Kelly Anderson: Fill Your Joy Tank And Quit Overthinking It

Sponsors And Quick Shoutouts

SPEAKER_01 0:42

Interesting in celebrating women and motor boys one story at a time.

Melinda Russell 0:48

Have you recently hit a pothole? Did you end up with a bent wheel? The tire shop's gonna try to sell you a new one, but you don't need to drop hundreds of dollars. Call Mark at a cut above welding in Kalamazoo. He'll repair the wheel, sand it, paint it, and have it looking like new for a fraction of the cost. With over 50 years of welding and fabricating experience, a cut above welding gets it done right and fast. Call Mark at 269-760-1109. That's 269-760-1109. A cut above welding. No job too small, just big results. Are you racing through life with no time to waste? Then you need save the girls. The pick crew your phone's been waiting for. These stylish touch screen purses let you text, call, and snap pictures without ever taking your phone out. Whether you're at the track, in the stands, or running errands like it's race day, this purse keeps you in control. No more drop phones or frantic digging under the seat. Visit Savethegirls.com and grab yours before the next green flag. Save the girls because real racers don't fumble their phones.

Welcoming Back Kelly Barr Anderson

Melinda Russell 2:23

You're an alumni of the podcast, Kelly. So Kelly Barr Anderson is my guest today. And we wanted to catch up with Kelly and find out kind of what's going on with her. And so, Kelly, for those who haven't heard the first interview, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?

SPEAKER_05 2:41

All right. Well, again, thank you for having me back on the show. I had a great time round one, and I'm ready to have another great time round two.

Learning Drag Racing Later In Life

SPEAKER_05 2:50

Uh, I started drag racing at 51 years old. Uh, so you're never too old to learn new tricks. And uh took my daily driver out to the track. Uh, not a very fast car, it was a 2014 Camaro, uh six-cylinder, and uh fell madly in love first pass. And so we were hooked. Uh, it was really about the community that we fell madly in love with, I think first and foremost. Everyone's so giving and generous and kind, and they want to help you. And so uh we went in feet first and haven't looked back since. We uh upgraded a couple days after my first time of racing to a 2000 F Body Camaro, and uh we raced that one for a year, and then I went to a no prep event thinking, oh, I could do this, and I hit the wall, totaled that car. Uh, it was crazy because it wasn't even going that fast, and I totaled it. I mean, just it was wild. But when that happened, it was the strangest thing. I I didn't get really that sad, I wasn't upset like I normally would have been, but I knew there was something in the future, and so then we upgraded to the next F Body Camaro 2000, same thing, uh, but it was quicker and more powerful, and you know, it's just incredible. So that's how it all started.

Grandkids Family Travel And Real Life

SPEAKER_05 4:20

51 years old. I am a grandmother. Oh, so I'm a wife of almost 40 years, grand mother of four, grandmother of 12 now. So the family's just growing like weeds.

Melinda Russell 4:33

Yeah, I was a mother of four, and I'm up to 17. Wow, that's and four four of those, four of those are great-grandchildren.

SPEAKER_05 4:44

Wow, yeah, those kids are blessed to have you as their grandma slash great grandma, and they're all over the place, you know.

Melinda Russell 4:54

So yeah, most are most are here Kalamazoo area, but I've got a bunch, my youngest two daughters, you know, live in Arizona. So I've got uh six grandkids there, and one in one in um, yeah, just they're just all over. So yeah, but you know a lot.

SPEAKER_05 5:13

Do you travel to go to the house?

Melinda Russell 5:14

I don't I go to Arizona more than any place. I haven't been there though for almost a year. Oh, because I had back surgery and different things. So um I'm gonna be going here, you know, within the next few months, I think. But um nice, but yeah, um, you know, Facebook and FaceTime and all that. You can talk to them, and it's so nice.

SPEAKER_05 5:38

Lifesaver, isn't it? Yeah, it really is. Our daughter lived in Phoenix for quite a few years. I'm a tickle of my throat, sorry. And um, so we FaceTime was a lifesaver. Now she moved to Laguna Hills, so now we get to see them a lot more often.

Melinda Russell 5:55

Yeah, that's good. That's good.

