Aug. 1, 2025
Caitlyn Bernard: Fourth Generation of Women Drivers at Whittemore Speedway
Send us a text Deep in northern Michigan, where entertainment options are limited and community bonds run strong, Caitlin Bernard carries forward an extraordinary motorsports legacy. As the fourth generation of women in her family to race at Whittemore Speedway, she follows in the tire tracks of her great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother who all competed at the same local track. Growing up on a farm and riding four-wheelers by age five, Bernard's journey to racing feels almost predestine...
Deep in northern Michigan, where entertainment options are limited and community bonds run strong, Caitlin Bernard carries forward an extraordinary motorsports legacy. As the fourth generation of women in her family to race at Whittemore Speedway, she follows in the tire tracks of her great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother who all competed at the same local track.
Growing up on a farm and riding four-wheelers by age five, Bernard's journey to racing feels almost predestined. Yet surprisingly, she discovered her family's racing heritage only after she began competing herself. "I am the fourth female generation driver on my mom's side at Whittemore Speedway," she reveals, a lineage tracing back to when the track was still dirt and women competed in "Powder Puff" divisions.
What makes Bernard's story particularly compelling is her grassroots approach to motorsports. Racing a converted 2003 Buick Regal that was once her daily driver, she exemplifies how racing can be accessible without breaking the bank. "When we put the car together I probably put a grand into it," she explains, noting she's now competing in the top 10 with a completely stock motor.
Beyond the competition, Bernard's experience highlights the tight-knit community that defines small-town racing. In her front-wheel drive class, which regularly fields 15-20 cars per night, competitors maintain a family-like atmosphere despite the on-track rivalries. "We might bicker back and forth once in a while, we have rivals once in a while," she says, "but at the end of the day it's like we're one family."
When not at the track, Bernard embodies a quintessential Michigan lifestyle – studying to become a registered medical assistant while tending to her homestead with ducks, geese, and dogs. Her story reminds us that motorsports isn't just about professional aspirations, but about community connections, family traditions, and the pure joy of competition. Ready to discover your own motorsports journey? There's a place for you at the track, no matter your background or budget.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/womensmotorsportsnetworkandpodcast
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/womensmotorsportsnetwork/
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindarussell/
TIKTOK: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindarussell/
X: https://x.com/IWMANation
FACEBOOK Personal Page: https://www.facebook.com/melinda.ann.russell
00:00 - Introduction to Women's Motorsports Network
01:49 - Meet Caitlin Bernard: Michigan Racer
05:16 - Four Generations of Female Racers
08:57 - Racing a Daily Driver Buick
13:20 - Community Support and Local Sponsors
27:39 - Closing and Final Thoughts
WEBVTT
00:00:02.283 --> 00:00:14.407
Welcome to the Women's Motorsports Network podcast, the show that puts the spotlight on the incredible women who fuel the world of motorsports, from drivers to crew members, engineers to fans and everyone in between.
00:00:14.407 --> 00:00:19.675
We're here to celebrate the trailblazers, dreamers and doers shaping the sport we love.
00:00:19.675 --> 00:00:28.815
Each episode we share inspiring stories of females of all ages from every corner of the motorsports universe past, present and future.
00:00:28.815 --> 00:00:34.652
It's a journey through the seasons of life filled with heartfelt moments, laughter and a whole lot of horsepower.
00:00:34.652 --> 00:00:46.691
So, whether you're a lifelong fan, a racer yourself or simply curious about the extraordinary women behind the wheel, settle in, relax and enjoy a fun and uplifting ride with us.
00:00:46.691 --> 00:00:54.984
This is the Women's Motorsports Network podcast, connecting and celebrating women in motorsports, one story at a time.
00:00:54.984 --> 00:00:56.329
Let's hit the track.
00:01:02.801 --> 00:01:19.272
If you're looking to buy, sell or trade the stuff that strokes your engine anything from truck parts to classic and muscle cars, rvs to hot rods and everything in between then check out our official classifieds at RacingJunkcom.
00:01:19.272 --> 00:01:25.111
Racingjunkcom is the world's number one online racing and performance marketplace.
00:01:25.111 --> 00:01:32.067
Racingjunkcom is the world's number one online racing and performance marketplace, the ultimate one-stop shop where you'll find what you need to rock your ride.
00:01:32.067 --> 00:01:34.920
If it belongs in your garage, it's for sale on RacingJunkcom.
00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:39.631
Log on to RacingJunkcom to find the gear you're looking for.
00:01:39.631 --> 00:01:44.831
Sell your extra stuff, keep up on racing news and tech tips and more.
00:01:44.831 --> 00:01:49.180
Again, that's Racingjunkcom.
00:01:49.180 --> 00:02:01.909
Hello everyone, this is Melinda Russell with the Women's Motorsports Network podcast, and my guest today is Caitlin Bernard.
00:02:01.909 --> 00:02:07.852
We are Michiganders and so we have something in common for sure, don't we, caitlin?
00:02:07.852 --> 00:02:13.657
And we also love motorsports, so we actually have a lot of things in common.
