The Amercian Club - Summer Magazine 2022

FEATURE

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT KIRK BAERWALDT

The American Club speaks to the formidable Ferrari Challenge Driver and discover what it takes to be on the fast lane.

With beads of per spiration running down his forehead, Kirk Baerwaldt grabbed his helmet, said a quick prayer and began walking towards his Blackbird Concessionaires. This marks Baerwaldt, fir st-ever race with Ferrar i Chal lenge. As a young boy, Baerwaldt was obsessed with car s – he would often get his parents to buy him toy car s as bir thday and Chr istmas presents, and his favor ite spor t was, of cour se, the Formula One Grand Pix. This car obsession never went away. In 2020, at the age of 64, Baerwaldt decided to take a leap of faith to pur sue a passion he had kept away. Spurred by the suppor t of his fami ly and fr iends, he took the plunged and joined the Ferrar i Chal lenge as a dr iver. TAC: How does one become a Ferrar i Chal lenge Dr iver? KB : Of cour se, to star t with, you have to own a Ferrar i car to be el igible to join the Ferrar i Owner s’ Club before being a Chal lenge Dr iver. 1. Corso Pilota You need to enrol in Cor so Pi lota, or dr iver s cour ses, which wi l l help you learn more about dr iving your Prancing Hor se on publ ic roads and help you become “qual ified” as a dr iver in the Ferrar i Chal lenge ser ies. This is a competition created special ly for owner s, which was launched in 1993 with the approval of the governing body of motor spor ts, the FIA. 2. The Challenge The Chal lenge championships involve races on tracks in Europe, at Monza and Mugel lo, both in Italy, and Si lver stone, in England; In Nor th Amer ica, there is Laguna

Seca, in Monterey, Cal ifornia, and Austin, Texas, both in the United States, and also Montreal , in Canada. In Asia, there is Shanghai in China; Fuj i Speedway in Japan and Sepang in Malaysia. Dr iver s compete in either a Ferrar i 488 – the fir st turbocharged car created for the one-make ser ies – or a 458, a car that star ted being used in the ser ies from 2011, with the body modified with the use of an aerodynamic kit in 2014. 3 and 4 – the Ferrar i XX Programme and 4 F1 Cl ient i Programme If you don’t find the V8-engine chal lenge races difficult any more, then the XX Programme, which features the V12- engine FXX K, may be something for you. With a maximum hor sepower of 1,050, the FXX K is exclusively designed for track use. These customer s wi l l , in turn, take par t in var ious technical test sessions over a year and work closely with Ferrar i exper ts, and also get the chance to meet engineer s and professional tester s in Maranel lo, the Ital ian town that is home to Ferrar i and the Scuder ia Ferrar i F1 racing team. TAC: What was your most memorable race? KB: It happened in 2020, in Indianpol is, It had been 27 year s and I was not sure at 64 I would be competitive. I finished 7th and knew with work I could do better and make it to the top which I have. TAC: What does it take to be a Ferrar i Chal lenge Dr iver? KB: Gr it, tenacity, love for speed and money - there is ver y l ittle sponsor ship funds.

Ferrari Racing Days: Daytona 2022

Kirk's Prancing Horse on the Race Track

Kirk Baerwaldt in the Driver's Seat

18 THE AMERICAN CLUB SINGAPORE