SPEAKER_05 5:57

Well, at least I have two daughters out there and and six grandkids, you know, they only live about 30 minutes apart, so that is nice, that's convenient, it is, and I love going to Arizona.

Melinda Russell 6:11

You know, we stayed there in the winter, a couple different winters we had an RV, which we have for sale, and so um, yeah, uh I could I could move to Arizona full time. I know it's hot in the summer, but uh you know, I do a lot of crafts and stuff. I can stay inside when it's hot, just like I do when it's cold, right?

SPEAKER_05 6:31

So where's Kalamazoo? What state is Michigan?

Melinda Russell 6:34

Oh brrrr. Halfway between Detroit and Chicago.

SPEAKER_05 6:39

Oh goodness. Well, I'm from Wisconsin, so I live in Wisconsin. Yeah, I live in Wisconsin until I was I think 10 or so. Yeah, so I was a kid, so it didn't affect me. I've never driven in the snow. I don't think I'd be a good snow driver.

Melinda Russell 6:55

Well, it's just you learn, you learn, you take it slow, and or if it's too bad, you just don't go, you stay home, you know. So yeah, that's how it goes.

Racing After Irwindale Closed

Melinda Russell 7:05

So, Kelly, what are you up to in 2026?

SPEAKER_05 7:09

2026 has been a journey. Uh been a lot of family time. We've we've done some racing, uh, not as much as we like, but when Erwindell closed it the December of 2024, it really took a toll on our lives, like more than we even thought possible. Uh, you know, being 10 minutes from the track to being three hours from the track makes a big difference. Um, so we really focus a lot on family this year, which honestly has been a blessing. Like with my daughter moving back out here in the summer last year. Uh, she's got four kids now, and um yeah, my my youngest son has his new baby girl, and they live close to us, so we get to see them a lot more often. Um, but we've been doing some, you know, we do Bakersfield Famoso. We go out there and we go to um Verona out near San Diego and we run out there right now. My car is down, sadly. So we're building a new motor, and uh, we look forward to getting back out there and hitting it hard because we need to just get out there and make some passes and fill our joy tanks back up.

Melinda Russell 8:22

Exactly.

SPEAKER_05 8:23

We did run in Vegas last year uh for the um was it Street Car Supernational, Streetcar Supernational, and that was a lot of fun. That was crazy. The weather was bad, so they were down a lot with the weather and stuff, but that was an experience of a lifetime. I really enjoyed that. I love going through the little gate, and I'm like, here we go. Um, it was scary being in a new track. I'm used to being at the same track, so being in a brand new track was really intimidating. So next year, I'll or I guess it'll be this year, it'll be a lot more comfortable.

Melinda Russell 9:00

Yeah, uh, for sure. Yeah, but you keep busy doing a lot of other things too, right? What do you do besides your family?

SPEAKER_05 9:08

So

Building Mavics Community Outreach

SPEAKER_05 9:09

we have a full board of directors now for our nonprofit Mavics Community Outreach. We uh have some really great ideas coming up, and we're working on some stuff. Um, our website's gotten updated and it's gorgeous. We have a new logo now. We wanted something that would pop. Like when we first made the logo, we weren't sure. We didn't think of the big picture. And as you know, woman of many talents, you gotta change and modify, pivot. That's the word. Pivot. And so we um, yeah, we have some uh we have a movie night coming up at our shop for the foster children. So we we will host about 200 kids and their families will serve them dinner and we'll have the race cars out there. And I think we're in a car a club called Brotherhood of Street Racers, and they really love the kids. They love to participate, they go above and beyond, and they'll be bringing some of their cars out. Uh, we'll have a big blow-up screen in the in the parking lot of the shop where they'll park their chairs and their blankets and watch a movie which hasn't been determined yet. But my partner Maria will pick it. And uh we'll have stations with giveaways where we give away bikes and skateboards and clothing and items and toys that were donated to us by from foster love, which is the largest nonprofit in the country that works with foster kids. So they they really have been great to us. Like they're like, hey, come pick up Christmas goodies, and we'll pick up stockings and boxes and boxes of toys. And so that's been a wonderful partnership. We're really grateful for their support. Um, we're gonna try to do a car show at Dave and Margaret's, which is a uh housing school for um, I believe more like uh underprivileged youth. Uh, they have some foster kids there, but we work with you know, foster children and underprivileged kids. So it's the whole spectrum there, and we we just love to be a part of their lives and pour in joy and goodness and hopefully spark an interest in the car world for them, whether it's photography, videography, announcing, you know, tech, uh, you know, working on the computer, building motors, whatever it is, there's so many paths in the motorsports world that we could connect them. And uh, you know, for me, 50, I was 51 years old when I started racing, and that was a game changer for my life. Having an interest, I'm in recovery, I never had hobbies, goals, dreams, game changer, you know, just game changer, and we want to make a difference in their lives, right?