00:02:13.657 --> 00:02:21.444
So, caitlin, I want to welcome you to the show, and would you first tell?
00:02:23.109 --> 00:02:24.992
us a little bit about yourself so we can get to know you better.
00:02:24.992 --> 00:02:25.574
Thanks for having me.
00:02:25.574 --> 00:02:31.466
So first of all, I am originally from Hale, michigan, but I live in Whittemore right now.
00:02:31.466 --> 00:02:37.235
I am a homesteader, pretty much.
00:02:37.235 --> 00:02:46.995
I have a little homestead, I have ducks, I got geese, I got dogs, pretty much just typical Michigan homesteader.
00:02:46.995 --> 00:03:00.251
Right now I am a full-time student at Kirtland Community College going for my registered medical assistant, and during the summer when I'm off, I race at Whittemore Speedway.
00:03:00.251 --> 00:03:02.747
That's pretty much me.
00:03:04.020 --> 00:03:07.687
That's you in a nutshell huh, that's me, yeah, awesome.
00:03:07.687 --> 00:03:12.270
So, caitlin, you race not far from your house.
00:03:12.270 --> 00:03:17.192
Probably it's not far to go to the racetrack, which you're lucky right.
00:03:17.620 --> 00:03:18.866
Yeah, absolutely.
00:03:18.866 --> 00:03:27.961
It's five miles from where I'm at right now and, being from Hale even and living north of Hale, it was only 10 miles.
00:03:27.961 --> 00:03:33.052
We were from the racetrack, so it was a regular thing that we went to the racetrack.
00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:47.201
Yeah, well, and because you do live in, you know more northern Michigan, and this is not a bad thing, but you didn't live in the city and going to the racetrack was your inner weekly entertainment, really, wasn't it?
00:03:47.543 --> 00:03:48.443
oh, yeah, for sure.
00:03:48.443 --> 00:04:01.237
There's really nothing to do up here besides going to the bar or something, but even as kids there was nothing close for us to do, uh, being socialized.
00:04:01.237 --> 00:04:06.231
You know we could go to the laker stuff, but during evening there was nothing.
00:04:06.231 --> 00:04:16.427
It was something that we actually looked forward to and it was something like we met new people, especially during, like the invitational that Whittemore would hold.
00:04:16.427 --> 00:04:30.449
Right, we got to meet new people all over the state and hear about their lifestyle and it's like whoa state and hear about their lifestyle, it's like whoa, yeah, totally different, for sure.
00:04:30.488 --> 00:04:31.732
Yeah, that's, that's cool.
00:04:31.732 --> 00:04:32.334
So you know a lot of people.
00:04:32.334 --> 00:04:47.821
I talk to drive hours, two, three hours, to go on a weekend to race, and I always say I'm so spoiled because here in Michigan, you know, within within an hour or less, mostly less, of where I live in Kalamazoo, I've got six racetracks, you know, or more.
00:04:47.821 --> 00:04:50.108
So yeah, I'm spoiled for sure.
00:04:50.548 --> 00:04:50.990
For sure.
00:04:51.531 --> 00:04:51.833
Yeah.
00:04:51.833 --> 00:05:00.192
So, caitlin, how did you first get interested in motorsports, and was it because you went to the track to watch, or did anybody in your family race?
00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:20.846
So actually I am the fourth female generation driver on my mom's side yes, at Whittemore Speedway.
00:05:20.846 --> 00:05:22.487
But I really didn't know that until I got into racing motorsports.
00:05:22.487 --> 00:05:23.930
Um, for the longest time.
00:05:23.930 --> 00:05:34.315
I grew up on a farm, on a beef farm, and five years old I was riding my four-wheeler around the farm and it was, you know, a good size four-wheeler.
00:05:34.315 --> 00:05:45.312
Then my brother actually got into dirt bikes and he got into motocross and he eventually handed me a dirt bike and was like well, here you go.
00:05:45.312 --> 00:05:52.913
So I actually started with motocross and raced motocross for a couple years okay, and where did you go to race that?
00:05:53.822 --> 00:06:07.293
um, that was actually at Oklahoma County Fair okay so really wasn't that far, it was about 20-25 minute drive from Hale, uh-huh, you know would only race once, maybe twice a year.
00:06:07.293 --> 00:06:09.584
Yeah, and that was it.
00:06:09.584 --> 00:06:12.733
And then in the meantime we still went to Whittemore.
00:06:12.733 --> 00:06:18.853
So it was still, whittemore was still a part of my life, it was still a piece of me.
00:06:18.853 --> 00:06:30.596
Yeah, and for the longest time, between racing dirt bikes and consistently going to the racetrack, I knew I wanted to race for the longest time.
00:06:30.596 --> 00:06:54.721
And you know, 14, 15 years old, I was at Whittemore Speedway watching Joe Coleman race and while he was racing I was actually taking his times for him and had a time log and tracked everything the temperature, the weather, everything, and in between each race if there was temperature difference.
00:06:54.721 --> 00:06:57.567
And then he got that log at the end of the night.
00:06:57.567 --> 00:07:00.834
So I knew I wanted to race.
