Racing for Diversity and Acceptance

2012 Yay. Aren't we supposed to die now?

2012-01-03T08:39:00.000-08:00

Well it is now 2012 and we are all supposed to die this year. We will see. I am sitting at my computer contemplating everything I had tried to do over the past 5 years and feel perplexed in that I have done so much but got nothing really accomplished. I have met many great people on my journey and many have tried to help. Unfortunately I have learned through my endeavor that my many fans would love to see me compete but the people that can make that happen have no interest. Gay people in sports are not new and I don't claim to be the only. I am the only one that tried to do it while being honest with myself, my fans while staying active in my sport. I wanted to help people come to terms with their sexuality and have someone that is a sports figure that happens to be gay and out. I also wanted to bring light to GLBTQ teen suicide prevention. I had contacted people of wealth, who claim they are trying to give their fortunes away to good causes. Not. I tried major corporations that have forward thinking mission statements and ones that cater to a younger demographic. Not. Evidently having someone out and trying to help our community is not a good enough cause. I had a few calls with secretarys and associates but it seems to be always the same answers. Not interested. My question is why would someone trying to help a community get no support but when someone tries to tear the fabric of a community millions rally to destroy? I chalk it up to our communitys damaged upbringing. I hope future generations get past this before too much damage is done. Many of my generation have grown up being told how bad we were as people for being the way we are. Some of us lost much of our youth and innosense trying to come to terms with our sexuality with no role models or proper education on certain subjects (GLBT/sexual/HIV etc) so we had to fend for ourselves. Over the years we build up defenses that are hard to get past and it affects our relationships with family and our outlook on society in general. A church has a support structure that helps each member be a part of something. If you help your church you will always have friends and some kind of security. Our community lacks this in a big way. we cant usually look across a room and feel like there are others like us. Being gay can be very isolating. Why would anyone try and come out and help when no one is helping me? This seems to be common not just in sports but in life in general. Hollywood is homophobic. Wall Street is homophobic. I don't even have to mention politics as many of our closeted Republicans have already proven with horrible damage. It is going to take people from all walks of life to accept and understand that our "lifestyle" is not a choice. Until people start helping people feel confident in society this will never happen on the scale most of us dream about. At least not in our lifetime. I tried to make a difference and am paying for it. If your contemplating coming out and you are a sports or public figure, think long and hard about it. You will not get financial help so if you are in sports you will need alot of personal wealth behind you. I have 2 proposals out there and I am hoping for the best with them and that these companies can come with me on a journey to help our community move forward in our endeavor to be looked upon as people, humans like everyone else. If ANY of my readers wanted to help me now is the time. If you know anyone that would want to help or any corporation wanting to market the GLBT community with the added benefit of marketing to tens of millions of sports fans, let me know. I also have a paypal button on my website.

Thanks for listening!
Evan

The Smart Ride 8 Post Ride

2011-11-21T06:50:00.000-08:00

Wow the Smart Ride 8 is now in the books with record setting numbers! All records were broken for this one! We raised over $675K for Aids/HIV and had a huge presence in the Florida Keys doing so! This was so much more emotional than I could have ever imagined! It was also one of the most well organized events I have ever had the honor of participating in! From beginning to end there was encouragement and camaraderie that cannot be described. I rode with Team Chic Optique and would like to thank Karen and Julie for being who they are and doing the things they do for the community! I am overwhelmed with emotion just writing about this event!

I arrived in Miami on Thursday, getting a ride from one of my friends to the Morningstar Renewal Center. Upon arrival there was a great ceremony, check in and dinner. I was full of emotion walking along the timeline of Aids in America thinking of all the friends I have lost and my own battles with running and hiding from HIV. 25 years ago I had to come to terms with it and it has been a very difficult road. We had a great speech and candle light moment before heading back to the hotel for the evening. Originally I was going to be a part of the safety crew and ride my Suzuki but I decided I needed to get healthy and I really enjoy cycling. I had alot of friends in this event and I feel privileged to even be there! I bought a nice Trek at the end of July from Lauderdale Cyclery (lauderdalecyclery.com) and started training with some really fast guys here in FTL. I know this event was NOT a race but I wanted to do this for myself and everyone I knew that was affected by this terrible illness. It was sort of a personal thing for me. We rolled out at 6:45 into the streets of Miami and it was a nice mellow pace. I decided to pick up the pace and see what I could do and challenge myself. I ended up at the first checkpoint with a few fast guys from Orlando and decided we were going to go for it! We rode together helping each other and pushing ourselves. What a surreal feeling! I did not know these people and we were sharing pain and suffering together...never felt so good. Many people do not understand that the speed pain and suffering are all part of the experience and ask why we do this. You have to experience it to understand! Slowly I got waved on by my comrades as they stopped at different checkpoints. I only wanted to stop once for the lunch stop and by that time I was alone. I got down Card Sound Road (what a gorgeous road on a bike!) and rolled into the lunch stop and was told I was the first in there! I grabbed a banana, Gatorade and thanked everyone for being there and rolled out. There was a guy passing the lunch stop behind me as I rolled out and thought here we go! We turned left on to US1 and headed for Hawks Cay. I was happy to see a tail wind of sorts (kind of a cross/tail wind) and put down some power cruising at 25-27 MPH. I looked back after 10 miles and saw I was alone. I did not give up I just kept at it as hard as I thought I could. The pains and worry of a flat were always there and I just rode through it. I couldn't believe I was doing this! For sure there has to be others ahead...
I was 8 miles from the finish when I looked back again. There he was. Maybe 100 yards back was a guy with aero bars and speed to match! I thought about it and said to myself "I didn't go 92 miles suffering to get passed at the end!" Now I know this was not a competitive event but this was about personal goals and feeling good. I am sure he saw me and felt motivated to catch me as well! Good friendly competition is healthy as long as it is looked at for what it is...having a great time doing something great! I jumped up to 28-30 MPH until I saw 100.0 miles on my speedo. I looked back and I was alone again! At that point it was just about the numbers. As I turned left into Hawks Cay I saw everyone cheering me on and I absolutely cannot describe the wave of emotion that came over me. As I rolled up to the line everyone was very excited to tell me I was the first across the line! I couldn't control my emotion and started to cry like a baby! All the effort, pain, suffering, cramps and self motivational speeches I was rehearsing did not prepare me for the feelings I felt. I was victorious in just finishing this leg and here I was 4 hours and 39 minutes later at my destination. I did it! It was a great personal victory! I remembered all my lost friends and pictured them looking down at me from above and felt them helping me along the way! I did this for all of them and all the others that I had never met that have been taken by this great tragedy. I felt so not alone at that moment my heart almost exploded. Then I saw all the people here doing the same thing for those they love and have loved. Lots of tears to follow! I got a great massage (Dean Allen-ahairstudio.com) and rested for a while when more people started arriving. I stayed over at the line and cheered as people had the same emotions flowing over them and shared in this great wave of love and honor for those that have passed and those that rode for them.
The evening continued on and we had a great dinner by Rosie's and others and shared in our daily experience. A few people did not like the idea that I was proud of finishing first but to me we all finished first! I am a competitive individual and to say the others that came in on my heels were not would be a big huge lie! We had a blast! I was joking with a few of the other competitive cyclists that if you put wheels, helmets and numbers on anyone, competitive spirit lives! The beauty of this is it is what you make of it. If you want a challenge, go for it! whether its you r first big ride or your 100th. Hawks Cay was a great experience and the rooms provided were 5 star! Comfort way beyond my dreams!
The next morning was the push into Key West. I woke feeling great and was ready. They let us go and I moved forward quickly. I rolled up to a group of people moving very fast and decided to stay with them for a while. I am glad I did! I started to think of the camaraderie and sharing nature of what we were doing. I could have not stopped with them at the rest stop as it was a 65 mile ride today and not 100. Most of my non-stop training rides were 50-65 miles so this would have been easy to just keep going. I felt a great bond as we rolled into the stop and decided to enjoy the ride more today. My personal accomplishment of doing so well in the Century ride satisfied my competitive spirit and personal goals. We rolled out and pushed each other for the next 40 or so miles. The 7 mile bridge was a magical experience as we traded the front with each other! I found out as we were riding my comrades were all from Fort Lauderdale! How cool! There was a girl riding a Tri bike (Triathlete/time trial type bicycle) and she was really fast! One of the guys in our group lost all feeling in his foot and we as a group all stopped until he felt better. No one was getting dropped here! We soldiered on averaging more than 25 MPH when 5 miles from the end I got a flat. I felt horrible that I was holding everyone up but we all stopped and I was helped with my flat by someone way faster than me changing it! as we were stopped a lone girl on another aerodynamic bike came flying through. Instead of trying to just catch her we all cheered her on! That's what it is about! We got going and other than a minor tip over on my part right at the end we made great time rolling into the finish. The guy that was right behind me the previous day got the personal best award rolling in first and the girl that passed us was close behind. What really made it great is we all crossed in at the same time and shared in this moment. We did it! 165 miles! WOO HOO!!! We had a great lunch and rolled out at 2pm for a parade down Duval street and the surrounding area finishing on the pier. We had a great ceremony and the finish was spectacular. We all bowed our heads and cried for the riderless bicycle walked to the podium at the end representing all those lost.

What an emotional event. I can't wait until next year!!!!

The Smart Ride 8

2011-11-01T11:52:00.000-07:00

Well now that the 13 Hour race has come and gone I am working towards my goals for The Smart Ride! If anyone knows someone with a place in Key West I could use a place to crash Saturday night as hotels are expensive! I have almost reached my goal but need a few more people to step up and donate. On the link below you can make a donation for me from $1 to $1000. Every little bit helps! Here is the link...

https://thesmartride.org/8/pledge/index.php?participantID=354&step=step3

I hope the weather is better than it was in Virginia! I have developed a head cold from the trip and I really hope it goes away so I can start training again!

13 Hour 2011

2011-10-31T10:57:00.000-07:00

Race Update for the 13 Hour Virginia International Raceway Charge of the Headlight Brigade!

Thanks everyone for the kind words of encouragement on here Facebook and Twitter! It was a long drive too and from the race so I am a bit tired writing this. I have a large coffee next to me so I am sure I can get through it!

