ROGER DIEZ: Carson's Mackena Bell busy trying to fulfill dream

I had a long phone interview with Mackena Bell earlier this week. We talked about her racing season, the TV show "Changing Lanes" and her experiences living and working in North Carolina. Mackena is busy this weekend at the Drive for Diversity Combine, vying for a spot on the Revolution Racing team for 2011. Her 2010 season didn't go exactly as planned, but she is confident that she will get another shot next year.

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Bell was one of four drivers, and the only female, picked to race in the Camping World East series for Revolution Racing this past season. But after a series of problems that led to bad finishes in the first six races of the 10-race series, she requested to continue the season in Revolution Racing's Late Model program.

"The biggest problem with the Camping World cars was lack of seat time," said Bell. "There was one stretch of six weeks between races, and we couldn't do any testing."

Although she admitted her first race's result was her fault - "I hit everything but the pace car," - the others were because of mechanical failures or getting caught up in somebody else's wreck. However, she showed what she can do in the Late Models, qualifying third or better in each of the four races she ran and posting second and fourth place finishes before getting wrecked by a driver with a grudge against Revolution Racing in the final race.

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During the season, the Drive for Diversity drivers were on salary with Revolution Racing and worked in the shop. However, with the season over, everyone has gone their separate ways and Mackena was unable to find other work in the industry.

"It's kind of weird back here, because all the teams lay people off during the off-season and hire them back again when racing starts again," she said. So she is now working part-time as a waitress in an up-scale tavern ("Sort of like BJ's in Reno,") which allows her to spend time at the shop as well.

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Mackena is in the best shape of her life, thanks to Revolution Racing's fitness program for their Drive for Diversity racers. She has lost 26 pounds, and can do things she never did before.

"I ran two miles without stopping the other day, something I was never able to do," she said. She also credit's the "Changing Lanes" program on BET for helping her with her diet.

"Seeing myself snacking on national TV was good motivation," she laughed.

There also was an episode where the evaluators talked about her weight, which had some of her fans writing angry letters to the network.

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The results of this year's Combine should be available in mid-November, so watch this space for the further adventures of Carson City's own NASCAR rising star.

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Reno-Fernley Raceway's season-ending Fernley Jackpot Shootout last weekend was a success by all indications. Nearly 100 cars from four states competed, and the Modifieds ran two B mains to whittle the field down to 24 cars for the A main. Here are the top Northern Nevada finishers: In the Modified division, Jay Sears of Reno placed second in the A main with Gardnerville's Robert Miller fourth and Nick Reid of Fernley fifth. Rich Italiano of Sparks won the Hobby Stock main, Carson City's Shane Ramthun was second, Mike Olsen of Fallon third, Minden's David Partelow fourth and Dwight Bolton of Gardnerville fifth. Fallon drivers dominated the Pro Stock main, with Jesse Gonzales taking the win, Rob Grace coming home third, and Ken Gotchal finishing fourth. Joe Specchio Jr. of Fernley was fifth. Local drivers finished second through fifth in the Dwarf main in this order: Billy Wilson, Carson City; Leroy Kay, Yerington; Bobby Niles, Fallon; and Race Wilson, Dayton.

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Finally, congratulations to the five new inductees into NASCAR's Hall of Fame. I guess I'm showing my age when I tell you that I actually saw a couple of them race in person, back when they were at the top of the profession. David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Lee Petty and Ned Jarrett were the drivers chosen, and the legendary Bud Moore was selected for his success as a team owner.