Behind the Scenes with Anders Hainer
5/10/2006 - For a third consecutive season, Boris Said and Anders Hainer have joined forces in the Grand-Am Cup series. They are co-piloting the No. 97 Turner Motorsport/Under Armour/ BMW M3 with the hopes of winning their first championship in the Cup series. Hainer began road racing in the mid 1990's in his Porsche 911 GT3. Over the years, he scored multiple wins and podium finishes in POC, PCA, SCCA, and NASA, including class and overall wins at the famous former Street Races of L.A. In 2003, he and Steve Cross took the GT3 win in the Tribute to Lemans Enduro. Hainer teamed with Said in 2004 in a Nissan 350Z, capturing his first professional win in the Grand-Am Cup Series, and had some additional top 3 finishes that year. The two continued their success in 2005 by racing an Anchor Racing/Under Armour/BMW M3, securing two podiums and one top five finish. Between his busy work and race schedule, I visited Anders at his home in Hidden Hills, California.

Anders' gorgeous home is nestled in the city of Hidden Hills, between the western foothills of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County and the Ventura County line. While he relies on his Cayenne Turbo to navigate through the mountains, his daily commuter is a Porsche 911S Convertible. Very much a family man, Anders enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife Julie and their three children Jasmine, Alexandra, and Erik. During their free time, the Hainers swim in their pool and race each other on their electric go-karts and ATV's in their spacious backyard.

Born and raised in Sweden, Anders describes his life as a dream come true. He's been through plenty of challenges, but he definitely feels like a blessed man. As a child, he competed in local downhill slalom races. "I started downhill racing at the age of twelve," said Hainer. "It was a full time commitment, since I competed all over Sweden. My parents supported me tremendously in everything that I wanted to do, even though money was very scarce. It's a great learning lesson to see your parents sacrifice everything for their children". When he turned 18, he moved to France to pursue a pro-speed-skiing career. For 12 years, the talented skier competed throughout Europe, United States, and Asia. "There is nothing like going down hill at over 130mph," he said. "You're on the edge, and the fear of death start up the survival instincts, which combined with the desire to go faster than anyone else has ever done on skis, makes it a very interesting mental and physical challenge that generates tons of adrenaline and endorphin production." The young athlete further fueled his passion for speed during non-race weekends by driving his car through the European Alps and on the German Autobahn.

"I always loved cars and motorcycles," he said. Even though the minimum age for a driver's license was eighteen in Sweden, Anders couldn't wait to have his own car. "When I was fourteen, my friend and I bought an Opel for $75, which we drove on gravel country roads," he laughed. A year later, he acquired a 1969 Mustang Fastback by trading in his skis, leather jacket, and stereo. Anders would secretly drive his car around town, never getting caught.

At 23, Hainer moved to the US to further pursue skiing sponsorship opportunities. As the economic downturn hit in the early 90's, Anders refocused his energy into becoming a successful businessman. A few years after learning the ropes in manufacturing garments; Anders and his wife founded A.P.S., Inc., an apparel company that manufactures and develops clothing for companies like Under Armour and Adidas, etc. "We have always been very dedicated in making the business a success. For many years, Julie and I worked day and night and took little time off. I believe that my competitive mentality can only accept that we try to be the very best at what we do." once the company began to thrive and an excellent staff and management were in place, Anders' hunger for speed and competition resurfaced. "I had this void that needed to be filled," he explained. "I also needed a mental break a few weekends a year from the stress of running a business." With an understanding wife, Anders and his friend Steve Cross commissioned a Porsche 911 GT3 to be built for PCA and POC.

The Swede proved to be a natural on the race track. "I fell in love with racing from the start. You get to be a kid out there," he said. "The greatest thrill about racing is battling for position with other cars on the track." In 2004, Anders began racing pro in the Grand-Am Cup series. "I wanted a team mate with great road racing experience and a positive spirit." Through an advice of a friend, and with the help of Jackson Stewart and Mike Cronin Sr. at Unitech Racing, Anders teamed with legendary driver, Boris Said. The two co-piloted a Nissan 350Z scoring one win and multiple podium finishes. Hainer enjoyed racing with the talented driver, who served as a great mentor. With Boris as his coach, Hainer's driving skills quickly excelled. Soon enough, Hainer was able to capture pole positions and run in the front during the Grand-Am Cup races.

In 2005, Hainer shared driving duties in the No. 99 Anchor Racing/Under Armour/BMW M3 with Boris Said and Joey Hand. Although racing for a rookie team was challenging at times, Hainer scored two podiums and one top five finish. He also developed close bonds with the team members and team owner, John Munson. "John is a great guy. I will be racing with him in the SCCA Mazda MX-5 series, and I'm looking forward to having fun again this year with the Anchor team," said Hainer. "We had such a blast last year with all the drivers and crew on John's team. There were many great moments hanging out with those guys, and that is a big part of what makes racing fun".

It is going to be a busy season for Anders. "Along with running in the Cup and MX-5 series, I also plan to run a few races in the Porsche Club." Anders is pleased with the Turner Motorsport Team and their ability to build championship winning cars. "I am really impressed with this team in everything that they do. So far, it has been a great experience."

While Anders hopes to win the GS title with Said, his biggest goal is to have fun at the track. "I'm a very competitive person and I always want to win. But, I'm also here to have a good time," he said. With Anders' hunger and determination to conquer any challenge, he is on his way to winning the coveted crown.

from www.theracesite.com

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