Catchfence

CINCINNATI Jul 30, 2009 Fisher took a break from car racing today to learn about another type of racing: horse racing. Steve Cauthen, the 1978 Triple Crown Winner, gave her a tour of his horse farm and talked shop with the fellow pioneer racer. This was a stop on Fisher’s ‘City Tour’ with Up2Speed’s Lauren Bohlander.

“I just have to ask,” said Fisher, who begins practice Friday for the Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway. “At the Indy 500 we get a wreath, and I want to know how you preserved that garland of roses.”

The two racing legends traded stories and learned they had much more in common than a just a need to go fast. Both began their careers at age 5; Fisher behind the wheel, and Cauthen on a horse. Both became entrepreneurs in their respective industries, and now their involvement in their sports extends beyond just participating as an athlete.

Cauthen now owns the Dreamfield Farm, a breeding and training facility. Fisher is closing in on her second year as the only team owner/driver in the IndyCar Series.

A humble guy, who would never make mention of his own accomplishments, was not only the last jockey to win the Triple Crown, as well as the youngest, but was also awarded the Sportsman of the Year award by Sports Illustrated in 1977, appearing on four Sports Illustrated covers, while also gracing the cover of the prestigious Wheaties box.

Couthen modestly shrugged and said, “Yeah I never got an actual copy of the Wheaties box, but they tell me I was on it.”

After horsing around with Cauthen, Fisher joined up with one of her team’s sponsors, IUPUI; the first university in the country to offer a four-year motorsports engineering degree. IUPUI held a recruitment event in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Fisher spoke to the group about her sport and her team’s partnership with IUPUI.

“It’s really important to get the word about our unique program we have with IUPUI,” said Fisher. “This is a really neat opportunity for students who want to get involved in motorsports.”

Fisher returns to her own racetrack on Friday for practice and qualifications at Kentucky Speedway, where she holds the track record, set in 2002. That same year, Fisher became the first woman in North- American motorsports history to be awarded the Pole Position. She plans to break some more records on Saturday when she makes her eighth start in “The Bluegrass State”, where Cauthen and his high-priced horses will be cheering her on.

- Sarah Fisher Racing Press Release