Autumn DeRossett: What Happens When Racing Gear Finally Fits Women

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Meet Autumn DeRossett

Melinda Russell 1:29

Hello everyone. This is Melinda Russell with the Women's Motorsports Network podcast. And my guest today is Autumn DeRossett. Now, did I say that right? Yes, you did. I always I always ask what how to pronounce a name if I'm not sure, and then I'm always afraid I don't still don't say it right. So I'm glad I did, Autumn, for sure. So, Autumn, I want to welcome you to the show. I'm excited to have you on with me today. Could you share just a little bit about yourself so my listeners can get to know you better?

From Gymnast To Junior Dragster

unknown 2:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:02

So I have been drag racing in the NHRA program since I was about nine years old. Um, I've raced pretty much, I guess it's 10 years now. I'm 19, never quit a day in my life. I tried to balance a little bit of uh gymnastics and dance when I was still in high school, and that it really cut it out as as well as drag racing did, obviously. Um, I started my own fire suit company for female racers for a fire suit to fit a female's body type um when I was a sophomore in high school and I homeschooled and now I'm here. I work awesome and yeah, I just I love cars, I love motorsports. Everything about it is just I love the speed, the noise, everything.

Melinda Russell 2:51

Everything about it. So at nine years old, you started drag racing. How did that go about? How did that happen?

SPEAKER_01 2:59

So actually, I like I said, I was a gymnast at the time. Um, I was like super like I'm gonna be a gymnast. I was gonna go to the Olympics. That's all I wanted. And my dad, he picked the sport back up after retiring for a couple years. Um, and he was like, wouldn't it be so cool if you had a race car? And I was like, No, what? That is not so cool. I don't want to do that. Well, I ended up doing it anyway. Um I got my first union when I was about nine years old, made some test passes, and I was terrified. It was so scary. Um, but the first race that he ever put me in, it was actually a double race. So, like they finished the first one and there was another one right after. And I ended up winning the first one and running up the second, my first race ever. So I was like, wait, this is kind of cool. So, and I've just been hooked ever since.

Melinda Russell 3:56

Yeah. Especially if you go out, you know, like that and you win, then it's kind of like, oh, this is way cooler than I thought it was.

SPEAKER_01 4:06

Oh, yeah, it was such an eventful day. I think I had even run my junior into a wall that same day, too. And I was freaking out, and I was like, Oh my gosh, I'm terrible at this. I was like, I'm gonna quit. And then I ended up winning.

Melinda Russell 4:21

And you ended up winning, and so that that just started your life in motorsports for sure. So

Leveling Up To Super Comp

Melinda Russell 4:27

um, so tell me, you started in a junior, so um kind of give me the progression to where you are now.

SPEAKER_01 4:35

So we started in juniors when I was nine or when I was nine years old. You can go and raise juniors until you're 18, but I was ready to go ahead and step it up. So I think when I was 17, um, my dad surprised me for my birthday with my supercomp dragster. Now it's a worthy, um, it's got a 565 big block Chevy in it, runs about four ninety on a good day in the eighth mile. Um, and I've been running that car for the past two, three years-ish. And I've won one race in it so far. So hopefully we can rack up some more this season.

Melinda Russell 5:17

So we'll absolutely for sure. Now, do you race at the same track or do you go to different tracks?

SPEAKER_01 5:24

We travel. I'll say this year. I definitely haven't traveled as much. Um, we typically bounce between South Georgia, um, Gainesville, Florida. Every now and then we'll go a little bit further, maybe to Tennessee, maybe Alabama, but mainly Georgia and Florida.

Melinda Russell 5:44

Okay, all right. So we I I live close to US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan. Really nice track. They have some big events. So if you ever come that way, make sure you let me know because um they they hold some big events. You should check it out. Um, super nice track, and in no place better than Michigan in the summer. So there you go. I'll put a little I'll put a little advertisement in for my local uh track. So, Autumn, when you got in the car, you were nine years old. First you were scared, then you won and you loved

Why The Track Feels Like Home

Melinda Russell 6:22

it. What keeps you going to the track on the weekends when you could be doing lots of other things?