I arrived in Greensboro NC on Tuesday around 12 noon at the SRI Racing headquarters. The crew were diligently working on the #66 ITR BMW getting it ready for the event. I jumped in and gave a hand getting the car set up and ready for the event. I put my Trevor Project stickers on the car and had it embroidered on my drivers suit and was very excited to be displaying this very worthy charity! Wednesday we did a bit more and were pretty well ready to go. We loaded up Wed night and headed to the track for the Thursday test day.
I had brought my bicycle up from Florida as I am training for The Smart Ride mid November. When I woke up on Thursday morning I got my spandex on and stepped out of the trailer to find 30 something degree weather! It was also very dark but I got a great ride in around the VIR race facility. Nothing like the NC/Virginia countryside! The crew got to the track as did my co-drivers and we got ready for the test day. I was first in the car and the set up seemed pretty good in the dry weather but we had a fuel leak and the fumes were getting to me. We had to come in and fix it so I only got 2-3 hot laps in the car between coming in and going out trying to fix it. Other than the brakes giving us a few problems the car was great. The other drivers tested the car through the day as we had one session each and everything went really well. It turned out to be a great day but there were clouds looming on the horizon…
The next morning we woke up to cooler temperatures and a cloudy and misty day. It seemed to just get worse as the day progressed. We put a compromise setup on the car (making it handle better in the rain as there is less grip which makes it not as fast when its dry) as it was looking like a downpour during qualifying and the first half of the race. We had some glitches with the brakes locking and were trying to figure that out right up to qualifying time. We heard cars out there so I suited up and jumped right in. It was pouring but the SRI Racing BMW had the measure of it. I got in 8 good laps then the brakes started to lock on me going into T1 and off I went! I got the car slowed pretty good before hitting the tire wall drivers side first. I was able to get away from the wall but got stuck in the wet grass. How embarrassing! Sri came on the radio and told me we were 4.5 seconds ahead of 2nd place in qualifying! Good thing the car wasn’t really damaged other than minor cosmetics after pushing a few dents out! The alignment was still good and the car felt great for the remainder of the evening. We came in 10th overall and 1st in class by a big margin! I love the rain! Now we just need to get the brakes to stop locking…
Race day!! We woke up to miserable rainy and cold conditions Saturday morning and got the car prepped for a rain start. The weather showed big green blobs of rain and more on the way so on went the Hoosier rain tires. The crew got the car to the grid in a timely manner and the rain slowed. As soon as I got out on track for the start it stopped and my windshield fogged up from the lack of airflow. Ugh! I didn’t get the best start but tried to hold my position. The second place ITR car got by me (he was on intermediate tires…the right call) and I tried my best to keep the rains cool but it just kept drying out. Eventually they got so hot and slick I went off turn one again! This time I got the car slowed enough and spun around so I didn’t slam the wall…maybe just a touch but I only lost 10 seconds getting it out of the mud…I came in 27 seconds behind the now 1st place ITR car and early for my stint as we were losing too much time with the rain tires on in the dry. We refueled and put the dry tires on and tried to get the rear anti sway bar reattached but it was a bugger and cost us a few minutes on track. Dan Parker was the next one in and he has proven to be a very quick racer and was able to keep on track and did a great job in the seat setting the fast lap for our team. Catsby was in next and cranked out many good laps until the front ball joint let go stopping us just out of the pits. We were able to get the car towed back, ball joint replaced and back out on track in 22 minutes! Unfortunately it put us back to 5th. The drama continues!
Endurance racing is fun and unpredictable because you have so many variables. Lots of different drivers, crews and lots of time on the track and anything can happen. As we were getting towed back in 2 of our close competitors were in the pits fixing their cars! We went out on the same lap and it was race on! Now we were in a heated battle for 3rd. Craig Lippe was next in and did a stellar job trading lap times and positions with the #99 BMW Z3 ITR car. He had the longest stint in the car at 2 hours and 40 minutes! He was easy on the tires and brakes driving the car into the darkness. We had to stop early for dry tires and our mechanical gremlin put our pit strategy off. If my stint went on a bit longer and we didn’t have the ball joint failure…..anyways, it was Sri’s turn at it and he pulled his stint without incident but the extra pit stop put us back to 5th. It was now my turn to try and reel in our competitors!
I got into the car not knowing what to expect as the brakes were iffy for all the drivers and we had to brake in a straight line (no turning in on the brakes as they would just lock and flat spot the tires) so we had a bit of a compromise in our lap times. The car was surprisingly good considering the problems we had! The tires had a few minor flat spots causing some weird vibrations but it seemed to handle fine. I got out quick and we got word that we had a 90 second penalty for a minor (less than 12 inch) fuel spill! Noooooooooo! Oh well I came in and served my time and got out there to try and do something with our competition. Virginia International Raceway in the dark is a fun and different experience. The corners come at you quicker and you tend to turn in too early so it took me a few laps to acclimate myself to it. It was also the first time to really lap the car in the dry conditions. I caught all the ITR cars in our class and passed them. Then there was a call for oil in Hog Pen (the last corner on the track…a very fast right hander down a hill) I had just passed the Z3 and was trying to put some distance on him when I found the oil. It launched me off the outside where there was another car stuffed into the wall from said oil. I was able to get it back on without losing too much time but they threw a full course caution anyways so I was able to catch up. After the restart I was going back and forth with the #99 again and was ahead when going into turn 4 a Miata that we had passed on the straightaway before mad a bonehead maneuver and passed all of us stopping in my left rear door. I saw the lights coming and they were coming fast! I figured it was either the Prototype car that was vying for the win or the eventual winner in a very fast BMW M3 so I gave him room on the inside. It didn’t matter. He spun me 180 degrees and now I was facing oncoming traffic at night on a blind corner! I was able to restart and get the hell out of there! Luckily the car was undamaged. We all did our best and our 5th place finishing position was a hard pill to swallow after all that work! Our consolation was we still finished 18th overall out of 59 starters!

There is always next year! Thank you to The Trevor Project, SRI Racing, our crew and drivers! Hopefully we will get it next year!

Here we go!

2011-10-24T12:25:00.000-07:00

Well the vinyl and embroidery are done all I have to do is drive 12 hours up there and do some prep work on the car for the Charge of the Headlight Brigade 13 Hour Race! Should be alot of fun and I will update afterwards with pictures and maybe some video...watch my twitter feed and facebook page for updates.

That time of year again!

2011-10-18T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hello all, the 2011 Charge of the Headlight Brigade is almost upon us. This is a 13 hour endurance race at Virginia International Raceway http://www.virnow.com/ . I am very excited to say I will be driving a BMW in this event! I have my Trevor Project logos ready and waiting and am having some embroidery done on my suit. I will be tweeting updates throughout the race and will put links in for results and such. This is a great step in the right direction as I got some private support to move forward with Racing for Diversity!

The 2012 plans involve Pro racing and trying to get the word out on many important subjects. I am hoping to bring light to some of our bigger problems like LGBTQ suicide issues, bullying issues, our environment and health and fitness issues with adults today.

I am also excited to say I am doing The Smart Ride 8 in November! This is a 165 mile ride for AIDS/HIV funding. We go from Miami to Key West and should be a great time for a great cause! If you want to make a tax deductable donation you can go to: http://thesmartride.org/ and make a donation...dont forget to use my rider number (#354). The training I have been doing for this event has opened up a new hobby/fitness training routine that I am really enjoying! Cycling in Florida is pretty flat but we make up for it with speed and headwinds! I just started riding with a group on the weekends and they regularly hit 28-32MPH for a good distance! Its amazing how fast a group can go and how it pushes you individually. I have been dropped out the back of the group for the first few weeks but am now beginning to hang with them. Speed averages on my bike computer are now cresting 20MPH after 50+ miles! I have never been able to do that before. My overall fitnes has improved dramatically and my mountain biking skills have also improved with sheer speed and strength. My legs and butt have also reaped many benefits ;-} but I still won't shave my legs.

I am still trying to reach Elton John, Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin and others to see if they would like to be a part of my diversity project. Imagine if they helped with thier resources! I could have a green racing project that helps LGBTQ youth with a great message! It would also benefit everyone with acceptance! If anyone knows how to reach out to these people please pass the word on!

I am working with Holly Chervnsik at Stinger Sports Marketing and we are working towards some great things!

I hope to see more positive things in the near future so stay tuned!!!

Evan

AMAZING

2011-07-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

I have been working on figuring out how to do some promotions to gain visibility and maybe compete again. I started searching and looking at different blogs and such and found some disturbing stuff. We all know Fred Phelps is a coward that hates everyone but when you see the number of supporters and fans he has its disturbing. I looked at his blog http://blogs.sparenot.com/ (comments are off of course as he is afraid of public opinion) and he really is an activist of the worst kind. I wish I had as much support as him. I am one of the few people that represent the LGBT community by coming out in my sport and my demographic hasnt yet supported me and the trevor project. Are there that many more wealthy hateful people that would support someone like that in comparison to our community? Disturbing. We have alot of wealth in our community and it seems to be a very self serving group we are part of. There are lots of great people that work their asses off to help and support our organizations but the majority of the wealthy ones only seem to support themselves and tax write offs. When will someone step to the front and help some sports figures compete in the mainstream straight sports? It will not happen without support.

I wish I had a better way to reach people as I am no marketing expert. It looks like people like Fred Phelps reach people through extreme hate and negativity. I can not to that. I need a way to reach out to the ones that want to help. I have many letters and packages out to people that don't seem to care. Does anyone care is the question. As I go back to work and try and dissapear into normal society I take with me the bitter taste of rejection. I really wish someone could change that...

thank you everyone for your support and words of encouragement through the past few years and sorry I couldn't find people or companies to support an Out racer.

'till next time,
Evan

California

2011-06-17T05:13:00.000-07:00

Latest proposal:

E. Darling Enterprises Racing in California!

Hello all and welcome to the racing world! I am the only Out race car driver trying to support my community. The Trevor Project is a great organization benefiting our GLBTQ youth with a suicide prevention hotline. This is a resource we desperately need. My goal is to make it to California in August/September to race in two World Challenge races. These are televised road races broadcast all across North America. The September race in Sonoma CA will be a truly international affair as the WTCC (World Touring Car Championship) will be making its way to our shores! Come be a part of something truly big and positively impacting our community!

The races will be at Infineon Raceway on August 26-27 2011 as well as Laguna Seca California September 16-18. The goal is to race in World Challenge road racing an a Touring Car Class. The cost for these two weekends would be 60k. This includes additional media coverage and interviews generated by myself and my publicist John Blanchette. Helping out for this event would have long standing benefits with our community as a whole as I would be the first to come out at the start of my pro career and be successful! Sponsorship would put you as the first to support an Out sports figure still active in sports!

Come be a part of something special! The goal is 60k but any amount to reach that goal is greatly appreciated! I really want this to work and really believe in it. We need sports role models and I would like to be one. Come with me and be one too!

