FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Jennifer Lee celebrated a recent autocross race after finishing just three seconds slower than her dad, Curtis. Along with mom, Amy, the Lee family spends a lot of time together at Hawaii Speedway.
Driving Miss Jennifer Most parents can be reluctant or even frightened of letting their offspring take the wheel when they reach driving age.
easy for Lee family
By Grace Wen
gwen@starbulletin.comCurtis and Amy Lee, however, are not typical parents. They encouraged their only child, Jennifer, to grab the wheel and drive fast.
Car racing is the Lee family's unique common interest. But before images of NASCAR or drag racing flash through the mind, consider autocross.
The events aren't high speed and are often done in parking lots or on runways. Drivers race in their own cars on a course defined by traffic cones. The competition is the clock and time penalties are charged for disturbing cones.
"It's not really speed dependent," Curtis said. "Solo II racing is more about high, lateral 'G' forces. We probably only get to 70 (miles per hour), maybe 80, but it's only for an instant. It's all about car control."
Curtis, 44, started racing in high school when he decided he wanted to drive his car competitively.
"I used to race bicycles, so when I got a license, I moved on to something faster," Curtis said.
Something faster came in the form of a 1971 Datsun 240Z. Auto racing is a passion that has stayed with him for a quarter century. And one that he's passed on to his family.
In their early courtship, Curtis and Amy attended autocross events on the mainland together. After they came back to the islands and got married, the Lees became involved with the Hawaii chapter of the Sports Car Club of America.
When Jennifer was born, Curtis had a simple solution to the problem of having a two-seater for a family of three.
"Instead of losing your nice little two-seater sports car when you have kids, I decided to get everybody one. That way no one can grumble."
The solution worked, though it was several years before Amy or Jennifer would use their cars.
It took a long time for Amy to go from spectator to driver because she was Jennifer's primary caretaker at the track.
"When she was younger, it wasn't possible for me to participate other than being a spectator," Amy said. "When she got older, she became part of the whole event anyway. She was able to take care of herself and not run into the traffic."
The Lees' friends had been egging Amy to race Curtis for years. She finally agreed and told Curtis that she would race if he found her a car. He found her a red 240Z that Amy drives every day to work.
Amy enjoys racing, but for reasons different than her husband.
"It was good to participate to better my skills as a driver," Amy said. "That's what I saw this event as. You can really learn to maximize your driving skills, the maximum potential of your car, and (it) makes you a better driver on the street."
Like her mother, Jennifer sees the value of good driving skills. But Jennifer also shares her father's passion for the sport.
After all, she was virtually preordained to race. Unlike other kids who claim to be gym rats, Jennifer grew up a track junkie, inhaling the smell of tires and taking in the sights and sounds of cars maneuvering around the track.
Curtis bought Jennifer a Z when she was 12 and took his time restoring it until she was of driving age.
"I was pretty much going to the track ever since I was born," Jennifer said. "I consider it my second home because I'm always going there."
Her devotion to the sport has paid off. In the family, she's the closest to catching Curtis, who is a five-time Hawaii champion in his division.
Jennifer, 19, is also the one to give first-time male competitors a humbling experience.
"As a young girl competing with every age out there, some new guys come out and they think they're all that," she said. "I think they look at me and say, 'Oh, I can use her as a target. I can beat her.'
"Just to see the humbled appearance that they get when they realize that this is not an easy sport. It's something that you work at. It just gives you a good feeling to know that I'm improving my driving skill."
Her driving skills haven't waned, though her track time has been limited since she started school at the University of the Pacific (Calif.). But each time she returns, Jennifer heads out to the track with her parents to race and see friends.
"I know a lot of people, when guys get married, their wives make them give up the car," Jennifer said. "It's not like that in our family. It's remained as a family event. It's something that we do together. It's a lot of fun. You make a lot of good friends out there, too."
