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If you've ever wondered what "the essence of racing" smells like, Burnt Rubbèr, a new fragrance from Sunoco—yes, the fuel of NHRA, IndyCar, and NASCAR—has answers. How does Sunoco juice really smell? Inspired by smoked tire, the unisex aroma reminds me of a new car on the hottest days of summer, and it's quite racy—a shot of espresso for the nose. But the rare scent isn't available for purchase: Like respect on the road, it can only be won.
We caught up with National Hot Rod Association drag racer and face of Burnt Rubbèr, Courtney Force, to find out what chargrilled asphalt means to a real race car driver, and what she wears off the track.
How does Burnt Rubbèr smell and does it remind you of anything?
Burnt rubber is the sole smell of the racetrack. The smell of the nitro that burns out of our header pipes at over 300 mph, the burning smell of the tires when they strike the asphalt. The smell reminds me of my childhood at the racetrack and the scent that floated across the campgrounds and through the pit areas of burning nitro. It reminds me of when I used to sit in the stands with my sisters to watch our dad race, and of the team dynamic in the pit that we had. It reminds me of the smell of a win after a long, hard-fought day and the winner's circle celebration with your team. That smell you can sense from a mile away when the race cars are up on the jack stands in the pit for a warm-up with the motor fired up and the fuel turned on, and that yellow smoke that fills the air that burns everyone's eyes across the pit area. The scent reminds me of all the hard-working crew guys on our team after a long day working to rebuild the motor between every round, and the smell that stains our fire suits after a race at over 300 mph. It starts with our burnout on the racetrack, warming up our tires, backing the car up through the smoke-filled air and the hit of the throttle when we launch off the starting as the fuel gets burned through our motor and out our header pipes. This smell fills the driver's cockpit when we drive from 0 to 1,000 feet in just four seconds, and it continues to build stronger as the car gets darker inside and filled with clutch dust. But as a kid, the first time I smelled this was at the racetrack on my dad's race worn fire suit.
That's very intense. Beyond Burnt Rubbèr, what are some of your favorite fragrances?
One of my all-time favorite fragrances is DKNY Be Delicious. It's refreshing and fruity or citrusy, and I always get compliments when I wear this. Also, I've always been obsessed with any of the sweet-smelling perfumes like Britney Spears Believe and Fantasy and Paris Hilton perfume.
Walk me through your pre-race beauty routine.
My pre-race look is of course clean hair, which I normally curl since it's less obvious I have 'helmet hair' by the end of the day. As for my face, it's always washed clean and I always apply sunscreen with at least SPF 15 before anything. I do full but natural makeup application, obviously nothing too extreme or dramatic since I am getting right into a thick fire suit and putting on a helmet. However, I'm lucky to have found great powder with SPF, like pressed Glo Minerals powder, eyeliner, and mascara that doesn't smear or run if I'm sweating at the end of a race day, and of course Chapstick and maybe even red lipstick, plus my fire suit is red. Lastly, I won't leave the hotel without a swipe of deodorant and a couple spritzes of perfume.
What's your post-race beauty regimen?
Post-race when I'm still at the racetrack and have TV interviews or autograph signings or meet-and-greets, I only have time for a quick fix. At this point, I go straight for deodorant and my Garnier facial towelettes to remove any face makeup and especially the excessive amounts of clutch dust that covers my face, giving it a grayish tint, and then if I have time I quickly reapply powder, mascara, lipstick, and perfume.
