matter what class they are in.
Tunerzine.com: Do you think you will ever make the transition to another racing series or even another class? Would you ever want to?
Leslie Armendariz: It’s a possibility and I would never rule anything out. I really like naturally aspirated power. I like the fact that it’s a challenge and I know the rest of the team does as well. That you can’t just turn up the boost. Consequently, you have to tweak with every little part of your car to get the most out of it. I guess my dream would be to drive a Pro Stock Car, but wow is the competition tough there. I would have a lot of homework to do to make that jump if I ever get that chance.
Tunerzine.com: Lastly, what can we expect to see from you and your team in the upcoming years?
Leslie Armendariz: I would love to keep racing and see the sport continue to grow…beyond that who knows …nothing in this world is entirely up to us anyway…
I can’t wait to see what hand HE will deal me next.
Thanks for your time Leslie!