Featured Female Drivers

Featured Female Drivers in all forms of Motorsports and Racing

Jody Perewitz – Land speed Motorcycle

April 4, 2017 // by Horsepower & Heels

For some, passion for speed and power is hardwired into their DNA. For New England native, Jody Perewitz, Land Speed Motorcycle racing was a natural-born evolution in her upbringing.

Born in Bridgewater, MA, Jody Perewitz has been on 2-wheels since she was old enough to walk. Her father, Dave Perewitz, has been involved in automotive customization since the late 1960’s. Opening his first shop in 1973, his focus shifted to 2-wheels as his lifelong passion of motorcycles became his calling via Perewitz Cycle Fab.

“My dad started working and painting cars with a bunch of friends on the late 60’s. He quickly moved on to motorcycles. He opened his first shop in 1973. He is still painting in our booth and wrenching on bikes.”

Growing up, Jody would tag along with her brother Jesse in everything he did. He had a passion for small engines, and Jody would often learn from him in his adventures.

When we were younger we would race in the woods or fields around our parents property. A few times we would race at a local motor cross track. My brother was always will to teach me whatever he knew, whether it was how to ride or how to fix things. Still to this day my brother and I are very close and i look to him for advice and/or knowledge.

But as they got older, it was Jody who would possess the 2-wheel passion gene, living and breathing motorcycles like her father.

My brother, Jesse, is a superintendent at a local golf course. He also has a small engine repair business on the side. He has helped my father with the business in the past, but motorcycles just aren’t his thing. He is very good at what he does and, like my father and I, he has a passion… its just that his is for small engines.”

When Jody completed high school, she wanted her chance to make the jump into the family business. But her dad had other ideas, and insisted on her attending school. Earning a full scholarship from the University of Massachusetts, Jody pursued her bachelors degree in Political Science before jumping head first into the motorcycle industry after graduation.

My major in college was Political Science. My degree does not help me so much at work, but some business classes I took have been helpful. I like the fact that I can always fall back on my degree and even someday apply it to motorcycles. I am glad my parents pushed me to finish school.”

Now, she is an integral part of the family business, and has mentored under her father in the craft of custom painting. Jody handles the marketing functions for Perewitz Cycle Fab, taking care of event planning on their Paint Shows and Bike Nights. She also works on parts ordering and customer service. But her heart is in the paint booth, and she tries to spend as much time as possible perfecting her craft when not taking care of the daily shop needs.

I have done about half dozen full motorcycle paint job as well as tons of helmets, mugs, yeti cups, and other random things. I love being creative and artistic.”

Jody Perewitz – Land Speed Motorcycle Racing

It wasn’t until 2011 that Jody Perewitz discovered Land Speed Motorcycle Racing. Having only done some local racing against her brother, she entered the Bonneville Land Speed scene after purchasing a Christmas trip for her dad. Once she surprised him with the trip, it was her dad who brought up the idea of racing herself.

I bought my dad a trip to Bonneville for Christmas. He said ‘Well Jod, we can’t go to Bonneville and not race.’ So I said ‘OK, I’m riding it’!”

Jody looked into the different records and class structures, and discovered that the record for the fastest female on an American made bike hadn’t yet reached the 200 mph milestone. Making that their new goal, Jody and her father set to work finding some sponsorship partners to begin their first Bonneville Land Speed Motorcycle racing attempt.

My first bike was 100ci supercharged twin. The class we were in was special construction frame, partial streamline, pushrod, blown, and either gas or fuel, 1650. We worked feverishly for 2 months on building this bike. We have been building bikes for 30+ years, and don’t get me wrong, our bikes are built to ride, but also to look nice… this bike was not at all about looks. We needed function and SPEED. Something we weren’t used too… so it was a little challenging. But we had really good resources, advice and help, and we made it happen.”

Her first Landspeed outing with the bike was at Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine. Setting up there to test the bike, Jody would get her first experience and much needed seat time in Land Speed racing trim. It was her first time to even ride the bike, so after arriving, she rode around the track in normal clothes to get the feel of the new land speed machine.

It was a beast! Definitely nothing I was used to, but I knew I could adjust and learn.”

After getting acquainted with the bike, Jody Perewitz was ready to put on her brand new racing leathers. Having never worn full leathers before, the racing attire presented a new challenge for the rookie – trying to get comfortable in stiff protective clothing.

Getting on the bike became a challenge! My leathers were heavy and stiff, when I went to take off on the bike, I couldn’t get my feet up. The leathers were so awkward at first, I couldn’t find the pegs.”

Set up solely to race, the bike was also very different than anything Jody had ever ridden before. Pegs and seating position were maximized for racing, and had the rider tucked in a race-hugging position on the bike. Jody, an accomplished rider on the street, was far out of her element on a land speed motorcycle. This created some apprehension and anxiety for the land speed rookie.

“I said to my dad, ‘I can’t do this, I can’t even get my feet on the pegs!’ I was worried at that point, but my dad said ‘Oh Jod, come on, you can do this, you just have to practice’.”

And practice they did. Over and over, until Jody could confidently and consistently get her feet on the pegs quickly. That encouragement and a little practice was all she needed, she was able to get much more comfortable on the bike. Improvements came quickly as their trip to Bonneville approached. That early apprehension did nothing to deter Jody from her goals.

“I honestly think that has been the only point in my race career that I was nervous or upset,” she added, knocking on wood. “But my dad’s confidence in my quickly washed it away. We set a land speed record at 164 mph with out the fairings on that weeeknd. At the time we were ecstatic at that speed!”

About a month after Loring, Jody and family headed west to Bonneville Salt Flats. In addition to being the designated rider, Jody also helps out by cleaning up the trailer, driving the truck on the long hauls, and coordinating the parts and other sponsor efforts. The bike, which they tested minus the body fairings during their Loring outing, was now finished and ready for the big Bonneville journey. Her first time trial on the Bonneville Salt Flats would mark the first time riding the bike with a full fairing/partial streamline body.

“I took some good advice from fellow racers about the wind and riding with a body. I got the hang of it immediately. There were a few moments of the wind pushing me, but I used the advice I was given and quickly adjusted. Bonneville is just a mystical place… Even if I stopped racing now, I will always be so proud to say I raced an American motorcycle that we built at speeds over 200mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats!”

But Jody rose to the challenge easily. Her rookie attempt landed her as the fastest female on an American Motorcycle at 203 mph. This earned her entrance into the prestigious Bonneville 200mph club, and the respect of her peers.

When we first said we were going to race at Bonneville, and that our goal was 200mph, people would literally laugh and say good luck or I could just read peoples expression that they thought ‘Oh ya, sure you will’. It became a point where I stopped telling people I was going to go over 200. I had complete confidence that we could do it! All of us working together including the weather/salt, we would do it. When we did hit 200 there was probably 25 people who came up to me and said ‘Wow, I never thought you would do it’.”

Jody has made the return to the salts several more times in the following years, and is in her 6th year of competitive racing. She holds 15 total land speed records; 4 No. 1 AMA plates, the world’s fastest female on an American bike, a seat in the Bonneville 200 mph club, and other notable achievements.

