News

Spanesi to feature women-built race car at SEMA 2015

Oct. 27, 2015

Spanesi Americas will be displaying the "Valkyrie Project" 1969 AMC AMX, a powerful race car built by the ladies of the industry, at the 2015 SEMA Show.

ABRN Wire Reports

Spanesi Americas will be displaying the "Valkyrie Project" 1969 AMC AMX, a powerful race car built by the ladies of the industry, at the 2015 SEMA Show.

The Valkyrie Project began as an idea during a discussion with key industry leaders at the 2014 SEMA Show. Initially the discussion was simply about a build, but this spark was the onset to an idea that began to grow. The desire for the participants was to embark on a project that is beyond what has been done before. They strived to "move the needle" for young women who are looking to succeed in the automotive industry.

The Valkyrie Project showcases the wide range of talented women in the automotive industry. This project serves to inspire women to explore their interests in the fields of automotive and motorsports. The 1969 AMC AMX project vehicle serves as a platform for women in the industry to design, fabricate and ultimately build a uniquely powerful and equally beautiful car. And the direct end result, a HIGH power fully functioning race car that is making an impact in the racing world!

During the SEMA Show many of the participants of the Valkyrie Project will be in the Spanesi Booth to answer questions about the project. Key program people as JoAnn Bortles and Karen Salvaggio will be on hand at times throughout the show.

Spanesi Americas assisted the group in the body and paint phase headed up by Bortles, an award-winning custom automotive painter, airbrush artist, certified welder/fabricator, author, and photo journalist with over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry. She has appeared on The Today Show, NBC News, Musclecar TV, and recently TruTv's Motor City Masters.

Salvaggio is the owner of the AMX, Thunder Valley Racing and brings a wealth of motorsports, education and leadership experience to any project. A military veteran and master mechanic, Salvaggio served nine years in the U.S. Air Force as a crew chief on B-52's and KC-135 aircraft. She garnered numerous distinguished service medals before leaving the military to pursue her advanced education. She holds bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees.

Her 30-year career on the track includes over 150 victories, five racing championships, and multiple track records. She is an active member of the National Auto Sport Association (NASA), the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), Guldstrand Racing Association (GRA), and the Vintage Automobile Racing Association (VARA). Salvaggio, now, builds racecars full time and most recently served as a SEMA council member. Recognizing the need to encourage youth and to inspire more women into the automotive and motorsports industries, Salvaggio now focuses her volunteer service on creating hands-on automotive projects and connecting the industry with the next generation of "gearheads." She was honored to be featured on the Detroit Muscle car show in the "All-Girls 427 Cobra Build" airing on NBC and CBS networks.