Behind The Wheel - #10 - Tulsa Howard
Some people get their love of cars from what they see pass by on the street, and some people have a strong connection to a specific type of car because of the family it reminds them of. Tulsa Howard is from a small town in Oklahoma and has 3 kids, a bunch of animals, and of course, 2 Mustangs. Tulsa originally went to school for automotive technology and decided that wasn’t for her, so she now finds her weekdays spent in finance. 2 years ago, Tulsa bought her first Mustang which helped her get into the car scene and since then, she has found herself involved in both show cars and drag cars.
Tulsa got her passion of cars, specifically Mustangs, from growing up around her mother who owned a 1967 Mustang. From as young as she can remember she was surrounded by cars shows and drag racing and it ignited a flame in her that she is finally able to live herself. Tulsa’s favorite car growing up was a bright yellow Plymouth Roadrunner that she can remember from 4 years old. Tulsa first got to race because of the people she met in the car scene she says, “All my friends race and I didn’t want to be left out. I decided I was going to do it with everyone else, if they can do it, I can do it!”.
Tulsa has found herself in 2 Women & Wheels classes, both in OKC, but she finds time bettering her driving skills at test-n-tune all the time. She was drawn to the women’s class because she knew her car wouldn’t eb competitive in the 12.0 class and as she says, “I’m competitive, but I’m slow, I wanted something I could fit in to even if I didn’t have the fastest car. Just like Tiffany (Hockett) who won in her Tahoe, it’s just for everyone”. Her favorite memory from the class she told me was, “When Stephanie and I were pulling up, there was a wreck right before us. We talked forever and it was like a sisterhood, it’s like you’ve been best friends forever even though you’ve only known each other for hours”.
Tulsa finds herself behind the wheels of 2 different Mustangs. She has been currently racing a 2019 Mustang Bullitt that is pretty much stock with a small number of modifications. She also owns a 2013 Mustang GT that is currently getting the rear end rebuilt, has Kooks headers, is straight-piped, tuned, and has cosmetic modifications. Tulsa told me since she has a passion for both drag racing and car shows she wants to eventually turn the Bullitt Mustang into a show car, and start racing her 2013 Mustang GT. Tulsa is very hopeful to see herself owning a Foxbody sometime in the near future to add to her collection.
Surrounded by major influences, Tulsa tells me about all of the people she looks up to, and people that are out there just to support her. Her role model is Jodi Bonds, “She’s a hard worker, she wrapped her own car and I love to brag about her and it’s not even my car! She’s been a mother figure to me and I'm really proud of her, she has been behind me ever since I got involved”. She tells me about the support she gets at the track, “Jodi, everyone in Women & Wheels, Stephanie, Tiffany, anyone that has anything to do with Women & Wheels are really supportive. I didn’t think I was going to find that. I came in really guarded, opened up, and just felt like I belonged”.
Tulsa said Women & Wheels has made a difference in her life when it comes to racing, “It’s made me more confident. I was really guarded and I worry other women are going to judge me. I had to tear down those walls and made the best friends I have”. Tulsa’s advice to other women would be, “Reach out to anyone if you want to get involved, me, Sophie, there are plenty of women you can just reach out to. Even if you think they won’t accept you, take that first step because they will. You have to tear that wall down, even if you think you’re too ‘slow’, you’re not”.
Tulsa can be found on IG @belle5.0