Drag
racing has become a passion for 751-member Brett Coty and his
wife, Kelly. In fact, it has become a way of life for everyone
in the Coty household. Their family has invested over 10 years
in the racing circuit. And judging from their three race cars,
specialized trailer and extensive maintenance equipment, it is
more than just a pastime and nearly an obsession.Brett initially started racing in 1990 with Kelly joining the circuit in 1993. Yet the family involvement goes far beyond that - their son, Jeremy, and daughters Katie and Kim are also racing veterans, who have competed regularly on the race circuit.
Nearly every weekend from April through September is spent racing or working on their vehicles. The result is a fine-tuned racing team that not only drives the cars, but maintains them and all the intricate electronics that accompany race cars today. In their striking black and yellow uniforms that appropriately match the cars' paint jobs, they are hard to miss at the track and demonstrate professionalism in this intensely competitive environment. In 2000, the Coty team won Best Appearing Crew at the Northwest Nationals in Seattle.
The Coty race team competes in the track series races. In addition, Brett and Kelly participate in Division 6, which covers races in Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Canada.
Brett is a veteran in both the Super Pro on Saturday nights and the Super Street in Division 6 races, driving a 1968 Chevelle that clocks over 127 m.p.h. He has racked up a number of victories over the years and competed in various regional and national competition. His interest inspired the entire family to get behind the wheel and try their hand at racing.
Kelly, who is a laid-off 751 member, has also
logged in many races since 1993. What makes her situation unique
is the fact that Kelly is one of a handful of female drivers in
the Super Pro Classification (cars that go a quarter mile in at
least 11.99 seconds and also have electronics), and the only female
Super Pro driver to make the team for Pacific Raceways (formerly
SIR). Yet she is also one of the few females to race in the Super
Street category, which requires a 10.90 second quarter mile. Racing
in her 1969 Nova, she posts speeds upwards of 124 m.p.h.This year Jeremy drove a 1972 Vega and won the High School Drags. In addition, he races Saturday night bracket drags in the Pro category, turning the quarter mile in 13.5 seconds at speeds of 101 m.p.h.
Their daughter Kim helped get the family more involved in 1994 when she stepped into a junior dragster at age 13. She continued racing with the family until she moved out of the area a few years back. However, the family still has her 1967 Camaro ready to race when she returns to the Northwest.
Finally, daughter Katie has helped around the track and on the Coty cars for many years. Last August was her first official race driving a 1968 Nova in the Super Chevy Show.
Yet there is far more to the Coty race team than just superior driving skills. To effectively operate these fine-tuned vehicles requires an extensive knowledge of electronics and mathematics. The Coty team must interpret weather conditions at the track, through the use of a portable weather station, to record the air temperature, density and humidity. Then, they graph and plot the data throughout the year to know where to set the electronics on their cars.
Their experience and teamwork make them a formidable opponent at the track. Thanks to their winning records, Brett, Kelly and Jeremy represented Pacific Raceways in the Summit Racing Series Division 6 Championships held in Yakima in September. In addition, Jeremy represented Pacfic Raceways in the Race of Champions for High School drivers. Only the top two racers from each track in the Division get to participate in the race of Champions for the High School bracket. Pacific Raceways finished third overall in the Summit Racing Series Division 6 Championship.
Brett noted, "We thank God for allowing us to make racing such an important part of our life. It brings our family together as a working team on something we love. It has made us closer and given us a common interest we all have a stake in. Whether we are cheering each other on during a race or preparing the cars, it is an exhilarating experience that has paid-off for our entire family."
As a side note, Brett obtained his Class A combination license through the use of QTTP so he could pull a trailer large enough to haul all three cars at the same time.
The Coty Team thanks Dale at DG Machine; Sheila at Automatic Transmission Service (ATS), Ken at VR Trailer Sales; Russell and crew at Pacific Raceways, and VR Trailer Sales.