This article first appeared in the July, 2014 edition of SportsCar Magazine. SCCA members can read the current and past editions of SportCar digitally here after logging into their account; To become an SCCA member and get SportsCar mailed to your home address monthly in addition to the digital editions, click here.
Jennifer and Richard Baldwin
A multi-generational SCCA family
Jennifer and Richard Baldwin both come from racing families. Richard is a third generation SCCA racer. His grandfather raced with SCCA in the 1950s, and Richard’s father, John, will become a 50-year SCCA member this December. Jennifer’s dad, Rick Kulach, has been a member since 1983, and she remembers spending most of her childhood birthdays at Hallett Motor Racing Circuit.
On Memorial Day weekend in 2008, Richard was at an SCCA National Club race at Memphis Motorsports Park when he met Jennifer Lee Kulach. At the time, she lived in Lawrence, Kan., and Richard resided in Covington, La. Their first date was in Baltimore; their second was at the Nashville IndyCar race. Five months later, at the 45th anniversary of the SCCA Runoffs, Richard asked Jennifer to marry him.
Racing has always been a family affair, starting Zorro Racing to include family and close friends. “We love how the Runoffs and races turn into a family get together,” Jennifer says. “It makes for a very enjoyable weekend since everyone is living in different parts of the country.”
When not racing herself, Jennifer is busy at the track crewing for her husband, father, father-in-law, brother, brother-in-law, and soon enough daughter.
“When we found out we were pregnant, there was no better way to share the news than at the Road Atlanta U.S. Majors Tour this year,” Jennifer says. “Richard put a windshield banner saying ‘It’s a Girl’ on his T3 Nissan 350Z, and her name on the back of the car.”
Unfortunately, the 350Z was totaled during the race, but Richard was still able to smile with the excitement of their future racer, Savannah Grace, due this summer on Jennifer’s birthday in July.
“We will continue chasing our dreams of family, racing, and competing,” says Jennifer, “and hopefully see our little girl win a few SCCA National Championships along the way.”
