Wilskey tried to market herself to potential Outlaws sponsors in 1994 and 1995 but could never connect with enough people with enough money. "Looking back on it today, that was probably a good thing," she says. "I probably wasn't ready."
Now, she figures she is. But she knows it won't be easy, nor is she convinced it is the right move for her.
Wake-Up CallFor sprint car drivers in the Pacific Northwest, the annual World of Outlaws three-race tour through Washington and California is the chance to prove themselves against the best in the business.
Wilskey had always raced her 360 car, just hoping to make it into the final feature in a car that was heavier and down on power from those driven by guys like Sammy Swindell and Kinser.
Her performance against the touring series raised her profile and last year netted her a ride in a locally sponsored car owned by ex-hydroplane racer Scott Pierce. For the first time she could compete against them on equal footing, but it was a rude awakening for her.
Wilskey sat on a stack of tires on the infield of the oval at Portland Speedway, frustrated at her performance in early practice laps. "This is a lot tougher than I figured," she says. "The difference between a 360 car and an Outlaws car is phenomenal. The Outlaws cars are so much lighter and so much quicker than a 360 that it's just hard to get used to the power.
"I can drive a 360 at 100 percent anywhere on the track. But I had to lift in the corners in the Outlaws car. That's the big difference. These guys don't lift anywhere. I can do that. But it is going to take some time."
"She may be the most under-rated driver in sprint cars," says Mark Kinser, multiple World of Outlaws champion.
"I think that given the best equipment, she could compete against us. Over the years I've run against her a lot. I'll say one thing, she sure gets the most out of any car she gets into."
The Next Move Wilskey now finds herself at a crossroads in her career. While she still loves racing on the dirt, she knows that winning another Northern Sprint title isn't going to help her goal of moving into the top ranks of racing.
Moving to pavement might. In 2002, she plans to race a midget in the Washington Midget Racing Series and in selected USAC races. How she got there is a story in itself.
When Mark Kenworthy decided to give up sports car racing and try his hand on the dirt, he didn't know what to buy or who to talk to. He stumbled on Wilskey's Web site and dropped her an e-mail looking for advice.
"She helped me get connected with the right people to get my own car put together, get an engine, etc, and provided a lot of technical and driving advice," Kenworthy says.
"I have always wanted to become a car owner, at some point in time, and got thinking a lot more seriously about that, and started to look for a driver for my dirt sprint car ... then I began looking at asphalt. At the same time, Shawna was ready for a change."
She'll be in a Beast chassis with a Gaerte engine. Kenworthy will pick up the tab while he hunts for sponsorship.
"It's going to be very different for me," Wilskey says. "For the first time I'm going to let someone else make a lot of the decisions. For the first time I'm actually going to listen and take advice from someone else who wants to play a role in developing my career.
"Boy, is my dad gonna be surprised."
Career Highlights1988: Began Mini-Sprint racing1989: Won 12 Mini-Sprint races, three championships1990: First Sprint Car race1991: Most Improved Sprint Car Driver1994: Raced Knoxville Nationals1995: Winner Northern Auto Racing Club event, Wild Card winner in National Sprint Car Hall of Fame1996: Champion, first season of the Northern Sprint Tour1997: 2nd in Northern Sprint Tour1998: 3rd in Northern Sprint Tour1999: Northern Sprint Tour Champion, winner of Edmonton Gold Cup2000: Northern Sprint Tour Champion2001: 2nd in Northern Sprint Tour