Women's Motorsports Network Podcast - Fuel Her Future Podcast

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A $5 an hour summer job at a racetrack doesn’t sound like the start of a major motorsports career, but that’s exactly where Lauri Eberhart begins. From Michigan International Speedway to Nazareth Speedway to the NASCAR hub in North Carolina, Lori shows how motorsports careers are built in real time: by taking the work seriously, earning trust, and staying close to where the action and the people are. 

We trace her journey through sports law and speedway leadership, including internships at Charlotte Motor Speedway, trademark and licensing work, and a pivotal leap into being corporate counsel and then general counsel as Speedway Motorsports goes public. Lauri shares what it’s like to learn capital markets on the fly, manage regulated investor communications, and help grow a company through major acquisitions. If you’re curious about the business side of racing, this is a rare look at how speedways expand, operate, and handle the legal realities of motorsports risk. 

Then we shift to what the future can look like when more people feel welcomed into the sport. Lauri , now the national president of Women in Motorsports North America (Wimna), tells the Indy 500 pit road moment that inspired the organization and walks through practical programs like Electrify Your Career, local chapters, mentoring, membership, and the upcoming Wimna Career Connect job platform. If you want a clearer path into motorsports jobs, or you want to help someone else find theirs, this conversation is packed with real steps. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

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A 10-year-old with a trophy shelf behind her sounds adorable until you realize she’s also a serious driver with a clear head for speed, strategy, and safety. We sit down with Laci Mitchell from Victoria, Australia, a fourth-generation racer who started at five and now races both quarter midgets and a junior sedan. Listening to her talk about racing feels like a masterclass in what kids can learn early when they’re given the right support, equipment, and seat time. 

 Laci walks us through what a junior sedan is, why it feels so different from a quarter midget, and what really changes when the car gets wider, the track feels bigger, and the pace picks up. We dig into confidence and racecraft, including one of the toughest skills for any new driver: making a clean pass on the outside when you can’t control what the other driver does. She also shares why the racetrack keeps pulling her back, from hanging out with friends and family to the thrill of chasing better results in points racing. 

We also get practical about motorsports sponsorship and how it actually happens at the grassroots level. Laci lists her sponsors and says it plainly: she asked them to help and to be part of her program. And when the conversation turns serious, she describes rolling over in night shows and walking away fine, a powerful reminder of why racing safety equipment and good routines matter for every youth racing family. 

If you care about women in motorsports, youth racing development, quarter midget racing, junior sedan racing, or building confident young drivers, you’ll get a lot from this one. Subscribe to the Women’s Motorsports Network Podcast, share this with a racing parent or young driver, and leave us a review with your favorite takeaway.

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Most racing stories start with childhood karting, but Katrina “Kat” Gray takes a route that feels a lot more like real life. Kat joins us from Lincolnshire in the UK, where she teaches people to drive for a living and still finds time to chase lap times on some of the most iconic road racing circuits in the country. Her path into motorsport begins with under-17 driver training on a circuit, a uniquely British workaround since learners can’t drive on public roads before 17, and it quickly turns into a full-on obsession with track days and racing. 

We get into the details of grassroots UK racing, including Kat’s current ride, a supercharged Mini Cooper R53, and what it’s like competing in Track Action where multiple classes share the same race. Kat walks through her nine-year progression from Citroën C1 endurance and sprint racing to the Focus Cup Championship, then finally into the Mini she always wanted. Along the way, she names the tracks that shaped her as a driver, from Silverstone and Donington to Cadwell Park, Knockhill, Oulton Park, and Brands Hatch, and explains why the paddock vibe keeps pulling her back. 

We also talk honestly about women in motorsports, sponsorship challenges, and why visibility matters when you’re often the only woman on the grid. Kat shares what she loves most: meeting fans up close, welcoming young girls into the car for photos, and showing that this sport can be a long-term passion at any age. If you care about UK motorsport, club racing, Mini Cooper racing, driver confidence, or building a more welcoming paddock, this conversation will stick with you. 

Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a nudge to start, and leave a review so more listeners can find these stories. What part of Kat’s journey feels most familiar to you?

