MARCH 2019 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: JADE RASDAN

With March being nearly over, I figured I'd get to posting up our spotlight! March’s member feature is our very own “Fearless Leader”, Jade Rasdan.


What prompted you to start Iron Range Area Car Enthusiasts?
About 10 years ago, I met some individuals in Virginia, MN who were passionate about cars like I was. We all just became friends due to our interests. All of us were young, in college, working part-time jobs and modifying cars wasn’t on the forefront of our finances. But the passion still grows!
We were like a “club” from the start but not necessarily projecting ourselves in such a way. I started iRace in 2016 because I had this idea about getting other car enthusiasts on the Iron Range involved in something. We’re all passionate about the same thing. Why not make a community? There are plenty of people out there who want to share their projects. What better way to do that than to start a club? There are some other clubs up here in Northern Minnesota, but they are exclusive to an era or group and most of us don’t fit the criteria.
I wanted to make something that was friendly, and open to all car makes and models. Anyone who has a car they are passionate about can find their place in iRace. Everyone has their own preferences, but I think everyone has more fun when there is variety.
Everyone is welcome to an iRace meet – don’t feel pressured to show up with something spectacular. Most of the time I show up in my work beater. If your projects are up and running, bring them out!

How old were you when you started being interested in cars?
I think that I was about 14 or 15 before I realized that I had a love for cars. On long trips I would count each sports car that I would see. Suddenly, I was taking pictures of all the cool cars I would find “out in the wild”. My dad really enjoyed cars when he was younger and I think his passion for cars influenced me. “Chip off the ‘ole block” as he says.

What cars have you owned? What kind of car(s) do you own now?
1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse. I’ve also owned a 2009 BMW 335xi which was a glorious piece of machinery. I’m almost being sarcastic, but that car was amazing to drive. I currently own a 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX STI with a modification list a mile long.

Which do you prefer: Imports or Domestic? Why?
I don’t have a preference when it comes to either. I have only owned imports, but I have this soft spot for C6 Corvettes. I’ve nearly bought a C6 Corvette but, the deals have fallen through every time. It’s not my time yet!

What is your most current project? How long have you been working on it?
I wouldn’t say it’s “my” current project, but a project I’ve picked up from my friend Dave Rasmussen which is the 2004 STI I currently own. I purchased the car right after Powercruise in 2018.

What was your very first car?
My first car was a 1998 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS. There is a story behind it.
Besides having a major soft sport for Corvettes, I absolutely love 2G Mitsubishi Eclipses. I was 17 years old and I was out of town for the weekend. It was a Friday. My dad was out of town for work so my poor mother was by herself. She decided to go up to Fortune Bay. She was playing a slot machine and ended up winning a fair sum of money.
The next day she was volunteering at the Lion’s Club Food Wagon for the Babbitt Peter Mitchell Days. While she was walking up to the wagon, she noticed a young man pulling up in a car at the gas station. He proceeded to park the car in the grass. He got out and placed some “For Sale” signs on the windows of the car. My mom was looking at the car, but she wasn’t completely sure if it was the Mitsubishi Eclipse I always talked about. When she approached the car to check it out, it ended up being a Mitsubishi Eclipse.
The young man was still at the car, so she had asked him what he wanted for the car. The amount of money my mom had won at the casino was exactly the amount he was asking. How ironic! My dad arrived the next day to check things over and it was a solid car. 109k miles. 5 speed. Silver. Unfortunate hail damage, but it wasn’t bad. Suddenly, I got a picture message of a car on my tiny flip phone with a message that said, “I bought a toy!” from my mother.  
I couldn’t tell what the car was because the picture was so small. When I arrived home on Sunday, I noticed there was a Mitsubishi Eclipse parked in the driveway. I was over the moon when I realized that’s what my mom bought. My mom bought me a car?! She says “NO, I DIDN’T BUY YOU A CAR – IT’S MINE!” – but then she let me drive it anyways. It was gifted to me as a graduation present and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to own one of my favorite cars at such a young age. I called this car “‘Sino”, short for “Casino” due to that being the only reason I ended up with it. It wasn’t anything special for sure being that it was only a GS, but it pushed me into having a passion for cars.  


What are your other hobbies besides cars?
I enjoy playing video games. I have plenty of consoles and I Twitch stream my gameplay. I have about $750 into my setup so far. You can find my Twitch page at www.twitch.tv/rahze. I don’t have a set schedule right now, so I just stream when I have time and when I feel well enough.
I like riding motorcycles! I started on dirt bikes at 11 years old. I own a 2017 Yamaha FZ-07 that I bought brand new. Previously, I owned a 2004 Suzuki GSX-R600 that I regret selling. I’m looking to sell the FZ-07 to get back on a sportbike. I truly miss my GSX-R and wouldn’t mind picking up another GSX-R600 or an R6.
I pole dance for fun and for exercise. It’s a pretty strenuous workout and it’s fun. I started in 2011 and I’ve been on and off with it ever since. I own a professional grade 45MM Gold Titanium XPERT X-Pole with a pile of extensions to fit any height of ceiling. Probably the best $500 I’ve ever spent back in 2014. You’d be surprised how difficult pole dancing is. I have an immense respect for women who do this on a competition level. They make it look effortless and I hope to one day progress to that level!
I have a grey Lionhead rabbit named Tucker. He’s proven to be one of the best pets I’ve ever owned. They’re like cats where they can be litter box trained and they can free roam around your house like a dog, or a cat! They’re incredibly smart and full of personality. I couldn’t be happier with my little bunny.