NASCAR RaceDay on SPEED Real Deal feature reporter Wendy Venturini. (SPEED PR Photo)

Wendy Venturini, whose signature "Real Deal" feature interviews on NASCAR RaceDay have become a highlight of the popular SPEED live pre-race show, is heading to familiar ground this weekend, when NASCAR heads to Chicago. Below is an excerpt from a Q&A with Wendy:

"My great-grandfather emigrated from Italy to Chicago in 1927. He owned a neighborhood restaurant. My grandfather, Tony Venturini, became an Amoco service station owner and was the first of three generations of drivers. My father, Bill Venturini, and my only brother, Billy Venturini III, followed my grandfather's footsteps. My grandfather raced from 1952-1959 in the Hurricane Hot Rod Association promoted by Andy Granetelli. Grandpa competed with racing legends Fred Lorenzen and Tiger Tom Pistone. My father worked as a service mechanic at my grandfather's station in Chicago. In 1973, my father married my mother, Cathy, and began their honeymoon at Rockford Speedway in Rockford, Illinois. My brother was born in 1976, and dad ran late models at Rockford until 1977.

"Next, he began running USAC in 1978 (they had a stock car division back then). I was born in the off-season of 1979 and attended my first race that same year at Texas World Speedway. Throughout the early 80's, dad then ran ASA, Artco and IRA. My parents also purchased their first Amoco service station. In 1983, dad began a very successful career in the ARCA series. He became a two-time ARCA Champion. He holds the all-time ARCA speed record of 205.432 posted at Talladega in 1987, winning the championship that same year. By this time, they owned three Amoco gas stations and a car wash. My mother has always played a major role in the family business.

"Dad was the first driver to have an all-female pit crew. From 1982-88, my mother was the front tire changer. She believed in strong family values and took my brother and me to nearly every race. We always traveled as a family -- mostly in a white cube truck dad converted to a cozy form of transportation. In 1989, dad had a near-fatal accident, breaking his neck in his first Winston Cup race at Michigan. After a short recovery, he was back in a car and won another ARCA championship in 1991.