The Staffords and the Bergs prove the school’s motto: couples that drive together, thrive together.
It’s time again for ProFormance to recognize the people who make our community the rewarding place it is. Each year we give out the Dennis Peters “Person in Motorsports” Award to hail drivers who have demonstrated the essence of the ProFormance spirit on and off the track: professionalism, safety, and comradeship. This year we honor two couples who have made performance driving a highlight of their relationship, and who have spread their enjoyment to everyone they encounter here.
Bogdan and Sheetal Berg
One set of winners are Bogdan and Sheetal Berg, whom we profiled in July. These two software engineers met at Microsoft and soon developed a shared interest in performance driving, and continue to test their mettle at the track. Lead instructor Manfred Duske notes Bogdan’s “team spirit, enthusiasm for our sport and his willingness to learn and participate in not only his growth, but all those around him.”
“They are always so excited to be on track – they make new friends every time,” says Donna Porada-Kitch, who is a big booster of couples in motorsports. “They support other drivers who are new to the sport, and are always looking at ways to take their driving to the next level.” Bogdan has taken the Two-Day Competition Race Licensing Course to start off his racing career. Sheetal has been improving her track time recently, and that boost in confidence has led her to pursue her racing license as well. Watch this space for more developments.
Kristen and Mike Stafford
When Mike Stafford signed up for the 2022 season, he went whole hog, grabbing 15 dates, and included his wife Kristen on some of them – even though she hadn’t even taken the initial One-Day High Performance Driving Experience yet.
A bit concerned, Donna contacted Mike to make sure Kristen was okay with all this. As it turned out, Kristen was the one that said, “Sign me up for everything!” Kristen became an enthusiastic sport driver, even edging ahead of Mike on turn 5 a/b for a while. “It feels so good when you hit it the right way,” she says, noting that she goes through one set of tires to Mike’s three.
Donna is delighted that both Person in Motorsports Award-winning couples always show up sporting ProFormance hats, jackets, and t-shirts when they drive. They’re proud to be with us, and we’re proud to recognize them for their outstanding spirit this year!
