Keeping a family tradition. Making the move from karts to cars.
TIMELINE
MOTORSPORTS
FAMILY TRADITION
My grandpa, Paul Gilliam Jr., starts go-kart racing at Riverside Raceway. He encourages his daughter, Hoagy, to race in kid karts.
GIVING IT A GO
To honor my grandpa I decided to take up karting and keep the family tradition alive. As a first step, I completed a half-day Introduction to Karting class in a 125cc TAG kart at Simeraceway Performance Karting Center.
Instructor: Greg Evans, Instructor & Coach
MYSTERY SCHOOL
There’s no mystery. Definately the most fun you’ll have in the dirt is two days at Rich Oliver’s Mystery School Fun Camp. Rich and his wife, Karin, are great hosts, making all riders feel right at home. It’s amazing the amount of practical skills Rich is able to pack into two days.
Instructor: Rich Oliver
A COURSE OF ACTION
Putting a plan in action. I started a Kart Driver Development Class (DDC) program at Simeraceway Performance Karting Center each month. Each of full-day training program focused on the fundamentals and preparing for the upcoming race season.
Instructor: Tom Dyer
GEARING UP FOR A SEASON
Taking what I learned in DDCs, I completed the Techniques of Karting and Advanced Karting classes at Simeraceway Performance Karting Center.
QUALIFIED FOR KART RACING
Successfully completed Kart Racing Techniques despite a little rain. Finishing the class qualifies me for Simeraceway Performance Karting Center’s Arrive and Drive race series.
Instructor: Jared Thompson
FIRST RACE… RAIN OR SHINE!
Competed in my first kart race in the Arrive and Drive Series at Simraceway Performance Karting Center. Despite excessive wet track conditions, I took 4th place!
Race Director: KC Morrison
2014 KARTING SEASON - RACE #2
Race #2 of the 2014 Simraceway Performance Karting Center’s Arrive & Drive Series.
2014 KARTING SEASON - RACE #3
Race #3 of the 2014 Simraceway Performance Karting Center’s Arrive & Drive Series.
SEEKING OUT RACE KNOWLEDGE
I started my internship at the newly founded CLP Motorsports in Concord, CA. Seeking out knowledge in the motorsports industry, I approached CLP and offered to intern for the opportunity to be a part of a team and learn the ropes by being an active member of a Motorsports Company. And now I KNOW what a dry-sump system does!
MAKING A PILGRIMAGE
Made my way to the greatest race on Earth… the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
2014 KARTING SUMMER ENDURO
Particiapted in my first Karting Endurance Race. Part of an all woman’s team including Maggie Simms and Marissa Hayes. Us ladies went the distance and took home a third place podium finish.
2014 KARTING SEASON - RACE #5
Race #5 of the 2014 Simraceway Performance Karting Center’s Arrive & Drive Series.
CLP's SLC SUPERLITE TEST @ SONOMA
CLP Motorsports took its custom-built SLC Superlite to Sonoma Raceway for a Track Day.
2014 KARTING SEASON - RACE #6
Race #6 of the 2014 Simraceway Performance Karting Center’s Arrive & Drive Series.
2014 KARTING SEASON RESULTS
Completed a full season in the SPKC Arrive & Drive Series, starting in 8 of 9 races, and finishing 6th overall on the season.
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
No slacking! Each month, I continued my Driver Development classes, building on fundamentals and working on race technique.
Instructor: Tom Dyer
BUILDING A MOTORSPORTS BRAND
As part of my internship, I offered to take on the role of Marketing Director and create the brand for CLP Motorsports. Starting with colors, fonts, and logo, I took the basics and build a cohesive brand together across cars, trucks, signage, flyers, shirts, tents, banners, and more. This including building an online brand for the team by designing and implementing a CLP website and establishing a social media presence.
TESTING ENDURANCE 2015
Competed in my second endro kart race taking a 3rd place podium finish with the CLP Motorsports team along side President, Pat O’Keefe, and fellow female kart racer, Maggie Sims. This was the first ever podium under the CLP Motorsports brand!