Evan Darling
Edarlingenterprises.com

Revival of Hope

2011-05-30T16:50:00.000-07:00

I must apologize for not writing more on my blog but frankly not much has been happening lately. I have run out of funds for publicists and such and agents want nothing to do with an Out Gay Race Car Driver LOL. Don't take that as I have given up...I will never give up. I will always be trying, sometimes more than less depending on my schedule, funds and attitude. If any of you have friends that may want to get involved don't be shy!

I am in the process of sending out a large batch of emails to some prominent people. If you are someone I emailed or an agency representing someone I am trying to contact, let me know!

My latest plan has me looking for private sponsorship as corporate sponsorship seems like a stretch, LGBT issues are hot but big companies seem scared to support Out Pro's anywhere for fear of losing out on straight business. I am also trying to hit up some non-racing/sports industries as the impact of supporting an out person in a straight sport is exposure to an audience that may not be thier market but the splash of media to follow and people to see would definitely be the right demographic...everyone!

My other "BIG" plan involves you, the reader of my blog, facebook fan/follower and Twitter follower. I would like to send out some of my hero cards (autographed of course!) for a donation. 50% of what is sent to me gets sent to The Trevor Project and the other half goes towards my racing plans for 2011/2012. If I recieve enough support I will be racing for all to see! Donations of $50+ will recieve an E. Darling Enterprises racing hat (pictures of products will be up shortly on my website) and get thier name/logo somewhere on my race car...obviously a $50 donation would be a small spot and a $50k one would be much bigger ;-)...Either way I wil photograph the logo/name(s) and email them to you.

If you would like to partake in my plan, send me a mailing address to zracre@hotmail.com and I will send a signed card to you regardless. If you want to drop a donation in the envelope I send with it that would be greatly appreciated!

For this plan to work I am going to need all the help I can get...forward a link to this page to anyone you would think would want to help...If I get all my facebook friends to at least look at this and maybe some help out and maybe some forward to people that may have interest, I may get somewhere!

I am still trying to get Lady Gaga, Elton John and Madonna contacts to see if they want to partake in this as well...if Paris Hilton can have a motorcycle racing team one of these other superstars should be able to help me be an Out role model competing in a mainstream straight market. On the level of the above stars, sponsorship is not real expensive for the positive media and impact on society that will come from it...

Cheers,
Evan Darling

Up to date....

2011-05-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

Well this year has been full of ups and downs. I have started working at a friends shop to try and get back to normal after my attempt at Pro racing and being an Out role model. My experience was pretty mixed and I wish it turned out different. I had great faith in the GLBT community wanting a role model in a straight oriented sport but found out the community as a group doesn't. My fans are great and everyone that has wanted to support me in the past have bveen a godsend and I thank everyone for that! but the community as a group has been dissapointing. HRC has a few people that sent me info after repeated requests but no real effort on their part to help promote me or my mission. I have done everything to get through to Ellen, Elton John, Madonna, Lady Gaga and other positive people influencing the GLBT community. I dont even get a response. My publicist (in the past...cant afford agents and publicists anymore) tried to contact them as well to no avail. If anyone knows how to contact these people please let me know! I am pretty sure mainstream companies would not sponsor an Out person as they probably believe they will lose market share so I have been marketing private individuals to try and at least get out there to perform. Still looking. Once im out and racing I still really believe I can make a difference by showing we are the same. I absolutely love the commercials for Ashley Fiolek as she overcame diversity issues and public question to be great at something she loves. Racing. Very touching story! So as I go to work everyday I try and come up with marketing ideas that havent been tried before and proven ones I would love to try again. Someone MUST want to see this happen! I really hope I am not alone believing we can all make a difference.

2011-01-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

Here is a great story written by my Agent Jessica. Very touching and it shows the world can change for the better!

here is the link;

http://gayweddingmexico.com/blog/?p=165

the story;

A NASCAR DRIVER a ROCK AND ROLL STAR and a BOY….
Permalink | Filed under: Uncategorized | Jessica Arent @ 8:40 pm |

Life is extraordinary. Really extraordinary. You have no idea where you are going to end up or who will influence your life from one day to the next. Fate is always at hand. I relate to the kids whose parents toss them aside or isolate them because my parents simply never understood me, nor could they control me and therefore would prefer to have nothing at all to do with me. Disagreeing with my parents is apparently cause enough to be blocked from Facebooks, emails and phones. A hard lesson and experience regardless of your age, and a painful one I can say from first hand experience.

It took 43 years to put the peices of the puzzle together, and to understand that I was neither favored nor loved and especially not liked, and to understand what that meant to my perception of self, but more importantly I learned and understood what kids go through when they share the intimate part of themselves that tells the parent they are not the ideal the parent had in mind.

With all of this said, it is ironic that in my fight to stand up for my child, and take a position on equality it has brought me into the lives of extraordinary people. This past week, because of a brave OUT NASCAR driver, an introduction was made to a rock and roll icon of my childhood, and I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to have an intimate conversation and begin to get to know someone I idolized throughout my childhood. This man was part of a band that has seen 5 decades and countless hits, poured into the bedrooms of impressionable young girls and piped through the car radio’s of young boys around the world. Their music was harmonious and cutting edge and they are heard in movie soundtracks, flashbacks, classic radio and rock and roll stations, and even Southpark! To say I was not slightly awestruck to find myself sitting next to this man over cheesecake and cappuccino, or later to witness him pull off yet one more concert to a nearly sold out crowd, would have been a lie. I was inspired.

The point however for me, was not to meet the man myself, but to create an introduction for my son. What is extraordinary about this artist, is that he is gay. He was and always has been, and while it was not until 1991 that he officially came out, he lived a life as a performer, and honestly, teenage heart-throb to boys and girls alike his entire career, one which began in 1962. Imagine, your life, under cover, in the limelight, a celebrity, and you are not living authentically to anyone, until 30 years into your career. What a tremendous hardship and journey. This man however, does not emit self pity. Not exactly 100% healthy at his age, and performing with the band part time, he takes his life as a gift and no longer for granted, and he tells a compelling story in a personal autobiography of his fame and fortune and his sexuality. What I wanted for my child in this meeting was to introduce him to someone that lived his dreams and aspired to greatness in his own craft, despite the odds and the pitfalls of being different. A remarkable success story, despite the odds and near loss of life.

While my child sat through coffee and cake, he had no clue who he was sitting with. This in itself was refreshing, because my newfound friend will tell you, he is just another person who is like anyone else, except that he got to live his dream of being a Rock and Roll star! But I watched my child’s face as he listened intently to the stories being told and knew that this man was leaving a positive impression on my child. Later at the concert, witness to the star quality and remarkable talent of this performer, and understanding the decades of the music and the following this band has even today, gave me a sense of incredible joy because my son was understanding the lesson I had hoped to impart. YOU CAN BE ANYONE YOU WANT TO BE REGARDLESS OF YOUR PREFERENCES. It is not about who you are in your love life, it is about who you are as a person.

After the concert this amazing man, and enormous heart, sought us out. It was a proud moment for me, beyond words, when he turned to my son and told him that he was a reflection of who this man had once been at the same age, and that HE was humbled to have met Chase. What was pivotal for me, were the words this great man said next “Chase, you are MY new hero. You are brave and courageous and you are going to leave an indellible mark on this world. You inspire me”. He asked Chase to be sure to stay in touch and invite him to his gradiation in a few years when that time comes. I was never so proud of my child as I was in this incredible moment.

We talked alot that day, this great artist and I. We talked about the kids who are cast out, unloved or even percieved as different and therefore tolerated or loved differently. We talked about his own relationship with his parents, and the difference in affection and disposition his mother had for him as opposed to his twin brother, who was straight. We talked about the parents obligation and responsibility to love each child unconditionally and with full acceptance because that is what the child is entitled to and should have and we talked about how “lucky” Chase is to have parents like my husband and I who would move the mountains and oceans to be sure our child knows he is loved and adored 100% for ALL of who he is.

WE can talk about “it gets better” to our LGBT youth. We can address the tomorrows in the Gay communities and express our desire to see the world change, but until we take an ACTION for today, until we open the hearts and minds of the world around us, and especially until we take those children by the hand and assure them that they are loved and wanted and respected and cherished, and until we show them by example and action that tomorrow will be better through the effort of today, it won’t make a difference. Our kids need answers today. Our kids need action today. They need leaders and mentors and they need love and acceptance. They need to know that we are all fallible and imperfect made this way on purpose and they are extraordinary no matter who they are.

While so many kids are cast out or isolated for being Gay or being headstrong, or “uncontrollable”, one thought comes to mind. Perserverence. I have seen many obstacles and made sacrifices to stand up tall for what I believe in and it has cost me relationships along the way, for me expecially the parent-child relationship. Perhaps this is what makes me the mother I am, and drives me harder to make a difference in the lives of those around me and for whom I champion. Perhaps it is overcoming the ideal to settle into the real, and surround myself with kind, tolerant and accepting people, is the world I create and now call family. Perhaps being cast out by my own parents, was the path God intended so that I could better relate to those who also were cast out for reasons of their own, and ultimately builds this exceptional, impactive and beautiful community around me. I no longer feel sorry for myself. I no longer feel sad for what I am missing because I have discovered that what I am gaining on this path has a far greater return in the end and gives me the tools to understand, be compassionate and forage new trails in this final frontier of equality.

I thank my NASCAR friend, Evan Darling, for making this possible for my son. I thank my performer Rock and Roll friend for the candor and generosity of heart and spirit with which he told his story and moreoever for opening heart and hand to us for the experience to meet him. WE thank them both, for making a difference in our lives in this moment.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

Well it's January 3rd and still no sponsors. It has been a long 4 years of struggling and I thank the people that supported me through these tough times. It is a bad sign for young athletes and sports figures to see someone trying to be active in a high profile sport and not getting any support from Gay Inc. The big companies have not been very supportive and I hope times change soon and can be more inclusive so people can see that we all can prosper no matter who we are. Even though I am going back to work and cannot afford to renew my Pro license I will continue to try to get support for this endeavor and I will keep you up to date if anything changes! Also thank you to the many supporters and fans for staying with me!

Evan Darling

Year End...