SPEAKER_01 6:29

It's really it's the friends that I've made at the racetrack itself. Um, like I said, I homeschooled my sophomore year of high school so I could like predominantly focus on racing. So racing's just turned into my life, really. Like some of my family members aren't even as close to me as people at the racetrack. Um, it's just a great bonding experience, I think, for people, more so than not. Every now and then, you know, you'll get into a little spite working on something with your dad, and you know, you know how that um, but yeah, I just I just love it. I love being out there, it's fun. I love driving my race car just to turn it on every single time. There's no better feeling than that. Um, and obviously winning is nice, but obviously we don't always get that lucky. So you just gotta genuinely love it, and I do. I love helping people out with their issues, and even when I struggle with my issues, a bad day at the track is better than no day at the track, is what I always say.

Melinda Russell 7:34

So, yeah, that's for

Handling Losses And Mistakes

Melinda Russell 7:36

sure. So if you have a bad day at the track, how do you handle it? Are you are you kind of one of those people that's like, okay, this is just one day at the track, the next one will be better, or or do you really get down on yourself, or how do you handle that?

SPEAKER_01 7:53

I definitely it it kind of depends on the situation. I definitely am very hard on myself when it comes to competition. I'm just a very competitive person. So if I'm not performing to my own expectations, I sometimes can really get down in the dumps. And like some people gotta leave me alone for at least 10 to 15 minutes so I can just chill out. Um, I'm normally pretty upset at first, I'm not gonna lie. Uh, as the day continues on, normally eventually I'm like, you know what? I'm not the only person that's been here before. Everybody's, you know, made this mistake, or you know, just something like that. And eventually I can calm myself down. I just gotta keep reminding myself that everybody makes mistakes, nobody's perfect, you're gonna mess up, especially in motorsports. It's not when it happens, it's or it's not if it's when, you know.

Melinda Russell 8:52

So yeah, that's so true. And and as we know, in we we lose more than we win in motorsports. That I don't care if you're the best driver in the world, you're gonna still lose more than you win throughout your career. And so if you know that going in, and you say, okay, I may not win every race, but as long as I'm improving and I'm having fun, that's the thing that matters most. And that's kind of how I hope most people look at it, because you can be awfully disappointed if you think you're gonna win every race.

SPEAKER_01 9:32

Absolutely. I I even know some people similar to that where they're so focused on I have to win and I have to do this, and I have to, and I'm like, you're not having fun, and if you're not having fun, then who are you doing it for, you know?

Melinda Russell 9:46

Yeah, yeah, absolutely, for sure.

More Women Showing Up To Race

Melinda Russell 9:49

So are there a lot of women that you race against, or is it still mostly men?

SPEAKER_01 9:55

I would say the number definitely increases every time I go to the track. I feel like when I was in juniors, I mean, there were several times where I was the only girl in my class. Um, as I've grown up, I feel like it not even just at the racetrack, but even on social media and just seeing like the community grow. There's so I would say probably every other time or every other realm, I'm probably lined up against a girl. And I think that's great because it used to be nobody, you know? And I feel like the more that things like this, like this podcast, the more you spread the word and you show, hey, this girl does it, this girl does it. Another little girl is looking at her and like, hey, yeah, she did it, so I can too. And that's kind of how I convinced myself to get into a race car as well. Cause like I said, my dad was like, Don't you wanna? And I was like, no. But after going to the racetrack enough, and I'm like looking around, I'm like, wait, there's other girls that do this, I didn't know that. And then you know, you look up to them, and you know, you want to try it out for yourself.

Melinda Russell 11:03

Yeah, yeah, that's absolutely true. Um, when you have a day that goes wrong, um, and and you've you know kind of talked yourself out of being upset and that, then is do you ever or or I should guess I should say, if you haven't talked yourself out of being upset, have you ever thought about, oh, I'm just gonna quit? Or are you really committed to where you're like it doesn't matter how bad the day might be, you love this more than you think about quitting?

SPEAKER_01 11:38

As many times as I've probably said that I would quit, I just said that anger. I feel like everybody says that at some point. Yeah, but no, I I don't think I could ever truly quit. It I I'm so bored without racing. Like when it's not racing season, I'm just like, what am I supposed to do? Like what people who don't race, what do they do on the weekends? It's just clicking my head. I it's such a routine now.