SPONSORED KART DRIVER
Received A full sponsorship from CLP Motorsports for second kart season to cover both my racing and training.
2015 KARTING SEASON - RACE #1
Started off my second season in the Simraceway Arrive and Drive Karting Series with a second place podium finish. Also put in the fastest lap of the race with a 54.5.
2015 KARTING SEASON - RACE #2
Had a little fun with on the podium in Race 2 of my second season with Anthony Duran. Another second place finish.
CLP GRAND OPENING EVENT
CLP Motorsports celebrated its grand opening in style. Attendees got treated to free BBQ, drinks, music, and great cars. During the event, CLP also ran a raffle giving away great prizes including two tickets to the upcoming NASCAR event at Sonoma Raceway.
2015 KARTING SEASON - RACE #3
Always looking for those silver linings… like setting a personal best fastest lap of 54.0.
CREATING A SPONSORSHIP COMPANY
Work with the Owner of CLP Motorsports to launch a new brand, NEXGEN Fuels, a marketing company dedicated to bring the latest in renewable fuel to the market. As Marketing Director, was responsible for producing the look and feel of the brand, designing marketing collateral, running national campaigns/promotions, attending tradeshows, and bringing awareness to renewable diesel. Website designed by Devine Portfolio.
NEXDIESEL Renewable Diesel Q&A
NEXDIESEL Renewable Diesel Fact Sheet
NEXGEN Fuels would become the sponsorship company for CLP Motorsports.
ACROSS THE USA ON ONE TANK
We traveled across the USA from the Atlantic coast of Florida to the Pacific coast of California without stopping to fill up thanks to renewable diesel.
Photographer: Tubay Yabut
NASCAR FUN AT SONOMA
Just back from it’s Acorss the USA on One Tank trip, CLP Motorsports brought it’s SLC Superlite car to NASCAR at Sonoma Raceway. I got the chance to speak with the public about the motorsports company and it’s trip. Even Richard Childress had to stop by and take a peek!
CLP also hosted the winners of the Name Our Race Car contest, as well as servicemembers from the US Airforce in the VIP area to an up close look at the custom racecar.
CLP AND MCLAREN @ CANERY ROW
CLP Motorsports teamed up with their good friends at McLaren and had a booth during the Exotics on Cannery Row event in Monterrey, CA. I got a chance to talk with the public about the motorsports company and our recent successful Across the USA on One Tank promotion.
INDYCAR AND PIRELLI WORLD CHALLENGE
The custom built SLC Superlite was on display at Sonoma Raceway during the IndyCar and Pirelli World Challenge event. The CLP crew got another opprtunity to talk about the team, our motorsports shop, and our recent Across the USA on One Tank of Renewable Diesel trip.
ST. PERPETUA AUDI AUTOCROSS CHALLENGE
One lucky bidder from the St. Perpetua School silent auction charity event won a half-day Audi Autocross Challenge donated by CLP Motorsports. The winner was treated by the CLP team to an Audi S5 behind the wheel autocross challenge along with nine of their friends at Simraceway Performance Driving Center located at Sonoma Raceway.
CARS AND COFFEE
The wide body Camaro was on display at the 100oct Cars and Croissants at Santana Row. The CLP Motorsports Team was on hand to show off the car and talk about the CLP Motorsports performance shop.
2015 KARTING SEASON - RACE #8
CLP Motorsports teamed up with their good friends at McLaren and had a booth during the Exotics on Cannery Row event in Monterrey, CA. I got a chance to talk with the public about the motorsports company and our recent successful Across the USA on One Tank promotion.
SHAKING DOWN CARS
Driver Tyler McQuarrie and the team spent the day at Sonoma Raceway preping the NP01 for the 25 Hours of Thunderhill.
2015 KARTING SEASON RESULTS
Completed a second full season in the SPKC Arrive & Drive Series, starting in 7 of 9 races, and finishing 2th overall on the season.