Racing at speeds of over 200mph is the coolest! Also being able to say I have raced at the Bonneville Salt Flats is pretty unique. Last year, there was a little over 300 people racing and only 19 were females. We are going back to Bonneville this year as well as some other races. I want to beat the man’s record for fastest v-twin. So, it looks like I will be pushing to go 245 mph ultimately …that is, until they go faster! We will get there, it’s just a matter of time! I am very proud that motorcycling is not just my passion, it’s in my blood.”

Jody will return to the salt this year in the APS_PBG2000 category with a partial streamline, 315 horsepower, 120ci turbocharged v-twin with a 5-speed transmission. Last season, she ran a smaller 100ci supercharged entry, and is looking forward to the push forward with the new powerplant. The hardest part has been finding the funding to be able to compete each year, and thanks to the sponsors that have supported her, and the confidence of her father, she has been very successful in her quest. As far as what it takes to chase her racing dreams, she offers this advice:

Hang in there! Don’t give up, it might take a little longer or a little more work but if you believe and stay confident it will happen.”

We can’t wait to see where she will end up next!

Kelly Fedorowich plans a return to the seat

March 24, 2017 // by Horsepower & Heels

Former NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster driver, Kelly Fedorowich plans a return to the seat – after nearly two decades on the sideline.

She was 24 years-old, full of drive and ready to tear up the track when she first piloted the family Top Alcohol Dragster entry in 1991. With her husband David, and their infant son Nikolas, the team had embraced life on the road in pursuit of their NHRA and IHRA dreams. Having relocated to Gainesville, Florida in 1990 during on the most epic periods of grassroot drag racing history, the family made a decent living competing and supplemented their income match racing on off-weekends. They traveled across the country for 4 years, living life on road in a White Freightliner between race tracks.

In 1991, they made the switch to the Top Fuel ranks, the pinnacle of the sport. Because young son Nikolas was still just an infant, Kelly made the difficult choice to remain on the sidelines in support of her husband David.

When we hit the road in 1990, Nikolas was only 6 weeks old. Yes, 6 weeks! We all know that there are safety risks associated with any type of drag racing, but none more pronounced than in the Top Fuel category. Drivers accept the associated dangers each and every time they climb into the cockpit of these earth-bound rockets and every time that I strapped David into the cockpit, I wished it were me. But when we made the move to Top Fuel I decided that my turn would have to wait. We were a long way from home and Nikolas deserved the security of having one parent whose career couldn’t be categorized as “daredevil.”

The family remained on the road, and their adventures even brought them across the globe, when David was contracted to teach a group of Japanese drag racers the fine art of piloting Top Alcohol Funny Cars. The driving students came to the USA without knowing a word of English; and the Fedorowich family would open their home to the students, with Kelly preparing traditional Japanese meals for their guest. During these dinners, they would help teach the trainees English, and learned some Japanese themselves that would aid them on their annual Japanese travels.

We spent a lot of time at Fuji Raceway located right at the base of Mount Fuji. And when we weren’t at the track, our hosts immersed us into the Japanese culture,” Kelly said. From the shrines and temples of Nikko to Sanrio Puroland – home of Hello Kitty….and endless bowls of ramen soup, we experienced Japan from an entirely unique and truly home-grown perspective.”

By the time their foreign travels came to an end in 1994, toddler Nikolas was ready to come home and begin schooling. Kelly and David made the difficult decision to return home to give Nikolas a normal education experience. The pair chose to lay roots in Canada, with Calgary being their new home. David would open a chassis shop, while Kelly would focus on a new venture in fashion.

I made the decision to postpone my driving career until Nikolas was older, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that it would be another 25 years before my dream could reach fruition.”

Growing up and turning to the Dark Side

As Nikolas grew, he often took his father’s side in the family chassis business. Kelly and David, though content with their decision to give their son a normal childhood at home, still longed for the fast paced, adrenaline fused rush of their Top Fuel memories. In 2011, the family revisited their dreams, launching the debut of their new Dark Side Racing Top Fuel Dragster. The 2012 debut marked Western Canada’s only Top Fuel racing team, and put David back in the seat with Kelly supporting the team’s efforts.

But the call of a 10,000 hp nitro-burning dragster still burned in Kelly’s heart, and the time has come in which Kelly Fedorowich plans a return to the seat with the mission to become the fastest woman in Canada…

Kelly Fedorowich plans a return to the seat

For 2017, the Dark Side Racing team has built an all-new, state-of-the-art Lucas chassis with carbon fiber body panels. Kelly began her training last season, and is ready for her return this year.

We have an incredible season coming together and we’ve assembled a top-notch group of sponsors to showcase and represent. Couple that with our community outreach program and it’s clear that the best is yet to come!”

As she embarks on her journey, she will become Canada’s first licensed Top Fuel pilot. Kelly plans to share the driving duties with husband David – and hopes that eventually, she will be racing side by side against him.

[Driving along side David] is something that I’ve dreamed of doing for nearly 30 years. Becoming the Fastest Woman in Canada has always been a part of that dream.”

Community Outreach

Dark Side Racing is an active supporter of Prostate Cancer Canada and PROSTAID Calgary, and returns in 2017 with the cause. The team helps to raise awareness of prostate cancer and raise funds for prostate cancer research.

Kelly’s ‘Fastest Woman in Canada’ campaign will partner with The City of Calgary Fire Department as a recruitment platform during the 2017 season to attract more women to the Calgary Fire Department.

“For many women, the idea that they can compete in or make a contribution in traditionally male-dominated fields like race car driving or fire-fighting is a completely foreign one. By sharing my story I hope to inspire more women and girls to pursue their dreams to be involved in fire-fighting, motorsport, or any other male-dominated industry.”

The team has also piqued the interest of celebrated Canadian filmmaker Jonathan Joffe (Jonathan Joffe Pictures), who is currently developing a 3 minute promo video that chronicles Team Dark Side and Kelly’s ‘Fastest Woman in Canada’ campaign. The project is be pitched to Canadian broadcasters as a possible reality show.

Best of luck to Kelly Fedorowich from all of us at Horsepower & Heels as she earns her nitro stripes!

Feature: Stewart Sisters Racing

December 30, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

This young, up and coming New Zealand duo are making waves in the Karting Racing world. Say hello to the Stewart Sisters Racing team, our latest featured drivers!

Wellington, New Zealand natives Ashleigh and Madeline Stewart were born into the world of Karting Racing. Their grandfather and father, both established racers, introduced them to the sport from the time they were very little, and the sisters have grown up at the racetrack, spending countless hours participating in the family pastime. Once the girls came of age, it was a natural progression that both would carry on in the racing tradition.

Ashleigh Stewart – Stewart Sisters Racing

The older of the pair, eighteen year-old Ashleigh Stewart first attended the races when she was just 6 weeks old. Growing up around her father and grandfather’s racing background, Ashleigh couldn’t wait for her turn behind the wheel, getting her racing start at the age of 10, after begging her father for 2 years. Now in her eighth year of racing, Ashleigh competes in the Rotax Light Karting division.

In the beginning, as Ashleigh was learning and developing her skills, she admits that she was not particularly competitive within the field. But the junior racer worked hard, and with the help of her family and several driving coaches, has made considerable progress in her career and driving technique. This hard work began to payoff, and in 2015 she earned a first place Rotax Light win at the KartSport Manawatu Championship race. That year, she also finished 3rd in the Yahama Light division at the Kart\Sport NZ South Island Champs.