2010-12-19T09:28:00.000-08:00

Well the last race of the season for me was a BMW Car Club of America club race (BMWCCA) in Savanna, GA. I was planning on driving my friend Craigs M3 in IP (I Prepared) and Robs 325i in ITR (Improved Touring "R"). Friday was a sprint race, Sat was the Endurance race and andother sprint on sunday. I am a co-driver in the endurance races and I was to start in the M3 and finish in the 325i. Thursday testing went well and both cars were very competitive on old tires posting some pretty fast laps so we were happy going into friday. Craig had a decent qualifying effort for the sprint and started 2nd in class and Rob due to some other factors entered the car in IP (there were no other entrants in ITR and it is no fun racing yourself). For what it was he did great! With 3 laps to go a Spec E36 car being lapped by Craig in the epic battle for 1st spun in front of him in a 100+MPH corner. There was not much for Craig to do but hit the brakes to minimize damage. They hit and Craig continued on with lots of damage. The car was not leaking anything and the temps remained good so he finished out the race holding on to 2nd place. Rob finished safely in 7th in class posting some respectable times. We worked until 2AM saturday then right up to Enduro qualifying to get the car straight. Its amazing what you can do with chains, trees and F250's. Got the car ready just in time for a rainy qualifyer. I love the rain and tend to be real fast but the car kept popping out of 4th...a very important gear! we ended up 9th on the grid and 4th in class. We quickly tore into the car looking for something and found 2 destroyed transmission mounts. We barely had enough time to swap them in and put dry tires on (it stopped raining) and tweak the setup (never got all the adjustments done for the dry). I got the start and it was evident that the transmission may not survive this one! I got it to work pretty good and worked my way up to 2nd catching the leader pretty easily (man I wish that transmission worked!) and pitted in 2nd overall. Craig got in and held on as long as he could but the trans kept getting worse. He limped home in 3rd in class and 6th overall...not bad for a car that had been rebuilt at the track with beer duct tape and zip ties! Anyways I got into Robs car and his clutch was starting to slip. It wasnt too bad but it will need to be fixed before the next one. I only did about 3 laps and the checkers fell. Long and eventful weekend! Thanks to all the guys from BMWCCA and VDCA (Vintage club) that came over and helped pound the car back into shape!

See 'yall next year!
evan

Frontiers Article

2010-11-17T09:41:00.000-08:00

My Frontiers article is just out...a big thanks to my publicist, John Blanchette for setting it up for me!

http://www.frontiersweb.com/Features/Exclusive-Interviews/Story.aspx?ID=1309218

Tragedy

2010-10-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

"This latest string of suicides is an indication of how society is accepting our young people into this world. Online bullying and ignorance is taking lives and something must be done to make it stop. We have to educate society to be more accepting and compassionate to our childrens needs. The education needs to start with parents not teaching their children to hate and be callous to others differences. We have a long way to go to make our society a more accepting and safe place. There are many great organizations like The Trevor Project to help kids in need and we need to educate kids and adults to see there is a place to go and get help and guidance. More visibility is also needed in front of the right demographic groups."

Evan Darling
Grand Am Race Car Driver
edarlingenterprises.com

Its Funny...

2010-09-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

It's Funny

As a race car driver through the years I have done pretty well behind the wheel. I started autocrossing (races for time around cones in parking lots), graduating to track days in my old Mustangs and Z cars then on to amateur racing at tracks around the country. I always wanted to go Pro and knew I had the talent to do so. Racing is an expensive sport and most people get enthusiastically into racing hoping to be the next big thing only to realize there are many people that are very good at it as well. There are 5 main groups at an amateur race. The big budget guys that are talented enough to win, the low budget guys that scrape everything they have into the car and fight for wins, the guy with the budget and mediocre talent, the guy with the skills but no budget and the guy with want and drive but no budget and not the best skills. The many people I have talked to over the years trying to get into pro racing seem to think if you are good you just go to the racetrack and get in a car and win. There is so much to it, it is almost impossible to explain to someone who knows nothing about racing.
I have had a very successful amateur career in racing winning my share of races and wanted to take it to the next level. Many racers and media types always say you need a hook, something that sets you apart from everyone else. I look around at all the racers and see money and talent...what do I have that is different...well, I am Out and being myself in this straight sport, why don't I come out as the Out Pro Race Car Driver. I know I am good at what I do, I don't look so bad in front of a camera and there is no one else like me in the sport. I do it. Steve Rothaus from the Miami Herald did a great interview and gave me an entire section before the Miami Grand Prix in 2007, my first Pro race. We did well finishing 7th in a stout field of Pro's. I had many well wishers and haters contacting me through my website explaining to me how to live my life. I did not know how to handle the media very well and had a series of mediocre but well intended publicists and agents that did not know anything about sports and racing. I did the best I could to attract sponsors and got a little support from local businesses but not nearly enough to sustain a racing career. I needed to go big. I started contacting celebrities but realized you just cant call them up and ask them advise or for sponsorship without going through a labyrinth of "people". On top of this many people keep asking me why I had to come out as a gay race car driver. If you are a good driver you should be able to make it on those merits. Well yea I should be able to do that but without money and sponsors I can't drive to show my talents. I have met many great people along the way and wish to continue. My coming out has gotten me some great media attention, but still no sponsors.
The current state of the economy has not helped matters but things seem to have stabilized. There are many great charities that could benefit from sponsoring me in a Pro televised series and I am sure there are some big hearted people that would like to see this, my problem is getting them as an audience. My new publicist, John Blanchette, Is trying to get me in front of these people. We are contacting The View, Ellen, Rosie and Oprah in an attempt to show the world what I am trying to do. On my website (edarlingenterprises.com) is a short film put on by Subaru and LOGO that shows who I am. A Google of my name has many articles and interviews I have done. I have taken a lot of flak doing what I believe in and do not want to give up. Jay Leno has told me he thinks there is a place for me and I should keep trying. David Letterman has a BMW race team. I am trying to get through to him as well. Any help, leads, contacts and sponsorship is needed and appreciated!
BTW the point of all this is to try and show people how it is in the racing community so they can make educated decisions on participating in a sport like this.

Thanks for reading!
Evan

Road Atlanta

2010-09-15T05:44:00.000-07:00

Well we went to Road Atlanta for the BMWCCA Endurance Race and won it! Great racing and great people. Our next event is in Watkins Glen NY in 2 weekends. On my way to NC from Florida last week I lost the right rear wheel on my truck on 95 north. Traveling at 75mph the truck turned left. It was scary but luckily it just damaged the truck. now I am in NC with a broken truck needing $$ repairs. I am pushing to get it fixed so I can get home! Well thats it for updates.

Follow me on twitter (evanmdarling)!
Evan

New Developments

2010-08-31T07:18:00.000-07:00

Hey there, I was finally able to procure a really great publicity firm, Blanchette & Associates Public Relations. This firm has a huge amount of success in entertainment and business fields and I am proud to be part of their future! They have already prepared and scheduled interviews and other media for me! I will post my schedule as soon as I work it out!

I am now on Twitter and its really new to me. I am learning to "tweet" developments and I will be able to "tweet" from the race track or other events I am at! Follow me at: twitter.com/EvanMDarling

Thats it for now but keep an eye out for new developments!

The End Is Near

2010-07-21T13:18:00.000-07:00

Well I have been at this for almost 4 years now and no sign of a sponsor. I went out on a limb and dedicated my life to racing. I put myself out there for the community in hopes of some support and to support some great causes. I branded myself as an Out Race Car Driver and tried to take all the right paths. I had publicists (some ok some just stupid) and agents. I have been in all the major publications and on the Out 100 list. I just don't get why there is no support for an out sports figure within our community. It is very dissapointing to see all these grants and sponsorships for websites and parties but when someone tries to make a difference in the public's eyes, there is not much support. I have had contact with some great people recently that may have something in store for me and the charities I want to support so stay tuned. I am just venting as now I have to go back to my old profession of being a line technician and I am going to have to deal with being in this industry as an openly gay man. It was never a problem before as I kept to myself but now I am an ex-gay race car driver that failed to get sponsorship. It will be rough to say the least! I also have to concede to my republican family that it was silly to think a gay person could get sponsorship in a straight sport. Unfortunately up to this point they are correct. I would definitely not recommend anyone in sports to come out until retirement unless they are happy where they are in their sport. It seems to be career suicide. Agents refuse to represent you and unless you are independedntly wealthy or have someone elses bank roll (mom dad sugar daddy sugar momma etc) you will fail. PLEASE someone prove this wrong! I don't want to lose too much faith in our community! I have lost all my savings, my house, car, health insurance and my job pursuing my passion. I will continue to try my best to get sponsored and prove them wrong! On another note, I have a video coming out on LOGO soon. Check back at my website (edarlingenterprises.com) for a preview!

hope everyone has a great summer!

Summer Blues

2010-07-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

Well its July and it is hot in FL. I am headed to Virginia International Raceway next weekend for a BMW CCA/PBOC/Viper Club Race. It should be a blast as it is a sprint format and I am driving 2 different cars over the weekend! I am looking forward to it. I also have some developments I will share in the near future when I know more. As it stands now I am planning on going back to work next month. If sponsorship or endorsement comes, I will be racing. If not I will be slaving. Fingers crossed!

Contact

2010-06-08T10:39:00.000-07:00

I am at a loss. I have tried contacting Rosie O'Donell, Ellen Degeneres Elton John and other Out celebs...they don't even respond. I am not good at getting through to people and do not have contacts to do so...is there anyone out there that can help? Maybe they do not have any interest in helping an out athlete but at least a response...

Back from Ohio

2010-06-04T06:12:00.001-07:00

Well I'm back from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the BMWCCA Club Race over Memorial Day Weekend. The weekend started out pretty good as the car felt great in my session. Later in the day on friday the car started to get hot. I replaced the water pump and thermostat and found no leaks. The car seemed better on Saturday as the owner raced it in the 2 sprint races and did pretty good. Sunday arrived and I got in to qualify for the enduro and after a warm up lap and half a hot lap the car got real hot. I pulled in to see water pushing out of the over flow and all the needles buried. We packed up and drove home. I was really hoping to make it a 3peat as we won at Roebling Road and Virginia International Raceway and this would have made 3 at Mid-O. Oh well! It was not a drama free weekend with the tow either! On our way through Virginia, a boost pipe blew off the truck (a piece of the air intake system) and the hose clamp went through the LR tire while we were climbing a hill at 2K feet. we replaced the tire with the spare and tried to limp back to a ford dealer but really couldn't move off the highway. We pulled out the Honda mini bike and I rode it down I-77 to get the part...

New Idea and Great Opportunity!

2010-05-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

I am back and starting a new marketing program. As many of you know, I am a supporter of TheTrevorProject.org and I would like to offer a program that would bring media attention to this great program and my Pro racing career. In this tough economy it has been difficult to procure enough sponsorship to race in Grand Am and be able to survive. Many big corporations have cut back sponsorships and that has made it difficult for everyone in the racing (and all other!) communities. I am reaching out to everyone and all communities with this program. My idea is to get lots of private and small corporate involvement in my quest. It is pretty simple. I need to get contributions ranging from $100 to $1000 to race next year (and this year if there is enough interest). I cannot afford my own Grand Am car so when I race it is always a different teams car. I am allowed a certain amount of area on the cars depending on how much I contribute to the team. The idea is to get 2-3 large graphics that have "TheTrevorProject.org" with everyone's names (company names, personal names etc) printed within the graphic. I would also use these graphics on my personal race car (amateur series car as Pro cars are way too $$$).

