kirsten van croonenborgh
Can I be honest with you? Before 2011 I didn’t even know about the existence of dragracing. If you would have told me that this motorsport would become a massive part of my life within a short period of time, I definitely would have frowned and laughed!
In the summer of 2011 I was asked to become the back up girl for the Wild’r at Heart nostalgia funny car, as a tribute to the good old seventies. This turned out to be a well received show and also quickly ignited a spark within me to become a racer myself. I never raced or wrenched anything before, but not even for a single moment I considered this to be a problem and simply got started. After all, if you haven’t done something before in your life, you also have zero reasons to assume that you won’t be able to do it.
Starting small with a 1973 Plymouth Barracuda streetcar in 2012 and racing two events with that car (even making it into the quarter final during my second event), this was only an appetizer. The spark was on fire and in December 2012 the Cuda that would become SuzyQ arrived from Sweden. Looking back, this moment marks an extraordinary turning point in my life.
SuzyQ developed from a 700hp gasoline car with carbuttors into a 1300hp mechanically injected methanol car. Somehow she also developed her own personality and I always refer to that Cuda as “my girl”, because my petrol heart genuinely feels that way. Owning, racing and wrenching SuzyQ is something I would never have expected in 2011, when I was lacing up my high heeled boots to run in front of a funny car. Yet, those cheeky outfits got me to where I am today and I cherish every step of that path. The adventures together with my team are priceless!
And the best part of all this? There’s still so much more to come!
“We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems”
From Ode, by Arthur O’Shaughnessy
little facts & fun
Born on 26th September 1982 in the Netherlands. Nowadays I’m married and live in a small village, surrounded by animals and classic American muscle cars
Since the age of three I’m severely hearing impaired and I wear a cochlear implant as well as a regular hearing device. Growing up wasn’t always easy, but I did learn how to read lips. Sometimes that’s very convenient when I’m strapped inside SuzyQ and my mechanic Ted wants to tell me something. I don’t wear my hearing devices inside my helmet: Ted simply talks to me from outside the car, making unaware bystanders scratch their heads in disbelief that he’s talking to a supercharger
Besides my love for cars, I also enjoy taking two wheeled drives every now and then, on my HD Dyna Super Glide Custom. All time favourite song: Heroes from Motörhead (cover)
I never had anything to do with dragracing or other motorsports until the age of 29, when I was introduced to dragracing for the very first time. Things pretty much escalated from that moment on
Dragracing and everything that comes with it (including social media, this website, working out, wrenching and arrange everything to get to the track) is my most visible and most time consuming activity. But I also love to work on and drive with my 1971 Plymouth Barracuda Grand Coupe streetcar, hike and train with my three Shepherds and read a lot of books
As most Dutch people, I can be pretty straightforward in how I talk and act. No offense meant, that’s just how Dutchies are
I got my CE truck drivers license to drive the SuzyQ truck and trailer around myself
Born on 26th September 1982 in the Netherlands. Nowadays I’m married and live in a small village, surrounded by animals and classic American muscle cars
Since the age of three I’m severely hearing impaired and I wear a cochlear implant as well as a regular hearing device. Growing up wasn’t always easy, but I did learn how to read lips. Sometimes that’s very convenient when I’m strapped inside SuzyQ and my mechanic Ted wants to tell me something. I don’t wear my hearing devices inside my helmet: Ted simply talks to me from outside the car, making unaware bystanders scratch their heads in disbelief that he’s talking to a supercharger
I never had anything to do with dragracing or other motorsports until the age of 29, when I was introduced to dragracing for the very first time. Safe to say things pretty much escalated from that moment on
My sweetest streetcars are a 1971 Plymouth Barracuda Gran Coupe and a 1934 Plymouth PE DeLuxe, both make appearances on my social media
Besides my love for cars, I also enjoy taking two wheeled drives. Had to be an American one, so it’s a HD Dyna Super Glide Custom
I’ve wandered around at Utrecht University to study Biology and Veterinary Medicins for a few years, only to find myself a gearhead nowadays
Dragracing? Yes! But life is so much more, including American muscle cars, dogs, coffee, books, garden and lots of good food
Driving SuzyQ: check. But my To Do list is a lot longer than that. Wrenching, arranging everything to get to the track, social media, this website, staying in touch with people who are just as enthusiastic about SuzyQ as I am, working out in the gym, driving around SuzyQ’s HGV truck/trailer and making sure all safety devices stay up to date is also part of the game
Did I mention coffee is life? Strong, black and no sugar, please
Kirsten van Croonenborgh
Can I be honest with you? Before 2011 I didn’t even know about the existence of dragracing. If you would have told me that this motorsport would become a massive part of my life within a short period of time, I definitely would have laughed!
In the summer of 2011 I was asked to become the back up girl for the Wild’r at Heart nostalgia funny car, in an attempt to create a nice revival of the good old seventies. This turned out to be a well received show and also quickly ignited a spark within me to become a racer myself. I never raced or wrenched anything before, but not even for a single moment I considered this to be a problem and simply got started. After all, if you haven’t done something before in your life, you also have zero reasons to assume that you won’t be able to do it.
Starting small with a 1973 Plymouth Barracuda streetcar in 2012 and racing two events with that car (even making it into the quarter final during my second event), this turned out to be only an appetizer. The spark was on fire and in December 2012 the Cuda that would become SuzyQ arrived from Sweden. Looking back, this moment marks an extraordinary turning point in my life.
SuzyQ developed from a 700hp gasoline car with carbuttors into a 1300hp mechanically injected methanol car. Somehow she also developed her own personality and I always refer to that Cuda as “my girl”, because my petrol heart genuinely feels that way. Owning, racing and wrenching SuzyQ is something I would never have expected in 2011, when I was lacing up my high heeled boots to run in front of a funny car. Yet, those cheeky outfits got me to where I am today and I cherish every step of that path. The adventures together with my team are priceless!
And the best part of all this? There’s still so much more to come!
“We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Yet we are the movers and shakers
Of the world for ever, it seems”
From Ode, by Arthur O’Shaughnessy
Swipe to read some additional info about me!
>>
Born on 26th September 1982 in the Netherlands. Nowadays I’m married and live in a small Dutch village, surrounded by animals and classic American muscle cars
Since the age of three I’m severely hearing impaired, I wear a cochlear implant and a regular hearing device. Growing up wasn’t always easy, but I did learn how to read lips. Sometimes that’s very convenient when I’m strapped inside SuzyQ!
I never had anything to do with dragracing or other motorsports until the age of 29, when I was introduced to dragracing for the very first time. Safe to say things pretty much escalated from there
My sweetest streetcar is a 1971 Plymouth Barracuda Gran Coupe, which also makes appearances on my social media
Besides my love for cars, I also enjoy taking two wheeled drives. Had to be an American one, so it’s a HD Dyna Super Glide Custom
I’ve wandered around at Utrecht University to study Biology and Veterinary Medicins for a few years, only to find myself a gearhead nowadays
Dragracing? Yes! But life is so much more, including American muscle cars, dogs, coffee, books, garden and lots of good food
I'm racing SuzyQ, but also: wrenching, arranging everything to get to the track, social media & website, staying in touch with people who are just as enthusiastic about SuzyQ as I am, working out, driving SuzyQ’s HGV truck/trailer and making sure all safety devices stay up to date is also part of the game
Did I mention coffee is life? Strong, black and no sugar, please