00:07:00.834 --> 00:07:07.560
It was just a matter of time for everything to line up and that happened two years ago.
00:07:07.560 --> 00:07:14.295
So now I'm out there and racing for myself and it's been a blast.
00:07:14.776 --> 00:07:15.619
I bet it has it.
00:07:15.619 --> 00:07:17.903
You know what's funny about you keeping those time logs.
00:07:17.903 --> 00:07:20.930
You know you taught racers.
00:07:20.930 --> 00:07:22.281
Talk about keeping a notebook.
00:07:22.281 --> 00:07:26.432
Yeah right, that was, that was his notebook that you were doing.
00:07:26.432 --> 00:07:32.408
Yep, that was his Bible, and I'll bet there wasn't hardly anybody else at that track doing that at the time.
00:07:33.423 --> 00:07:42.608
No, and actually I did it for him and then I would, when the Legends came in, cole Landau 74L.
00:07:42.608 --> 00:07:51.449
I would do his time log while he was at Whittemore and I would send it to him through facebook and I kept track of everything.
00:07:51.449 --> 00:08:10.281
Cautions if if they got squirrely in a certain corner, that was marked down, that was their bible for the night I guess, so it was actually kind of cool to have that experience and have that background going into racing Right.
00:08:10.281 --> 00:08:11.887
That helped a lot.
00:08:12.507 --> 00:08:13.250
I'll bet it did.
00:08:13.250 --> 00:08:15.586
Oh yeah, when you started racing, what?
00:08:15.586 --> 00:08:17.490
What was your first thing that you raced?
00:08:17.490 --> 00:08:18.802
What kind of a car was it?
00:08:19.343 --> 00:08:24.189
So when I first raced, it was a front front wheel drive.
00:08:24.189 --> 00:08:31.661
It was actually my daily driver that got turned into a race car.
00:08:32.503 --> 00:08:34.044
What kind of car, was it?
00:08:34.605 --> 00:08:45.171
it was a 2003 buick regal really yeah, yeah, and it feels like you're driving a big old boat, but if somebody, somebody hits it, you don't feel a thing.
00:08:45.171 --> 00:08:47.306
No, it's actually kind of nice.
00:08:48.100 --> 00:08:51.190
That's a great car to be racing out there for sure.
00:08:51.460 --> 00:08:51.801
And are you?
00:08:51.821 --> 00:08:53.989
still racing that car or you have something different.
00:08:54.419 --> 00:08:55.866
No, I have the same car.
00:08:55.866 --> 00:08:57.726
She's still running strong.
00:08:57.726 --> 00:09:00.067
It's completely stock.
00:09:00.067 --> 00:09:02.081
I haven't even tuned the motor yet.
00:09:02.081 --> 00:09:04.522
Really, yeah, oh, yeah I haven't even tuned the motor yet.
00:09:04.522 --> 00:09:05.282
Really, yeah, oh yeah.
00:09:05.282 --> 00:09:15.692
And last weekend well, not last week, in the weekend before I was turning out some of my fastest times with that car and keeping up with the top nine of the pack.
00:09:15.692 --> 00:09:25.395
The past two nights that I ran I placed the top 10 in the feature with that car, and that's just, with making little adjustments here and there.
00:09:25.905 --> 00:09:36.474
So, it's actually been a blast, and improving every night without being tuned, yeah, and without having to put a whole lot of money into it.
00:09:36.474 --> 00:09:38.730
That's the thing.
00:09:38.730 --> 00:09:49.821
People don't get started racing a lot of times because they either think it's going to cost a lot or it is going to cost a lot, depending on how they start.
00:09:49.821 --> 00:09:56.352
But with you, you started with a car you already owned, yeah, and you really haven't had to do anything to it.
00:09:56.352 --> 00:10:00.806
So, other than your weekly expenses, you know you're.
00:10:00.806 --> 00:10:02.812
You're ahead of the game, for sure, caitlin.
00:10:03.254 --> 00:10:10.051
Oh, I know I like when we put the car together I probably put a grand into it.
00:10:10.051 --> 00:10:27.214
But that was from like the summer, before mid summer, until like January, february, when we put the car together and then I got sponsors for like my paint and my stickers and that kind of stuff and you know, a hundred dollars sponsor I.
00:10:27.214 --> 00:10:28.177
I grabbed it.
00:10:28.177 --> 00:10:33.953
People are looking at me and I'm like, hey, if they're willing to give me money, it's money.
00:10:33.953 --> 00:10:36.871
You know, my tires cost $56 a piece.
00:10:36.871 --> 00:10:38.376
That's $2.
00:10:38.376 --> 00:10:40.865
That's two tires with a hundred dollars.
00:10:40.865 --> 00:10:42.889
Yeah, you can't beat it.
00:10:43.591 --> 00:10:46.519
No, you can't beat it and you're having a blast, and that's the main thing.
00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:48.789
You're having so much fun that's the whole point.
00:10:48.809 --> 00:11:02.767
It's just out there having fun and meeting new people and, yeah, getting to race my little heart out there you go and so now, does your brother still race anything at all?
