ProFormance’s Women Setting the Pace Event has led many novices to jump into the racing world. Here’s one story.
No institution in the Northwest has done more to bring women into motorsport than ProFormance Racing School. They inaugurated the Women Setting the Pace event more than two decades ago to show that the women are every bit as welcome—and as good—as men on the track.
Many women point to that event as the start of a lifelong love affair with lapping and racing. A case in point is Catina Piliaris, for whom a day of thrills at Pacific Raceways has led to a racing license and the purchase of a race car.
Spinning her wheels
As a farm girl growing up, Catina drove just about everything before she had a license: tractors, log trucks, all manner of vehicles. A love of speed came later, when she started riding motorcycles. While she watched drag racing and “NHRA stuff” as a kid, strapping into a racing harness wasn’t in her plans until she met a colleague who was dating a PRO3 driver. “I went over to see his car, then went to the race, and I was hooked immediately.”
At the starting line
Her friend and the driver in question, Isaiah Dummer, encouraged her to get behind the wheel. She connected with ProFormance Chief Admin Donna Porada-Kitch, who told her about the Women Setting the Pace event. She signed up. “Then it snowballed into this monster. Now I have a car, and I want to be a race car driver.”
Her first instructor was Scott Eckert who, apart from his ProFormance duties, won the 2024 PRO3 racing championship. From there Catina worked with Will Morris to obtain her lapping license, and did some other driving events.
The pull of PRO3 led Catina to keep going. Recently she took the Two-Day Accredited Competition Race Licensing course at ProFormance and obtained her racing license. She also got hold of a car, one of the venerable BMWs that are part of what attracted her to PRO3. “The E30s are my favorite BMW—I love them!”
A warm welcome from Scott
Catina names Scott Eckert her “first and last instructor.” He introduced her to the track at Women Setting the Pace and also guided her during her race licensing. “Kudos to Scott,” says Catina. “I was sitting in this roomful of guys, thinking ‘do I belong here?’ Not for one moment under Scott’s tutelage did I feel I didn’t belong. He told me, ‘Don’t worry, you’ll get better, you’ll get faster.’ It was extremely encouraging and empowering.”
Scott enjoys his role as well. “It was fun taking someone wide-eyed and interested in the track, getting them out there, awakening that feeling of excitement and anticipation. It’s an eye-opening experience.”
The road ahead: PRO3
Catina now has a PRO3 car, a trailer, and is building a shop so she has a place to work on it. It’s a step-by-step process, as she determines her commitment level. “I’m finding out where I ft in, where I want to go.”
“The hardest part is showing up,” says Scott. “Once you’re there, we help find ways to unlock your potential, your ability, and desire. We may come with different levels of experience and want to try different routes, but my job is to make sure that you can do it.”
In the right place
If you’re a racing beginner, it’s hard to think of a more hospitable group to race with than PRO3, a native Northwest class founded by ProFormance stalwarts Ken and Wes Hill. Of the PRO3 people, Catina says “They’re a great group of humans. Every single one of them I talked to was welcoming and really willing to help.”
Catina also credits “Don and Donna’s kindness, and their generosity with their time and knowledge” with drawing her in to racing. “I can’t imagine that any other place could be as amazing as what they’ve created.”
Scott agrees. “They do adopt you as family—they give so much energy, enthusiasm and support. Catina got in with the right people.”
Still setting the pace
People are vital to a budding racer, but it also takes a car, and Catina is starting the process of getting hers in working order for the coming racing season. “When I started out I wasn’t a mechanic, wasn’t a racer. I just jumped in with both feet.”
The helpful PRO3 crowd will be on hand with parts and advice. Meanwhile, Catina Piliaris will be at the next Women Setting the Pace event. This time she’ll be coming in at a new level, and will be telling other women that they, too, can do amazing things on the track.
If you’re interested in Women Setting the Pace on July 8th, 9th, or 10th with the early bird discount opening May 15th. here’s where to find out more.