Melinda Russell 12:07

I'm just like, okay, yeah, that's that's that's fun. What do they do on the weekends? Who knows what they do? That's hard to say. Yeah, yeah.

The Wonder Bread Car Origin Story

Melinda Russell 12:18

So tell me about your car. Uh, what's your driving now, the color, the number, all the things about it.

SPEAKER_01 12:26

So, funny story. Uh, when I first got my dragster, it was wrapped all white. Uh, for some reason, my dragster sits very low to the ground, regardless of the shock setup and everything we've tried to adjust. It just likes to ride the ground. Um, so there were some body panels I had that got kind of messed up. So I took them to Ben Worthy, uh, who made the car to get some new ones rebuilt. Um, and obviously with that, I don't have the same white wrap anymore. And white is so hard to match. So I leave it up to my dad. I'm like, hey, you know, help me out. So what does he do? He gets a spray paint can and he rattle cans my body panels white, and it does not match at all. And I was like, this looks terrible. I'm like, everybody's gonna know, like, and at the time, like, I didn't have the money to get the whole car repainted. So what do you do about that? Well, um, I'm sure a lot of people have seen the movie Um Talladega Nights with Ricky Bobby. So my dad had wonder sticker made or wonder stickers made to slap on my race car with the dots and everything. And I had been driving the Wonder Bred car for the longest time. Uh, and I had no idea that that was happening. I just walk into my trailer one day and my car's got polka dots all over it, and I'm like, hey, you didn't tell me this. What happened? So, yeah, so we started off that way. Um, then I started my business race her for the fire suits, and obviously I need to represent that. So I've still kept some of the wonder features on there just because it gives everybody a good laugh and it's become a persona and a nickname for me, like in my friend group or whatever. Um, so it has all the race her stuff on it. I've changed the colors a little bit to match the um the Wonder Bread logo and everything with the red and the blue. Um, and I won a race, I guess maybe a year or two ago, and all of my buddies had started calling me Ricky Barbie. So my friend had a sticker made that has my car number on it and everything that says Ricky Barbie under it. And I have that sticker on there as well, which is funny.

Melinda Russell 14:52

So that's really cute. Yeah, that's really cute. I I love that. People are so creative, aren't they? They really are. Yeah. They really wonder what what came up? How'd your dad come up with the Wonder Bread idea out of all the millions of products out there? I wonder how he came up with that. That's funny.

SPEAKER_01 15:16

Well, because the car was all white, we really were like, we just need some stickers for it, you know, because if you have something, a sticker like big and extravagant enough, nobody's paying attention to the fact that the whites don't match. Right. Um, so I think he's kind of like sitting in his head thinking about, you know, because there's a million movies about, you know, race cars and a different car, something like that. So I guess I don't know, it just hit us one day, and he was like, that would be so funny. So yeah, I'm he got me a uh a Fig Newton sticker because if you've ever seen the movie, he's had a big one that he plasts all over the front of his windshield, and he's like, I can't see, but you know, I love Fig Newtons. I also have a Fig Newton sticker that I put on the dash in my dragster, and I put it there so that way I could see.

Melinda Russell 16:08

That way it's not directly on the windshield, but I didn't think about the glare, so I really can't see out of my race car, just a little bit, but it's funny, so it is funny, and you know, here's the thing about it it's fun, you set yourself apart from everybody else. When people see that car, they know that it's you, and that's all that's all positives, that's all good stuff, yeah.

Building Race Her Fire Suits

Melinda Russell 16:35

So, Autumn, tell me now about your racer fire suits. Um, I I understand that when you buy a fire suit from a company, most of the time they're not gonna fit the greatest because they're made for men mostly. How did so, Autumn, as a sophomore in high school, you had this idea for a business. Now, how did that come about?

