How one track outing sparked a lifelong obsession

One time. That’s often all that it takes to turn someone on the sidelines into a racer. That was the case for Devin Hofmann when she first tracked her 2015 Subaru WRX STI. Now, she’s a class winner in the NATA championship with her beloved ride.

“I had no intentions of ever being a race car driver,” Devin, a manufacturing engineer by trade, says. “I have always been behind the scenes developing, testing, designing parts. People were like, ‘You got to track the car. You got to try it one time.’ I did, and that’s when it escalated.”

Incidentally, Devin crossed paths with her Subaru when another door in her life closed.

“After a bad breakup, I sold my engagement ring and I wanted a dream car that was affordable,” says Devin. “I always loved how the burble sounded on a Subaru, and I wanted a manual. That’s why I got it.”

When Devin bought it four years ago, she had no intentions of tracking it. However, after she started to, other doors opened for her.

“I was working with IAG, installing their parts on customers’ cars when I was working at a performance shop,” Devin says. “I was able to give [IAG] input from what I was seeing as I was installing parts. They started giving me parts to test on my car.”

The relationship grew from there, and the mods kept coming for her Subaru. The car now sports an aero package from Verus Engineering, a fully built engine block from IAG, a Garrett turbo kit, Stoptech six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, and CounterSpace brake pads. Devin debuted the brake and turbo packages during round 1 of the NATA Championship held on March 11-12 during Global Time Attack’s Super Lap Battle at the Circuit of The Americas.

“The Circuit of The Americas, being a bigger track, wears brake pads down, but the [new] brakes were fantastic,” says Devin. “Our new build with the turbo … we had issues with it. We didn’t get the time we were looking for. We were down 200 horsepower, unfortunately. We usually hit a 2:26 there, so getting only a 2:31 was a bit disappointing.”

Nevertheless, Devin won the Small 200tw Tire class in NATA–and she’s got plenty more on the table for the next event. That’s got her considering making the next round of the NATA Championship on June 2-4, which is a Gridlife Midwest event at GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, Michigan.

What exactly is NATA? The North American Time Attack Council Championship presented by Grassroots Motorsports simplifies time trials by presenting a format that lets drivers easily collect points in participating events across Global Time Attack, Gridlife and SCCA Time Trials.

[Introducing the NATA Championship presented by Grassroots Motorsports]

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