I SURVIVED THE NASA 25
The CLP Motorsports team took home the top podium spot in the all-new NP01 Prototype class at the 2015 USAF 25 Hours of Thunderhill.
Read all the details in the Press Release I wrote covering the event.
STEAMING LIVE AT THE 25
Teamed up with RaceCast.me and built a live streaming onboard system to show real-time video from within the CLP’s racecar during the 25 Hours of Thunderhill. I was the first person to mount FOUR in-car GoPro cameras, which connected to a Gra-Vue 4-Channel multi-viewersystem. The video was then live-streamed to an embedded player on the CLP website and watch by hundreds in attendance. The video footage was later used in the 2015 “Survive the 25” documentary that followed the CLP team during the race.
MOVIN' ON UP!
Dreaming bigger…. I decide to make the transition from karts to cars.
A LITTLE DIRT NEVER HURT
If anything can distract me from cars, it’s dirt bikes. I got the opportunity to work with five-time AMA Chamipion Rich Oliver at his amazing new Rich Oliver Mystery School facilities in Auberry, CA. Working one-on-one with Rich, I put in seat time towards improving my riding skils.
Instructor: Rich Oliver
FIRST STEP... JOIN THE CLUB
Takes the first step in road racing and becomes a SCCA member in 2016.
GETTING BEHIND THE (OPEN) WHEEL
Completes Stage 1 of Simraceway Performance Driving Center’s School of Racing.
Instructor:Thomas Merrill, Pro Driver & Coach
GOING VIRTUAL
A racing simulator gets built in my garage. I quickly signed up for iRacing, enabling myself to work on technique and learn new tracks.
BENEFITING FROM EXPERIENCE
I team up with Thomas Merrill, pro driver and instructor, as a drive coach.
BLIPS AND RIGHT-FOOT BREAKING
Completes Stage 2 of Simraceway Performance Driving Center’s School of Racing. The goal of the two-day class was to build on Stage 1 skills using right-foot and bliping technique.
Instructor: Nico Rondet
BMW ULTIMATE DRIVING EXPERIENCE
Had a blast at the BMW Ultimate Driver Autocross event. Held at the San Francisco Cow Palace, competed against 1,000s of drivers across the Bay Area in a week-long autocross challenge, where the top times qualified for the Ultimate Driver competition. Took 1st place in my group, 2nd place in the shootout against the other group winners, and 33rd nationally across the USA. Thank you to David Gengenbach for the opportunity.
Instructor: Byron Payne
MY LEFT FOOT
Change in technique. In karting, left-foot breaking is the standard. After discussions with driving coach, Thomas Merrill, and testing in the simulator, it’s decided left-foot breaking better suits my driving style. Retakes Stage 2 of Simraceway Performance Driving Center’s School of Racing. The goal of the two-day class was to make the jump to left-foot braking. Cleaner and more consistent… and was able to bring down my lap times 4 seconds over right-foot braking.
Instructor: Lloyd Raed, Pro Driver & Instructor
LICENSE TO DRIVE
Qualifies and receives a SCCA Full Competition License.
LOOKY, NO TOUCHY
Fun with Colleen Schaefer and the McLaren of San Francisco crew at the opening party for the 60th Annual San Francisco International Auto Show. It was so hard not to touch!! #wegotphotobombed
WorldSpeed F4 Test Day
This lucky gal got to spend the day testing in a F4 out at Sonoma Raceway. Special thanks to the whole team at World Speed Motorsports for giving me a great car and crew. Y’all are amazing!
WOMEN WITH WISDOM
There are serendipitous times when people come together to give you a message. I just happen to run into these beautiful ladies. I hear you… loud and clear. Thank you to these women who gave me the reminder. Nothing is stronger than believing in yourself.
#LADYOWNED
My first racecar. I’m really proud to say she’s lady owned and lady driven.
TEAMWORK
I team with WorldSpeed Motorsports for the 2019 Formula Pro USA Championship. My season consiting of an extansive training and development program and a six-event race schedule.