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You don’t need to start racing at five years old to belong on a racetrack. Melinda Russell sits down with Kim Estep, a Porsche racer who didn’t take her first laps until her 30s, and still built a path into real competition through coaching, club racing, and the kind of community that pulls you forward when you’re ready for more.

Kim shares the moments that changed everything: learning at Lime Rock Park, discovering she had a real feel for the car, and the wild “break it you buy it” story that ended with her in a Porsche 996 GT3. From there we get into what it actually takes to progress, from finding a race shop and choosing the right car to racing a Porsche Cayman in a spec-style series and earning trophies. If you’ve ever wondered how amateur motorsports works, this conversation makes the ladder visible and doable.

We also talk about the bigger picture: why racing can be oddly calming when your day job is high-pressure, what an empty-nester move near Road Atlanta unlocks, and why endurance racing series like ChampCar and WRL keep calling when teams need drivers who are fast, predictable, and safe. Along the way, we dig into safety and access, from lift and jack safety in the paddock to the modern gear and barriers that help drivers walk away.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to try autocross, book a track day, or simply visit your local racetrack and ask questions, this is it. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a push, and leave a review with the age you’d like to take your first laps.

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Drag racing taught Danika Miles how to perform under pressure, but dirt racing forced her to rebuild everything she thought she knew. Danika is 18, already nine years into motorsports, and she’s not sugarcoating what it takes to grow up around racing, sponsors, and serious expectations while still figuring out who you are off the track. If you’ve ever wondered what real mental toughness looks like, her story lands hard because it starts with anxiety that once made everyday places feel impossible. 

We walk through her path from junior dragster racing in the PDRA to a full switch into dirt track racing at Lancaster Motor Speedway. Danika explains why the move happened, what surprised her about the dirt racing culture, and how different it feels to race wheel-to-wheel at speed while managing traffic, split-second decisions, and the reality that contact can happen even when you’re trying to race clean. She also shares the leap into becoming an owner-driver with Danika Miles Motorsports, paying for parts, learning in the shop, and chasing that first big win after years of coming close. 

A big part of this conversation is confidence, safety, and identity. Danika opens up about being the only girl at the track on many nights, dealing with online hate, and still choosing accountability when things go wrong. We also talk about authentic social media for race teams, how Instagram and Facebook can attract sponsors, and why fans respond to real behind-the-scenes work more than polished highlight reels. Danika shares what it’s like to race while managing ulcerative colitis, fatigue, and the ongoing work of keeping anxiety in check. 

If you care about women in motorsports, dirt track racing, junior drag racing, racing mindset, or finding confidence through hard things, you’ll take a lot from Danica’s honesty. Subscribe for more stories like this, share the episode with a racing friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

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A dirt sprint car doesn’t reward you for playing it safe, it rewards you for understanding chaos. We’re joined by 17-year-old Florida racer Katlyn Calhoun, who’s making the leap from quarter midgets to a 600 micro sprint and a winged 360 sprint car, and she tells us the real skill that took the longest to learn: trusting the car when the rear starts to slide. If you’ve ever wondered what separates “holding the wheel” from actually driving, her explanation of dirt technique, throttle control, and confidence under pressure makes it click fast. 

We also get into what fans don’t always see, the shop work and the family teamwork. Katlyn shares how she and her dad split responsibilities, why learning maintenance makes you a better driver, and how a scary flip turned into a lesson in resilience and preparation. Along the way, we talk race day routines, those butterflies while waiting on the grid, and how she thinks about starting position differently depending on class and experience level. 

This conversation is also about representation and momentum. Katlyn explains why women in motorsports matter, not as a slogan, but because one young girl watching from the stands can decide to race when she sees someone who looks like her climb out of the car. We wrap with grounded, usable advice on budgeting for racing, approaching sponsorship, and using social media like TikTok and Instagram to build support without losing your voice. If you care about dirt racing, sprint cars, and driver development, hit subscribe, share this with a racing family, and leave us a review so more listeners can find the show.