In 2016, she would begin studying under a new driving coach in Tom Williamson. Joining his team in Australia for 2016 has seen a major impact in her driving performance, as Ashleigh stepped up in driving skill and proved to be a front-of-field challenger all season long. She would finish 7th overall in Rotax Light at the KartSport NZ Nationals, and 2nd overall at the KartSport Hawkes Bay Blossom event.

For Ashleigh, this career-progression has taught her much both on and off the track. Being one of few females in the sport, she’s used to the attention — both good and bad.

“I guess for me it’s normally surprise when I tell people what it is I do, I don’t fit the typical type of person everyone expects would love motorsport. I love fashion, makeup and motorsport, they don’t usually go together. For a long time, I was not particularly competitive and everyone was my friend. Recently I’ve begun to race towards the front of the field and things have gotten more tense. I’ve had some criticism on social media but it generally backfires as there are more people who make positive comments that negative. The negative comments just make me want to race harder and to be better.”

Ashleigh Stewart - Stewart Sisters Racing

Being treated just like everyone else on the circuit is par for the course, and Ashleigh takes her off-track duties seriously as well, putting in work mechanically to aid in her kart setup, and keeping everything clean and performing well. In addition to her on-track training, she also keeps up with her fitness to handle the demands of racing.

I do a lot of fitness training at the gym. Fitness is really important for the long test days and also the longer races. My trainer is ex army so he pushes us hard but makes it fun at the same time and I really enjoy the challenge. I build muscle quickly so for me its about keeping a balance between weight training for strength and cardio for the endurance. It is important to be able to keep your concentration up at all times and being really fit is essential.”

For the upcoming year, Ashleigh will be making some big moves, heading off to attend university in Melbourne, Australia. In what will surely be a busy year both personally and in her racing career, Ashleigh plans to take much of the momentum she has gained this season in her driving and convert that into more podium finishes. She also aspires to make the bigger jump from karts to cars ultimately, and is looking forward to the new challenges that await in her journey.

I’ve had good pace over the past two years and I’d like to do a better job of converting that in to results. This year I want to get some solid podiums and work towards a move to cars in a year or two.”

Balancing her love for racing, and her feminine side has always been an easy measure for the eldest Stewart Sister, who doesn’t cave to the pressures that she must sacrifice her femininity to be taken seriously as a competitor in the sport.

The best piece of advice I got — and advice I often pass on, is to always show up as yourself. If you like pretty things and to look good then make sure you carry that through to your racing. There is no need to look like one of the boys to be successful in Motorsport.”

Madeline Stewart – Stewart Sisters Racing

Sixteen year-old Madeline Stewart followed closely behind her older sister in the family sport, taking up driving in 2010 and following in a very similar path as Ashleigh.

At the beginning I was very slow but we kept going racing doing as many meetings as possible. It was not until 2013 when I moved in to Juniors that I started to show any pace. We had the opportunity to go and race in Australia at the end of 2013 and that was a big boost. We brought the experience from racing in bigger fields back to NZ and in 2014 I started to race competitively.”

Now racing for the past 7 years, she competes in the Rotax Light and KZ2 divisions and has already amassed quite a few accomplishments in her young career. In 2014, she finished 6th in the Rotax Junior class of the KartSport New Zealand National Schools. She went on in 2015 to finish 5th in both Rotax Junior and Yamaha Juniors at the KartSport New Zealand Nationals, and 2nd in Rotax Junior at KartSport New Zealand South Island Championship.

Madeline also joined driving coach Tom Williamson and his team in 2016 and the results were quickly showcased with a No. 1 qualifying performance in Rotax Junior at the KartSport New Zealand Nationals and a 4th place finish. She also made the jump to Rotax Light at the New Zealand Rotax Challenge Round 5, and qualified first there as well in her first race as a senior.

Tom has some special techniques he uses to get the best out of the drivers in his team. Racing as part of a team has really improved my driving. I’ve had a few top five qualifying in the really competitive Rotax Pro Tour in Australia and Pole positions in NZ. Recently I’ve started racing in KZ2. They are the formula 1 of karting and are really challenging to drive. I raced at the CIK-FIA Asia Pacific KZ Championship in Macau as part of a 6 person TWM team.”

Off-track, Madeline also works out regularly to increase her physical fitness performance, and for the past 3 years has enlisted the help of a personal trainer to work on strength and endurance, both very important to driving karts and especially critical in the more physically demanding KZ2 vehicles. She spends a lot of time going over data from races to help improve, and can handle most of the mechanical duties on the kart when needed. For Madeline, the toughest part comes in balancing her racing ambition and her school studies:

The hardest thing has been fitting in school with my racing particularly with the international travel. Education is very important to me as well as my racing. I have to do well at school over the next two years to ensure I can go to University when I want to as well as it being a really critical two years for my Motorsport career. Motorsport is as much a mental game as it is physical. The physical side is relatively easy to overcome with an good exercise program but the mental side is much more difficult especially for a woman. You’ve got to work hard not to let the external factors affect your performance. Having a great coach helps, especially one that treats you as an equal with your team mates.”

Being one of the few females in the sport hasn’t really affected Madeline much directly. Though the attention of being a young woman on the track comes with added pressures and sometimes judgemental critics that examine performances under a microscope, she hasn’t experienced much negativity related to her gender.

I’ve only had one major incident with another competitor telling me I should get out of the way and that females should not be allowed to race. When I was younger there was a general feeling that I was not as good because I am female. All that just made me want to do better and push myself harder. Now days I get mostly positive reactions, I am just as fast as the boys and have earned their respect. The funniest experience was in Macau where I got lots of attention for being the only female in KZ. I had lots of people wanting to take selfies with me.”

That experience came on a recent trip to Macau for the CIK-FIA Asia Pacific KZ Championship. Madeline was the lone female racing in KZ, and had the attention of media and fans during pre-race ceremonies on the starting grid. Media, officials and other drivers were all encouraging of Madeline and lined-up to take selfies with the popular young driver.

Madeline Stewart - Stewart Sisters Racing

For 2017, Madeline’s goal is to qualify for the Rotax World Grand Final in Portugal and to place in the top 10 for the KZ2 division. Future goals include more KZ2 races across Europe, and an aspiration to visit the United States for the SKUSA Super Nats in Las Vegas, NV. She aspires to drive karts professionally in Europe eventually, or has considered a move to cars possible one day.

One thing is certain – the Stewart Sisters Racing duo have only just begun their colorful career journeys. We can’t wait to follow their stories and adventures in 2017 and beyond

From all of us here at Horsepower & Heels –

Best of Luck to Stewart Sisters Racing!

Driver Feature: Lisa Tatum – Full Throttle

August 30, 2016 // by Mackenzie LaRue

When I was growing up there were few young female drivers in the sport of truck and tractor pulling. It was therefore quite challenging to see myself driving a pulling truck one day. However there was one young female driver that competed with my father, and nothing would make me happier than when she had a successful pull. That driver was Lisa Tatum, who still competes in the two wheel drive class and continues to be one of my tractor pulling inspirations.

Lisa Tatum – Full Throttle

Lisa Tatum was born a puller. With her father being a competitor, her mother attended truck and tractor pulls right up until the week Lisa was born. She spent her childhood watching her father compete and when her older brother became old enough to drive she cheered him on as well. Tractor pulling was something she loved her whole life and therefore she feels that it was destiny that she would one day drive her own pulling truck.

