March 2018 Member Spotlight – Rio Rios

March 2018 Member Spotlight – Rio Rios

Name (yours not the car’s): 
Rio Rios

Car(s) presently owned (and their name?):
2014 Scion FR-S named Arashi

Years Owned:
Four years.

Modifications (i.e.interior/exterior, engine, chassis):
Arashi is prepared for SCCA Street Touring Extreme (STX) class. Modifications include exhaust (header to catback), coilovers, and sway bars.

How long have you been racing, and what types of racing do you do?
Racing since I wasa toddler, but not cars. In 2005 I bought a beat up Porsche 996 cabrio and it reignited that need for speed I had let go of in high school. Played a little with the Porsche Club for several years. In 2014 I decided to be a regular autocross racer. In 2017 I started endurance racing in the Lucky Dog Racing League. In 2018, I joined Ryan (BCA President) in a slightly different “racing team” – the leadership of autocross clubs in the NW. I am now the ORSCCA SOLO/Autocross Director, but as you can see, I play with everyone!

How did you get into autocross?
Autocross was one of the motorsport activities that I enjoyed the most with the Porsche Club and it really focused on skills that valuable on
and off the track. And it was much cheaper!

How do you get focused before/during an event?
I listen to fast beat music! Can you say Techno?!

What future plans do you have for your racing career (new car, new mods, new types of racing, etc.)?
To be honest I don’t know. I do know I want to move up in the west coast ranking on my class with the SCCA. But as my car, who knows. Maybe it becomes a T4 road race car or I just buy a completely different car. I have no idea.

 

Outside of racing:

Where are you from, and how did you end up in Oregon/Washington?
I was born in Puerto Rico and after high school (1986), I’ve lived in Upstate NY, Texas, Italy, Idaho, Washington and in 1996, after 7 years in the U.S. Air Force ended up in Portland, OR.

Do you have a favorite hobby outside of racing?
My wife would leave me if I picked up another hobby.

What is/are your favorite food(s)?
I am quite a foodie so I am open to experiment as long as it does not involve beans.
Editors comment: This may result in a permanent ban from the club… Care to rethink your stance on beans?

The favorite car that you have owned?
The FR-S is my favorite car. I traded the 996 for it and it was well worth it!

Your dream car(s)?
In order of attainability: Untouched 3 rd Gen RX7, F-Type SVR, and Ferrari 288 GTO.

Fact(s) that you are dying to share about you?
Nada

Meaning of life:

If you could be any animal in the world, what animal would you be, and why?
A Jaguar. Because it is the king of the South American Jungle and while he’s “short and stocky” you should never mess with it. Hahaha!

What was the best thing before sliced bread?
Computers, of course!

We hacked into your computer and downloaded your music list. I don’t want to be the one to spill your most embarrassing song, so why don’t you tell people what we found?
Lords of Acid, Tim McGraw, AC/DC, Gwen Stefani, Pavarotti, Ricky Martin, Eminem, Elvis Presley, and so much more.