By Erin Newton
Adversity is something that we all endure. Far too many people are dealing with serious challenges, such as a lack of purpose and deteriorating mental health. However, when someone experiences these adversities, they can still find the power to create incredibly important things. Transition Autosport is an example of something important built out of adversity.
This team is a prime example of how life’s battles must be fought, not avoided. Dennis Short, the founder, never gave up on his dream of racing, and because he kept fighting, Transition Autosport was born. Dennis has experienced struggles with gender identity and depression since he was a young boy, but he didn’t succumb to these struggles. Instead, he found a purpose in modifying cars and racing. A love for cars helped Dennis cope with his depressive thoughts—and it also brought Transition Autosport to fruition.
How The Motorsport Journey Began
After following the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) on Speedvision, Dennis realized his passion for road racing. Shortly after discovering the BTCC in 1995, he bought a new Saturn SW2. Although he didn’t think he would race his new car, Dennis was sure he wanted to modify it.
His ultimate goal was to have a sporty street car, so Dennis got to work looking for parts. He soon connected with Saturn Performance Systems (SPS), a company that specialized in aftermarket performance parts for Saturns. SPS was generous with Dennis, who was only a newbie at the time. They gave him parts for low prices, but the deal was as follows: Dennis had to take his car to sport compact car shows to promote SPS and their parts.
The Dream Starts to Become a Reality
By the time 1999 rolled around, SPS sponsored a track day for their customers hosted at the Putnam Park Road Course in Meridian, IN. Dennis attended and was paired with Mark Rushbrook, a veteran SCCA driver. Under Mark’s wing, Dennis received instructions about driving lines, braking, and accelerating.
One comment stood out to Dennis and gave him hope. Mark said to Dennis, “Your driving is smooth. You’re going to make a great race car driver.” Over the next two years, Dennis worked on his 1995 Saturn SW2, preparing it for competition. He gained experience as a driver by competing in time trail events and track days hosted by the Eastern Motor Racing Association.
D&N Motorsports is Born
Transition Autosport isn’t Dennis’ first foray into the motorsport world. He and his then-wife Nicole founded D&N Motorsports in 2001 after Dennis met the racing license requirements. Dennis competed in the street touring class with the Eastern Motor Racing Association (EMRA) that year, and in 2002, he also joined the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) to gain more track time. With all these successes and new adventures came challenges, though. Because it was hard managing the logistics and expenses of all these events, the team focused mainly on NASA events in 2003.
Stepping up to the USTCC
2004 was another big year for the D&N Motorsports team. They announced their entry into the United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC). Thanks to their hard work, they secured a couple of podium finishes, including a memorable race win at Summit Point Raceway. They did this even with an underpowered and heavy car. This win was a testament to the team’s perseverance and talent, but they knew they needed to improve their car, so they took a season off to do so.
Partnership with Hazardous Sports
By the 2006 season, the team re-entered the USTCC. This time, they partnered with Hazardous Sports, a motorsport apparel and accessory brand. This was an exciting time for the team, but it would end soon. 2006 would be the final season for the East Coast races because there wasn’t enough interest in the region to justify continuing USTCC races.
The End of D&N Motorsports
D&N Motorsports came to an end in 2006 as the relationship between Dennis and Nicole deteriorated. However, the team has a lot to be proud of because D&N was a truly successful endeavor. Although in 2007, Dennis attempted to continue the legacy of D&N Motorsports, changing the name to Menace Motorsport, but he didn’t have the budget to keep the operation going. Unfortunately, that same year, Dennis decided to shut the team down indefinitely.
The Plan: How Dennis Got Back Up
Dennis worked hard for nearly a decade, and in 2016, his financial situation was beginning to look up. He devised a plan to return to racing. To do so, Dennis planned to build a track car to attend track days and work on his driving skills in the lead-up to his retirement. Once he reached retirement age, he planned to build another racecar.
The Future: What Comes Next
Retirement has not yet come for Dennis, but it’s coming soon. In 2025, Dennis plans to retire from a career as a firefighter and begin building a new race car. When retirement comes, Transition Autosport will reach its full potential, too. For now, Dennis and the team are still a work in progress, keeping many details about Transition Autosport hush-hush.
As the team works to get Transition Autosport off the ground, they must put in long hours, hard work, and a lot of love. Dennis and the team are working to emerge with a new identity, and succeeding in this will undoubtedly be a formidable journey. As we know, though, Dennis is very familiar with formidable journeys.
Transition Autosport: Resilience in the Face of Adversity
After a lifetime of struggling with depression and gender identity and now near-retirement working to get Transition Autosport up and running, Dennis will not be brought down by adversity. Despite all the unique challenges, Dennis worked hard to face those struggles head-on. Transition Autosport would not be what it is today, if not for Dennis’ resilience and hard work. It’s been nearly thirty years since the purchase of that new Saturn SW2, and although much has changed—the determination, love for cars, and dream of being a race car driver have not changed at all.