00:11:02.767 --> 00:11:09.479
Um, so actually currently he doesn't, but they still ride their dirt bikes.
00:11:09.479 --> 00:11:19.259
Okay, when he first started having his kids, he got out of it, so so it's been about three, four years since he has raced.
00:11:19.625 --> 00:11:19.966
Okay.
00:11:19.966 --> 00:11:24.236
So who helps you with the car, Like if you needed to do something to it?
00:11:24.236 --> 00:11:26.751
Do you have help or you're learning?
00:11:26.792 --> 00:11:27.254
yourself.
00:11:27.254 --> 00:11:32.254
I am learning, but I also do have help from my boyfriend, justin.
00:11:32.254 --> 00:11:35.967
He has been my main guy to go to.
00:11:35.967 --> 00:11:45.051
He actually has been with me and helped me build the car the way I wanted it and made sure, like the roll cage in the seat is.
00:11:45.051 --> 00:11:52.150
It's custom to me so like my seat can't go back no further on the roll cage.
00:11:52.150 --> 00:11:59.591
You can only go forward and, like I, have to have a removable steering wheel to get in and out of the car.
00:11:59.673 --> 00:12:06.581
Otherwise I can't get in and out yeah so he's been my main man and teaching me things as we go.
00:12:06.581 --> 00:12:10.208
It's been a really fun uh journey together.
00:12:10.769 --> 00:12:11.171
I bet.
00:12:11.171 --> 00:12:12.994
And does he race or he just?
00:12:12.994 --> 00:12:15.778
He's your pit crew, he's just my pit man.
00:12:16.426 --> 00:12:19.674
Yeah, even if I get a flat tire, he's right there.
00:12:19.674 --> 00:12:21.606
Got everything out ready to change.
00:12:21.606 --> 00:12:24.753
We're out and within a couple minutes.
00:12:25.354 --> 00:12:33.116
So we're not going to say just your pit man, we're going to say he's your main pit man, because there's no just about it.
00:12:33.116 --> 00:12:38.119
That's a lot of work and and it takes take some knowledge for sure oh, yeah, for sure.
00:12:38.900 --> 00:12:42.029
You know I really appreciate everything that he does.
00:12:42.029 --> 00:12:49.288
Without him it would be a challenge, yeah and being you know a female doing this.
00:12:49.288 --> 00:12:51.171
It's a challenge to begin with.
00:12:51.171 --> 00:12:59.856
Yeah, you know, having the farm background, you know not built like other females, I have a little bit more oomph to me.
00:12:59.856 --> 00:13:03.631
Yeah, even then I still have difficulties.
00:13:03.631 --> 00:13:11.934
You know I can take my own tire and that kind of stuff, but when it comes into the actual hard work, I need a hand.
00:13:11.934 --> 00:13:14.759
Yeah, he's always right there.
00:13:15.806 --> 00:13:17.808
So what's your favorite thing?
00:13:17.808 --> 00:13:20.232
You know what keeps you going back on the weekends.
00:13:20.232 --> 00:13:26.091
Instead of going somewhere else or going to the lake, or whatever, why do you keep going back to the racetrack?
00:13:26.884 --> 00:13:36.019
It's for me, it's the fact that I keep having fun and the adrenaline rush and just the people who I race with.
00:13:36.746 --> 00:13:40.616
You know we might bicker back and forth once in a while.
00:13:40.616 --> 00:13:50.717
Yeah, we have rivals once in a while, we bump into each other once in a while, but at the end of the day it's like we're one family, especially in the front wheel drives.
00:13:50.717 --> 00:14:06.658
You know, we're always running to each other's pits, helping each other out, trying to keep as many cars out there as possible, and you know the front wheel drives there is one of the more competitive classes there.
00:14:07.566 --> 00:14:11.294
And you know this season alone we're almost 30 cars.
00:14:11.294 --> 00:14:22.557
Yeah, you know, consistently we have 15 to 20 cars a night, but the whole season we've had up to 30 different cars on the track.
00:14:23.019 --> 00:14:24.669
Yeah, isn't that something?
00:14:24.669 --> 00:14:35.130
Those smaller classes, though, tend to be bigger because of the cost, the entry level, and that's how people get started.
00:14:35.491 --> 00:14:36.215
Yeah, that's it.
00:14:36.215 --> 00:14:38.528
It really doesn't cost that much.
00:14:38.528 --> 00:14:48.251
You know, even just to go to enter every week, you know, we pay $50 yearly fee and it's just the cost of us to get into the pits.
00:14:48.251 --> 00:14:49.294
That's it.
00:14:49.875 --> 00:14:50.236
That's cheap.
00:14:51.285 --> 00:14:58.552
As long as you do one lap in the feature race, you get a check at the end of the night, usually $75.
00:14:58.552 --> 00:15:01.567
So, you can't beat it.
00:15:01.586 --> 00:15:02.729
No, you can't beat that.
00:15:02.729 --> 00:15:04.432
No, not at all.
00:15:04.432 --> 00:15:08.625
So is this something you can see yourself doing for a long time?
