THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 26, 1996 TAG: 9605240065
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK VEHORN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 95 lines
CATHY MOSIER was horrified at what she had just witnessed - a car speeding out of control, soaring into the air and rolling over another car before crashing back onto the pavement.
What had she gotten herself into, she thought.
Inside the car that had made the mid-air flip during a Late Model Stock race at Langley Speedway six years ago was her new boyfriend, Barry Strathmann, and as Mosier, shaken and wide-eyed, hurried from the grandstand to the crash site, she made a quick decision.
Finding Strathmann smiling and in considerably better shape than his demolished race car, Mosier informed him, ``Either you have to find a new hobby or I am going to find a new boyfriend.''
That story is sure to be retold often today, drawing chuckles each time, as friends gather to hear Mosier and Strathmann exchange marriage vows at Bayside Presbyterian Church in Virginia Beach.
No one should be surprised, either, if instead of the traditional closing, the ceremony ends with, ``Drivers, start your marriage.''
Instead of finding a new boyfriend, Mosier found a new hobby - stock car racing, and the wedding will be a pairing of two of Langley Speedway's most popular competitors.
As Strathmann continued to race in Langley's premier division the past six years, Mosier became a regular in the track's Mini Stock division, where she won several races and came within two points and a rainout of winning the championship in 1993, her second season of competition.
Strathmann, who owns Barry's Performance Import in Norfolk, may be the only person not surprised by how things evolved after his fiancee's introduction to stock car racing.
``She was really frightened by what happened,'' he recalled.
``I had been out of racing for about 13 years, and she had a video camera and was taping the race. I was trying to stay out of trouble and mind my own business when I saw Danny Edwards coming down the track backward. I guess he didn't see me. We got together and I went over the top of his roof.''
Strathmann said Mosier captured only part of the incident on tape. ``As soon as my car got up in the air, the camera went to the ground,'' he said.
``She told me she about had a heart attack, and she didn't think we could keep dating if I was going to continue racing.''
Strathmann, eager to keep the romance going, wound up convincing Mosier to drive in an Enduro race at Langley.
``I felt if I could get her involved that she would understand why I enjoyed it so much,'' he said.
It worked.
A year later, Mosier had her own race car and became more emotionally involved in the sport than Strathmann.
``Stock car racing is the last thing I ever thought I would do,'' Mosier said. ``I knew absolutely nothing about cars before I met Barry.''
What was it about the sport that won her over?
``The challenge was the biggest thing,'' she said. ``You can never really master it. You can finish first one week, and finish fifth the next week.''
As Strathmann thought, once Mosier got hooked on the sport, she went at it wide open.
``She likes doing her own thing, and I respect her for that,'' Strathmann said. ``I offered to help her get started, but she wanted to be responsible for the car and the sponsorships herself.''
While Strathmann simply enjoys the competition and seldom runs at the front of the field, Mosier set her sights on wins and titles almost from the beginning.
``Some people say they have fun just riding around the track, but that's not for me,'' she said.
``Once you win, it's no fun until you win again.''
Mosier became a big crowd favorite during her second season.
In an underdog role, she was within two points of winning the championship when the final race of the season was rained out. Instead of the title, she won the first of three ``most popular'' driver awards.
``I didn't get the championship trophy, but I still feel I won,'' she said.
Because of rainouts and wedding preparations, Mosier has raced only once this season, and Strathmann three times.
The couple are planning a month-long honeymoon, taking in Niagara Falls, New England and parts of Canada in an RV, so neither may get in much racing the rest of the season.
As for the future, Mosier could wind up being the only driver in the family.
Strathmann already had planned to quit driving at the end of the season and make his Late Model operation available for a new driver.
Mosier, who has her Mini Stock car up for sale, admits she would welcome an opportunity to drive in a higher division if she had the sponsorship to be competitive.
``I am not ready to give up racing yet,'' she said, ``but if I can't do it right, I don't want to get involved.''
Strathmann said the couple would delay their racing decisions until after the honeymoon.
``Cat's mind has been clouded by wedding dresses lately,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
JIM WALKER/The Virginian-Pilot
Cathy Mosier and Barry Strathmann's wedding today will pair two of
Langley Speedway's most popular competitors.
KEYWORDS: PROFILE BIOGRAPHY STOCK CAR RACING by CNB