When Lisa was old enough to drive, it was a natural transition from crew member to driver. She began to drive a vehicle that her father purchased called ‘Hot Shot’ and became the third driver of her father’s vehicle ‘Foolish Pleasure’. Eventually, Lisa began driving her own vehicle and competing directly against her brother T.J. She now competes in a bright yellow chevy called Full Throttle, which features a 526 Keith Black Hemi with Veney heads and a Mike Janis blower. Her father Tony and brother T.J. do all the assembly on their engines and their parts come from Sassy Racing Engines.

Like many other pulling teams, Lisa Tatum and her father compete directly against one another on the track. Her father gave up his driving rights for many years so Lisa could have the opportunity to compete with her brother. When her brother began his family he stepped out of the drivers seat and her father Tony began to drive again. Lisa truly believes that it is a gift to compete with her father. They both want to win but they also want one another to win as well.

“As much as I don’t want to admit it, parents don’t live forever, and I’m making priceless memories with mine each weekend at the track.”

Living away from her family has made tractor pulling quite difficult for Lisa. She does not get to work on their trucks as much as she would like, but she makes up for that with the pulls. She does everything she can to contribute to the care of their vehicles, but focuses most of her attention as a driver.

Lisa believes that best part of truck and tractor pulling is equally the competition and the people. She loves the thrill of tractor pulling but also contributes the love of pulling to many of the people she has met through it. Lisa has found her best friends through truck and tractor pulling, including her fiancé, Tyler Slagh who competes with a mini rod tractor.

“I LOVE the thrill of pulling. I LIVE for that 300 plus feet ride. It’s in my blood, my heart, and my soul. I crave another trip down the track as soon as I finish the last ride. BUT, I don’t think the time and miles away from home would be worth it if I didn’t have people I truly loved out on the circuit.”

Lisa Tatum has experienced many successes since she began her driving career in 1997. She was the first two wheel drive points champion as well as the first female in the Professional Pulling League in its inaugural season. She was also the first female to win the finals at the National Farm Machinery Show. She also won the Jeff McPherson Memorial pull the year after he passed. He was a puller from Ohio and one of Lisa’s favourite trophies is from that event.

Being a female has had a big impact on Lisa’s driving career. When she began pulling it was not rare for her to be the only female amongst all the classes at a tractor pull. She did encounter her share of individuals who doubted her abilities but proved that she belonged in the drivers seat, all thanks to her families support. Lisa claims that it was quite intimidating to be the only female, but she used this to her advantage and received a great deal of support due to her gender.

“Nothing like having every female in the crowd hinge their hopes on me doing well! I’m sure I gained more attention, newspaper articles, interviews, and tv time than I deserve thanks to my gender, but I’m always grateful and try to do whatever I can to present the sport in a positive light.”

Motorsports is definitely a more welcoming atmosphere to women than it was 20 years ago. There are so many women competing all across the board today. Lisa believes that just like any dream every girl should know that they can do anything they put their minds to, but it definitely helps to have a solid foundation like she has from her family.

In the future, Lisa hopes to continuing pulling as long as she is able. She would love to try out the mini rod class which is the class her fiancé competes in. He and his father campaign three tractors on the Lucas Oil circuit which makes it difficult for them to be at one another events. But as for right now her heart is still in the two wheel drive class!

“I guess I expect to just keep doing what I’m doing as long as I’m able. If I can keep the team owners happy and keep my seat, I’ll happily fill it.”

Lisa Tatum is an excellent role model for all women competing in truck and tractor pulling. She has excellent sportsmanship and also enjoys promoting the sport. Recently at the National Tractor Pulling Championships in Bowling Green Ohio Lisa was a representative for the Miles Beyond 300 Road Show, where she interviewed several tractor pulling legends.

Good luck with the rest of your season Lisa!

Open Wheel Driver Feature: Susie Wolff

May 24, 2016 // by David Moss

The Life And Career of Susie Wolff

Susie Wolff is a true motor sports pioneer. A female British racing driver who had an incredible career as a F1 racing driver and continues to work toward gender equality to this day in the world of racing. In 2014, she was the first woman to participate in a Formula One race weekend in 22 years. She’s a woman who has proven that horsepower and heels go together like nothing else. Although there were quite a few obstacles in her quest to compete in this male dominated sport, she took it on without excuses. This article will cover her brilliant life and career, all the way from birth to her retirement in 2015 and her post retirement activism.

Her Early Years

Born on December 6, 1982 in a little resort town in Scotland called Oban, Susie was born to John and Sally Soddart. It would be them who would instill her interest in the sport of racing. Both of her parents owned a motorcycle dealership—in which she would eventually work—and her father raced competitively. Her parents would later stoke her love of the sport by buying her a go-kart when she was 8 years old. It was then that she knew she wanted to become a racecar driver. When asked about how her upbringing influenced her career, she simply said, “I was brought up by brilliant parents who never once made me think motor-sport was rather for boys; that I was choosing a path unusual for a girl. They instilled in me the belief that I could achieve anything if I was determined and worked hard enough.”

While it’s true that there weren’t many girls competing in go kart racing, that didn’t matter to Sally Soddart. All she knew was that she wanted to be on that track competing, a determination that she would carry throughout the course of her life.

Her Career

6 years after she had taken up go-kart racing, at the age of 14, Susie would go on to win the 1996 British Woman Kart Racing Driver Award. The following year she competed in numerous go-kart racing competitions and did quite well in all of them. By the time she was 16, she had placed 10th in the Go-Kart British Junior Intercontinental “A” Championship. Each year, she continued to be named British Woman Kart Racing Driver of the year, an accomplishment she’s proud of to this day.

By 1999, at the age of 17, she had won numerous go-kart racing categories. She ranked 13th in the British Formula A Championship and 34th in the Formula A World Championships. For a third straight year, she won British Woman Driver of the Year Award. By the time she was 18, she had finished 10th in the British Formula A Championship and was named the World’s Top Female Go-Kart Driver.

As good as she was at go-kart racing however, what she really wanted to do was to become a Formula One race driver. And in 2001, she came closer to that goal by moving from racing go-karts to single seat racers. She made her racing debut for the Motaworld Racing Team at the Formula Renault Winter Series. By 2002, she had competed in both Formula Renault UK Championship for DFR Racing, and competed a second time in the Motaworld in the Formula Renault Winter Series. She then placed 9th in the Formula Renault UK Championship in 2003 and finished 5th in the 2004 Formula Renault UK Championship. In 2004, she was nominated twice for the BRDC McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award and was selected to win the BRSC Rising Star Of The Year Award. She is the first female to ever receive this award.

She finally made the leap to the British Formula 3 Championship in 2005. She was supposed to compete in the Championship Class for the Alan Docking Racing team, but that didn’t materialize because of an injury she sustained. She twisted her ankle during the winter and couldn’t finish the competition.

In 2006, she set her sights on the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters—otherwise known as the DTM—and achieved a best finish of 9th place. During this competition she competed for the Mücke Motorsport team and drove a 2004-spec Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe.