Here is a list of some of the benefits that would come from sponsorship:

Support for TheTrevorProject.org in front of an international audience on Speed Channel
Support for the only Out Pro Race Car Driver
Links from my website (edarlingenterprises.com) to your organization or web page
Photo and video media from each event
Exposure at media events I will attend
$1000+ sponsors will receive tickets to a chosen race in your area

For this to work I will need to reach a financial goal. I would like to launch this program immediately and will have a progress bar on my website and here when I start to receive donations. I really think this can work with all the support I have received in the past! In doing this program I believe I can generate even more media in some of the larger publications and TV media. I just need to get the ball rolling with your help!

The Demographics for this race series is very large and when you include the GLBT demographic it makes my audience one of the largest in Professional sports! Please give me some feedback on this program as I get it started! I also have a paypal link on my website so be sure to contact me if a donation is going to be made thru that so I can forward all the media to you!

Thanks and hopefully more to come soon!

Evan Darling

Updates and Ups and Downs

2010-04-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

Well I almost completely finished my move to Florida. I have been going back and forth to NC trying to get all my stuff secure. It has been a difficult few months! I got back from VIR (Virginia International Raceway) 2 weeks ago after racing in the BMW Car Club of America endurance race. We had a great time and finally won! My co-driver, Craig Lippe, did a great job behind the wheel and with strategies. We won by .503 seconds! What a great time! This is coming off the last time I drove it. that was Roebling Road where it was pissing down rain and we won that with the bonus of an overall pole position! The car we were driving is a BMW M3 running in IP ("I" Prepared is a class with limited modifications to the car). I got back to FL and received a call from one of the top Grand Am teams. I needed to come up with some money to get up to VIR again to race in the Grand Am race! Well my fundraising skills are not so good and it was short notice so I tried to the last minute. Didn't make it. I am still pretty depressed about it but there isn't much I can do about it now but try for the next one! Someone please step up and help for Mid-Ohio in June!

I have some great strategies for sponsors and would like to put them out there for discussion. I am and always will try and support non-profits. The Trevor Project has always been very high on my list as it is one of our most important assets as a community. here is their website:

http://thetrevorproject.org/home2.aspx

I believe having info on this organization on my car in front of a televised audience would do a great job getting outlets like this in the mainstream media where it is most needed. Many of these kids are not exposed to GLBT media and have very few options. By getting the word out in front of a predominantly straight oriented market, more people would be reached! Help me make this happen!

On another note before I went to VIR for the BMW race I went to Wellington FL for the first ever Gay Polo League Polo match. Wow what an exciting sport! I had no idea...These guys move fast on these horses and play pretty aggressive! Here is a link to their website:

http://www.gaypolo.com/splash/

I have also tried to contact Ricky Martin about sponsorship or support for me and the Trevor Project but I have not heard back from him or any of his agents. It seems almost impossible to get through to some of these people. Maybe he will see this...never know!

Well that's all for now!

Florida Boy

2010-02-18T05:54:00.000-08:00

Well I'm back to Fort Lauderdale FL now...it seems just as cold down here as it was in NC! I lived down here for almost 20 years and wished for a cool winter. I move down here and we have one! I guess FL wanted me back! It is good to be here and see old friends and try and get back to my old life. I am starting a small business with a friend and am going to let my agent do footwork for me for sponsorships. I have had no luck finding support and apologise for not being out there that much representing. It is a very expensive sport and when you are trying to support non-profits or any cause, funds are very scarce. I will always try and help Trevor Project and raise awareness of the problems our youth face every day. It also didn't help that I came out as I started my Pro career. Well you never know what will happen next...I have a show just filmed about me and it will air soon (I will update here and my website when it comes out...) and I hope that brings me some exposure. I don't seem to get much here on my blog anymore, I guess I need to update it more often as the only people commenting are spam delivery people.

January 2010...racing has begun!

2010-01-31T04:44:00.000-08:00

Its a real bummer to be sitting here while the Daytona 24 hr race is buzzing in the backround. Things were looking up towards the end of last year after doing some filming (more to come!) as I was hoping to get some sponsorship (or at least a ride) to run the Continental Tire Challenge (former Koni Challenge) race friday. Nothing yet. I guess there is always next year for a championship...

On another note, I competed in the VIR Charge of the Headlight Brigade 13hr race. Story is here: http://tarheelbmwcca.org/WEB%202010%20January.pdf And I made the cover! This is a great BMWCCA regional magazine. We had lots of fun and finished well.

My latest personal update is that I am moving back to Fort Lauderdale FL as there is not much in the way of work up here in NC and I believe I would be better off marketing myself in FL. I have made some great friends up here and I will continue to visit and race with the Tarheel folks. This area has VIR (Virginia International Raceway) and it is probably one of the best tracks in the world!

I put some safetys on my comments area as too many people were posting viagra and watch ads...I keep an eye on it so if anyone posts on here I can get the message on pretty quick (unless I am in a race car...)

I hope everyone has a great new year!

Evan

Headed for the Holidays

2009-11-07T09:11:00.000-08:00

Almost the end of the year again! UGH! Still looking for sponsor and such. The economy seems to be starting back so maybe next year?? I really want to help Trevor Project and other youth based organizations keep our future in check.

I also just got back from VIR (Virginia International Raceway) competing in the 13 hour enduro. What a blast! Most of our crew was new to endurance racing but they did a great job! We ended up 3rd in class and 8th overall. I got all the wet stints of course! (the rain at night on slicks was especially interesting...but fun). I have something being filmed here shortly so look for me on the networks!

It has been a while!

2009-07-24T04:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been so long that I posted here. I just did not seem to be getting any responses so I just let it go. I enjoy putting up news and updates but if no one responds, it seems kinda silly. Let me know what you think or give some suggestions! I am still trying to find supporters and will keep trying probably until I am dead. I have been training on mountain bikes getting myself in the best shape of my life and look forward to racing in the near future...

New Representation!

2009-02-19T12:23:00.000-08:00

I have acquired the skills of a professional sports management company to represent me! I am confident that they have the abilities to take me to the next level! Here is the press release:

FK Sports Management is very excited to announce that we are welcoming a new member to the FK Sports family, and that we are now officially representing Evan Darling! As a race car driver, Evan was the SCCA 2005 SE Division ITA Champion and has won numerous Divisional titles. He has been involved in the SCCA SPEED World Challenge series and raced in the Grand AM Koni Challenge series. Evan is a certified master mechanic and a driving instructor for many clubs including Chin Motorsports, Ferrari Owners Club and Porsche BMW Owners Club. Evan will be racing in the 2009 Grand Am Koni Sports Car Challenge series, and Tom and I will be immediately working on obtaining sponsors for his racing team. You can learn more about Evan on his website: http://www.edarlingenterprises.com/index.htm.

These are some very dedicated professionals that have/are representing some pretty big names! Here is a link to their website: http://fksportsmanagement.com/

Let me know what you all think!

no racing...

2009-01-22T13:27:00.001-08:00

Well, Daytona is upon us and I am not there. I have loaded the team car in storage and let it rest. The economy is in the tank and we do not have the funds to race. I will continue to instruct and drive when I can but as it stands right now I am in need of some income. Maybe I will find a sponsor or maybe not. oh well I wish I had better news and that I was at Daytona, but it is not to be.

Always Looking

2009-01-09T04:10:00.000-08:00

Auto Racing is an expensive sport. I have been trying to make it in this difficult arena for about 2 years now. Sponsorship has been pretty tough, although I have been blessed with a few small companies here and there as well as the support from the community (fundraisers @ Faultline LA, Exile Columbus). The state of the economy is pretty tough right now and I know people and companies are being real careful with budgets. I know I chose a difficult time to try and come out as a GLBT Pro racer but no one chooses the right time, it chooses you. I have been mildly sucessful at the Pro races but have not been able to generate enough support to continue. I know there are tremendous media opportunities with what I am doing but I have not been able to find some representation. I have had agents but they were either still in school or mis-representing themselves. The time has come for me to either make it or hang it up. I would love to be a good representative and role model for the community and need support in the form of representation by a proffesional or sponsorship on some level. This is actually a pretty inexpensive series to sponsor considering the exposure and media generated. Grand Am is a televised series and with the economy in the tank the exposure is greater as there are less high profile ($$) companies putting forth huge financial efforts. Feel free to pass this along to anyone who may be interested in furthering our community on many levels!

Evan Darling

Agents and Publicists

2008-11-13T05:30:00.000-08:00

I am having a hard time getting a publicist or agent. I know it is difficult to represent someone like me but it really does have its benefits. If there are any sports agents or publicists out there that want to work with me and all the groundwork I have already accomplished, let me know!

More Fun!

2008-10-12T18:46:00.000-07:00

On another note I am building a BMW 325is for club racing and instruction. It is just in the dissasembling stage right now ($300 car) and it is real dirty. I will start putting the cage in it next week then I would like to start building it. These things are expensive! I will be instructing with it privately and with various clubs. This car will be in front of BMWCCA drivers and fans so this could be a cheap way to get your companys name out there! Or just get some instruction on some of the best tracks in the world! I will be frequenting VIR, Road Atlanta, Carolina Motorsports Park, Roebling Road, Rockingham, Daytona, Sebring, Homestead and more...email me at evan@edarlingenterprises.com for more information!

2009 schedule

2008-10-12T09:05:00.001-07:00

Well here it is! As you can see Homestead is back as well as Laguna Seca! My two favorites on the '09 Schedule! Still trying to get support do do this but I am staying positive.

