SO EASY A STOFFER COULD DO IT: LEADING GEICO’S MASSIVE LEAP INTO DRAG RACING
Now she’s part of a grand scaled gecko invasion.
The gecko we reference is the iconic cartoon icon pitching the Geico Insurance Company and their ability to save customers money.
Geico Power Sports has made a splash in NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing and one can’t help but notice it all started with the personality-driven Pro Stock Motorcycle rider from Minden, Nev.
Six years ago, Stoffer introduced Geico Motorcycle to the quickest and fastest motorsport in the world. Today she beams when discussing the company’s increased involvement in drag racing.
Pro Stock Motorcycle Rider Proud to be First Step of the Big Footprint …
There was a time when Karen Stoffer was the lone gecko in drag racing.
Now she’s part of a grand scaled gecko invasion.
The gecko we reference is the iconic cartoon icon pitching the Geico Insurance Company and their ability to save customers money.
Geico Power Sports has made a splash in NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing and one can’t help but notice it all started with the personality-driven Pro Stock Motorcycle rider from Minden, Nev.
Six years ago, Stoffer introduced Geico Motorcycle to the quickest and fastest motorsport in the world. Today she beams when discussing the company’s increased involvement in drag racing.
I don't mind flying under the radar if we can just jump up and bite a little more frequently, Either way I just want to go rounds this year. That is the focus, to be consistent and go rounds. We really have all the pieces in place with the sponsor, the team, the bike, the power and the performance of Vance and Hines. We've got all the pieces, it's just up to us to put it altogether, go rounds and win races.
“Geico Power Sports sees the value of what NHRA provides,” Stoffer explained. “Drag racing stands out among the other motorsports venues. In other forms of racing the main attraction happens in one little part of the real estate called the race track. But, in NHRA events, the activity and excitement actually spans the entire real estate. You watch a race for maybe five seconds or seven seconds or whatever and then go down from the stands and you get to interact with all of the drivers, you get to see the tear downs, you get to drive all the interactive activities, shop along the racer mall. It offers so much more and Geico sees that. They've really extended their footprint.”
That footprint remains a source of pride for Stoffer, who first entered NHRA’s premiere two-wheeled eliminator in 1996 as one of three female riders alongside Angelle Sampey and Stephanie Reaves.
She needs no reminder that she’s a blessed person and seeing the program expand to include Top Fuel driver Morgan Lucas and the NHRA only amplifies the feeling.
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Stoffer admits this is the first time in her career that she’s had a teammate. She always dreamed of the day she’d have a teammate but Stoffer will also quickly admit that she believed they would be on two-wheels.
Having a Top Fuel teammate can have its advantages.
“Having Morgan has brought a lot of publicity and support to the program,” Stoffer admitted. “We're really working well together.”
Large amounts of publicity are uncommon for the Pro Stock Motorcycle division but that is rapidly changing with this new program, as well as other controversial intangibles related to the bikes.
Stoffer has always represented her sponsor well in terms of publicity but when it came to contending for a championship, she was the contender who could fly under the radar against the other front runners and when they least expected it, hit them where it hurts – at the finish line.
She doesn't deny the fact, either.
“Unfortunately, yeah we have been,” Stoffer added. “We have a great fan base. We've got great support here in Florida. From a racing standpoint we kind of hang out in the middle of the pack or lower. We've had some great success here in Gainesville, where actually we won from the 15th spot. Hopefully, we are going to change that and not be one of those fly under the radar teams.
“I don't mind flying under the radar if we can just jump up and bite a little more frequently,” Stoffer continued. “Either way I just want to go rounds this year. That is the focus, to be consistent and go rounds. We really have all the pieces in place with the sponsor, the team, the bike, the power and the performance of Vance and Hines. We've got all the pieces, it's just up to us to put it altogether, go rounds and win races.”
Stoffer and company are on the right track to elevate their program and Geico is putting the power to the Doug Johnson-owned team. One of the first investments, with the added Geico backing, was the addition of veteran Suzuki tuner Mark Peiser.
In addition to Peiser, the team also debuted a new bike in Gainesville.
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“I don't react so much. I am one of those that God gave us two eyes and two ears and one mouth, so I like to look and listen and figure out what is going on, before I open my mouth,” Stoffer said, citing her desire to steer clear of the fight. “This team has a line of sight; we know what we want.”
Of all the rule changes, it was the loss of ten pounds from the bike that excited the slender Stoffer the most.
“This is going to be an interesting year. I just want to see how it works out,” Stoffer said.
One of her Suzuki counterparts, Don Schumacher Racing, is expected to introduce the four-valves per cylinder Hayabusa in mid-season. Stoffer said her team will stick with their Vance & Hines program for the duration of 2009 regardless and will evaluate their direction for 2010 at the conclusion of the season.
“We have a good program for the year and what we'll do is huddle up at the end of the year, or during the course of the year and figure out if a change is coming. I really don't see a change. I think we are happy with what we got.
“I'm more interested in the temperature when we get to tracks that are very humid and hot temperatures and seeing how even and how much parity we have in our class. We really look at the data before we make any big decisions.”
The big decision many race fans want to know is why the likable Stoffer is riding with the gecko instead of the equally popular caveman or the up and coming eyes on the dollar campaign, the three major advertising campaigns fielded by Geico.
“I think the gecko is definitely a mainstay and yes, I am lobbying to have the little money on (the bike),” Stoffer admits. “You laugh now but there was actually an important conversation which transpired debating that very subject.
“When Morgan came on, we had the discussion that I would like to keep the gecko and he can have the caveman,” Stoffer said. “I think the gecko fits our team better. I do like the money stack campaign and you never know; keep your eyes open because you might see that stack of smiling money sitting around our pit or on our bike somewhere. I do like the money campaign, but I think the gecko is the fan favorite and that's the one we're going to keep. I would rather not have my team dressed up as cave men.”
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