The Foster Care Story That Started It

Melinda Russell 12:02

So let's go back and catch people up on how did this um all how did that all come about that you became part of that organization?

SPEAKER_05 12:13

So my grandson and his sisters, my step-granddaughters, went into foster care uh during COVID. And that really piqued an interest. Um, for well, it was a heartbreak, and it was devastating. And it just, it was every night I'd lay in bed, and all I could see is their faces, and it was just horrible. And so my partner Maria, she was working for Home Depot headquarters, and they had her do something for the community. Well, she chose foster kids, so she partnered with an agency and would host an event at Christmas time where they would back then they had to drive through because you couldn't have contact with people. So she had us come out and bring the race car. And man, I fell in love with those kids. I was like, this is incredible. These beautiful children who don't deserve this are going through it, and if we can make a difference, so I became a mentor at some of the boys' homes that they worked with. And we would go out for walks, me and the kids, and just talk and connect. And then I watched how staff would come in and out. Like they'd be there one day and the next day they're gone. And these kids have no idea. So let's just keep ripping their hearts out over and over and over. Uh, we became legal to foster, but we decided that's not the route we want to go. We want to make a bigger impact in lots of lives, not just one child's life, you know. Uh, so that's how we started Mavics, you know, between Maria bringing us out and then mentoring the boys, seeing all the stuff they went through. Um, we decided to do something about it, not just talk about it.

unknown 13:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 13:58

So it's been it's been lovely. We love the kids so much, and we're building, you know, relationships with these families because we've hosted Christmas events. I think it's our this will be our fifth year, I believe. And we see the return families, and the kids are like, Gala! Oh, they run up and they love on us, and I get more out of it than they do. Yeah, that's and that's not why we did it, you know. We didn't do it for selfish reasons, but boy, we get filled up with love.

Melinda Russell 14:26

Yeah, well, what you what you give out comes back tenfold. It sure does. Man, what a blessing! Yeah, so tell me tell me the name again. Um, M A is it M-A-V-I-X? Yes, Mavic's Community Outreach. And so, what does that stand for?

SPEAKER_05 14:47

Okay, so back in recovery, my sponsor he said, You're a Maven, because I started a lot of 12-step programs, uh uh meetings, and I started a girls' group, and so I was doing all these things, and he's like, You bring people together, and I was like, Yes, and then Maria took Maven and Phoenix rise from the ashes and made Mavics. Where'd you go? I don't know. It said something happened and it cut me out. Okay, let's go back.

Melinda Russell 15:33

I'll cut I'll cut this out. Sorry, I'm gonna ask you, I'll go back to what is what does Mavics stand for, and you can start there. Okay, so here we go. Okay, so Kelly, tell me, what does Mavics stand for? How did you come up with that name?

SPEAKER_05 15:49

Okay, so my sponsor back in the day said, You're a Maven, and that is someone who brings people together. I had started quite a few 12-step meetings that are still running today, and um so Maria, my partner, took Maven and Phoenix rise from the ashes and made Mavics.

Melinda Russell 16:11

Yes, very cool, very, very cool combination of names, powerful, powerful, and so um, you know, you did the event with her, uh with the foster kids, and so that kind of sparked your interest. Your great were involved in foster care, and so Mavics started about five years ago, six years ago, November 2021. Okay, so five years, it'll be five years in November. So um tell me some things that you do kind of on a I uh Christmas is a special event. Yes, what are some things that you do like on a monthly, weekly? How do you help these kids?

