Kristen Brown

Kristen's borderline unhealthy obsession with all things automotive manifested itself when she was knee high to a grasshopper handing tools to her colorfully cursing sailor of a father under one of his many 70's Chevy Nova's. Soon after, she was promoted from Tool Monkey to Apprentice, and learning about cars became more of a hands-on experience. Auto mechanics was her first true love.

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As her education furthered, she discovered a few more things to obsess over: writing and photography. As an avid reader of several automotive magazines and watcher of Top Gear, the idea of pursuing automotive journalism struck her like lightning. In September of 2018, Kristen was able to have her first article published by Team Valvoline, talking about car camping.

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Then California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) came into the picture. There, she pitched the idea of making an automotive section to the newspaper team with the idea of creating content appealing to those who wanted to take care of their car on a tight budget. Soon after, the articles about camping and off-roading respectfully (and locally), buying used cars, and vehicular safety became weekly additions. 

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She also runs a trail review blog, and a well-followed dedicated Instagram page for her Subaru Forester (named Penelope Cruise) and the muddy adventures that follow suit.

 

Since then, she's worked as an Intern at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca's Media Center and was then hired full-time as the Digital Media Specialist, has worked closely with the founder of Athena Racing, and has been featured on TODAY. Additionally, she's been fortunate enough to conduct interviews with Corrina Graff of Netflix's Hyperdrive, serial Laguna Seca lap record holder Randy Pobst, and female racing powerhouses such as Hannah Grisham and Stephanie Cemo. At Laguna Seca, she's had the pleasure of interviewing INDYCAR drivers Jimmie Johnson, Graham Rahal, Scott Dixon, Markus Ericcson, Conor Daly, and Alex Palou.

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As far as photography is concerned, she's had several features of her works on Laguna Seca's social media pages, as well as Vintage Motorsports Magazine and Autoweek. As a student, she's also taken home a third place award for Best Inside Newspaper Spread for an original photo and story at the CCMA's.

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Since 2023, she's been reviewing new cars, SUVs, trucks, hybrids, EVs, PHEVs, sports, and luxury cars to test their family-friendliness by packing her two toddler daughters in their front and rear-facing car seats in them.