She would continue her success in 2007 when she finished 10th in Mugello, Italy while she was driving a 2005-spec Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe. In 2008, she placed 10th in the Norisring Street Circuit in Nuremberg, Germany. However, in 2009, she faced a setback during the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg Circuit and had to stop racing after 24 laps due to damage sustained by her vehicle during a first round collision.

In Susie’s fifth season, in 2010, she would drive her AMG Mercedes C-Klasse 2008 racing car to seventh place—both at Lausitzring and at Hockenheim—becoming the first woman in 20 years to ever make points at the DRM. She finished that season ahead of her colleagues—Ralf Schmacher and David Coulthard. Once again proving to herself, and to the world, that women can compete in the high paced world of racing. A year later, she would go on to marry Toto Wolff, who was a shareholder of the Williams Formula One Team at the time and would go on to become Executive Director of the Williams F1 Team. She then changed her name from Susie Stoddart to Susie Wolff.

In April of 2012, Susie Wolff would come one step closer to her dream when she was named as a development driver for the Williams Formula One Team. Many critics at that time accused her of being hired because her husband was part owner of the team; allegations that her husband and her strongly disputed. Two years later, during the British Grand Prix, Susie Wolff became the first woman to participate in a Formula One racing weekend since the early 1990s. Unfortunately, her session was cut short due to engine problems she experienced. This problem she incurred again during the German Gran Prix in July of that same year. However, during her race at the German Gran Prix, she managed to address her car problems and ended up finishing in 15th place. She entered the 2015 season as a test driver and eventually had a number of 2 runs and 2 practices. During preseason test runs, she placed 14th during the Spanish Gran Prix and 13th place during the British Gran Prix.

Susie’s Retirement

On November 4, 2015, Susie Wolff made the announcement on the BBC that she was going to retire from Formula One Racing. During her announcement, she stated that she always said she would retire from racing when she felt she could advance no further. She also stated that she felt that she had gone as far as she could go in the sport. There was one positive of that announcement, however. She also stated that she would go ahead and race during the 2015 Race of Champions. This race would be her last one.

Post-Retirement

In 2016, she partnered with the Motor Sports Associated and launched an initiative named “Dare To Be Different.” The purpose of this initiative is to inspire female participation in the traditional male dominated world of motor sports. Susie Wolff has expressed the hopeful sentiment that she has “paved the way for women to follow in her footsteps.” She also said the following: “We have two issues, not enough young girls starting in karting at a young age and no clear role model. Sometimes you just have to see it to believe it.”

The Future Of Women In Motor Sports

Thanks to Susie Wolff, the path has been laid for future generations of women in motor sports. She has been a champion for gender equality in the world of racing and has repeatedly stated that she wants to help the next generation of women racers achieve their dreams. In fact, she stated as much in a recent article in Autosport Magazine. She said, “If I can’t be the woman to break through the glass ceiling, then I want to be involved in making it happen for the person who does”.

While the male dominated sport of racing hasn’t made it easy on any woman entering the sport, Susie Wolff was able to overcome adversity and make a stand for what she believed in. She always knew that women had a place alongside men in racing and her career has proven that fact.

Susie Wolff sincerely hopes and believes that she has paved the way for women in racing—and she is right. More and more young women are entering the sport through the junior programs. What lies ahead for women in the sport of racing? While no one can accurately ascertain the future, one thing is for certain: thanks to this female racing pioneer, the future of women in racing looks very bright indeed. And as anyone who knows Susie Wolff can tell you, if anyone can make it happen then she’s the one who will.

Rodalyn Knox – The Country Girl

April 21, 2016 // by Mackenzie LaRue

Over the last fifteen years truck and tractor pulling has experienced a dramatic increase in female drivers. It has gone from being a select few females, to several female drivers in each and every class. However one of those initial select few is Rodalyn Knox, one of the most inspirational drivers in truck and tractor pulling.

Rodalyn began her driving career in drag racing in 1968 piloting a 1966 Plymouth Belvedere. She would go to races with her husband, John, where he would compete in the men’s class. Rodalyn would often times compete in the “powder puff” class, which was designed for women. However her time tickets were always much faster than her husbands, so one day when returning from a pass, her husband John insisted she drive in the men’s class. This young 22 year-old was worried about getting into trouble, but competed anyways.

After the class was over all of the men in that class wrote a protest letter and gave it to the track manager, Jack Doyle. It stated that they didn’t think a woman should compete with the men. Jack looked at them and said, ‘Well I watched her drive in the woman’s class and now in the men’s class she went to the final. I didn’t see her do anything that would make me disqualify her so you guys will have to figure out how to compete with her in your class.’ If Jack had not made that decision we would not have been able to continue our racing career.”

Rodalyn went on to work her way up in drag racing into the alcohol funny car class where she raced in the New England Alcohol Funny car circuit. Rodalyn then moved up to the nitro funny car class which she competed in for two more years before they retired in drag racing. Her vehicle was called the “Country Girl”. For those who know Rodalyn they realize that this is a very fitting name that reflects her personality.

Rodalyn Knox goes Tractor Pulling

A number of years later Rodalyn’s son Brian became interested in the sport of truck and tractor pulling. It did not take long for him to realize that the perfect person to drive the tractors he was creating was his mother. In 1990, Rodalyn began driving Brian’s four and six engine unlimited modified tractors. She also drove a four engine and a five engine tractor when the class was lightened. When Rodalyn began pulling, she was one of three women that were competing at the time. She won 3 unlimited modified National Tractor Pullers Association Grand National titles and retired from driving in 1998 when her family began their engine business Sassy Racing Engines.

The tractor that Rodalyn drove had roughly 10,000 horsepower which could be incredibly intimidating to some. She enjoyed experiencing the different challenges that the tractor offered her and comparing the differences between her prior racing experience.

“I loved driving the high powered tractors. In drag racing the challenge was the speed. In pulling it was handling all that power and keeping the tractor straight. In drag racing, I had a hand break, a steering wheel and a “gas” pedal. In pulling, I had a hand throttle and I steered with my feet. So when I started driving the tractor I had to learn all over again how to use my hands and feet.”

This is a very unique experience as Rodalyn’s crew while pulling was her husband and son. Some would think this would be challenging, but Rodalyn enjoyed the time spent with her family doing something they all loved.

Having Brian and John as team members was the BEST! We understood each other very well and worked very well together. We were a great team. It was a very good time in my life.”

Rodalyn firmly believes that teamwork was the most important component of her success. Although she was the driver she believes that it was her team that helped her reach that success.

“Whenever I won it was for my team. I really didn’t think it was just mine. I guess being a woman was special but I never could have done it without my son and my husband.”

In her years of driving Rodalyn had many impressive accomplishments. She won the Grand American event at the New England Dragway in 1975 and she was also the first woman to win a class on the East Coast FC circuit in 1975 in New York. In tractor pulling, Rodalyn achieved the coveted Championship ring at the National Tractor Pulling Championship in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Rodalyn has one piece of advice for women looking to get into motorsports that focuses on perseverance and confidence. Two of the traits that she strongly possesses herself.

Don’t listen to the people who say you can’t do it. Believe in yourself and stay focused on your job. If you know you can do this just listen to your instincts. Believe in yourself.”

After retiring from racing, Rodalyn went on the search to find something exciting to do. She got a Border Collie and has focused on that ever since.

