The CVAR Board of Directors has selected Cathy Barnard to be CVAR’s new Chief Steward going into 2021. We are very happy to have her “on board” and have asked Cathy to provide a little background on herself, experience and perspective on vintage racing:
To CVAR members,
I am very excited to be working with CVAR! I first became involved in racing when many of the cars that now qualify as vintage cars were racing in SCCA, and it is fun to see these beautiful cars back on a race track.
Last year I had the opportunity to meet many CVAR members and observe the racing and camaraderie both on and off the track. I was particularly impressed with the CVAR focus on love of the vintage cars and the sheer joy of racing rather than a focus solely on winning at any cost. This unique perspective among amateur racing organization takes me back to my early days racing a FV when participation was as important as winning, and competitors would pitch in to assure that all their competitors made it into the race.
Regarding my experience as a racer and steward, I started racing in Formula Vee in the Midwestern Council of Sports Car Clubs in 1979. After a rather unsuccessful first drivers school in a borrowed Kellison FV, I bought my own Caldwell D-13 and entered a MCSCC Drivers school in 1980. I passed that school with flying colors and began a 25-year career in Formula Vee.
In 1983, along with Butch Deer and the late Ron Ruttenberg of DRE and many others, I helped to organize the first Formula Vee Birthday Party race at Road America. I joined SCCA in 1984, and for several years raced both in Midwestern Council and SCCA, always in Formula Vee. In 1986 I was the Midwestern Council Formula Vee Champion.
In 1992 I purchased a Mysterian FV kit, which my husband and crew, Ron, built from the frame up.
In 1993 I placed third in the Chicago Region Championship Challenge, and in 1994 I was the Chicago Region Championship Challenge Formula Vee Champion. After moving to Texas, I finished third in SOW Div National points in 1998 and entered the Runoffs at Mid Ohio, finishing 21 out of 40 cars in Formula Vee.
In 1999, I became a Steward in Training in SCCA. I continued to both race and steward until 2005, when I retired from active racing and began stewarding full time.
I have worked a variety of position at the Runoffs over the years, including Chief of SOC, (Black Flag), pace car driver, and Steward of the Meet.
From 2017 to 2020, I served as the Executive Steward for the Southwest Division of SCCA.
Regarding my education and professional experience, I received a BS and MS Degree in Environmental engineering from the University of Illinois and devoted a significant amount of time and effort to a 40+ year career as an Environmental Engineer and Operations Supervisor at various Refining, Petrochemical, and Natural Gas Processing Facilities in Illinois and Texas.
In 2018, I retired from the corporate world. I now spend my time traveling and working at races with my husband. We live on North Padre Island in Corpus Christi, TX.
I look forward to meeting you all next year!
Cathy Barnard