Journalist/author/racing car driver, she's been around long enough to remember running boards, but not gas headlamps. As a driver she has won trophies on three continents in rallying and racing. Chief among her victories: first GT, Sebring (Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta); Copa de Damas, Grand Prix of Venezuela (Porsche 550 RS); 1st in class, Rallye de Monte Carlo (Ford Falcon).

As a journalist she is the only woman to have won the Ken W. Purdy Award for automotive journalism. She was in at the inception of Competition Press which is now AutoWeek (for which she now writes a monthly column "Now and Then") and she has a syndicated column called "Drive, She Said" in some 90 newspapers across the US and Canada.

A specialist in four-wheel-drive, Mead has worked as an off-road editor for CNN/fn. She has been a participating journalist on four Camel Trophy adventures, considered the world's most grueling 4X4 trip. She has been a co-driver and driver in the Baja 1000 and a codriver in the Paris-Dakar Rally. Mead has also participated in three record-setting adventure drives: The Arctic Circle Challenge '95, the Tip to Tip Challenge '96, and the TransAmerica Challenge '97.

She has authored two books, "Monster Trucks and Tractors," and "Off Road Racing: Legends and Adventures. Sue is a member of the International Motor Press Association, the New England Motor Press Association, the North American Car and Truck of the Year Jury, the Women's Automotive Journalists association.

A Summary of Automotive Credits and Accomplishments

Test driver for Four Wheeler Magazine; participated in Four Wheeler Magazine's "Four Wheeler Evaluation of the Year" -- evaluation which included the first feedback from women. Has evaluated every 4WD vehicle in the U.S. market and driven over 500 new model cars and trucks.

Selected as a participating journalist on four Camel Trophy events, considered the world's most grueling 4WD adventure; she was the first female journalist to attend from the U.S. and the only female to participate in four events. Team member on the Arctic Circle Challenge, a 1,000-mile 4WD event using stock Ford Explorers to drive to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in the winter; the only female on the sixperson team. Team member on the Tip to Tip Challenge '96, a 6,000- mile record-setting drive from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, to Key West, Florida; the only female on the six-person team that drove non-stop for 99 hours to set an endurance record. Team member on the TransAmerica Challenge '97, a record breaking drive through all 48 states, establishing a 114-hour endurance record. Co-driver for Rod Hall, the legendary "winningest racer of the Baja 1000"; co-driver for Darren Skilton, Baja and SCORE champion. Media photographer for Chrysler's Jeep Jamboree events and Camp Jeep. Organized the first and second Alaska Chrysler-sponsored Jeep Jamboree USA. Along with Gwenn Perkins of the Orvis Company, led a "For Women Only: Fly Fishing and Four Wheeling" event in Colorado.