One couple has turned racing—and growing Northwest motorsport—into a shared passion.
Weekends are when a lot of married racing couples find time to pursue their love of driving. Rob and Christine Scholl, however, manage to hit Pacific Raceways just about every day, immersed in the motorsport world at ProFormance Racing School and ICSCC.
Sometimes this dedication is recognized by their peers. At a recent gathering of ICSCC (International Conference of Sports Car Clubs), right after presenting an award to the Novice of the Year, the Scholls were called out of the room to be photographed. When they returned, Christine said, “Someone handed me this giant trophy. I had no idea what was going on.”
A Driver’s Driver
Christine Scholl’s surprise award was for ICSCC Driver of the Year, and it wasn’t just for her driving skills that she was being honored. The award recognizes those who embody two key qualities: sportsmanship and excellence in club racing. Peers and officials selected Christine Scholl not just for her superior driving skill, but also for her outstanding character.
In some circles, such honors are called a “Driver’s Driver” award: given to one whose attributes are apparent to those with an intimate knowledge of the racing world, and who have what it takes to stand out in it.
A job for two
Rob and Christine are both instructors at ProFormance Racing School, and they do double duty as co-License Directors at ICSCC. This full-time-and-then-some set of jobs started some years back, when Rob offered to help out the former ICSCC license director, who wanted to take some family time off. After all he’d received from the organization, it was a chance for Rob to give back. “Then I conned Christine to do the job with me,” he admits. They performed so well together as substitutes that, a couple of years ago, the permanent position was passed to them.
Having two people in the role of License Director for a fast-growing sport turned out to be a vital advantage. “To have any depth, you need help with the job, especially if you race; you can’t do both by yourself. “
Growing the field
Two people turned out to be especially helpful since, whether by chance or their own combined talents and enthusiasm, the number of novices at ICSCC exploded. “In our first course, we had four novices. A few races later, we had 23. It grew exponentially.”
The ICSCC award celebrates more than just Christine’s ability to handle the burgeoning number of licensees. She has also built solid relationships with students, co-workers, and others in the racing world. “So many people are needed to put on a race,” she says. “Grid workers, turn workers, scorers, people who register drivers. New drivers learn how important those people are.” Rob adds, “It’s a lot of work, but Christine has an innate ability to build relationships.”
Christine calls this ability to connect with others her survival technique. One weekend, when Rob wasn’t available—he was hauling race cars cross-country—Christine had to manage a new crop of 23 racers by herself. “I had no choice,” she says. “I had to make sure I knew everybody, and could make allies.”
The making of a race couple
Rob, who retired after a 31-year career as a police officer, has always been involved in sport, particularly organized sport: “Football, baseball, waterskiing—any sport that has a sanctioning body behind it.”
Rob also loves cars, “especially NASCAR: that raw, unfinished, stripped-down car thing.” His ProFormance connection came when he ran the Emergency Vehicle Training Program for the Kent Police Department. The KPD used Pacific Raceways on quiet days, and eventually, Rob and ProFormance Chief Instructor Don Kitch Jr. put together an advanced event to train the trainers. The partnership worked, and Don suggested that, when he retired, Rob should become a ProFormance instructor.
When Rob met Christine, he took notice of her love of driving. “She drove an Audi with a manual transmission.” Of course, he signed her up for the Two-Day Accredited Competition Race Licensing course.
Making the grade
Christine’s attraction to motorsport began as a kid; her older brother, a crew chief, put her to work doing everything: applying duct tape, running around with a pyrometer, and checking tire temperatures. “I loved being around cars, but never thought about being in the driver’s seat.”
She felt she was over her head when she did the race licensing course, and she focused on “not screwing up.” Nevertheless, one misstep taught her a lesson. “I went into turn nine a bit early, took it into the dirt, but got back onto the track. My car got a little wobbly and lifted.”
When the lap ended, she thought they were going to send her home. “He asked me if I wanted to keep driving. I said yes; he put me in pole position. Later, the PRO3 guys were high-fiving me, saying, “Dude, nice save!”
Mentoring: paying it forward
If Don and the ProFormance staff made an impression on Christine with their encouragement and expertise, Christine is passing on the same vibes and knowledge to budding racers at ICSCC, guiding them through what sometimes seems like a maze of requirements. Her mentoring was part of the reason she received the award. “There are a lot of little things you need to go through on race days: from how to sign up, learning where you need to be, getting your car teched… so many things are going on.” Christine adds, “that “Sometimes people who have been doing it for 25 years are lost.” Their licensing course is a mentorship, designed to take fledgling racers through the entire process.
Women in the driver’s seat
“There’s also something to be said about having a woman who is also a race car driver, and who understands the dynamics that women face,” Rob says. “When they put their helmets on, you can’t tell the difference—men and women are both effective race drivers—but sometimes women like having someone with whom they can relate during the experience.
“I think it’s meaningful, especially for women who are curious about the sport, to learn that no matter how big or little you are, you can get into a big muscle car and rally around the track just like everyone else.”
The Scholls have two cars to fill their racing needs. They compete at enduros with their BMW E30, each taking half the race. They also have a GT4 Mustang for SCCA races. Christine hasn’t raced the Mustang yet, but you should be able to catch her soon doing exhibition laps at local events.
All in the motorsport family
Rob and Christine Scholl’s immersion in the racing world and the sport’s recognition of their contribution is a testament to the power of community. Rob’s association with Pacific Raceways led to a friendship and then a collaboration with Don Kitch Jr. and ProFormance. Later, Don invited Christine to hang around, and she noticed how vibrant the Northwest racing community was.
“It felt instantly like family,” Christine says, “I met some amazing people. It was pretty easy to say, ‘Yeah, I want to be part of this.’ ProFormance gave me such a warm welcome that I couldn’t say no.”
