Meet Andie Gaskins from Fast Andie Racing

 

I am Fast Andie with Fast Andie Racing. The articles I plan to write will be for you ladies! I’m not writing with the intention that you think you need to work on your own motorcycle. If you choose to do that, awesome! If not, join the many men that choose not to work on their own either. The truth of the matter is Harley dealers have a service department for a reason.  I want to share with you the basics of repairs so you can decide if you want to tackle it yourself, or just simply know what happens when you take it to someone else to get repaired. As women, we are entitled to educate ourselves the same way we educate ourselves on the car we drive every day. If you haven’t done that yet, now is a great time to make changes!

 

I grew up in an auto repair shop with my parents. I was given the opportunity to get my hands dirty, not as often as I wanted, but Dad had responsibilities that kept him from spending all his time with me, and I had to go to school. I had to learn how to change the oil and a tire on my truck before he would allow me to drive. His employee, Bob, took the time to show me on my first vehicle, a maroon F150 with a lime green tailgate. When we finished, I thought what is the big deal? Why doesn’t everyone just change their own oil? A few years later, my Dad sold his shop and went to work in the oil industry again. I soon realized why most people don’t change their own oil. It may not be that you don’t know how, but what a mess! It’s convenient when you have a warm shop, with a car lift, and a used oil barrel to store the messy remains. So that is when I learned the importance of knowing how to do it, but letting someone else do it anyway!

 

After college, I left with a degree in Accounting. A few jobs in the accounting industry, and then in banking, I decided to put a variety of knowledge to good use. I went to a banker and proposed a business plan for me and my partner to open an Auto Repair Shop. It was an adventure that lasted 7 years. I took care of responsibilities in the office: scheduling, book work, answer phones, but then the day came when I was needed in the shop. I spent time in the shop learning how to work on ford diesels. I enjoyed my job like no other! Being able to understand my place in the business as a true partner made my job not be a “job” anymore! My business partner introduced me to my first motorcycle. It didn’t take me long to find a drag strip and find my passion for drag racing. As business partners sometimes find different futures for the same business, I eventually left my business and partner behind to further pursue my racing career.

 

I took a position as an Assistant Service Manager at a Harley-Davidson dealer, while I waited for race season to kick off. I used this opportunity to get really involved in myself as a racer and educated myself to gain some additional knowledge on my race bikes. I started this season off by spending time with George Bryce of Star Racing at his shop in Georgia. The last thing my former business partner and I had done was purchase a Pro Stock Motorcycle. With next to no experience with this caliber of race bike, my partner and I had discovered the bike was not operating correctly. When I decided to venture out on my own, I took the bike to George and let him see where the bike and I were at and where to begin. It had been 9 months since I last fired the bike up. The amazing staff at Star Racing took a look at the motor, and found the problems right away. With further tear down, the oil pump had been out the entire time I owned the bike and repairs were needed before heading to the track. So I rented a motorcycle from George and made 10 passes with him before heading home to race this season on my sportsman motorcycles for one more season. 

 

My accomplishments this year have been off the charts! Even though I was not able to complete my pro license yet (5 hundreths of a second away from completion), I was able to get some incredible seat time! I won the Pro E/T class during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August. The only female to take a class win this year. And then follow that win with a Wally win at the local Sturgis races the following weekend. I was also able to attend the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Legends ride as a “Legend”, and made an appearance at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Biker Belle reception as a featured “Biker Belle”. I have been a Biker Belle for the past three years and this year was invited to be a Legend by the Legend himself Rod “Woody” Woodruff (owner of Buffalo Chip Campground). Fellow Biker Belle, Cat “The One Legged Blonde”, invited me to attend several events at the Harley-Davidson 110th celebration. Together we attended a ride to honor veterans, the Salute to Women’s Ride and the 110th Parade. So far, I have appeared in American Bagger magazine, Urban Bagger magazine, Easy Rider magazine Sturgis edition extras, Thunder Press, Northern Rockies Rider magazine, local newspaper and radio, on the Travel Channel Sturgis: Metal Mania episode, and on CMT Biker Battle episode.  I am currently working with an agent in Florida and will get my pro license this winter. To stay current on my upcoming events, visit www.andiegaskins.com.

 

 

I will start throwing out articles and see how you like them! Let me know if you want more intense articles or if you enjoy the basics. Your ideas are important to me. Send your feedback to me anytime at info@fastandieracing.com.

 

 

Until next time….

 ~ Ride Hard or Go Home