The mission of United Spinal Association’s Motorsports program is to encourage people with disabilities, including individuals who use adaptive automotive equipment, to participate in competitive motorsports. It is also to cultivate partnerships within the motorsports industry in support of the program, thus raising awareness about spinal cord injuries and disorders.

Help support United Spinal's Motorsports program by displaying our Motorsports logo on your race team car or truck in 2007 !  For more information about our Motorsports program, call 800.404.2898 ext. 239 or e-mail motorsports@unitedspinal.org

United Spinal has created a committee, enlisting the help of a diverse group of motorsports industry leaders and professionals who have partnered with us and believe in our mission of enabling people with spinal cord injuries and disorders to fulfill their potential as active members of their communities. The committee is responsible for coordinating events, identifying fundraising and networking opportunities, campaigning on behalf of United Spinal and its members, and developing specific program-oriented goals.

Jody DeVere Named Chair of United Spinal Association Motorsports Committee

Jody DeVere President Ask Patty.com, Inc. and Women’s Automotive Association International

Jody DeVere is President of Ask Patty.com, Inc. and has more than 25 years of achievement in sales and marketing leadership across diverse industries. Jody is currently the President of the Woman’s Automotive Association International, a leading automotive organization that supports upcoming female race car drivers, diversity, and charitable giving and provides scholarships for young women seeking careers in the automotive industry. She is also a member of the Car Care Council Women’s Board, and a member of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Networking Association.

In 2003, Jody was honored by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a “Woman Making a Difference” for her vision to integrate business and the community with “Tribute Care,” an inspiring Business Social Responsibility model for companies to enhance customer acquisition and loyalty by participating in cause-related charitable giving programs.

Jody is based in Southern California and has three children, one of whom has a spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis, and four grandchildren.

Danica Patrick, Sarah Fisher, and Milka Duno -- three world-class woman race car drivers -- are scheduled to compete in the Iowa Corn Indy 250 to be held for Sunday, June 24, at Iowa Speedway. This is just one of the 10 events three women are scheduled to compete in during the IndyRacing League season.

Craig Armstrong, Iowa Speedway vice president and general manager, said the trio of top female drivers will add to what is expected to be a spectacular racing event in Newton this summer. In an article in the Newton Daily News Online,  Armstrong said  "IndyCar drivers are first-class drivers, despite their gender." Armstrong continued, "But it will be great to see the top female drivers racing here at Iowa Speedway at speeds approaching 200 mph. The Iowa Corn Indy 250 is shaping up to be a grand racing event -- probably the biggest race in Iowa's rich racing history."

Firestone Complete Auto Care presents Driver's Edge - a no cost educational program for young drivers aged 15-21 to teach real-life emergency avoidance and response techniques and overall driver safety.

In this program, drivers under the age of 18--the ones most likely to be involved in car crashes over the last five years according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety--will learn how to stay safer on the roads thanks to Driver's Edge. Driver's Edge, a non-profit organization, will give teen drivers in select U.S. cities free classroom and behind-the-wheel accident avoidance instruction to combat this statistic.   

Firestone's youth program is taught with a unique "MTV flavor" by driving professionals through a unique combination of behind the wheel and classroom experiences. "Driver's Edge" was specifically developed to address the unacceptably high number of youth-related automobile collisions and fatalities that occur each year. 

Statistics show this year there will be an estimated 97 million females online in the US, compared with 91 million males. While it's a clear majority, when it comes to viewing video online, however, their positions are reversed.

An informative report sent to us by our partners at Chumney & Associates reveals a look into the online video viewing habits of women, and explains that it's very different from the patterns exhibited by men: "While 78% of males watch video online, only 66% of females do," says Debra Aho Williamson, eMarketer senior analyst and the author of the new "Women Online: Taking a New Look" report. "They are less likely than males to visit most video destination sites — even the biggie, YouTube." So, according to this research, instead of calling it "youtube" we should call it "histube."

I have to admit I am a die hard American Idol fan and totally addicted. This season is better than ever in my opinion especially for the women singers!

The American Idol Ford Video's are making a splash , last night the debut of the "I Fought the Law" Mustang video was pretty cool - It's sheriff versus the outlaws as the Top 10 finalists in the Old West give chase to the tune of "I Fought the Law." Watch it here:

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/view/?vid=644

And this one which was posted on YouTube:

Ford is so smart to sponsor Idol and showcase vehicles in the Idol Video's!

p.s. Melinda Dolittle has my votes!