00:15:09.606 --> 00:15:15.653
Oh yeah, oh yeah, I'll be going as long as I can, yeah, Especially now.
00:15:15.653 --> 00:15:20.080
You know, the first year I had a couple sponsors here and there.
00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:43.080
This year I have quite a few sponsors and bigger paying sponsors now that my name's out there a little bit and gotten some experience underneath in my belt, so I definitely do have the support behind me to keep going and that's one of the biggest things is having that support to keep going Right.
00:15:44.326 --> 00:15:47.153
Are there other women that you race against in that class?
00:15:48.155 --> 00:15:57.495
Oh, yes, there are, I believe, three other women in that class that I race with and you know we're great with each other.
00:15:57.495 --> 00:15:59.830
We all laugh, we all get along.
00:15:59.830 --> 00:16:25.697
So it's really nice to have these other women because you know, we kind of stick together and even when we're racing, you know, I and another girl we keep pretty close during the race and it's always fun to race side by side with each other and be able to push our cars and push each other to go faster and learn different things.
00:16:25.697 --> 00:16:28.028
Yeah, while being competitive.
00:16:28.028 --> 00:16:31.075
Right, it's a blast, I enjoy it.
00:16:31.655 --> 00:16:35.707
So when you first started, the first first few nights you went to the racetrack.
00:16:35.707 --> 00:16:39.855
I I mean, you've been going there a long time so people knew you, but not as a driver.
00:16:39.855 --> 00:16:44.447
So the first few nights you went there, did you feel accepted?
00:16:44.447 --> 00:16:49.077
Did everybody welcome you or did you feel like you were out of place?
00:16:50.085 --> 00:16:52.450
Oh no, I felt very, very welcome.
00:16:52.450 --> 00:16:58.714
You know, right from the gate they are like welcome to the Speedway.
00:16:58.714 --> 00:17:02.590
And then as soon as you get in the gate there's always someone right there to greet you.
00:17:02.590 --> 00:17:06.426
And you walk down a little bit further, there's more people.
00:17:06.426 --> 00:17:13.463
If you want to know where the best seats are, you know um, what areas, what.
00:17:13.463 --> 00:17:15.087
They're not afraid to tell you.
00:17:15.087 --> 00:17:20.098
So you get the area area that you want and it's a blast.
00:17:20.098 --> 00:17:21.969
And you know they're real friendly.
00:17:21.969 --> 00:17:38.963
At the concession stands, at the souvenir stands, they're very social people, yeah, and very down to earth and you don't don't really see that a whole lot anymore and it's really, it's a heartwarming place.
00:17:40.154 --> 00:17:41.780
So we can't beat it.
00:17:41.840 --> 00:17:42.564
We're gifted.
00:17:43.695 --> 00:17:45.743
First of all, it's Michiganders.
00:17:45.743 --> 00:18:14.077
They tend to be friendly, and even more so when they're not and this is not a knock on the city, I mean, I live in Kalamazoo, it's a pretty big town, but people tend to be friendly and as far as michiganders go and at the racetrack, that's that's another place where they're more friendly, more welcoming than just your normal, normal place oh for sure you know they're.
00:18:14.337 --> 00:18:19.584
It's a competitive sport, very much so, but you usually don't see.
00:18:19.584 --> 00:18:25.431
You know people fighting over stuff, you know, like over like baseball games and that kind of stuff.
00:18:29.234 --> 00:18:29.996
Or other tracks.
00:18:29.996 --> 00:18:36.166
There are other tracks where that happens, but the norm I think the normal is, even if they're bumping each other when they're racing, they're.
00:18:36.166 --> 00:18:38.820
They're okay when they get off the track because they know that.
00:18:38.820 --> 00:18:41.190
That's just how part of it is for sure.
00:18:41.873 --> 00:18:43.416
Oh, yeah, for the most part.
00:18:43.416 --> 00:18:46.323
Yeah, just how it goes, it's racing.
00:18:46.742 --> 00:18:47.023
Yeah.
00:18:47.023 --> 00:18:55.238
So, caitlin, you're going to school and you know you have laundry and groceries and everything that everybody else has to do and you're racing.
00:18:55.238 --> 00:18:58.086
So how do you balance all that?
00:18:58.086 --> 00:18:59.519
What's your you know?
00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:03.835
Do you have something that you enjoy doing, you know, in your downtime to refresh?
00:19:03.835 --> 00:19:08.726
What do you do to keep yourself on an even keel?
00:19:08.726 --> 00:19:11.837
I guess we could say Pretty much my.
00:19:11.917 --> 00:19:15.467
Homestead is my peace and comfort.
00:19:15.467 --> 00:19:21.876
Homestead is my, it's my peace and comfort.
00:19:21.876 --> 00:19:28.207
You know I really all my life has enjoyed animals and growing and canning and that's kind of what I've always stuck to.
00:19:28.207 --> 00:19:30.049
It's relaxation for me.
00:19:30.049 --> 00:19:40.329
You know I make homemade bread, that kind of stuff, so that's kind of what keeps me all insane pretty much so are you the?