2009 Grand-Am Annual Schedule

Jan 23 - 25 Daytona International Speedway – KONI Challenge
Rolex 24 At Daytona – Rolex Series

March 13 - 15 Homestead-Miami Speedway – KONI Challenge

TBD Mexico City 1000 km race – Rolex Series

April 24 - 26 Virginia International Raceway – Rolex Series

May 1 - 3 New Jersey Motorsports Park – Rolex Series

New Jersey Motorsports Park – KONI Challenge

May 15 - 17 Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – KONI Challenge
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca – Rolex Series

May 22 - 25 Lime Rock Park – KONI Challenge

June 5 - 7 Watkins Glen International – KONI Challenge
Watkins Glen International – Rolex Series

June 19 - 21 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – KONI Challenge
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – Rolex Series

July 2 Daytona 250 – Rolex Series (Thurs)

July 17 - 19 Barber Motorsports Park – KONI Challenge
Barber Motorsports Park – Rolex Series

August 7 - 9 Watkins Glen International – Rolex Series (Fri)

August 14 - 16 Trois-Rivieres – KONI Challenge

August 28 - 30 Montreal – Rolex Series (Sat)

Sept 18 - 20 Miller Motorsports Park – KONI Challenge
Miller Motorsports Park – Rolex Series

October 2 - 4 Virginia International Raceway – KONI Challenge

October 9 - 11 Homestead-Miami Speedway – Rolex Series

It looks like we are going to have a great year of racing...now just get me there! Next year is also a premier year for the series as NASCAR owns the series. There will be more televised events and publicity surrounding the series. We are a small team so sponsoring us would have a greater visual impact for sponsorship dollars. We know how to stretch a buck!

Come join us for some great racing action!

Remembering a great racer

2008-09-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

We lost a great racer. Paul Newman has passed on. PLN has always been a great inspiration for me. My first real race car was a Datsun 240Z painted in red/white/blue to mimick his car. I met him at Daytona in 1997 and 1998 and he was the nicest down-to-earth racer I had met. At the track he was always having a good time but took his racing very seriously. He was a great driver with more natural talent than many top paid drivers out there today. The world is a better place because of Paul Newman and he left his mark with me and many generations to come. Rest in peace PLN

Race Updates

2008-09-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a very trying year. We managed to finish the race at NJ Motorsports park after all the mayhem. We were a lap down at the end and the race was riddled with wrecks and drama but we got it done. My stint was the second one and I got in the car with 1 hour and 10 minutes to go. Before we even got a green flag, there was a wreck and we were under caution until there was only 18 min left. I got a green flag and raced for a whopping 18 minutes! I must say that the track was fun and the weather was beautiful though.

Our next adventure is the 6 Hour race at Virginia International Raceway. We are trying to raise funds to get there and run. I know the economy has been pretty bad lately but we are not looking for millions! If a few people put something towards it we can do it. I am the only out GLBT Pro in sports that is out and active! There has to be someone that wants to help support myself and the community! There is a paypal addy on my website and anything helps. If anyone has any ideas let me know as well.

My agent did not work out as he was too young and not ready for this type of career. He is smart and should do fine with more experience, but needs to finish school and get some seat time in the real world. If anyone knows of an agent or publicist that wants to try and grow with me I can be contacted thru here or my website (edarlingenterprises.com).

For those new here

2008-08-21T05:36:00.000-07:00

I recently published a synopsis of my 2008 season at gaytona.com's website that summarises my season pretty well so I brought it over here. If you have not been to gaytona.com, you must! Well here is my season so far...

This year has been trying. The season started at Daytona in January where we thought we had a great chance at a good showing. I was paired with Mary Katharine driving the GSM Motorsports VW GTI in the Grand Am Koni Challenge enduro. Our car came off the trailer with a few issues that did not rear thier ugly heads until practice. We were way down on power and having to reset the master switch on track to get it back (not fun @150mph entering the chicane!). We played around with programming and changed a few parts hoping we found the issues. The problem was we did not qualify well having these issues. I was gridded next to Patrick Dempsey in the Roar RX 8 midpack. We got a great start picking up 8 positions and the car was making the power it should. I kept on turning times as good as the leaders when we started cutting out again. We soldiered on after a long pitstop to try and fix the issues. I handed the car over to Mary where she did a great job driving the car keeping her position. Eventually the motor let go. It was the .60 cent part that caused all the drama as usual ending our race (and our motor). Oh well! Our next race was at Lime Rock and we had a pretty good candidate to drive with me. We tested him at 2 tracks, Roebling Road in Savanna and Kershaw (CMP) in South Carolina. He was pretty good, learning the challenges of a fast front wheel drive car. Two weeks before the race I was trying to make the funds to be in the game but I came up short. Part of the fun of being the only GLBT racer is there are very few companies that want to sponsor me. I am still looking for the right one that wants to help me and our community...I am sure they are out there I just need to find them. I have had a great outpouring of support from the community though! (Faultline Bar in LA, Exile in Columbus, OH and a bar near you soon! More on that later). Anyways we go to Lime Rock and we have another driver with a bigger wallet renting the car with the kid. The new guy practiced in the car and realized you don't just hop in a car like this and learn how to drive it hours before a race. He backed out. This means I drive! Woo Hoo! Well it wasn't that simple. The kid did not want me as his co-driver. We are speculating why but the most logical answer is he wanted someone slower than him in the car. He was consistently slower than me in all our testing and he wanted to be the star. He chose one of his less experienced friends. It is possible that he did not want to be associated with a GLBT driver, but that is speculation. Well they started the race, got lapped 3 times, then crashed. It was one of the most embarrassing and degrading weekends of my life. I would have much rather gone to IML in Chicago that weekend. I skipped the race at Mosoport as our team had no plans on going, then went to Mid Ohio. I was helping a couple of teams with their programs and being a mechanic. The car I was crewing for ended up in the gravel trap with a broken wheel bearing with 20 minutes to go (it was raining and the car went off a few times before that). It has been frustrating going to these races helping others and not driving. I love being there and helping, but I love racing more. If sponsors do not come, I will be out of the sport all together.On another note, I have been doing fundraisers. I went to the Faultline bar in LA and had a great outpouring of support (paid my entry to Lime Rock...just could not afford the rest of the expenses). I was trying out a publicist type and he ended up being a bit strange and we parted ways. He did organize the event (sort of) by putting me in contact with people, but had his own plans for me. Well things did not work out with us so I was stuck in LA. He even canceled my flight home and did not inform me! Nice. The trip ended up a lot less profitable than it could have but it was great to see all the race fans! I also met my Agent for the first time. He is pretty young and still in school, but he seems pretty smart. I am still waiting to see the Faultline pics and email list though! I then went on to Palm Springs to visit my friend George (Georgie's Alibi) to talk about future fundraisers. Then on to Phoenix where I set up a table at Charlie's. Great country western bar but not really a fundraiser. The next one was at Exile in Columbus Ohio. This is a new (renovated) bar with great clientele. I was surprised at how big the gay community was there. Columbus is an interesting city and should be visited if you are passing through. The fundraiser was not planned until a week before so I did not expect much. It turned out great with me meeting some really great people. I will try and have more fundraisers all around so look out!Ok I will stop rambling on and hopefully have some great news in the near future about sponsorship! I have a blog (I promise I will update it more) http://evandarling.blogspot.com/ so check it out! Special thanks to Betty Jack...we have had some great media lately and it shows we are a BIG part of society as well as our community (GLBT race fans). Heres to growing our gearhead gay community!

Cheers!

Evan

EVAN DARLING IS A PROFESSIONAL RACECAR DRIVER BASED IN NC. CHECK OUT EVAN'S WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATIONhttp://www.edarlingenterprises.com/

New Jersey here we come!!

2008-08-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

Ok I have a co-driver for the New Jersey race! Her name is Mary Katharine and she is a World Challenge driver. She raced with me in our Daytona race where we unfortunately lost the motor. This should be alot of fun as it is a televised race (Sept. 7th @2:00pm on Speed Channel) and there are alot of support races included in the weekend. If anyone lives in the area come on out to Thunderbolt Raceway to see the show! Our race starts on Sunday at 8:45am and it is a 2 1/2 hour race. If anyone would like a great advertising oppertunity, please contact me for details! More to come as we get closer!

Evan

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-05T07:38:00.001-07:00

Yea I know I am a day late but I have been under the weather lately. I am still trying to find sponsors and burning the midnight oil trying to figure out how I can continue.

Fundraiser in Columbus

2008-06-17T20:48:00.000-07:00

Hey there, I just finished a fundraiser in Columbus Ohio at a bar called Exile. If you are ever visiting this area check it out! It has a great mix of people in it and the bar was obviously just renovated. It looks like they have alot of improvements to come as well. I am going to Mid Ohio this weekend (I am actually here now) to network and keep my face fresh with the series. Still trying on the sponsor stuff. My agent, Elliot Rozenberg is working on some ideas to approach companies and I have great hope that we can do something. Thats all for now...

June update

2008-06-06T09:23:00.000-07:00

Hey all, pick up a copy of Sports Out Loud...great magazine and article on racing! I am very happy with the publication and quality, truly a world class sports magazine!

Well June is upon us and it is killing me to see all these nice races on the schedule and not be able to show my stuff. I am going to Ohio for a possible fundraiser and go to the track to mingle. It is the most difficult thing in the world for a racer to do...go to a race and watch. I see all the people I race with and watch them progress thru thier careers as I wait for sponsorship. Help? This next race is going to be a great one as it is televised and we are the premier race for the weekend. If anyone is in the Mid-Ohio area (Steam Corners) please look me up! Lots of fun and great atmosphere at these events! It is fun seeing Patrick Dempsey and others mingling around and racing. I will post more info on the fundraisers soon as soon as I get scheduling together. My agent Elliot Rozenberg is working on sponsorships as well and any inquiries can go to elliot@edarlingenterprises.com.

Thanks for reading!
Evan

Back from Lime Rock

2008-05-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

Well that was pretty bad. I was not in the car at Lime Rock this past weekend. We had 2 new drivers in the car and they were inexperienced in front wheel drive cars. One of the drivers tested with us at a couple of tracks and is coming up to speed pretty well but the other driver had no experience. We were off pace during the race and got taken out by another car lapping us. Oh well I am not sure of when I will race next so keep tuned and I will update.

Thanks

Doesn't look good

2008-05-19T13:28:00.001-07:00

Well I really tried and I do not have enough funds to make Lime Rock. This is an expensive sport that I am trying to excel in but with no corporate support it will not happen. I put it all out on the line for our community and thought I was doing something good, but I guess I was too early to try this approach. I will continue to try but I doubt I will make many races with no support. I am going to keep approaching corporations and will keep you all informed. Thank you to all that have helped and supported me to this point. I do have an entry fee already paid for Lime Rock (thanks everyone from Faultline!) and I can transfer it to a future race. The travel expenses and funds needed to operate the car are just too much. Well its back to work for me and thanks again for the kind words of support and private help from you!

Been a while...

2008-05-13T13:02:00.000-07:00

Ok I have not posted much on here lately but get lots of people looking at it. Say hello or give me an opinion! We had a great fundraiser at The Faultline in LA with a great turnout of support! I would like to thank everyone involved for thier hard work and support to get me to the track. My search for a sponsor is still coming up empty and I would like some opinions on how to get some (or one big one!). I can use a private sponsor to put charities on the car or a commercial sponsor to promote thier products. It is very expensive to race and I am short for Lime Rock (race is May 23-25) and TV broadcast is May 31 at 8/11 pm. This is a great oppertunity for someone to get thier product name or charity of choice out there for the world to see and help sponsor the only active GLBT driver out there today!

