The Driver to Beat in 2017

Last year's club champion and the secrets to his success

- By Richard Ranville

2016 Driver of the Year, Alex Della Torre, with
Crew Chief / Mechanic / Best-Girlfriend-Ever, Sonja

When Alejandro “Alex” Della Torre decides to move, he moves fast and it is hard to slow him down. He had been on the edges of racing for several years. His father Pascual, raced Rally in Mexico. His older brother Federico (Fred) raced at Waterford and SCCA tracks in the ‘90s and SKUSA at the turn of the millennium. Alex began his own racing endeavors doing solos and open track days at Waterford in 1997, continuing off and on until about three years ago. At age forty he had enough of ‘civilian cars’ and signed up for the WHRRI Drivers School and received his novice license.

Alex rented a car from Bruce Wentzel for driver’s school and for the season that followed. (Wentzel proudly shared with Alex he had 80 drivers go through driver’s school in his cars). At some point Alex spoke to Randy Shaw, Waterford veteran and superhero to Alex, about acquiring a race car, and Shaw pointed out that with a Miata he could race in three classes, Spec Miata (SM), Improved Touring S (ITS) and Super Touring Lite (STL). He’d learned that in terms of polishing skills, nothing beats seat time. He rapidly became a formidable competitor to his fellow racers.

#47 Smurfette

Alex leveraged a relationship with Dead Horse (multi-year Runoff’s winner) racing in Washington, and they happened to have a proven racecar and trailer at an affordable price… only problem was its location. A trip to Miami culminated in the purchase of a Miata, the car now known as 47 in Smurfette blue. Just one detail remained: he had no tow vehicle. So a 6 hour Jack Bower-like  search ended in the purchase of a trusty 2000 Dodge Durango. Alex returned to Michigan via Sebring, Florida. A recommendation from Waterford and SCCA Chief Steward , Jerry Shiloff, resulted in Alex’s participation in his first race, in his new car at Sebring International Raceway.

The next season at Waterford saw Alex honing his skills in his new car and becoming a fixture in competitive class competition, at SCCA events as well as at Waterford. He continued to learn from his fellow racers by asking lots of questions, listening  and observing. He credits much of what he learned to his father, brother, Danny Kellermeyer, Bob Cross, Bruce Wentzel, Bob Reid, Randy Shaw, Matthias Krause, Alex Lozano, and Steven Lakey, just to name a few. The stage was set for a sensational third season.

The 2016 season was highlighted by fierce duals with another rising star, Alex Lozano in STL and veteran Randy Shaw. The season ended with Della Torre earning 194 points to finish first in ITS, 157 points to finish second in STL, and 119 points to finish second in SM. His total of 470 points was the highest total earned by any driver in 2016 and was thus named Waterford Hills Driver of the Year. He must have done well in SCCA racing too as he was awarded the SCCA Great Lakes Region Driver of the Year award and won the STL Championship.

Apparently, these accomplishments were not enough involvement in racing. In 2016 Alex became an instructor at the joint Waterford/SCCA Drivers School and his two students passed with flying colors. They finished first and second in their mock race. He is heavily involved in driver’s school at this writing, in April 2017; as a car owner, renting to students and racers, as an instructor, and as an official of the Waterford Hills Road Racing Club. In September of 2016 Della Torre was elected to the Waterford board, where he serves on the Competition Committee and has been assisting in organizing driver’s school.

While writing this article, the author made four appointments to meet Alex at Waterford events to talk; all four fell victim to Alex’s involvement in Club activities. It took me great pains to get him stuck in a traffic jam in Detroit so we could talk on the phone. The man would rather be involved with cars, drivers and events than sit and talk with a history geek. Go figure. Alex gives a special shout-out to all of the volunteer workers at the races he participates in. He recognizes that without them none of this would be possible. He gets great pleasure from putting on a good show on track for them!

The big secret ingredient in this frenetic involvement in motor racing is Alex’s girlfriend Sonja. She has become indispensable. She is his crew chief, managing tires, fuel, and is his co-mechanic. At the final race last year the entire differential had to be replaced and she worked under the car with Alex to get it back on the track. Alex says he turned his fastest time ever at Waterford after this repair. Alex and Sonja camp at the track and this year purchased a truck camper so they can drive together and be well rested. At the pace he is setting, on the track and off, Alex Della Torre needs to be well rested.