00:19:40.450 --> 00:19:41.699
where are you in your family?
00:19:41.699 --> 00:19:43.886
I think you said you had three.
00:19:43.886 --> 00:19:44.950
What did you tell me?
00:19:44.950 --> 00:19:46.255
Do you have brother?
00:19:46.255 --> 00:19:47.116
You have a brother.
00:19:47.116 --> 00:19:48.279
Is it just the two of you?
00:19:49.163 --> 00:19:50.967
yep, well full.
00:19:50.967 --> 00:19:53.835
My dad, he remarried a couple times.
00:19:53.835 --> 00:20:02.144
Okay, there's either five or seven of us all together, okay, but just my brother and I pretty much did it together.
00:20:03.698 --> 00:20:07.307
And so what did your family think when you started racing at the racetrack?
00:20:08.236 --> 00:20:12.067
You know my mom it was really no surprise.
00:20:12.067 --> 00:20:15.324
She knew that I've always wanted to.
00:20:15.324 --> 00:20:23.542
She actually, right from the get-go, was all worth it and her and my stepdad was like all supportive.
00:20:23.542 --> 00:20:36.970
You know we built the race car out of their garage, okay, so it was really nice for them to come out and see the progress on the car as we were going.
00:20:36.970 --> 00:20:50.750
So it was pretty no surprise, okay, with it being a family thing and especially a female driver thing.
00:20:50.890 --> 00:20:53.342
Right, so tell me about that.
00:20:53.342 --> 00:20:56.816
Four generations, that would have been your great grandmother.
00:20:56.836 --> 00:20:57.376
Yes, so tell me about that.
00:20:57.376 --> 00:21:00.138
Four generations, that would have been your great-grandmother.
00:21:00.138 --> 00:21:17.471
Yes, so my great-grandmother and I were very, very close while I was growing up and I did not learn about this until I started racing and did some digging, that she was actually involved with Whittemore Speedway in the Powder Puff series.
00:21:17.471 --> 00:21:26.470
Okay, she only raced a couple nights, but she was still there involved with the track and raced.
00:21:26.470 --> 00:21:37.209
And then I also learned that my grandmother also did the Powder Puff at Whittemore Speedwayway about.
00:21:37.209 --> 00:21:53.366
I think it was 20 years later while the track was still dirt, and then, just before the track went from dirt, asphalt was the last time she raced.
00:21:53.366 --> 00:21:57.009
Okay, because she ended up pregnant with my uncle.
00:21:57.009 --> 00:22:06.378
Okay, so she got out of it and my mom started racing at Whittemore Speedway.
00:22:06.378 --> 00:22:19.991
I want to say it was 1990-ish or 1992-ish Jewish, but she raced until 1997 when she found out she was pregnant with me.
00:22:21.215 --> 00:22:28.769
And she was actually still racing while she was pregnant with me until she wouldn't push it.
00:22:28.769 --> 00:22:30.237
No longer.
00:22:30.237 --> 00:22:34.984
After I was born, they got out of racing.
00:22:35.164 --> 00:22:38.670
Okay, so what do you know what kind of cars they drove.
00:22:39.315 --> 00:22:54.742
They drove actually the four cylinder classes Okay, four and six cylinder classes and you know they would jump from Whittemore to Standish Speedway all the time when Standish was open and it was so cool.
00:22:54.742 --> 00:23:14.008
You know I didn't get to see them race but they kept videos of their races so I was able to watch all their races pretty much and it was yeah it was awesome so I'm just carrying on the tradition, yeah and just knowing how far back it started it's.
00:23:14.228 --> 00:23:26.397
It's not unusual for maybe a girl to be the fourth generation, but the fourth generation of women that you're the first that I've heard of that yeah, it's not common at all.
00:23:26.538 --> 00:23:32.628
I have never heard of it, and especially at a woman at a certain speedway.
00:23:32.628 --> 00:23:35.303
It's like a traveling speedway.
00:23:35.943 --> 00:23:39.073
It's a certain speedway, yeah, yeah that not a traveling speedway, it's a certain speedway.
