BMFF - Bad Mofo Friday - Louise "Landspeed" Noeth

Starting something new on the blog! :)

Every Friday, I am going to talk about "Bad Mofo's" - people who I find really inspiring. 

Today, I would like to draw attention to an amazing woman I can't believe I've never heard of before. I learned about Louise "Landspeed" Noeth recently while catching up on the Cars Yeah Podcast, where she is described as "a storyteller known for taking complicated subjects and making them entertaining and educational. She founded LandSpeed Productions in 1984 where she provides film and TV consulting, photography, writing, graphic design, and more. Her award-winning works have been published around the world. Dubbed 'LandSpeed Louise', she concentrates on land speed racing and people who do extraordinary feats by designing, building, and driving fast cars, trucks, and motorcycles. She’s one of the few women journalists in the automotive field who’s also comfortable and competent behind the wheel."

A few other traits/accomplishments that make Louise noteworthy:

- She is over 50% deaf, and it was loud exhaust notes that first drew her to cars because of the resonance (I have a soft spot for people with illness or disability, "Chronic Badasses", in case you didn't notice)

- She was first published in Automotive Journalism back in 1980. I started my automotive career in the mid-2000's, and the industry still was/is permeated by the MadMen, "No tits in the pits", bigotry mentality. I can only imagine what the fuck she's overcome during her career!

- She started her photojournalism career as an artist painting pinstripes on cars, then learned to drive, then to wrench, and started writing/taking photos along the way. She is one of the few other female gearheads I've found who not only can fix anything on a car and drive it, but can write and create visual art as well. I have found a female role model doing almost exactly what I want to do! How awesome! Most of my role models are male.
- Louise worked with the Federal Government to help phase out the use of Leaded Gasoline, and implement updated safety regulations for suspension. She also helped the automotive performance and  journalism industries integrate changes created by Federal Emissions Control Implementations in the late 60's/early 70's.

- She helped Team Vesco set the International World Record for the Fastest Wheel Driven Automobile (Over 458 mph! This record still stands, btw. Whose up for the challenge?)
- She has numerous productions and publications under her belt, is working on her second book, has had a monthly column in Goodguys Gazette for over 12 years, and recently became a Chief Judge for the International Automotive Media Competition - an organization striving to set a higher standard in automotive related journalism/media.

- On top of all these amazing contributions, Louise Noeth is a pilot, too!

A quote from her website that really resonates with me and gets me fired up for my own work: 
Unlike most journalists, writers, photographers, artists, and publicists who focus on only one, or perhaps two disciplines, LSL noticed that she could get editors to give her more assignments if she could provide words and pictures — photographed or drawn.

“The hard part was convincing them that I could deliver quality in both areas, because my skills came from ‘on-the-job training’,” she adds, “I’ve never had any formal, academic training, just an overwhelming abundance of enthusiastic curiosity and I’ve discovered that, occasionally, I can whup a hot shot PhD in this news game. I create solutions.”

I love this woman, and am so inspired by her! 

Just some major journalism awards. No big deal ;)

Here is a link to the episode of Cars Yeah I learned about "Landspeed Louise" through, with a few quotes below that stood out to me from the interview. The podcast is only about 30 minutes, perfect for listening to while taking a lunch break, commuting, doing a tune-up, getting your hair did...you get the picture :) Enjoy! 

"I was born that way, with Nomex in my diapers."

"I don't have any training...I essentially took my artistic skills...and used them as a springboard..."

"Don't judge my abilities by your limitations."

"Always look for a place to put that plane down if the engine quits...Don't put your complete trust into someone, because they might let you down, and you may not see something...I became more circumspect. Not that I didn't give 100% when necessary, but I always had a way out."

When speaking of her involvement with Federal Legislation phasing out leaded gas, and suspension safety and emission controls -

"That was big because that effected 100's of thousands of people that I will never meet in a positive way."

"If you wanna play, you gotta pay."

"When you get a test car, wash it yourself...because you'll learn more about the car by washing it, then you will driving it." 

When asked about a personal habit that contributes to her success - 

"It has to be voracity, and details. To never short-shift the reader and the viewer...I can piss off an editor with no problem, but I never want to do that to my readers and my viewers."

"What you do for others, lasts longer, stays stronger, than anything you'll ever do for yourself."

I hope you enjoyed learning about "Landspeed" Louise Noeth! 

What Bad Mofo's get you really inspired? 

*Love & Light*
Renata Carmen