Fast Lap with Claire B Lang

photo courtesy of nascar.com

We are really excited to present this week's Fast Lap! Claire B. Lang is a host on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio. Wednesday through Friday 7:00 – 10:00 pm ET, Claire B. hosts the show Dialed In since 2001 and has been a fixture in the NASCAR garage every weekend, providing her listeners with up-to-the-moment news and interviews. She also teams up with Steve Post and Alex Hayden for SIRIUS NASCAR Radio’s pre- and post race shows to give NASCAR fans a comprehensive view of everything on, inside and around the track every weekend.

SIRIUS NASCAR Radio is available nationwide on SIRIUS channel 128 and on XM channel 128 with the “Best of SIRIUS” programming package.

Q. What music have you recently put on your iPod?

Claire B: I like all kinds of music and as a former public relations manager for a concert facility I have attended tons of concerts. Having worked in terrestrial radio in the classic rock and country music arenas and covering NASCAR and the pre race show artists for SIRIUS NASCAR Radio - I've interviewed almost every artist you can imagine so my tastes are quite wide ranging. I like everything from Jerry Jeff Walker, to the Rolling Stones, to Norah Jones to The Allman Brothers to B.B. King who threw me a guitar pick once when I was with a TV crew in the media pit at a concert. My tastes match up well with where I work because on SIRIUS XM there are literally dozens and dozens of music channels to suit my varied musical flavor of the moment.
Q. What are your favorite TV shows, or something you must have in your DVR/Tivo?

Claire B: I have an assortment of moods that I watch TV for. One, I'm a news junkie so I love CNN, CSPAN, MSNBC and FOX. After a stressful day - when news is too intense - I like shows that are less mind intensive. Extreme Home Makeover always tears me up, Jon and Kate Plus 8 makes me smile. Those kids’ faces and their thought processes are enjoyable. I am a surfer, so I'm always clicking till I find something that suits my mood and then I wind up on everything from fishing shows like The Deadliest Catch (I met those guys at the track) to Project Runway. I have a tendency to watch what's real versus sitcoms or drama shows.
Q. What other sporting teams/events do you follow?

Claire B: I went to grade school and high school in Green Bay, Wisconsin so I am a huge Green Bay Packers fan. I enjoy watching college basketball and am a fan of Marquette and Davidson College. Of course I like to watch NASCAR but my NASCAR coverage and travel doesn't leave me much time to watch other sports.
Q. What is one personal item you can not live without?

Claire B: My microphone. It sounds funny but I swear if I ended up on a sinking boat I swear I'd grab my recording equipment. LOL.
Q. What is your favorite place to visit?

Claire B: Home. I'm on the road all the time and I miss home and my parents and sisters and brothers and nieces and nephews. I miss a lot of family functions being on the road and so my favorite thing to do is go back home to Minnesota or Wisconsin and hang out.
Q. What is your favorite clothing brand?

Claire B: I like Lucky Brand. I don't really have a favorite brand…I have many. I'm totally into boots and jeans and belts. I dress up good but I prefer to wear a great pair of jeans, a kick butt pair of dusty boots and a great belt. I have a jean jacket collection that is huge. It almost takes up one closet. I love jean jackets. I collect belts too...belts that look great with jeans and boots. Climbing across pit road and leaning on tires all the time I've destroyed nice slacks and put tire marks across my back leaning on tires as if I got run over. I always go back to great jeans and a jacket of some sort.
Q. What is your favorite book or publication?

Claire B: “The Power of Positive Thinking” has been a good one throughout my life. "Failing Forward," (see below) is a great book and, of course being the news junkie that I am, Newsweek, Time and other assorted news mags on an airplane are always great reading. I read biographies but very little fiction.
Q. What is your favorite cuisine and/or restaurant?

Claire B: I grew up a healthy eater. I'm into salads and there's nothing better than a hunk of fresh Italian bread, a great salad and a glass of fine merlot. I love Italian food. I eat out a lot - almost every day when I am on the road - so my favorite meal is home cooked.
Q. We have had multiple experiences with men who assume because we are women, that we don't know the difference between a tire and the lug nut. Does this happen to you and if so, how do you handle it?

Claire B: I have never had that experience in the garage, ever. The drivers and crew members have always treated me with great respect and it has meant everything to me. I was asked once by a media member on stage for example what drivers are "hot" rather than about the nuts and bolts of racing or that race weekend. I simply replied, “I'm not sure. Funny you would ask that question,” with a knowing look towards the interviewer. I usually try to handle things with a sense of humor. I have not really had much of an issue with this and my main goal is to bring the fun and good times and interesting moments in the garage to life. I'm not a mechanic - but the show is not about me - it's about the guys who use the wrenches so I am telling their story.
Q. What advice would you give other females looking to get into the sporting world (which is usually dominated by men)?

Claire B: I joke when I say "man up" on the air. A race car driver said that phrase to me once in talking about restarts and I thought it was the funniest thing so I use that expression. Just "man up." But seriously, my advice for anyone looking to make their dreams come true is to "Fail Forward." I read a NY Times bestseller once called "Failing Forward”. It maintains that while your parents teach you how to succeed they don't teach you how to fail. Succeeding is easy. Failure is hard. Busting down a door or achieving what would seem the impossible is really about learning how to fail. When you get knocked down or fall or the wind sweeps you it's about getting up, working harder, finding solutions and never giving up. That "Failing Forward" advice makes such great sense to me. Anyone who has achieved has failed more than he or she has succeeded but it never stopped them. Fail forward.
Stay tuned next week for Fast Lap with Michael Annett crew chief Bruce Cook.