Jody DeVere
President
AskPatty.com

What to the notorious women of Wisteria Lane drive around? We don't even mean in real life, people. The cars that fill the favorite TV show are actually chronicled on a cool site we found called the Internet Movie Cars Database.

So what do those devilish ladies drive around on set? Well there seem to be a lot of BMWs, but there is also  fair share of the Buicks, Chevys, Caddies, and an Aston Martin or two. And for those hunky construction workers/gardeners/electricians they always seem to get tangled up with? They tend to stick to the Ford truck family. Interesting.

Find even more movie and TV show-worthy cars and trucks on the Internet Movie Cars Database. Who knew!

Reprinted from CarCare.org
Your car's drivetrain is a vital power-transmitting component ,and key to dependability. It's responsible for transmitting the flow of power from the engine to the wheels. The components include the clutch, torque converter, transmission, driveshafts (or axle shafts in front wheel drive), Ujoints, CV joints, differential and axles.

Most motorists take these components for granted until something goes wrong. That "something" can range from leaks or strange noises to shifting problems to total failure. If you do a lot of stop-and-go-driving, tow a trailer or otherwise subject your vehicle to unusual service, check your owners manual for recommendations. With regular checks and maintenance you can expect two bonuses: a more dependable car, as well as fewer and smaller repair bills.

See how much you know about your vehicle's drive train.

1. If you hear a loud clucking sound as you shift your rear wheel drive car from drive to reverse, you probably need:

    a) new universal joints.

    b) universal joints tightened.

    c) transmission mounts tightened.

You would never believe that the venerable Honda - the manufacturer with the never-fail car - would be issuing a recall for engine problems, but alas, the day has come. We took this news piece from the AutoBlog.

Not long after announcing the largest vehicle recall in Chinese history, Honda announced today that it won't be leaving the U.S. out of its recall roundup. The Japanese automaker revealed a new recall for the United States that affects 165,000 vehicles that could develop engine problems from a sealer material that may leak onto wires in the engine and cause them to snap. Multiple complaints about the problem have been filed at Honda HQ, though none have led to crashes or injuries.

The affected vehicles include the 2005 Acura RL, TL and TSX, the entire 2005 Honda Accord lineup (include the Accord Hybrid), 2005 Honda Odyssey and 2006 Honda Ridgeline. Read the full article and get more details on the AutoBlog.

I don't know whether many consider this a woman's fantasy car, but I do know that regardless of whether a man or a woman is driving it, the Ferrari Enzo is a car that demands respect. Not only because of its exclusivity (only 400 Enzos were produced between 2002 and 2004, each lovingly handmade by Ferrari's craftsmen), or its price (rumored to be valued around $1.5 million, though nobody who owns one ever announces what they actually paid), but because its 660-horsepower V-12 engine can push the supercar from zero to 60 mph in about three seconds, or to 100 mph in under seven. That kind of power demands respect.

You don't let any average schmoe step into one of these without some kind of training. And yet movie producer Daniel Sadek brought his beautiful Enzo out to a charity race this week, where  Eddie Griffin crashed it into a concrete barrier while practicing laps on Monday, destroying the car but escaping uninjured.

There are many lessons to be learned here. Some of them are about money (as in 'you gotta have a lot of it if you're gonna let strangers drive your million-dollar car'), another one is about safety (as in 'Griffin drove that car into a concrete wall and walked away, even though he wasn't even wearing a racing helmet'), but I think the most important lesson was taught by the owner of the vehicle. I call it "Balance."

Ask Patty is now offering advertising and sponsorships opportunities on our site. We are open to sponsorship programs as well as cooperative partnerships and traditional banner ads.

Some of our Advertising/Partnering Opportunities Include:

- Content Sharing
(Some of our current partners: WomenCorp, MommyTalk, AutoExtra)

- Appropriate Banner Advertising
(Some of our current partners: Canine Covers, AutoVisuals)

- Cooperative Advertising Partnerships
(Some of our current partners: Menopause the Musical)

- Advertising Sponsorships

Please contact our eMarketing Department for more opportunities. We welcome creative ideas!

Contact:
Breanne Boyle
949-916-7133
breanne@askpatty.com