“Border Collies are not for everybody. They can be very challenging to train. I bought a farm and started training Border Collies. Over the years, I have had 7 dogs. I have sheep and goats and love working with these dogs. I also worked in Border Collie rescue and found homes for dogs that had been incorrectly placed in homes that couldn’t or didn’t have time to work with them.”

When racing, Rodalyn traveled all across North America, but now she finds herself sticking close to home.

When I was racing I traveled a lot to different events but now I love staying in NH and working at my farm. I guess I truly am a Country Girl.”

Thanks Rodalyn for sharing your stories and helping to encourage women in motorsports!

Relaxed pace for Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Katie Sullivan

March 22, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Beside the big sea of semi-rigs and stacker trailers, a smaller grassroots-style gooseneck trailer sits at the end of the PRO pit row. The pit configuration is more fitting of the relaxed pace for Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Katie Sullivan and her father-daughter team based out of Corning, California. Sullivan, who at age 18 was the youngest female to ever qualify for and NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle event, has been a steady face in the class ever since, working hard to make her Pro Stock Motorcycle dream a reality.

She began in the Junior Dragster ranks at the age of nine, quickly falling in love with the sport and earning herself one track championship, one runner-up, and numerous event wins in the junior ranks. Around age 12, she fell in love watching motorcycles racing, and knew she belonged on a drag bike. That dream turned into a reality shortly after her 16th birthday. Her first year on a drag bike, she appeared in 5 finals and qualified number 1 at numerous events. But at the age of 17, she suffered a devastating knee injury while playing high school basketball, that sidelined her racing.

Determined to come back to her motorcycle, she spent hours in physical therapy with the goal to climb back on the bike and resume her racing career. Once she was able to overcome the injury, she quickly set her sights on becoming the youngest female to ever qualify in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle. At 18, just days after her high school graduation, Katie was able to accomplish her goal of qualifying for an NHRA national event. She became just the seventh female to do so in the class, and even earned her first round win against her childhood idol, Karen Stoffer in her first professional start.

In 2009, Katie and Charlie purchased their own Pro Stock Motorcycle, embarking on their own program which has allowed Katie the flexibility to finish her college education and handling her full-time responsibilities for her two own businesses: Kalifornia Katie’s Trailer Sales and Tough Girl Designs. Though she would love to be out on the tour full-time, the fun and family-focused relaxed pace for Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Katie Sullivan has been very rewarding for her personally. The duo spend their time together traveling on the road to races, and working on the bike during the evening hours when home. Though it may be a lot of hard work for the small team, and can be especially tiring when returning to a full-time job at home, Katie says her heart is in NHRA PSM racing, as evident by her persistent smile. At the track, she enjoys interacting with the fans in a more relaxed and friendly setting, and takes time to help inspire kids by allowing them to be up close to her PSM bike, even sitting them on the seat for photos.

2016 Gatornationals

Katie and her dad Charlie made the over 40 hour and 2,900 mile haul from their northern California home base to Gainesville, Florida for the 47th annual Amalie Motor Oils NHRA Gatornationals, the Pro Stock Motorcycle (PSM) class season opening event. Last season, they attended 5 events total – Charlotte, Denver, Sonoma, Las Vegas and Pomona – finishing 23rd out of 39 drivers in the class at the end of the year. They made a few changes over the off-season on her Suzuki PSM and were ready to get started in Katie’s eighth professional PSM season of racing in Gainesville.

But the family encountered some unexpected issues in qualifying. In the opening round, Katie made it about 400 feet out before having to abort, coasting to an 11.695 at 68.94 mph. Round two saw her launch stray towards the wall, resulting in another aborted run of 12.132 at 63.73 mph. In round three, she made her best pass of the weekend, running a 7.136 at 187.26 mph, moving her from the bottom of the ladder to the No. 23 position. Between rounds, the team had made some changes to the carburetors looking to improve, but something went wrong in the linkages after the burnout, and while trying to stage the bike for her final attempt to get into the field, the idle refused to come down. NHRA shut the bike down for safety, and Katie would not qualify for the Gatornationals this year, ending up in the No. 25 spot.

Undiscouraged, she plans to try again at the 4-Wide Nationals in Charlotte later in April. They will regroup and come up with a game plan to pick back up and improve their efforts. Always mindful of their limited resources, they arranged to house the bike with a fellow competitor on the east coast to avoid another pair of cross-country hauls. Though she has yet to earn her first event victory, she’s having fun and to her, that’s just as rewarding.

Best of luck to “Kalifornia” Katie Sullivan!

Ireland Karting Driver, Alyx Coby

March 10, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

At an age where most of her schoolmates are preoccupied with music, fashion and the average tweenager rites of passage, 11 year-old Alyx Coby is making her presence known in the Ireland Karting scene.

Hailing from Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Ireland, Alyx grew up around the karting world. Her father, Gary, raced them when he was much younger, and her uncle Aaron still competes. For her, it was inevitable that she would end up behind the wheel herself, and she took that opportunity by testing shortly after her eighth birthday. Her father and uncle coached her on mastering one skill at a time, gaining seat time in testing when the opportunities were available.

“My dad and my uncle took me out for some test days after my eighth birthday and it’s just been a case of getting out for as much testing as possible and working on one particular thing at a time to get it right before moving on to the next thing.”

In 2013, she entered her first official race. She would capture a few top 5 finishes that year, winning two novice finals in her rookie season. Her second season, she continued to improve, winning her first qualifying heat and appearing on the podium several times. But her third season in Karting would be a breakout year for Alyx Coby. She won three finals and set six fastest lap records, finishing the season in 5^th place for the championship.

“I had a great start to the year and at the third round of the championship I finished in second place in the two qualifying heats and went on to win both finals on the day. That’s when I knew that I had what it took to be successful in karting. I always enjoyed racing, but this was when I really fell in love with it.”

At the end of the year in 2015, Alyx Coby made the jump up to the IAME X30 Junior class, becoming the youngest driver and the first girl to race the class in Ireland. The class features 125cc engines that produce 28 horsepower and can reach speeds up to 70 miles per hour. Alyx will be competing in the IAME X30 Junior class for the Motorsport Ireland Karting Championship this season in a new, more powerful FA-Alonso Kart.

“Being the first girl to win a national final at cadet level in Ireland was pretty special and unique. Nobody else will ever be able to say that. There are not that many girls racing karts in Ireland so a lot of the time when I do something I’m the first to do it. Last year I became the first girl to race the IAME X30 in Ireland.”

With the new class and kart comes new challenges. Alyx works hard away from the track to meet the physical demands of the sport – aiming at increasing her strength and upper body control.

“My new kart for the 2016 season is bigger and more powerful than the one I used in the Cadet class for the last three years and the tyres have a lot more grip so it requires more effort to get the kart through the corners. After my first few long runs in the kart my arms were really sore so I have had to spend the winter doing extra training to build up the strength in my arms. I recently started doing Karate and train four nights a week for two hours and also on Saturdays. It is really helping me and it is a lot of fun too.”

At the track, Alyx’s only focus is driving and improving her skills on the track. Her father handles the business side of the team: loading/unloading the truck, getting them to the races, setting up awnings, setting up kart for competition. But Alyx is beginning to learn from him on the basic mechanics of the kart and how to set it up, adding that for now, she’ll leave it to the experts. She focuses on fine tuning her driving skills, adding more race events whenever possible to increase her experience.

