Kimberly Sparrow
Featured Ladies Members

Kimberly Sparrow

Kimberly Sparrow-Ladies Offroad Network MemberKimberly Sparrow

Forum User Name: Kimberly
Chat with Kimberly

"Hi! I'm Kimberly. I was born and raised in Colorado, and I love my home state! I currently live on the Western Slope. We recently moved here from the Denver area and live on several acres with our dogs, horses, race cars, FJ-40s and a cat. We are learning to do things like grow our own hay, and we have built a shop to house all our projects. I work at a very small local hospital and I love being a part of the community here. I have spent my life 4-wheeling and showing horses; we love to hike and explore in our free time. This will be my first season driving a race car and I am REALLY excited to learn! I have been co-driving for my husband for the past several seasons and I love the combination of 4-wheeling and speed. We travel to a lot of events around the country, and love to meet everyone!"

Occupation: RN
Birthday: July 18, 1984

Ladies Offroad Network Events Attended: 
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Questions & Answers

Kimberly Sparrow-Ladies Offroad Network MemberAbout Kimberly:

Q: What is your favorite color?
A: "I love color! But often find myself drawn to red or gray."

Q: What is your favorite food?
A: "All food, any food…. I love to cook and make fun changes to basics like mashed potatoes and mac-n-cheese. I will always be down for taco night though!."

Q: Do you have kids? 
A: "No children."

Q: Do you have any pets?
A: "I have three dogs, four horses and a cat. Our Chihuahuas Maya and Chimmi are our indoor pets and they do travel with us to everything from horse shows to races. Luna is the very large black lab, and she is terrified of loud noises. She will help with all of the chores and things that go along with ‘ranch life’ including dutifully running along with the horses while we ride. Her new favorite thing is her blankie that she curls up with on the couch. The race car is her least favorite thanks to all the noise it makes. But she is getting so much better! Our four horses are actually my life long projects. I have had all of them since they were between 5 months to a year of age, and have raised and trained them all myself. My newest addition is just a year old and was actually trained and shown by a very good friend of mine as a ‘yearling’ and has a reserve world title from the APHA World show this year. She will start training to be under saddle this winter so I can ride her next summer in some horse shows. My second youngest is my two year old Charlotte, I took her to the World Show in 2016 and got a top ten, she is now in training to be ridden, and my goal is to show her this year and return to the American Paint Horse World Show in 2018. Beau is my husbands ranch horse and is an absolute flirt with the ladies. He is just the biggest cuddle bug we own and also has a very weird obsession with motorized objects. He eats trucks if they are in reach and loves the race car, he will follow the tractor around and I am convinced he would climb into a car if he could get himself to fit! Scooby is my oldest horse at 10 years old and he has a reserve world title as well as many top tens at shows around the country. He is a little bit of a jerk, but he is my special jerk! I am trying to condition him for a potential return to the show ring in 2018."

Kimberly Sparrow-Ladies Offroad Network MemberQ: Do you take your pets off-roading?
A: "All of the dogs go on our safer, more tame adventures, and they are always in the camper! We don’t take them on the harder trails that would result in dangerous roll overs, but when we take the jeep or the cruiser out we take everyone along! Chimmi is a very seasoned co-dog and has even done the Rubicon with me. Maya had a bad time with horrible car sickness the first year I took her to Moab so we are more careful with her."

 

Kimberly's Off-Road Facts:

Q: Is your whole family into off-roading?
A: "I guess you could say that, I have a small family, so the few of us there are do 4wheel…My husband is huge into 4-wheeling and so is my dad. I have many family friends that I grew up with that all wheel. Most of our friends are from the off-road community in some form or another."

Q: Are you usually the driver or the co-driver?
A: "Both! I started as a driver of my own rig, but the last two years I have been focused on being a co-driver. I am actually getting back into the driver’s seat in 2018 as a 4800 competitor as well as continuing as Hunter’s co-driver in the 4400 class."

Q: How often do you get to go off-roading?
A:  "We try to go once a month!"

Q: How did you get started in the off-road world?
A: "I was pretty much born into it. My dad wheeled for fun before I was born, and my family continued my whole childhood. My dad was president of TLCA for a few years and was involved in Cruise Moab for the first several years. We still go wheeling when we aren’t racing or at horse shows, though it is hard to find time for a casual trip!"

Kimberly Sparrow-Ladies Offroad Network MemberQ: Where is your favorite place to wheel?
A: "For the challenge, I would say Rubicon or South Dakota. Very technical trails that can really challenge a driver. As far as sheer beauty, and sentimentality, it would be Moab. I grew up wheeling there and have driven most of those trails many times through the highs and lows in my life."

Q: How are you active in the off-road world?
A: "We are currently focusing our efforts on the racing side of things lately, but we have a very active club in our area that we try to support them when we can."

Q: What is on your off-roading bucket-list?
A: " want to get back to the Rubicon, I would love to finish some trails in Moab in BFE as a driver, and I want to drive King of The Hammers!"

 

Kimberly's Off-Road Stories:

Q: What is your most memorable off-road moment?
A: "I have been very blessed to spend my life involved in this industry, and I have many memories. South Dakota to California, and all of the (mis)adventures I have had are too numerous for this page! Someday around a campfire maybe…."

Q: What was your first wheeling trip?
A: "I honestly don’t know!"

Kimberly Sparrow-Ladies Offroad Network MemberQ: What was your longest wheeling trip?
A: "Rubicon, the year we did the three day trip into the springs!"

Q: What was your favorite wheeling trip?
A: "I love them all for different reasons, so it is hard to pick a favorite."

 

All About the Ladies:

Q: Who do you look up to in the industry? Why?
A: "People who have made this into a profitable endeavor! I admire anyone who has their own business."