Taking Race Cars To Schools

SPEAKER_05 16:55

So we uh we will take the race car out to schools, we've gone to McKinley, which is a school for the foster kids, underprivileged youth, uh introducing them to motorsports, just the community. And uh we do, we've gone to career day at Dave and Margaret's, which was awesome. And they had lots of stations with lots of different people, and that was beautiful. See some of the we have done another, we did another event at Dave and Margaret's where we came out and we brought my cars, and um team Honda brought their side by side, and one of their professional racers came out, and we did a little presentation, and the kids came out and looked at the vehicles, got in them, and again piquing their interest. Um, and so then you see return students from the first time you went, and oh my gosh, like it's just so heartwarming. It really is. There was a boy, so we pass out Hot Wheels and we get donated Hot Wheels, or we purchase them ourselves with our funds. But so there was a boy who last time was there. There's only occasionally do we have like a five pack, and we don't separate them because they want to open their Hot Wheels, they have to be new. So he got the five pack and he had me sign it. So then we were at career day, and I'm like, Oh, there's my boy! Oh my gosh, I saw him again. And so I go, When he comes over here, we're giving him the five, the only five pack that we have. I want him to have the five pack. So he had come by earlier, but I didn't see him, so he got a hot wheel. And then I go, come here. And I go, Did you get a hot wheel? He's like, Yeah, I got I go, give me that. And so I give him the five pack, and he just lit up. And his worker that stays with him all day, uh, he's like probably 11 years old, and his worker stays with him all day, and she came up to me and said, You have no idea what you've done for this boy. He has been going through it for weeks, and he just was so happy to see you, and you made his like month, and that is what we live for, and and oh my gosh, it was so precious! He's such a sweet boy, yeah, absolutely.

Melinda Russell 19:09

And when you expose them to the race cars, and like you said, you know, they could be a photographer or they could do social media, they could do all these things. Those kids are not exposed to that because normally, yeah, when when kids are exposed to racing, it's because their family's in racing, right? These kids are not exposed to any of that, except that you're showing them um a way to use their talents or things they're interested in, and a lot of times kids are not interested in school, right? If I have uh if they don't have a permanent home or they have a what I'm gonna say, a crappy life at home, yeah. Um they can only see, and sometimes they can't even they can't even see a way out, yeah what I mean. Like they think this is gonna be how it is forever. And yeah, we have to show them the bigger world, don't we? That there's there's all kinds of things out there that you can do. You can go to trade school and learn to be a mechanic or a welder or whatever, and and get a job in motorsports or a lot of other places, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 20:16

And the career paths in motorsports top dollar, like driving big rig.

Melinda Russell 20:22

They need a driver for the big rig to haul the stuff, and that's I mean, there's so welding, like yeah, big big bucks, yeah, so to me, that's that's what you're you're doing is exposing them to a life of something that they couldn't even imagine before met those people or saw those race cars, or or maybe they want to be a nurse or whatever, but yeah, but to have somebody come and be encouraging about it and say, Yeah, you can be a nurse, you know yes.

SPEAKER_05 20:58

I mean, honestly, sky's the limit, and we let them know that like you could be anything you put your heart into, you know, and and trade schools a lot of them won't go to college, no, so trade schools are the way to go hands-on, where kids can get more involved, right? Some kids don't want to sit and listen. I know I didn't. No, no, sitting and listening for me.

Melinda Russell 21:21

Well, and the and everybody learns differently. So, yes, if you're uh if you're somebody who wants to be shown, right, then the hands-on is the way to go, and that's that's why trade school to me is is an underappreciated way to get a career.

SPEAKER_05 21:41

Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. So we're hoping to connect them with some scholarships down the road, you know, building the relationships with the kids is really the start, and the families build their trust and uh yeah, them knowing that we really are there to help.

unknown 21:59

Right.

SPEAKER_05 22:00

A blessing. We're so blessed to be able to work with these families and these kids.

Melinda Russell 22:04

Yeah. Absolutely. Well, and they're lucky to have you guys too. Well, thank you. Who knows? You know.

unknown 22:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 22:11

Kelly,

Motorsports As Joy And Recovery

SPEAKER_05 22:13

tell me how motorsports changed your life. Oh, it really did. I always say it's not a hobby, it's a lifestyle. It is. It's a game changer. I mean, it fills my soul with so much goodness. So back when I started racing, I was like, if I get joy. And I didn't really know the word joy was a word from God. And it's not like happy. It's a different, it's different. Like it's a bigger and it's because it's from God. And I've always said, you know, it fills my joy tank up. It just and lately I've needed that. I need to get back to the track. So hopefully the car gets built soon and we get back out there and lift those front tires and fill that joy tank back up, baby.

