BUZZ SODEMAN / SPECIAL TO THE PVT Terri Little straps herself in as one more race gets under way. BUZZ SODEMAN / SPECIAL TO THE PVT Terri Little wears a different face when she's at work at Morgan Financial. Advertisement

There have been quite a few female drivers, and I'm sure that I'll miss at least one or two who have raced around the quarter-mile dirt bullring known as the Pahrump Valley Speedway.

There were Cathy Dalton, who raced both Dwarf cars and later an IMCA ... Lin Deines, a schoolteacher from Bakersfield, Calif., who piloted an IMCA and ran against her husband Jim ... Elizabeth Halamka, who made every Dwarf car race in 1993 and finished 13^th in points.

"Half-mile" Harry Anderson, an infrequent visitor to the speedway, had a stepdaughter named Wendy Dolejs, who visited a couple of times with her Street Stock and competed against her father.

I remember Christi Woods but can't recall what she drove, and there was Tammy Waters, who drove a Mini Stock. Most recently there was Liz Brown, who still has a Nevada Cam Coupe but hasn't been at the track this season. She competed in the same division as her husband Bill.

Kelly Buesig pilots an IMCA, and Wendy Wojo also competes in the Mini Stock class. Renee Cotrell is currently a Dwarf car driver, and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Jasmine Chang has competed in the Outlaw Karts.

The competition among some of them must have provided some interesting dinner conversation, to say the least.

Dalton left for California just as she was becoming competitive in her IMCA. I don't know if Deines is still racing or not; she hasn't competed locally or at the Las Vegas "Duel in the Desert."

Dolejs is married to an over-the-road trucker and is enjoying every minute of traveling with her husband. Woods is living near Chicago and just recently welcomed an addition to her family; she has also been diagnosed with cancer and is competing in the biggest race of her life.

Terri Little is just as determined to add her name to this list and is beginning to make her presence known to her male counterparts in the Mini Stock division.

If Clark Kent had been a woman, she would have called herself Terri Little, aka Superwoman

During the week, Terri is a business professional, a housewife, a mother, a wife, and the manager of a menagerie. A three-year resident of Pahrump, she commutes daily to Las Vegas where she dons a business suit and works as a mortgage broker/loan consultant for Morgan Financial. She comes home and tends to her daughter Haylee, 3, and husband Cory, an ironworker with Century Steel and also a Pro4 racer.

Terri's three Dachshunds, a Chihuahua (Gizmo), and a Weimaraner vie for her attention as they remind her that feeding time is just around the corner. On top of all this, her sprawling home is spotless.

On the weekend, this petite, 32-year-old blonde has a need for speed. She trades that business suit for a Nomex driving suit and competes in the highly competitive Mini Stock division.

She drives a 1991, SOHC, 1.6 liter, four cylinder Geo Storm, which shares the two-car garage with her husband's Pro4. Both cars share the garage with the Littles' other passions, which include quads and a Jeep. They enjoy an occasional weekend on the dunes, in particular, Dumont Dunes.

All their toys were pristine, camouflaging their weekend warrior usefulness. The Geo had 135,000 miles on it and was in dire need of some TLC. Racing, in particular "going fast," comes naturally to Terri as her uncle raced IMCA's, Dwarf cars, and Sprints in California. Terri has competed in desert off-road racing with SNORE and SCORE and was a crew member on Becky Freeman's off-road racer that participated in several Terrible Herbst "Best in the West" races originating in Pahrump.

In this, her first year of competing at Pahrump Valley Speedway, she ranks seventh in her division as of Aug. 12. She anticipates a move up to the Super Stock division before reaching her ultimate goal of piloting an IMCA.

Her competitiveness, success and ability to drive without taking anyone out has earned her the respect of her peers, who don't treat her any differently than they do their male counterparts. This respect translated into her very first win of the season on July 22, the trophy of which is proudly displayed on the fireplace mantel.

Making her first win even more memorable was the fact that her entire family were present to help her celebrate.

Terri is fearless; she just wants to go fast.

She has also persuaded her employer to sponsor two Pro4's and two Mini Stocks. She is always seeking the sponsorship from other local businesses but finds she just doesn't have enough time to go out and solicit their support.

I'm sure that there are several business owners who could use this squeaky-clean, "I'm all business" exposure that this attractive blonde could give them.

Judging by the enormous roar that erupted with her checkered flag win, she is already a spectator favorite.

That roar was heard all the way over to the pit stands above the din created by staging cars. Once the dust had settled and the last motor was shut off, a local television station and an ever-increasing group of supporters inundated Terri with congratulations and words of support. Needless to say, she was basking in her accomplishment.

The Little gene pool is already manifesting itself in young Haylee, who is looking forward to competing in the Outlaw Kart division when she gets old enough. Cory and Terri have a very special seat with a five-point harness in their Jeep that securely and safely holds their daughter. Like her mother and father, Haylee just wants to go fast.