Daria's Race Car Plate
Press Release
Female Racer-Turned-Writer Brings Story of Aspiring Woman NASCAR Driver to New York Television Festival.
ONANCOCK, VA September 27, 2005
Daria Finn, former female NASCAR short-track racer is hoping for a new kind of first place finish: a place in the winners circle at this years inaugural New York Television Festival. As art imitates life, this racer-turned-writer has created a TV series called SECOND WIND based, in part, on her racing experiences at New Jerseys now defunct Flemington Speedway.
Finn, who now lives in Virginia, grew up in New Jersey and is no stranger to storytelling. Her play PANDORAS BOX was selected as a finalist in the 1998 WOMAN WORK series at Luna Stage Company in Montclair, NJ. That success gave way to a full production in 1999 at Theatre Project, an artsy black box theatre in Baltimore. Jack Purdy, theatre critic for Baltimores City Paper had this to say about Finns writing potential: That playwright Daria Finn could create such a fully rounded character in just 20 minutes of stage time bodes well for her future work.
The future turned out to be heading for the small screen, so when Finn wanted to embark on shooting a pilot about her racing experiences she enlisted the help of her younger brother, Filmmakers Alliance Vice President, Liam Finn. Filmmakers is an LA based company that supports independent filmmakers. Liam recounted, She said she wanted to make a pilot on $3000 dollars. I told her she was crazy, that it couldnt be done. But of course you cant stop her if shes set on something, so we did it.
Her father, Patrick Finn, a CBS cameraman, spent his lifetime shooting everything from the nightly news to soap operas. Her mother Joan wrote for the local paper while raising a brood of 5. Moms pages won numerous awards and many a night was spent doing theatre reviews. Parents have a lot more influence than you want to admit. My brother picked up the camera, and I picked up the pen. Given that family background, a TV pilot seems like fate. said Finn.
Finn feels you have to go for what you want. You cannot let others define you. Thats the spirit that got Finn racing, even though it meant being the only woman on the track. Shes still fired up about Danica Patricks fourth place finish in the Indy 500. Danica took the lead with seven laps to go. I watched the crowd; I mean the whole stadium really, rise to their feet, cheering her on. Tears started rolling down my cheek. I knew it was a clear sign that the world really wants heroes. That they want people who fight the odds, they want to see a person whose spirit can inspire them. I knew I had that story.
New York Television Festival is September 28 through October 3, in various locations around Greenwich Village.
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