I will be doing more fundraisers as the year progresses to try and make races but if sponsorship comes my way I would love to help local charities raise funds. Give it some thought and get back to me!

Evan

Testing

2008-03-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

Well after the GTI lost its motor at Daytona, we have it together again. We are taking it to Roebling Road Raceway to test it this weekend for Lime Rock coming up. I have a new agent and we are working with a potential new sponsor for the rest of the season or a few races! I hope this works out as we really need it to continue!

I also will be doing a fundraiser at The Faultline Bar in Los Angeles on April 27 and at Charlies in Phoenix May 3. Come on out and support our cause!

More soon!

Daytona in the books-Lime Rock next!

2008-02-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

Well the daytona race is done. I wish it went better but at least we got some great coverage when the motor let go LOL. Here is a copy of the press release:

Daytona, FL (1/28/08) - The GSM/Bildon GTI shows strong pace at Daytona setting the 2nd fastest time of all VWs in the event.

Close, competitive racing marked the first event on the 2008 calendar for the GSM Motorsports VW GTI sponsored by Bildon Motorsport. The Fresh from Florida 200 at Daytona International Speedway was the first event for the team since it's big setback last year which saw the #113 GTI destroyed in at Lime Rock Park.

However this was a new year, and with it, new drivers and renewed expectations. The team arrived well prepared after its successful testing in the weeks prior. The initial practice sessions were uneventful as the team drivers Evan Darling and Mary Katharine settled into a groove working on race setup and practicing driver changes.

When the green flag flew on Friday's race, the GTI made it's move with a strong push early on moving up as many as 5 positions. Throughout the first hour the GSM GTI held it's own and continued to move forward in a very large and competitive field. Avoiding a few crashes that took out a number of competitors was part of the strategy that the team was following, "stay out of trouble and it will come to you".

But this is racing and trouble can find you even when you are trying you hardest to hide from it. By the mid-way point it became evident that the car was down on power. Crew Chief and Team Owner Jon Lewis said "We were fighting what we thought was a computer program or diverter valve failure when we decided to do our driver change just over the mid way point of the race." Once Mary Katharine took control and settled in the real problem showed itself during a routine pit stop in the form of a telltale wisp of smoke. As it turned out the number one cylinder was on its way out, most likely the result of a broken piston ring. The team soldiered on until just before the 10 min mark before before they radioed to driver Mary Katharine to pull off the track to save the motor from further damage.

So with the knowledge that the car when healthy had been turning laps as faster as those in the top 10, the team put the GSM Motorsports GTI 'sponsored by Bildon Motorsport' back in the trailer and headed home knowing that we have a car capable of running up front.

"We are looking forward to Lime Rock, the next event. We want to finish what we started last year, and have a good solid finish, said Lewis.

Thanks to all our friends and sponsors, Bildon Motorsport, Revo Technik, Autotech Sport Tuning, Spec Clutch, Carbotech Brakes & KW Competition.

Note: The Fresh from Florida 200 will air on Speed Channel at 8pm EST February 2nd.

About Grand-Am KONI Challenge
The Koni Challenge, formerly known as the Grand-Am Cup Series (GAC) and its sister series the Grand American Rolex Sportscar Series (Rolex), are North America’s premier platforms for professional endurance road racing. The cars that compete in Grand-Am Cup are production-based, “uni-body” cars running in two classes: Grand Sport (GS), “Sportscars” and Sport Touring (ST) “Touring Cars”.

About Bildon Motorsport
Bildon Motorsport (www.bildon.com) is a company focused on marketing Volkswagen performance and racing equipment. The company is a manufacturer, importer and retailer and offers a complete line of suspension, body, and drivetrain parts for racers campaigning Volkswagen products such as the GTI, Golf, Jetta and Corrado. Bildon Motorsport also offers professional race team assistance with racecar fabrication, parts fabrication and engineering support.

About German Speed Merchants
German Speed Merchants (www.GermanSpeedMerchants.com) is a full service performance and racing operation based in Wilmington North Carolina since 1997. The GSM facility is a 14,000 square feet building with 5 service bays, and dedicated space for race car fabrication and repair. GSM employs 7 full time technicians and support staff. The GSM Team has built 73 race cars ranging from SCCA club racing and autocross cars to a BMW 330 featured in the Universal motion picture The Fast and The Furious.

Further information:
Bill Sulouff, bill bildon.com
Text, photographs and video: http://gsm.bildon.com

Next race Lime Rock! I hope it goes better than last year. Check back for details about the up coming race and to see if I get sponsors!

Daytona Grand Am Koni Challenge!

2008-01-20T17:46:00.000-08:00

Well I begged borrowed stole raped and pillaged enough funds (and labor) to race at Daytona on January 25th in the Koni Challenge race. I need to thank Ruff Riders Clothing in Wilton Manors, FL, Chic Optique in Wilton Manors and Dr. Veronica Gipps in Fort Lauderdale for associate sponsorship of the GSM GTI! I need more sponsors to go to the rest of the races but at least I am making it to the first one! My co-driver in this event is Mary Katharine, a World Challenge veteran and great driver. I am not sure how many races she will be doing. This race will be televised on March 4th at 11:30AM on Speed Channel so lok for us! (#113 VW GTI ST Class and the car is white).

Happy New Year Everyone!

2008-01-01T11:26:00.000-08:00

Well I lived to 2008...I guess that is good! I am planning on going to Daytona at the end of this month. If I get a sponsor, I will race. If I do not I will be a mechanic. Someone sponsor me!!!

Cheers, Evan

Still Trying!

2007-12-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

Although I have not secured sponsorship for next season or Daytona in 3 weeks (hint hint!) I have some great media events set up for next year. I will keep you all informed on the progress! As I have said before I will keep trying. I have recieved many emails of support to keep trying so I will. The season is coming up fast and I am burning the midnight oil to try and get to Daytona. There is a large break in racing from Daytona to the next race so there is time.

On another note, Joe an I are trying to plan for the Fireball Run next year as the deadline is getting close for our entry. If you want to get involved in this great media event please contact me for the details. We were on numerous news broadcasts around the country during the last run so this year should be even better! You can see how we did at fireballrun.com and gaywheels.com (team G.L.A.M.) last race.

Thanks again for the words of support!
Evan

Oh well

2007-11-27T16:33:00.001-08:00

It looks like I will be going back to work as a mechanic or service writer. I have tried everything to get sponsorship on the pro level. I have not been successful this year. I am trying to support some great non-profits and be the first Out Pro racer but there is no one to help me in my endeavor. I have tried all the major GLBT friendly companies and been turned down. I have tried to secure an agent or manager aand been turned down. The racing community has accepted me but the GLBT community has not been so supportive. I wish I could say I am racing next year and give the TV dates but without help it just will not happen. I gave it my full effort and wish anyone out there that tries to break into a sport being honest with themselves and the public the best of luck. It is not easy. I have won many races but this is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. I sold my business to pursue this thing and just got turned down by my last big lead. I am now starting my life over. I will continue to work with my race team and continue to try and secure sponsorship but I will not be able to race without support.

Thank you to all that sent me emails of support and gratitude and I will say this. I will keep trying my best to be a good role model and I will keep trying to get sponsored.

Thank you all for reading!
Evan

Out 100 Awards

2007-11-12T12:07:00.000-08:00

I just got back from NYC as I was attending the Out 100 awards as an honoree! It was a great party and there were many influential people there. I am hoping some of them will take an interest in my sponsorship possibilities! I think I have done alot this year in media and would hope someone as a company or individual can recognize this as a great media opportunity. As said before I have multiple demographics and want to help the community recognize equality everywhere. In the great realm of things my sponsorship is not that expensive and would benefit many. I will keep trying and being persistent in my quest. If anyone is interested please visit my website and contact me...or just hit the donate button for paypal!

Representation

2007-10-26T07:25:00.000-07:00

I am still looking for a sports agent or someone who can help with the procurement of sponsorship. I am a racer not a publicist or agent. I think I have done pretty good in teh publicist department with all my media as of late but I need a pro!

October Update

2007-10-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

Well the Fireball Run was a blast! You can see how it went here: http://www.gaywheels.com/teamglam.htm We met some great people and did it for a great cause...missing children. Here is the website with more info: http://www.childrescuenetwork.org/ I am looking forward to next year and hopefully we will have the same level of sponsorship so we can perform again! We finished 2nd in Luxury class and 11th overall. Not bad considering we were in a totally stock Saab 9-3 Aero. I was able to manage a 7th place finish on the Houston track challenge against some pretty stout cars. The Saab is a great all around car that is every bit as capable as its competition on the track...and even better on the street!

I am still looking for sponsors for next years Grand Am schedule...any interested parties can contact me thru my website (which has a paypal button on it ;) ) I have a winning plan...just need interested parties to step forward and help make it happen! There are multiple demographics to be targeted with sponsorship so it should be easy to make that decision...and if a private sponsor wants to help I can put very worthy charities on the car as well! This is one way to help people feel good about themselves in our diverse lives!

Well I am off to Virginia International Raceway (VIR)way next month to race in the "Charge of the Headlight Brigade" 13 hour endurace race with GSM Motorsports trusty VW in hopes of victory!

GSM (German Speed Merchants) are based out of Wilmington, NC and own a great shop specializing in...German cars. They really work on everything but that is their specialty. They have turned out to be a very accepting team and are a group of great people. If you are ever in the area and need your car serviced I would highly reccomend this honest shop...a hard thing to come by these days!

Fireball Run!

2007-09-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

I am running in the Fireball Run rally this year hoping to bring attention to missing children and many other causes. It is important for us as a community to try and do positive things for others to see.
Our missing child that we were assigned is Jacqueline Jara Castro. Jacqueline, along with her brother Jonathon, were last seen in Warner Robins, GA. They may be in the company of their non-custodial mother. Anyone with information should contact the Gwinnett County Police Dept. at 770.513.5100 or Child Rescue Network at 877.209.KIDS ext. 82. If you go to http://www.fireballrun.com/ and look for our team (Team G.L.A.M. #53) you can see a picture of her.
I am also looking for some smaller more affordable sponsorships. I am racing in a few high publicity club races in Virginia, Atlanta and Sebring this fall and would like to see some community support.

been a while!