Melinda Russell 22:57

Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Because your race family gives you joy and just even just the the sights and smells of everything at the track, right? Yes.

SPEAKER_05 23:11

Absolutely.

Melinda Russell 23:12

Yeah. Yeah, for sure. So uh 2026 is looking busy for Mavic. Very busy. And yes. And hopefully you're gonna be back on the track. Yes. I hope so. I hope so too.

Advice For Women Seeking Purpose

Melinda Russell 23:29

So uh what would you say to to other women to encourage them to um uh you know be themselves? So I just had a conversation with a friend of mine, and she's a lot younger than me, she could be my daughter, and we we hadn't connected for quite an quite a number of years actually, except through social media. And we happened to get together the other day, and it was just like she said to me, it's just like we've not, it's just like we've seen each other yesterday, right? Love it. Isn't that that's amazing that you can have those kind of people in your life? But she but she's kind of going through a uh what about me? She's got three kids, and and and she's kind of getting to the point about she does for everybody else, but she needs to find her own identity, and you've kind of done that, you've kind of done that in your life, and and then helping these foster kids. What would you say to somebody who is kind of struggling and and could find a Mavics or something that gives them a purpose?

SPEAKER_05 24:39

Yes, I mean, absolutely. I think you just need to go for it. I mean, you're a great example, like you are doing a billion different things and and it fills you up. It's beautiful to see how much you've accomplished, really. And you know what? Go for it, as you know. Go for it. What's the so if you go for something and it doesn't work, well, then try something else or try it again. Don't give up on dreams and and don't be too afraid because things that you're afraid of are never as scary as you think they're gonna be. Like I was afraid of drag rest because I don't want to look stupid. Well, I didn't look stupid, and if I did, who cares? I had fun. It was it filled me up, and I mean, just incredible. So you just gotta go for it. Try new things. Try things. You never know what's gonna just really get you in the in the soul and change your entire life and change other people's lives. First of all, when you're happy and fulfilled, everyone around you will get this goodness that they can't get from a dried up, shriveled up, unjoyful person. Like I know when I'm not happy, ain't no one around me's gonna be all that happy either because I don't portray.

Melinda Russell 26:00

Yeah, that's true of it of really anyone. You and the thing is you can get up in the morning and make that decision. Yeah, am I gonna be happy today? Yes, am I gonna bring joy to somebody else today? Yeah, am I gonna fill myself with joy today?

SPEAKER_05 26:16

Yeah, or what you know, what exactly that's that can also be a decision when you get up in the morning, absolutely, and then there's mornings when I wake up and go, I'm gonna choose misery.

Melinda Russell 26:31

No, Kelly, I don't believe that for a minute. You're always you're always smiling, you're always laughing. I don't think I don't think you ever do that. So you're sweet. I appreciate you. You're amazing, you really are very inspiring. I appreciate that because it's an awesome, you know. Sometimes you feel like, does anybody care besides me? Do you ever feel that way? No, do I ever? Absolutely, yeah. And I love I love talking to, I call them my ladies, my girls. I love talking to them to hear their stories, to share their stories, and to share what's important to them and how they got involved in motorsports and and how they're making a difference, you know, like you're you you're doing Mavics. I interviewed a gal that is um she's part of the race against bullying or race, something like that. Nice amazing story. So there's a lot of a lot of women out there that are doing amazing things besides racing down the track.

SPEAKER_05 27:36

Yep, absolutely. Yeah, that's just the cherry on top.

Melinda Russell 27:40

That's just the cherry on top. That's just what fills our joy bucket, right?

SPEAKER_05 27:44

Yes, absolutely, yeah.

Seasons Timing And Closing Thoughts

Melinda Russell 27:48

So, Kelly, anything else you want to talk about or share today? I I love that we were able to reconnect.