SPEAKER_01 17:01

So, um, when I first got my dragster, obviously I needed a new fire suit. The junior one wasn't gonna cut it anymore. So my dad ordered me several fire suits at one time, I want to say three, just for me to try them all on because clothes always fit me weird anyway. So he ordered me three at one time, and I'm trying all these on, and I'm like, this is ridiculous. I'm like, isn't there like a woman size? And he's like, no. I'm like, what do you mean no? So you know, I I've gone these past couple years. I always knew I wanted to start a business. So after seeing, you know, this little hole in the market, I was like, well, maybe I could do that. I mean, I don't know. I could at least try. Worst case scenario, if it doesn't work out, at least I'll have a fire suit that fits, you know. So um he helped me get my LLC. Uh we started, you know, working things up. I I used to sit in class and I would doodle little um logo ideas and think of different names and stuff while I was in business class. Um, yeah. And so I I kind of pitched the idea around to some of my racing friends because I'm like, do you think this would go good? Like, is it worth the time? Um, and everybody was like, that's a great idea. I never thought of that. And I was I definitely had like imposter syndrome, like, there's no way I thought of this. Like, you know, there's I don't know. So I start asking all my girlfriends, like, how does your fire suit fit? Do you have one that fits? Because I mean, if you got one that fits better than mine, I want to know. And everybody's like, No, like I have to roll mine up and it bunches when I sit down in the car, but I can't size down because it doesn't fit my chest. Women are a lot curvier than men, you know. So when if you get a fire suit based around a man's body type, it'll fit a lady, but it's not gonna fit a woman in the way that it needs to. Just because it goes on your body does not mean that it's a good fit. You can't move in them sometimes if it's too tight. I mean, we're climbing in and out of our car all day, running around the racetrack. I mean, it if we're gonna be doing that all day, you need something that's comfortable and that fits your figure so you have mobility. Um, also, it can just be dangerous if your fire suit doesn't fit and you need to hurry up and get a kill switch. You don't have time to pull your sleeve up so you can reach it, you know?

SPEAKER_04 19:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:25

So I got uh several of my really close, or not even my I got several of um some girls that I knew at the racetrack that I knew had been struggling with their fire suits, um, all that kind of varied in body types. Um, and I got a pro one I found was like the best material fire suit that I really liked. So I got them all to try this on. And I was like, okay, where's the issue? What is it about this fire suit that isn't fitting us? We um so we got we got everything, we measured everybody, and we figured out where that little point was. It's just not, it's just enough to make you uncomfortable, and we fixed that. So um we got our own sewing pattern. Um, and Pro One graciously agreed with us to do a deal where I take their fire suits and I just alter them with my uh research that I've gathered to create a fire suit that fits a woman's body type.

Melinda Russell 20:25

That's amazing. That's just amazing. And so you've done that now for what three or four years?

SPEAKER_01 20:34

So I it was in the works for a while. I launched Race Her publicly, like with the Facebook page and everything, a year and a half ago-ish.

Melinda Russell 20:45

Okay. Okay, all right.

Fit, Sizing, Ordering, And Timing

Melinda Russell 20:48

And so if somebody wanted to order a suit, they would how would they get a hold of you and what would they have to do to get one that fits them right?

SPEAKER_01 20:57

So I do have a website posted up. Um, there's a link on all of my social media platforms. Facebook, I would say, is the one where I get the most traction. Um Facebook and Instagram is where I post the most. Um there's a link on there. If even so, somebody can DM me on Facebook through Messenger, uh, just race her fire suit. Same thing as Instagram. I will admit I'm pretty bad. I I run all of my social media channels. I don't have anybody helping me. So I will admit I do struggle to respond to Instagram DMs sometimes, but I will get to it eventually. Um, and normally at that point, I'll just give somebody, you know, my phone number and we can work it out that way. Um, otherwise, I do have everything posted up on my website with sizing charts and everything. I've made it as easy as possible to try to order, but my phone number is listed as well as my email for people just have a direct question and I'll help you directly.

Melinda Russell 21:56

So when you when you did these suits, so if I got on and and ordered there are they like 12, 14, 16, you know, sizes like that, small, medium, large. Um how did how did you end up sizing your suits?

SPEAKER_01 22:13

They run small, medium, large because the material of these uh fire suits is a nylon, which means it has just enough stretch to give in or out. Same thing with the pants. Um I'll say the only difference in pants sizing is we have a standard size and a tall size for my girls that have longer legs. Same thing with the pants. The pants have an adjustable waist because if you're like me, your pants will fit your thighs and not your waist. So I love an adjustable waist. It's got an adjustable waist to go in or out. It also has extra velcro on the button area as well as an extra button. Me and my dad have just been calling it like the fat boy snap. So you can either give in or out, you know, however you're feeling that day. And then as for the jackets are standard sizing um extra small all the way up to extra extra extra extra large.