2007-09-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been so long since my last post...I have been in NC working for Roar Racing. I put lots of time in to those cars setting up, testing and fixing to make them fast. I was hoping to get a ride with them for a race or 2 but I do not have the money to race them. The days are gone where hard work and talent get you rides...it takes money. Lots of money. I have left Roar and am looking for a job now as I can not go on living day to day wondering if I am going to be able to pay my bills. My savings ran out long ago and I am not a member of the lucky sperm club. I will continue to look for sponsors and promote myself but until I get one (a sponsor) racing is done. I have a few proposals out there and maybe we will make it happen and I have not lost hope...just need to concentrate on making a living.
Racing is a very expensive sport and I would tell anyone who wants to get into it (on a pro level) bring lots of money. As a tech or team mgr it is different but it will require lots of hard thankless work.

Barber

2007-07-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

Well the Barber weekend was interesting...if you ever go there you absolutely MUST go to the Barber Museum! I have never seen such a fine collection of motorcycles and cars...bring good walking shoes and a camera! The race was not so good. Both cars broke...well at least I was not driving them! LOL. We went to Road Atlanta to race in the enduro on sunday in the rain...started at the back (no qualifying time as we were at Barber) and the steering wheel came off in turn 1!! That woke me up! Didn't hit anything then it came off again in turn 5. I stopped and made sure it was secure and continued on my merry way. We finished 11th in class (out of about 40) and 19th overall (out of about 65). Wish we won! I am STILL looking for sponsors so keep those Ideas coming!

2007-07-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

I am looking for suggestions to get me some sponsors!! post what ever you can come up with...

Funding!

2007-07-06T12:16:00.000-07:00

I am at the end of my financial abilities to race. If there is anyone out there that wants to see me do well in this sport now is the time to step up to the plate! I have a paypal button on my website ( edarlingenterprises.com ) . There has to be a GLBT business or individual out there that wants to help! This is my quest to find them! I am going back to work after this month is through with no future races planned. I have a few media things I am pursuing and maybe something will come of that but for now I am pretty much finished. I have recieved alot of good supportive emails and kind words of support and would like to thank everyone for them. It has been a fun, stressful and enlightening year so far and I hope I have made a difference to someone. I will be at Barber Motorsports Park on July 20-22 to do my usual with Roar racing (RX 8) and might drive. feel free to contact me thru my website or look me up at the track.

peace

Oh well

2007-06-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

I did not get to drive the Roar car this weekend but I did crew chief for it. The Transmission blew up during the race anyways...it finished 16th although the car led for quite a few laps. I just got a call from the GTI team owner...the car is still not complete so no Watkins Glen :( unless someone wants to sponsor me...I have had no luck with that either. I will keep trying until I have to go back to work or to jail which ever comes first!

Summer Racing

2007-06-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

Well the car is not done yet (GTI) and it will not make Mid Ohio...oh well at least I know it will be fixed right! Those guys will have it looking like new in no time! I am headed to Ohio anyways to help the Roar Racing RX8's again. Never know maybe I will drive again if no one gets the seat with $$. We will definitely be at Watkins Glen NY on July 6-7 with the GTI...hopefully we will have a successful weekend again!

Bummer

2007-05-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

I guess you can't win them all! I went to Lime Rock Park for the Grand Am Koni Challenge race this past weekend with hopes of getting some much needed media and drivers points. The weather was beautiful and things looked bright. I did the first practice session and it was fine...we had some air in the brake lines so I needed to drive around that but it was my first time there so I just needed to learn the track. After my session we bled the brakes and put some fresher tires on for my co-drivers session. He had alot of experience here so I was hoping to learn from him. He went out and got progressively faster until he lost it in T10 and went head on into the wall at 90+ MPH. Basically that ended our weekend and the car. Oh well I hope the car is repaired in time for Mid Ohio in about 4 weeks! I wanted to go to Mosport and still could if someone would step up to the plate and sponsor me (obviously I would be driving a different car)! The GSM Motorsports/Bildon GTI is an awesome machine and I look forward to racing it. The team is top notch and the car is extremely well prepared. It was a shame to see it go into the wall. But as always when it is repaired it will be better than new...if it is totalled then a new one will be built.

Laguna Seca

2007-05-22T14:21:00.000-07:00

Well just got back from Laguna Seca California...It was beautiful out there although it was a little cold. I was working on the Roar Racing RX8's and got word that I was to drive the one we were trying to fix. We worked our tails off to make it get around the track (the car was spun and wrecked at Homestead by some overzealous Acuras...) and we got it ready just in time for the race...we limped around in practice and qualifying to try and get a feel for the car and the track. The motor had too many races on it and since this was more of a test than a race we figured why not. When race time came we did pretty good considering the circumstances...the RX8's handling is incredible! our team car was leading for a while and we just tried to get thru the race clean. That came to an end when one of the Subaru Legacy's tried a dive bomb pass in the last turn...hit me in the door really hard. Hard enough to move his frame rail into his timing cover and destroy his engine. We were fine and just had to pit to fix the hanging trim pieces. We continued on to finish 13th. Not bad for just testing a car with a weak motor and stock diff...I can see how these cars could win (RX8).

I am now off to Lime Rock Park in CT. I barely have enough money to do this and without any sponsors I think this will be my last race. I will continue to market myself and try but this is a real expensive sport. I sold my business to pursue this and now the money has dried up. I may have a few opportunities to drive here and there but there is more to this thing than driving. I want to bring attention to the Trevor Project and make a difference in todays closed minded world.

Update! Update!

2007-05-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

Well I just got back from VIR (Virginia International Raceway) testing the GSM/Bildon GTI that we are racing at Lime Rock Park in Conneticut. The car was great and I learned a track I have never driven. The track is one of the best I have ever seen! Rolling hills and blind challenging corners that are taken at real high speeds! The surrounding area is beautiful. I only did 2 sessions, 7 laps and 9 laps so I never turned a competitive time, but I did get to know the track...

The next update is I am going to Laguna Seca in California (5/16-5/20)! I am crewing for the Roar Racing RX8's and maybe driving one if the stars and moons line up properly.

I have much good press lately and am making a big effort to make this thing work, but it looks like I may have to put Pro racing "back in the closet". I have had no results as for companies that want to support my cause. It is a real shame because we were making big strides with this program. If anyone reading this knows of any companies that want to get involved in this unique opportunity, please let me know!!!

Evan

Next Step

2007-05-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

Ok my next race will be at Lime Rock Park in Conneticut on May 25-28 in Grand Am Cup (Koni ST). This will be my first time there so I will need to be up to speed pretty quickly! I will be driving the GSM Motorsports/Bildon GTI again...one fast car! We will have our work ahead of us setting it up for this unique track but we were able to dial in the GTI for Homestead starting with a clean sheet. I recieved alot of info on setting it up for this track from some friends up there so look out!

Homestead

2007-04-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

Well my first Pro race is in the books...It was an awesome weekend and the GSM GTI was a force to be reckond with! I was fastest in practice until the last lap and got moved to 3rd. We qualified 6th and in the race Andrew my codriver brought it to the front! We pitted under a caution at the 1 hour mark and I got in the car for the duration. I went out on the tail end of the lead lap and was able to bring the car to about 5th when we got word that we sped on pit lane...I had a drive thru penalty which brought us back to last again under green. Quite frustrating! I got back up to 4th and battled there for a while until I got taken out by a Speedsource car (he apologised and was very nice about it!) the car did not handle quite the same from there out...I then got hit by the Subaru Legacy and we went back to 10th...I was able to get back to 7th before the checkers fell. It was quite an experience. If I can get some sponsors I would like to do more races in this series. If not I can't race for a while...

Articles everywhere!

2007-04-09T07:38:00.000-07:00

Well I did it...My article came out in the Miami Herald http://www.miamiherald.com/588/story/67282.html
It is a pretty in depth interview and I hope to get some sponsor support from it! I also saw that my interview with Dan Woog is out as well http://www.innewsweekly.com/innews/?class_code=Sp&article_code=3704 They are both well written articles and I can't wait to see the response!

Grand Am Cup!

2007-04-03T17:12:00.000-07:00

I will be racing a VW GTI at Homestead-Miami Speedway on April 13-15!!! Come on out and watch or tune in to Speed Channel to see!! I will post the airtime when it will be on!

2007-03-16T04:47:00.000-07:00

Hey there happy friday everyone!! I have been talking to The Trevor Project (http://www.thetrevorproject.org/staging/home.aspx) and I am going to run their decals on my car now to bring wareness to this great cause. If I get more private sponsorship I can give them more coverage and if it is corporate support we can work out where the decals will be placed. We need to help our youth and give back a little as they are the future!!

new car!

2007-03-06T17:29:00.000-08:00

Ok...I just acquired a 2003 Acura RS-X Type S. I want to build it for Grand Am Cup (now called Koni Challenge). To do this I NEED SPONSORS!! This is a very competitive televised series! It is a lot less expensive than Speed World Challenge but it is just as competitive. It is also an endurance series so I will be getting one of my racing buddies to race with me. Anyone want to be a part of a winning team?

2007-02-24T10:11:00.000-08:00

Here is a little about me:
I am trying to get some sponsors so I can race Pro next year and keep moving up the ranks. I have been interested in racing my whole life and always knew it was what I wanted (and needed) to do with my life! I came out when I was 18 and had to leave home. It was very difficult through the years but I eventually saved enough money working as a mechanic to start racing myself (on a very poor budget!). Most of the people in racing now had alot of family support...something I never had. I am still racing today but it is getting more and more difficult financially as I move up the ranks. There has to be a person or group of people out there that wants to see a gay person doing well on tv in Pro races! I am out and not afraid to tell anyone! Most people don't think I am gay but when they find out I usually keep the people as friends and change their outlook on what a "gay" person is.
I had a hard time coming to terms with my parents non-acceptance of me (we stay in contact but they still don't-and never will understand) and want to help our youth through this tough time by being out and in a Pro environment. I wrote an article for Flavor Magazine addressing gay/teen suicide prevention and I hope I can do something to help our community come to terms with this problem through awareness. Here is a link to my website. http://www.edarlingenterprises.com/ It is new and still being fine tuned... I also did a radio show on worldtalkradio.com http://www.worldtalkradio.com/show.asp?sid=228 on 2/20/07 you can go to the archive and hear Joshua Estrin and Lady Chablis interview me live!
There are more gay race fans than most people think and maybe with me going Pro in my division we can bring out more gay race fans together!!

welcome!

2007-02-23T06:48:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new blog!! Let me introduce myself...My name is Evan Darling and I am a race car driver. I have a press release out on the web now explaining more about myself. I am trying to bring awareness to teen/gay suicide prevention. Feel free to make comments and give feedback!