SPEAKER_05 27:55

Me too, and thank you again for being patient, had been going through some stuff, and I definitely wouldn't have been my best. So I'm grateful that you were patient and always understanding. Um gosh, I just uh hope for a really prosperous 2026 for all of us. I really do, you know. Seasons come and go, and and with racing slowing down, it's kind of been a blessing. My parents I've had to help them out a little more. They've had some health issues, and my daughter had her baby and moved out here, and then my youngest son had his daughter, and there's just been a lot of stuff going on, and I would have had my racing would have suffered. So God was kind of like, here, let me help you so you can break your motor. I can't help you. I have to race because I get obsessed with the racing. So yeah, God slowed everything down and let us handle business that needed handling, right?

Melinda Russell 28:49

And like you said, we all have different seasons, yes, and and part some of that comes with different ages or or whether the kids are in the house or they're grown, all those things change the season for each of us, and and then we have to learn how to kind of adapt and make that the best season. Amen.

SPEAKER_05 29:09

Yeah, so true, and you're doing that. You're so sweet, thank you. I felt like okay, Irwindale closing just ripped my heart out and just messed a lot of things up, but at the same time, if Erwindale wasn't there when I found it, I never would have found this life. So it's it, you know, it it mattered. Right. It mattered. So it made a difference in my life forever.

Melinda Russell 29:36

Yeah. And once you get that, you know, for people who've never been introduced to motorsports of in any way, whether it be a fan or a driver, they don't understand when we say it gets in your blood, it really does like get in your blood, and and you can't let go, yeah. You know, I mean, you can't let go 100%. Sometimes it has to be to the side, yeah. But overall, it's still a part of you, and so you're gonna get that motor fixed, you're gonna be back out on the tracks, and you still have time for your family, so that's all good.

SPEAKER_05 30:15

Yes, yeah, God's timing is perfect, it is. I just stop fighting him.

Melinda Russell 30:21

I know we okay, he knows better than we do, but sometimes we we can't let go of that either.

SPEAKER_05 30:28

You know, exactly.

Melinda Russell 30:30

So,

How To Support Mavics

Melinda Russell 30:31

Kelly, I want you to stay in touch and I want you to share when you're back on the track, and also um, if there's anything we can do to help promote Mavics or anything, you know where I'm at, and I want you to reach out and and help the keep helping those kids.

SPEAKER_05 30:49

I appreciate that very much. So for our website, mavixcommunity.org.

Melinda Russell 30:55

Okay, Mavix Community, yeah, community.org. And what town are you located in?

SPEAKER_05 31:02

Our shop is in Glendora, California.

Melinda Russell 31:05

Okay, all right. So it's nice and warm there, I'm assuming.

SPEAKER_05 31:09

Oh, yeah.

Melinda Russell 31:11

I'm looking out my window. The sun is shining in Kalamazoo, Michigan today, but the high is gonna be like 50.

unknown 31:18

Eek burn.

Melinda Russell 31:21

It's been cold at night. So uh Monday it was almost 80, and it was just gorgeous. And then, yeah, right. I'm hoping, yeah. I'm hoping that you know, one of these days it's gonna hit that 70 mark and not go before see.

SPEAKER_05 31:39

I do like 70s. It's funny. I'm like, I must be getting old because I enjoy the 75, like it was kind of hot. When I like the 70s, I was a sun goddess, like I loved it hot. Now I'm like, ooh, 75, plenty hot for me.

Melinda Russell 31:53

Yeah, I love the the mid the low to mid-70s, perfect temperature. So I do too. Sunny and 70s. Yeah, I'm hoping that Kalamazoo starts getting that weather soon, and and because even the racetracks are canceling on the weekends because it's too cold. People are not gonna go sit on the bleachers, yeah, when it's 35, 40 degrees, they're just not going to. No, no, and the tracks have a hard enough time without opening, and then nobody shows up.

SPEAKER_05 32:22

So, yeah, yeah, for sure.

Melinda Russell 32:24

Well, Kelly, you have a great rest of your day. Well, thank you, my beautiful friend.

SPEAKER_05 32:29

You do the same.

Melinda Russell 32:31

I will, I will.

SPEAKER_05 32:33

Please stay in touch. Always great chatting with you, and yes, you stay in touch as well.

Melinda Russell 32:38

I will, I will. Thank you for being here with me today.

SPEAKER_05 32:42

Thank you, appreciate you.

SPEAKER_02 32:47

Start your engines. This is the Women's Motor Fund Network.