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We share an original “So God Made a Racer” tribute that puts the real work of racing front and center, from late-night wrenching to the courage it takes to keep chasing a dream. We also explain why our mission is to connect and celebrate women across motorsports because every journey matters and everyone deserves to belong at the racetrack. 
• Paul Harvey’s influence and why we wrote a motorsports version 
• racing as a daily lifestyle, not a weekend hobby 
• strength and patience in the garage, from stuck bolts to valve adjustments 
• building great cars with ingenuity, grit, and modest tools 
• race teams as family, feeding the crew and showing up for each other 
• sponsorship, representation, and gratitude as part of the job 
• sportsmanship after a loss and the habit of rebuilding 
• passing down tradition, teaching kids, and protecting the legacy 
• women in motorsports as drivers, crew, leaders, and fans who reshape the sport 
Visit sendoutcards.com forward slash 53240. Start sending some joy today. 
Head to Pick Crew Creations on Facebook or go to Etsy at Pit Crew Creations Shop.etsy.com now to explore our collection and bring the race to your world. 

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She was nine years old, terrified on her first passes, and by the end of her first race day she was holding a win and wondering how she ever thought racing was “not cool.” Melinda Russell sits down with Autumn DeRossett, an NHRA drag racer who grew up in junior dragsters, moved into a Super Comp dragster, and built a motorsports life around the track community that keeps pulling her back every other weekend.

We get honest about the part of drag racing most people don’t post: the losses, the mistakes, and the emotional whiplash of being competitive. Autumn shares how she handles a bad run, why perspective matters when you lose more than you win, and what it takes to stay hungry without draining the fun out of motorsports. Along the way, we talk about the growing presence of women in racing and why seeing more female racers matters for the next kid who’s watching from the fence line.

Then we dive into the business she built as a teenager: Race Her fire suits. Autumn explains the real safety and performance problem behind gear that “technically fits” but limits movement, bunches up in the seat, and steals confidence. She walks through how her women-focused sizing, jacket-and-pants setup, adjustability, and practical details (yes, pockets) aim to make racing safety gear fit women the way it should. If you care about women in motorsports, NHRA drag racing, racing safety, or motorsports entrepreneurship, this one delivers. Subscribe, share it with a racer who needs better gear, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

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A 13-year-old micro sprint driver tells the truth about what it takes to get fast, stay confident, and keep learning on a dirt oval. We’re joined by Holly Spake from Southeast Texas, and her racing timeline is wild: eight years in the sport already, a go-kart start, a jump into junior sprints, and now restrictors with real results including an early-season win at her home track, Gulf Coast Speedway. If you’ve ever wondered what youth dirt track racing actually looks like behind the scenes, Holly lays it out with total clarity. 

We talk through the rhythms of a real race weekend: packing the trailer, drivers’ meetings, hot laps, heat races, and how passing points can change where you start in the feature. Holly also gets specific about the toughest skill jump she faced moving up classes: learning clutch control after driving cars without one. It’s the kind of detail that motorsports parents, new drivers, and longtime fans appreciate because it connects directly to performance, consistency, and staying calm in traffic. 

We also get into women in motorsports and why language matters. Holly shares how she uses TikTok to post racing clips and “female in a male industry” content, and we talk about the goal of being recognized as a racer, not a “girl racer.” From role models to sponsors to big dreams like reaching the Kubota High Limit sprint car series, this conversation is equal parts practical and inspiring. Subscribe, share this with a racing friend, and leave a review with one piece of advice you’d give a young driver.

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Waiting feels responsible, but it’s often the quiet place where big dreams stall. Fuel Her Future launches with Melinda Russell’s clearest message yet: you don’t have to have everything figured out to move forward, you just have to take one step. If you’ve been telling yourself you’ll start when you’re ready, this first conversation is the nudge to trade perfection for progress.

I share how my path from a farm in West Central Illinois into publishing, marketing, design, accounting, and building the Women’s Motorsports Network taught me a lesson I keep seeing in racers, creators, and entrepreneurs alike: opportunities don’t always show up neatly wrapped. Sometimes you make them by starting messy, learning fast, and staying brave. We talk about what Fuel Her Future will bring to the table, including marketing and branding, social media strategy, sponsorships and partnerships, leadership, confidence, goal setting, creativity, networking, storytelling, motorsports, and small business growth.

This is also a call to value your story right now, not someday when it looks more impressive. I’m building a community that chooses encouragement over competition and possibilities over limitations, especially for women who have been told to wait for permission. Subscribe, share the show with a friend, leave a review, and send me your questions and topics so we can fuel what’s next together.

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