Round 4: Las Vegas, NV
From not-so-sexy New Jersey to the infamous city of sin, Formula D's Round 4 saw the bright lights and glitzy glamour of Vegas. And boy, was it swish. Well, no, it wasn't. It was a converted parking lot at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But the upside was that it became one of the fastest tracks on the calendar (if not the fastest), with corner entry speeds reaching 90 mph. And the temperatures hit even higher numbers. Here's how our diarists dealt with sweaty race suits and other various challenges.
2009 Miss Formula D
Miki Taka
This month's guest is hot-and we're not talking Vegas-in-the-summer-dampened-armpit-area-of-the-shirt hot. In fact, this has to be the hottest Diaries contributor we've had to date (although Dai's JDM hairstyle is quite dreamy). Who? We're talking about Miki Taka, 2009 Miss Formula D, and some of the important life lessons she's learned on tour.
This year has been nothing short of exceptional. When I found out that I was going to be the 2009 Miss Formula D, I knew it was a big deal, but little did I know just how amazing it would be! My experiences in the past few months have far surpassed any expectations I had, and every show has had its own learning element where I've taken a lesson from each.
The first show in Long Beach was exciting and intimidating at the same time-I had no idea what to expect as the new Miss FD but I was stoked, nonetheless. I was so excited that during some of the video filming, I actually started to stutter, which brought me to Lesson 1: Try not to stutter. Think fast but speak slowly.
Round 2 was in the ATL. After a long day of running around in three-inch heels, sweating like a banshee and trying to keep up with the action, I was unexpectedly rushed to the podium where I fell on my ass! And in classic Miki form, I tripped in front of everyone! Which brings me to Lesson 2: Bring comfy shoes to keep up with the drivers for interviews and always watch my step . . . especially in front of a huge crowd.
In New Jersey, I managed to keep from embarrassing myself, which, if you get to know me, is quite an accomplishment! It's a good thing that I love to laugh at the silly things I do-one of life's best lessons, yet. But on to Lesson 3 from Round 3: Stand "stage right" on the podium. This clever tactic makes it possible to run off stage immediately, so as to avoid the oh-so-sticky "champagne shower." It worked. Success!
Round 4 in Vegas proved to be the most fun, yet, as I've come to feel like a part of the FD family. The show was amazing and I had such a great time interacting with the crowd. From the moment I landed 'till the moment I took off, it was like one long party. In Sin City, I finally took meaning to the infamous phrase, bringing me to Lesson 4: What happens in Vegas, most definitely stays in Vegas.
The staff, drivers, girls and fans have made being Miss Formula D one of my best life experiences, ever. I'm really looking forward to the release of the behind-the-scenes footage, so that everyone can catch a glimpse of the crazy, kick-ass fun I've had on my amazing journey with Formula D! I can't wait to see what Seattle has in store!