Melinda Russell 23:12

Okay. All right so people could get you know one size top one size pants and make it fit better instead of the one piece things that would be really hard to to adjust I would think I like that it's a jacket and pants yes that was another thing that I really thought about when making the fire suits is I've had um a one piece before I personally just didn't like it.

SPEAKER_01 23:41

It kind of you know rides up a little bit and even if it fits good there's still just that little bit I drive a tractor so I gotta sling my legs over and it's just not a good combination. I like being able to take my jacket off and just wear my pants or vice versa.

Melinda Russell 23:59

So yeah especially if it's hot out in that and you know so it gives you more versatility if it's a jacket and and the pants. So um um I've got lots of girls listening how do they do they get on then and just order off your website and you said they could call you is that the best way for them to um purchase a suit yeah I would say definitely through the website is easier and there is a link on my Facebook page Instagram uh for that you can also DM me which I run it myself and I do work so I get to everything as quick as I can um if somebody does have a direct question I have no problem helping as soon as I can get to it.

SPEAKER_01 24:43

But definitely ordering through the website is definitely easier I would say on the customer and me but again I have no problem at all answering girls if they have a question or anything and we can work it out together. So okay all right and about how long from the time they ordered does it take you to get a suit done it varies so right now I have a lot of double layer fire suits in stock um all the other ones as of right now I'm working on just having everything in stock on my hands. As of right now single layer in 15 and 20s are made to order um so I would say that takes about four weeks ish give or take um just for me to get it out and assuming you live all the way across the world it would take about four weeks.

Melinda Russell 25:42

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 25:43

All right not that long because some sometimes it takes a really long time to get something that you order for sure yeah definitely yeah so Facebook Instagram um and it's race her r-a-c e h-r is the name of your company so people can uh find you that way and um I'm excited a young entrepreneur you work a job you do this as a side hustle at some point hopefully it's gonna be blow up and be a huge company for you and you're gonna add I know you're creative so you're gonna add all kinds of other fun stuff to your to your um company so that's exciting and when do you race again autumn I'm supposed to be racing again next weekend I believe at Gainesville Raceway in Florida.

Next Races And Final Takeaways

SPEAKER_01 26:36

Okay all right so do you race a couple times a month or is that about what you do um we try to go I would say it's like every other weekend ish okay kind of depending on the schedule uh because there's some racetracks that don't have a lot going on in July just because it's so hot in the heart um so yeah I try to go every other weekend or so as often as I can yeah yeah sounds fun well Autumn I've really enjoyed talking to you today and knowing more about Racer. I've been following you for a while on social media so I I kind of knew what you were doing but I'm I'm glad we had a chance for you to share um your story about racing and and also about how you came about founding your company I hope you have really good success this year and you know girls if you're out there listening and you want a fire suit that really fits get a hold of Amber at race her fire it's raceher L L C but at race her and she'll help you and you'll be so happy you did and you're helping another racer and that's the best that we can do is help each other right yeah well thanks for being on is there anything we haven't talked about that you want to share before we hang up um nothing in particular I just um I want to just read the word about the fire suits because there's a lot of girls that have no idea and it's like I just want to help you because I've been there I've had a fire suit that doesn't fit me I've gone through the trial and error of everything and it sucks and now that I have one that fits I never want to go back and you know another thing I'll say is the jacket I never thought that this would be a big deal to me but the jacket has pockets in it too.

Melinda Russell 28:30

Just saying Yeah absolutely everybody needs a pocket don't they on their jacket yeah yeah for sure yeah and you know the other side about having a suit that fits it makes you feel more confident it's one less thing that you have to think about and so you can concentrate on getting down the track as fast as you can and all of that makes racing much more fun doesn't it?

SPEAKER_01 28:57

Oh yeah. One less thing to worry about having to if everybody's waiting on me and I gotta roll up my pants leg and hold on let me scrunch up my jacket it cuts down time tremendously. Absolutely well autumn you were a pleasure to talk with today and I just want to thank you again for being on well thank you for inviting me I really appreciate you uh taking the time and looking after me and believing in this and helping me spread the word I do believe in you autumn I really do and and we're gonna talk again soon yes ma'am start your engines this is the women's motor fund network