“Testing only gets you so far, you still need racing experience to improve. Having somebody else to use as a target or reference on track is so much more valuable that just doing lap after lap in testing on my own so I try to get out as often as I can in local club meetings in between the Championship races and over the winter.”

The demands and discipline needed to be successful in karting help Alyx at school to focus and concentrate and have helped develop her self-esteem.

“It has made me tougher and more determined and winning my first few races gave me more confidence in myself, that I could do anything if I put my mind to it. Being around older drivers has also helped me to be more mature than a lot of girls my age.”

Between the demands of her race schedules, school and karate, Alyx doesn’t have the typical life of an 11 year-old. At first, her classmates didn’t understand her passion for racing, and what she was involved with. But that all changed after her first win received some local news coverage.

“When they first heard I was racing karts they thought it was just like bumping cars or the little rental karts they have at some tracks. It was only after I won my first race and appeared in the local newspaper that they realised what it was I did. Now they all think it is pretty cool and some of them keep up to date with what I’m doing by checking the news on my website or following my Facebook and Instagram accounts!”

But even with her success, Alyx Coby has faced some obstacles in her path. Two years ago, the young racer was involved in a big crash at the beginning of the season that led to her kart rolling over several times and ejecting her from the seat. She was ok, and wasn’t badly injured physically, but the emotional side shook her up considerably. Through time, experience and motivation from her father and uncle, she works to overcome the lingering obstacles that the crash created.

“I have a fear of crashing,” said Alyx. “… It took me a while to get used to being in the middle of a big group of karts. I’ll get over that with a bit more experience though.”

For now, Alyx is excited to take the next step in her racing career. Her racing role model is her father, who she looks up to in the sport. His support and guidance have meant everything to the young driver, who is eager to follow in his footsteps and make him proud.

“My dad is my racing hero. People at the track are always telling me they remember him racing when he was younger and tell me stories about when they raced against him so I really want to be as good as he was. I think my biggest fear is coming in after a bad race and having to face my dad and explain to him what went wrong!”

With a bright future in front of her, Alyx Coby is determined to carve out a career in motorsports. She is putting in the work to improve as a driver, with ultimate hopes of a future in Formula 1 racing.

“When I’m older I would love to race cars and maybe go all the way to F1 but for now I’m focusing on karting and the main goal is to win the Motorsport Ireland Karting Championship at least once.”

One thing is certain, we have just seen the start of a bright career for Alyx Coby.

Best of luck this season!

Video from Alyx Coby Racing

Alyx Coby – On board video. March 5th 2016Some more on board footage from the 360 camera.

Posted by Alyx Coby Racing on Wednesday, March 9, 2016

Girl Trouble – Courtney Mageau

February 17, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Edmonton, Alberta native Courtney Mageau grew up immersed in Drag Racing. The youngest in a family of four girls, her father and grandfather had raced alcohol altereds and funny cars while she was growing up. The elder girls often would accompany dad to the track, while Courtney and her other sister stayed home with their mom. At bigger events, when the entire family would attend the race, Courtney remembers sitting in the stands to cheer on her dad.

…Although I didn’t know much about cars and engines, I loved sitting in the stands when my dad went up to race.”

Each of her older sisters were given shots in the junior dragster ranks, but none really took to the sport. That was until, at age 12, Courtney raised her hand… “Hey, do I get a turn?” and a new legacy was born.

I don’t know if I’ll ever truly understand my motivation to start racing in the first place. I think part of it was wanting to do something that was unique, that none of my friends did. Another part of it was getting to spend quality time with my dad. The other piece of it was having grown up a pretty shy, un-athletic, kind of scared kid, I was just grasping at straws trying to find something to be passionate about! Whatever the reason, I started racing when I was 13 and haven’t looked back.”

Starting with the junior dragster she raced at 13 years-old, Courtney Mageau felt she had a bit of a late start to the sport.

People are often surprised to hear I started racing so young, but drag racers know that is almost a late start for kids, with many starting to run the class at 7 or 8 years old.”

Still, she traveled with her father and grandfather to different tracks, racing in different conditions and facing new competitors she wasn’t familiar with. Though she was gaining experience, she didn’t have many breakthrough moments in the class, finishing 2^nd only once during her three-year stint in the Junior Dragster ranks.

I had a lot of fun, but I wouldn’t exactly say my car was competitive.”

Moving Up – Crewing and Brackets

When she turned 16, Courtney sold her Junior Dragster and focused her energy on becoming a crewmember on her father’s team for the next two years. In 2009, she would climb back behind the wheel to earn her competition license in an ET Bracket Dragster, running twice that season.

But her big breakthrough moment came during the 2010 season, when Courtney would take home the championship at the IHRA Rocky Mountain Nationals in the Top ET category. 19-year-old Mageau fought through a full, tough field to land herself the victory in the class.

It felt like I had to win more rounds in that event than I had won in my cumulative years of racing in the junior program! The whole weekend, I kept waiting for the spell to break, but it didn’t. To experience my first career win at such a high profile event is indescribable. After going home that weekend, I approached racing with higher confidence and higher stakes! There have been many more rounds and events won since then, but nothing compares to that first-time feeling.”

She spent 6 years in the class, while working on and receiving her Bachelor of Commerce Degree from the University of Alberta in 2013. In addition to her driving duties, Courtney handles sponsor relations, and social media marketing for the team, also working in the shop 2-3 times per week as crew, doing maintenance on the car, while balancing workload at an engineering firm in Human Resources/Recruiting.

My Bachelor’s degree in commerce has helped quite a bit to build my confidence speaking to people. If someone had told me 5 years ago that I would be primarily responsible for talking to sponsors, I would have freaked out. As it is, the transition has come pretty naturally.

I don’t think it matters what you take in school- but I’m a firm believer that those who stay in school and who go that step further to pursue post-secondary show a certain level of determination and commitment to get things done that will help them to be successful in motorsports.”

Girl-Trouble Funny Car

Now, 25-year-old Courtney Mageau will be following in the legacy of her father for a run at the Pro-Nostaglia Funny Car division, the Blown Alcohol Funny Car class that he competed in when she was a child, running 6.90- 7.50 seconds in the quarter mile.

After acquiring a 1955 Thunderbird Funny Car in October 2014, they spent the off-season preparing the car for competition. A used car that had sat untouched for nearly a decade, the team had their work cut out for them, making repairs and improving the engine combination.

Last year, Courtney earned her competition license in the class, and plans a full season of competition in 2016 “Girl Trouble” T-Bird.

I’m very excited because this is the class my dad was racing in when I first got into Junior Dragster driving, and many of the people he raced against are still driving in the class (as are some of their sons). I’m the first female to license in this class in Alberta. I get the privilege to pave the way for other female drivers in Western Canada, along with Sherri Bodnarchuk who hails from Saskatchewan, Canada. I plan to stick to this class for a couple of years and see where things take me from there!”

Courtney leans on the nearly 50 years of racing experience behind her family name, crediting her father as her main coach since day one, adding “His advice is gold. I trust him and know that together we have what it takes to win.”

Their biggest road block, like many racers, is in finding resources and finances to be competitive. Growing up in a big family, the team came from humble beginnings, and work hard to make their efforts and resources last in such an expensive sport.