00:00:02.283 --> 00:00:14.407
00:00:14.407 --> 00:00:19.675
00:00:19.675 --> 00:00:28.815
00:00:28.815 --> 00:00:34.652
00:00:34.652 --> 00:00:46.691
00:00:46.691 --> 00:00:54.984
00:00:54.984 --> 00:00:56.329
00:01:02.801 --> 00:01:19.272
00:01:19.272 --> 00:01:25.111
00:01:25.111 --> 00:01:32.067
00:01:32.067 --> 00:01:34.920
00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:39.631
00:01:39.631 --> 00:01:44.831
00:01:44.831 --> 00:01:49.180
00:01:49.180 --> 00:02:01.909
00:02:01.909 --> 00:02:07.852
00:02:07.852 --> 00:02:13.657
00:02:13.657 --> 00:02:21.444
00:02:23.109 --> 00:02:24.992
00:02:24.992 --> 00:02:25.574
00:02:25.574 --> 00:02:31.466
00:02:31.466 --> 00:02:37.235
00:02:37.235 --> 00:02:46.995
00:02:46.995 --> 00:03:00.251
00:03:00.251 --> 00:03:02.747
00:03:04.020 --> 00:03:07.687
00:03:07.687 --> 00:03:12.270
00:03:12.270 --> 00:03:17.192
00:03:17.620 --> 00:03:18.866
00:03:18.866 --> 00:03:27.961
00:03:27.961 --> 00:03:33.052
00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:47.201
00:03:47.543 --> 00:03:48.443
00:03:48.443 --> 00:04:01.237
00:04:01.237 --> 00:04:06.231
00:04:06.231 --> 00:04:16.427
00:04:16.427 --> 00:04:30.449
00:04:30.488 --> 00:04:31.732
00:04:31.732 --> 00:04:32.334
00:04:32.334 --> 00:04:47.821
00:04:47.821 --> 00:04:50.108
00:04:50.548 --> 00:04:50.990
00:04:51.531 --> 00:04:51.833
00:04:51.833 --> 00:05:00.192
00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:20.846
00:05:20.846 --> 00:05:22.487
00:05:22.487 --> 00:05:23.930
00:05:23.930 --> 00:05:34.315
00:05:34.315 --> 00:05:45.312
00:05:45.312 --> 00:05:52.913
00:05:53.822 --> 00:06:07.293
00:06:07.293 --> 00:06:09.584
00:06:09.584 --> 00:06:12.733
00:06:12.733 --> 00:06:18.853
00:06:18.853 --> 00:06:30.596
00:06:30.596 --> 00:06:54.721
00:06:54.721 --> 00:06:57.567
00:06:57.567 --> 00:07:00.834
00:07:00.834 --> 00:07:07.560
00:07:07.560 --> 00:07:14.295
00:07:14.776 --> 00:07:15.619
00:07:15.619 --> 00:07:17.903
00:07:17.903 --> 00:07:20.930
00:07:20.930 --> 00:07:22.281
00:07:22.281 --> 00:07:26.432
00:07:26.432 --> 00:07:32.408
00:07:33.423 --> 00:07:42.608
00:07:42.608 --> 00:07:51.449
00:07:51.449 --> 00:08:10.281
00:08:10.281 --> 00:08:11.887
00:08:12.507 --> 00:08:13.250
00:08:13.250 --> 00:08:15.586
00:08:15.586 --> 00:08:17.490
00:08:17.490 --> 00:08:18.802
00:08:19.343 --> 00:08:24.189
00:08:24.189 --> 00:08:31.661
00:08:32.503 --> 00:08:34.044
00:08:34.605 --> 00:08:45.171
00:08:45.171 --> 00:08:47.306
00:08:48.100 --> 00:08:51.190
00:08:51.460 --> 00:08:51.801
00:08:51.821 --> 00:08:53.989
00:08:54.419 --> 00:08:55.866
00:08:55.866 --> 00:08:57.726
00:08:57.726 --> 00:09:00.067
00:09:00.067 --> 00:09:02.081
00:09:02.081 --> 00:09:04.522
00:09:04.522 --> 00:09:05.282
00:09:05.282 --> 00:09:15.692
00:09:15.692 --> 00:09:25.395
00:09:25.905 --> 00:09:36.474
00:09:36.474 --> 00:09:38.730
00:09:38.730 --> 00:09:49.821
00:09:49.821 --> 00:09:56.352
00:09:56.352 --> 00:10:00.806
00:10:00.806 --> 00:10:02.812
00:10:03.254 --> 00:10:10.051
00:10:10.051 --> 00:10:27.214
00:10:27.214 --> 00:10:28.177
00:10:28.177 --> 00:10:33.953
00:10:33.953 --> 00:10:36.871
00:10:36.871 --> 00:10:38.376
00:10:38.376 --> 00:10:40.865
00:10:40.865 --> 00:10:42.889
00:10:43.591 --> 00:10:46.519
00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:48.789
00:10:48.809 --> 00:11:02.767
00:11:02.767 --> 00:11:09.479
00:11:09.479 --> 00:11:19.259
00:11:19.625 --> 00:11:19.966
00:11:19.966 --> 00:11:24.236
00:11:24.236 --> 00:11:26.751
00:11:26.792 --> 00:11:27.254
00:11:27.254 --> 00:11:32.254
00:11:32.254 --> 00:11:35.967
00:11:35.967 --> 00:11:45.051
00:11:45.051 --> 00:11:52.150
00:11:52.150 --> 00:11:59.591