Q: How do you feel as a woman in the offroad industry?
A: "I have grown up doing this and in the Toyota Land Cruiser Association, I never had a hard time. I have noticed some ignorance among the non-professional set out on trails or in conversations. Growing up wheeling, I just shrug these people off and do my own thing. At times I feel like my husband does get faster and more concrete responses from companies. That said, at SEMA I was impressed that not a single company treated me any different! I was shown the same respect and attention as everyone there and that was a great feeling! I have always wanted to be a great driver, a great racer, and good at what I do, period. I just strive to be the best I can no matter gender, and I expect the same respect from my peers so that is how I conduct myself! If someone can’t handle that I just ignore them."

Kimberly Sparrow-Ladies Offroad Network MemberQ: Give us a story, any story, about educating, guiding, empowering ladies in the off-road, past or future:
A: 
"I would love to see an education platform for everyone in wheeling. Simple things like trail etiquette, basic wheeling and parts. There was a moment in one of the lady forums that turned me away from being involved and made me rethink how we treat everyone in this industry. I was chastised because I spoke more about my race car that I co-drove for, then my ‘own jeep’. I decided right there to leave that online group and distance myself from them. I don’t want to be involved with a group that won’t let someone participate because they don’t have their own car or the right type of car. I feel like getting people to come together and just wheel is important. Many people, both men and women may feel like they can’t join in because they don’t know enough, or their car is stock, or all they have is an old truck. I have a family member who is taking over co-driving for someone and she is new to off-roading. She is learning everything and willing to do so, but some groups, even ladies only, would not welcome her because she ‘doesn’t have her own jeep’. Boo! Motivating ladies to say ‘hey I don’t drive, I may never be a mechanic, but I want to be comfortable behind the wheel, and know what general parts are,’ is super important! If we can start educating ladies that its ok to only want a basic level of knowledge we can get more women out there, that may grow to, ‘now I want to know everything about this!’"

Q: What changes have you noticed in the off-road industry?
A: "It has become more mainstream, and much more popular. These are both positive and negative changes. Trails are getting over run, since there are not many new trails, perhaps even fewer trails then when I was growing up. The popularity makes it harder for our trails to be closed, but the destruction of nature fuels the fire of debate over access. I also see a lot more bad behavior on trails. I was raised super respectful with a bunch of old school wheelers that drilled trail etiquette into me from the beginning and I have seen a sharp decline in that! I would love to see this change, but I feel like it is so much more than just a ‘wheeling’ problem."

Kimberly Sparrow-Ladies Offroad Network MemberQ: What advice do you have for ladies who want to get started off-roading?
A:  "Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know or are nervous. I have learned to always ask questions, even if you are afraid it will annoy someone or make you look like you don’t know anything. Asking questions is the only way you will ever learn, and someone may teach you something awesome! Try things, touch all the parts, get your hands in that grease, and don’t be afraid to rock a manicure while you do it(gel survives almost everything)!"

 

Kimberly's Vehicle:

About Kimberly's vehicle:
"1976 FJ-40  and a tube chassis home built complete and custom 2014 JK Rubicon X"

Vehicle Name: '76- Ghost Rider and Tube chassis is Wasabi

Q: Is your vehicle a Daily Driver?
A: "No to the 1976 and yes for my 2014 JK"

Q: Do you work on your own vehicle?
Kimberly Sparrow-Ladies Offroad Network MemberA: "I work on my 1976 FJ-40, my JK which is currently stock and I have recently taken over Wasabi and can call her ‘mine’. Hunter encourages me to try it for myself before I call him over to do something, sometimes much to my own frustration. But it has helped me learn a lot! There isn’t much that we don’t do on our own cars unless it is warranty type work on our tow rigs"

Q: What is the best modification you have done to your vehicle?
A: "Probably the Chevy 350 in my cruiser, or the fuel injection."

Racer Information:

Team Name: Sparrow Motorsports

Type of Racing: Ultra4 and Dirt Riot

List Career Statistics/Wins: Co-driver 2015/2016/2017

Sponsors: Dutchman Motorsports, Raceline Wheels, J.E. Reel, Mechman, Advance Adapters, Corbeau, Fox, KC Hilites, Be Cool Radiators, Redline, Strictly Crawlers, Barnes 4WD, Optima, Outer Limit Supply

Q: How do you prepare for competition?
Kimberly Sparrow-Ladies Offroad Network MemberA:
"Hunter is very detail oriented and we make sure to check all of the wear parts on the car so we are as confident as we can be in the car itself. Our enclosed trailer is our race trailer, so I always check that all of our needs will be met with supplies in the trailer. I am a creature of comfort, so I always make sure I have really comfy travel clothes and blankets and pillows so our drive to races and down time is cozy. On race day I have to force myself to eat and breakfast wraps seem to be my best bet. I like to see my course several times before I am really comfortable with it, races where that isn’t possible (KOH and previously Sierra Blanca, Fallon) I like to memorize the overhead map so I have a reference point in my memory of major events(complicated turns, check-points, drop offs), the order of obstacles, gates etc.. Running through qualifiers several times to develop muscle memory, and deep breathing have all helped me get through the adrenaline to a calm and focused place at the start line. One of my main things is my Onward, energy drinks make my stomach a little woozy but this product helps me focus and gives a lot of energy without the jitters. I sip on it before a race to help fight off seat fatigue that can happen after a few hours."

Q: What is your favorite part about racing?
A: "I love the challenge. Racing does not always go well, but even when you break you end up with amazing stories, adventures and hopefully friends. Our most arduous and trying races have ended up being my favorite because we were surrounded by good people and learned a lot. Hot dogs, deer calling, pit art and crafts time… all of the little things that it has taken to do these races are what make racing such an amazing sport to be a part of!"


Author:  Kimberly Sparrow


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