Every car I have raced has been purchased used and repaired by our family and skilled crew. Some racers have the luxury of pushing their cars to the limits- and if something breaks, they replace it. We don’t have that option, and are always fighting to put together the best racecars we can with limited resources. Our sponsors help keep things affordable, but we have to be creative and slowly build things as we move to the next level. That’s been the biggest challenge.”

With the Drag Racing community being one of the most supportive of women, she has always felt very welcomed by her racing counterparts.

If people are critical, they are careful not to say it to my face! If anyone scoffs when they see me (or any other girls) driving up in the other lane, I would be pleased. Only half of the sport of drag racing takes place on the track- the other half takes place in your head. The amount of focus it takes to react and to make decisions when you’re running at 170 mph+… I like to think that if someone’s not taking me seriously just because I’m a female, then they aren’t entirely bringing their A-game, and they’re probably going to make mistakes for it. The best way to dispel any nay-sayers is to kick their butts.”

But outside the sport, many people are shocked to learn that Courtney is a drag racer.

The overall mix of being young, female, and working in an office environment doesn’t fit the “Race Car Driver” stereotype. No one ever believes that I drive these cars until I show them pictures or videos or the oil under my fingernails! I am fortunate that when people get over the initial surprise, they are supportive and excited. “

Things get pretty chaotic at the track between driving the racecar and handling all of the crew responsibilities of doing the maintenance between runs, but Courtney is very dedicated to remaining available to the fans. She knows how important their support is to the sport and the tracks, especially loves talking to the kids, and the young ladies in particular, about what she does at the racetrack. She takes photos with them in the car, answering questions and hoping to inspire them to achieve their dreams. Having been on her own career-journey, she offers this advice:

Don’t be afraid to ask for (or offer) help. If you’re looking to get your start on a team, spend some time wandering around the pits getting to know the teams and seeing if any are willing to train new crew. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. If your school offers a trades or automotives option, take it! Even if you don’t become involved in racing, the skills you learn in these classes will benefit you for your whole life. Don’t feel afraid to break the stereotype of “male hobbies” or “female hobbies.” And don’t be afraid to be well-rounded or to try new things. When I was in highschool, I was on my school’s cheerleading team. If you want to see someone raise their eyebrows, tell them you’re a cheerleading dragracer. But who’s to say you can’t be both?”

We couldn’t agree more. We can’t wait to see Courtney Mageau and her Girl Trouble Funny Car in 2016 and beyond. We wish you all the best!

Morgan Bartley – Blade Gone Sweet

February 12, 2016 // by Mackenzie LaRue

The sport of truck and tractor pulling is just about as “grass-roots” as motorsports gets. Its easy to imagine men taking their horses (and later tractors) out into their back field, and competing to see who had the strongest team. I can only imagine what the woman’s role was in the early years of this sport, probably preparing lunch for the men to have after a full morning of competition. Fast forward to 2016 and the role of women in truck and tractor pulling has dramatically changed. It is quickly growing into a more popular form of motorsports, and with that there has been a dramatic increase in female drivers. Women like Rodalyn Knox, the driver of the Sassy Massey, were the trailblazers in the sport, leading the way for the dozens of female drivers today. In fact, it is becoming so popular that last year at the National Tractor Pulling Championship in Bowling Green, Ohio, in the super modified two wheel drive class of 53 competitors, 11 were female drivers.

Morgan Bartley | Blade Gone Sweet Truck Pull

One of those drivers is seventeen year old Morgan Bartley from Saluda, South Carolina. Morgan is the driver of a super modified two wheel drive truck that she calls Blade Gone Sweet. Her truck features a 1923 Ford T-Bucket body and a 526 Keith Black Hemi. She competes at a Grand National level with the National Truck and Tractor Pullers Association throughout her summers. 2015-2016 may have been her rookie year driving, but she is no rookie to the sport of truck pulling. Morgan’s family have deep roots in the sport of truck and tractor pulling, with her dad being a 25 year veteran of the sport. It was only natural for Morgan to follow in the footsteps of her father and brother and become a driver when her time came.

My dad has been pulling 25 years, and I’ve been involved with the sport my entire life. Ever since I knew what pulling was I knew that I wanted to be in the drivers seat one day too!”

Morgan’s rookie year began with the development of a new truck for her to drive. Naturally, when a new combination is being tested out many gremlins show their nasty head. This resulted in Morgan having a more challenging rookie year than most, not only fighting her nerves that result as a new driver, but also being faced with mechanical failure. Despite the many challenges she has faced, Morgan has come out on top, proving to the community that she belongs in the drivers seat. Recently, Morgan has shown the sport of truck and tractor pulling that she has what it takes to be a champion. At the end of January at the C Bar C NTPA Winter Nationals, Morgan experienced the excitement of a second place finish when she piloted her truck to a pull off against one of the best drivers in truck and tractor pulling.

The sport of truck and tractor pulling has given Morgan many unique opportunities and experiences. Her team consists of two trucks, with her dad driving one and Morgan driving the other. This gives Morgan the unique opportunity to compete directly against her father. He is not only her crew chief, but he is also her competition. She has also experienced many summers spent in their hauler, travelling all across the United States. Truck and tractor pulling has given Morgan and her family the opportunity to meet many different people, and develop close relationships with them.

Getting to travel all over the U.S. competing with my family, and even more exciting getting to compete against my dad. Getting to travel and meet people who become like family is special also!”

Morgan has experienced a great amount of support throughout her rookie year as a female driver. However that does not mean she has not experienced her share of challenges during her short driving career. Being born and raised in the sport of truck and tractor pulling gave many people very high expectations for Morgan’s driving career. That can be incredibly intimidating and was something Morgan had to face.

Living up to my friends and families high expectations they had set for me. All of the “first time driving jitters” and the nervousness of having so much power sitting in front of me in an eight second ride.”

Despite her first year being challenging, Morgan is confident in her abilities and cannot wait to continue her career as a driver. She has a firm belief in setting goals and she is driven to complete those she has set for herself. Her rookie year has shown a great deal of resilience, which is inspiring to many female drivers.

Don’t give up. Set your mind to your goals you have made and go out and get them!”

With her rookie year coming to a close, Morgan is looking forward to the future of her driving career. She plans on coming out strong next year in the race for a Grand National points championship with her truck Blade Gone Sweet.

I plan to be a top contender for my upcoming 2016 season and stand a chance at winning a Grand National title.”

Morgan’s natural affinity for driving and her passion for the sport has already taken her so far! We wish her all the best and cannot wait to see what the 2016 season has in store for Morgan Bartley!

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Growing up and turning to the Dark Side

Kelly Fedorowich plans a return to the seat

Community Outreach

Ashleigh Stewart – Stewart Sisters Racing

Madeline Stewart – Stewart Sisters Racing

Best of Luck to Stewart Sisters Racing!

Lisa Tatum – Full Throttle

The Life And Career of Susie Wolff

Her Early Years

Her Career

Susie’s Retirement

Post-Retirement

The Future Of Women In Motor Sports

Rodalyn Knox goes Tractor Pulling

2016 Gatornationals

Video from Alyx Coby Racing

Moving Up – Crewing and Brackets

Girl-Trouble Funny Car

Morgan Bartley | Blade Gone Sweet Truck Pull

Good luck Morgan and congratulations on all of your achievements this year!