00:11:59.673 --> 00:12:06.581
00:12:06.581 --> 00:12:10.208
00:12:10.769 --> 00:12:11.171
00:12:11.171 --> 00:12:12.994
00:12:12.994 --> 00:12:15.778
00:12:16.426 --> 00:12:19.674
00:12:19.674 --> 00:12:21.606
00:12:21.606 --> 00:12:24.753
00:12:25.354 --> 00:12:33.116
00:12:33.116 --> 00:12:38.119
00:12:38.900 --> 00:12:42.029
00:12:42.029 --> 00:12:49.288
00:12:49.288 --> 00:12:51.171
00:12:51.171 --> 00:12:59.856
00:12:59.856 --> 00:13:03.631
00:13:03.631 --> 00:13:11.934
00:13:11.934 --> 00:13:14.759
00:13:15.806 --> 00:13:17.808
00:13:17.808 --> 00:13:20.232
00:13:20.232 --> 00:13:26.091
00:13:26.884 --> 00:13:36.019
00:13:36.746 --> 00:13:40.616
00:13:40.616 --> 00:13:50.717
00:13:50.717 --> 00:14:06.658
00:14:07.566 --> 00:14:11.294
00:14:11.294 --> 00:14:22.557
00:14:23.019 --> 00:14:24.669
00:14:24.669 --> 00:14:35.130
00:14:35.491 --> 00:14:36.215
00:14:36.215 --> 00:14:38.528
00:14:38.528 --> 00:14:48.251
00:14:48.251 --> 00:14:49.294
00:14:49.875 --> 00:14:50.236
00:14:51.285 --> 00:14:58.552
00:14:58.552 --> 00:15:01.567
00:15:01.586 --> 00:15:02.729
00:15:02.729 --> 00:15:04.432
00:15:04.432 --> 00:15:08.625
00:15:09.606 --> 00:15:15.653
00:15:15.653 --> 00:15:20.080
00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:43.080
00:15:44.326 --> 00:15:47.153
00:15:48.155 --> 00:15:57.495
00:15:57.495 --> 00:15:59.830
00:15:59.830 --> 00:16:25.697
00:16:25.697 --> 00:16:28.028
00:16:28.028 --> 00:16:31.075
00:16:31.655 --> 00:16:35.707
00:16:35.707 --> 00:16:39.855
00:16:39.855 --> 00:16:44.447
00:16:44.447 --> 00:16:49.077
00:16:50.085 --> 00:16:52.450
00:16:52.450 --> 00:16:58.714
00:16:58.714 --> 00:17:02.590
00:17:02.590 --> 00:17:06.426
00:17:06.426 --> 00:17:13.463
00:17:13.463 --> 00:17:15.087
00:17:15.087 --> 00:17:20.098
00:17:20.098 --> 00:17:21.969
00:17:21.969 --> 00:17:38.963
00:17:40.154 --> 00:17:41.780
00:17:41.840 --> 00:17:42.564
00:17:43.695 --> 00:17:45.743
00:17:45.743 --> 00:18:14.077
00:18:14.337 --> 00:18:19.584
00:18:19.584 --> 00:18:25.431
00:18:29.234 --> 00:18:29.996
00:18:29.996 --> 00:18:36.166
00:18:36.166 --> 00:18:38.820
00:18:38.820 --> 00:18:41.190
00:18:41.873 --> 00:18:43.416
00:18:43.416 --> 00:18:46.323
00:18:46.742 --> 00:18:47.023
00:18:47.023 --> 00:18:55.238
00:18:55.238 --> 00:18:58.086
00:18:58.086 --> 00:18:59.519
00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:03.835
00:19:03.835 --> 00:19:08.726
00:19:08.726 --> 00:19:11.837
00:19:11.917 --> 00:19:15.467
00:19:15.467 --> 00:19:21.876
00:19:21.876 --> 00:19:28.207
00:19:28.207 --> 00:19:30.049
00:19:30.049 --> 00:19:40.329
00:19:40.450 --> 00:19:41.699
00:19:41.699 --> 00:19:43.886
00:19:43.886 --> 00:19:44.950
00:19:44.950 --> 00:19:46.255
00:19:46.255 --> 00:19:47.116
00:19:47.116 --> 00:19:48.279
00:19:49.163 --> 00:19:50.967
00:19:50.967 --> 00:19:53.835
00:19:53.835 --> 00:20:02.144
00:20:03.698 --> 00:20:07.307
00:20:08.236 --> 00:20:12.067
00:20:12.067 --> 00:20:15.324
00:20:15.324 --> 00:20:23.542
00:20:23.542 --> 00:20:36.970
00:20:36.970 --> 00:20:50.750
00:20:50.890 --> 00:20:53.342
00:20:53.342 --> 00:20:56.816
00:20:56.836 --> 00:20:57.376
00:20:57.376 --> 00:21:00.138
00:21:00.138 --> 00:21:17.471
00:21:17.471 --> 00:21:26.470
00:21:26.470 --> 00:21:37.209
00:21:37.209 --> 00:21:53.366
00:21:53.366 --> 00:21:57.009
00:21:57.009 --> 00:22:06.378
00:22:06.378 --> 00:22:19.991
00:22:21.215 --> 00:22:28.769
00:22:28.769 --> 00:22:30.237
00:22:30.237 --> 00:22:34.984
00:22:35.164 --> 00:22:38.670
00:22:39.315 --> 00:22:54.742
00:22:54.742 --> 00:23:14.008
00:23:14.228 --> 00:23:26.397
00:23:26.538 --> 00:23:32.628
00:23:32.628 --> 00:23:35.303
00:23:35.943 --> 00:23:39.073