Episodes

Send us a text What happens when you finally say "yes" to the thing you've been avoiding? For Caylee Kjos, one reluctant agreement to race "just once" completely transformed her life trajectory. Caylee never imagined herself as a race car driver. In fact, she actively resisted her stepdad Quinn's persistent encouragement, dismissing racing as "boring" and claiming cars "just go in circles." Her only interest at the track was watching one particular driver compete. Everything changed during t...

Send us a text Passion burns brightest when tested by fire—both figurative and literal—as sprint car driver Angelique Bell reveals in this powerful conversation about perseverance in motorsports. From the moment 12-year-old Angelique first sat in a quarter midget race car, she was hooked. Now at 31, this Sacramento-based IT professional has built a remarkable racing career piloting 410 sprint cars on dirt tracks throughout California, Oregon, and Washington in the NARC King of the West serie...

Send us a text 20 Ways Women in Motorsports can demonstrate value to sponsors on social media. Support the show 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

Send us a text What drives a 14-year-old girl to spend scorching summer days at racetracks instead of swimming pools? For Chloe Mazzagatti, racing isn't just a hobby—it's in her blood. From her pink #87 Supra late model to her remarkable story of determination, Chloe represents the changing face of motorsports. Traveling from New Franklin, Ohio to compete in the prestigious Kalamazoo Clash, this young racer shares her journey from Bandolero cars to late models in just five years. Her accompl...

Send us a text Ever wonder what it's like to hurtle down a drag strip at 780 mph before you can even drive legally on the street? Meet Mckenzee Hogan, a 15-year-old drag racing phenom who's been behind the wheel for over half her life. Mckenzee's journey began at age seven when she sat in a dragster at Charlotte's 4Wide event. Within months, she was making test passes in her neighborhood driveway, much to her racing father's delight. Fast forward eight years, and this homeschooled tenth-grad...

Send us a text Delaney Dunn's racing journey is one of perseverance, breaking barriers, and finding strength in what makes her unique. Racing for 11 years since age 15, this 26-year-old driver from Otis, Maine has transformed from an uncertain rookie into the newly-crowned "Queen of the Oval" in the Ladies Acceleration Tour. The path to Victory Lane wasn't straightforward for Delaney. After eight years without a feature win, she finally broke through at Oxford Plains in a rental race car - a...

Send us a text Kennedy Swan shares her journey from go-kart racing at age 5 to becoming the only female driver in her modified dirt track division as she builds her racing career while balancing college, work, and maintaining her self-discipline. • Started in motorsports at age 5 when her father chose to invest his sponsor money in her go-kart instead of his own racing • Races dirt track modified cars as the only female among 300 competitors in her sanction • Made history as the younge...

Send us a text From sleeping peacefully under loudspeakers at dirt tracks as a baby to witnessing Richard Petty's historic 200th victory with President Reagan in attendance, Deb Williams has lived and breathed motorsports her entire life. Now in her fourth decade as a motorsports journalist, Williams takes us on a captivating journey from her humble beginnings in a North Carolina mill town to becoming the first female to cover NASCAR for an international wire service. The passion that drove ...

Send us a text Racing isn't just a weekend hobby for 17-year-old Dominique Champlin—it's a family legacy that's "wedged its way into her life routine." From the moment she climbed into an alcohol-powered go-kart at age six, motorsports has been her driving passion, leading to her first championship at just seven years old. What makes Dominique's story remarkable goes beyond her three championships or her current late model racing career. It's her unwavering commitment despite a schedule that...

Send us a text Tatiana Calderón takes us on a high-speed journey through her remarkable racing career that spans continents, championships, and countless barriers broken. The Colombian driver opens up about discovering her passion at just nine years old, when a five-minute ticket at a rental go-kart track sparked a lifelong love affair with speed and adrenaline. What unfolds is a story of extraordinary determination as Tatiana left her homeland at 17 to chase her Formula 1 dreams, first in t...

Send us a text From a two-year-old denied a plastic toy car to racing alongside Travis Pastrana in Saudi Arabia, Gray Leadbetter's journey through motorsports defies all expectations. With no family racing background whatsoever, Gray carved her own path through sheer determination and a natural talent that was evident from the moment she first climbed onto a four-wheeler. Gray's story is remarkable not just for her racing accomplishments—which include winning a championship in her first year...

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...

Send us a text The roar of engines returns with "Let's Talk Racing Wise," where host Melinda Russell reignites her passion project dedicated to shining a spotlight on overlooked local racetracks across Michigan and Indiana. This premiere episode arrives just in time for the Fourth of July racing festivities that promise excitement, fireworks, and fierce competition at every venue. Racing communities face a troubling reality – many local residents don't even realize there's a racetrack in the...

Send us a text When Tony Eldridge decided to wave colored shirts on hangers in his front yard as a child, pretending to be a flagman, he never imagined it would lead to a 20-year career in motorsports that would touch countless lives. His journey from those humble beginnings to becoming one of the most respected figures in Midwest short track racing reveals both the magic and challenges of grass-roots motorsports. In this candid conversation with Melinda Russell, Tony shares the full arc of ...

Send us a text Behind every racing series lies a story of passion, perseverance, and the relentless pursuit of building something meaningful. Drew Jack's 12-year journey with the National Compact Touring Series reveals exactly that—a tale that began in the grandstands of Kalamazoo Speedway where his father would drop him off as a "cheap babysitter" and has evolved into creating opportunities for racers who might otherwise never experience iconic venues. What started with "a chip on my should...

Send us a text Racing isn't just what Tyler Roering does—it's who he is. From his earliest memories of causing ruckus in his dad's race shop to becoming a multi-discipline champion, Tyler's life revolves entirely around motorsports. As a third-generation racer from Plymouth, Indiana, his racing lineage stretches back to the 1960s, creating a family tradition that continues to shape his identity and career. What separates Tyler from many competitors is his comprehensive approach to racing. Hi...

Send us a text Gina Culliver shares her journey as the "Nissan Queen" of Whittemore Speedway, starting her racing career at 43 after losing her father and best friend to cancer. Now at 51, she balances her nursing career with her passion for motorsports, community service, and creating a welcoming family atmosphere at Michigan's oldest continuously operated speedway. • Growing up as a "track kid" watching her father race super late models • Starting racing at 43 after her father's passing an...

Send us a text The heart and soul of local racing lies in its family legacies, and few families embody this spirit more than the Van Averys. In this candid and heartfelt conversation, Jesse Van Avery Sr. and his son Jesse Jr. open up about their multi-generational racing journey at Galesburg Speedway and beyond. Jesse Sr. shares how he practically grew up at the track, watching his father race before eventually sliding behind the wheel himself in the mid-90s. Now competing in Street Stocks a...

Send us a text Ashley Winslet balances her day job as an assistant manager working with elephants at the Dallas Zoo with her passion for high-speed flat bottom boat racing, reaching speeds up to 142 mph on water. As one of only three female flat bottom drivers in the country, she's making waves in the sport after winning her first two races of the 2024 season. • Growing up in a racing family with her first race technically happening before she was born • Starting in stock eliminator boats in...

Send us a text Nine-year-old racer Presley Hall shares her journey in motorsports, from her father selling his race car so she could race to her dreams of competing in World of Outlaws Midget series. Despite flipping her car five times in one race, she was back behind the wheel the next week, demonstrating remarkable resilience and passion for the sport. • Racing a Junior Sprint and a cart for two years since age seven • Inspired by Kyle Larson and introduced to racing by her dad • Competes ...

Send us a text Kate Turner's journey into motorsports breaks every conventional rule in the racing handbook. At 21 years old, this track instructor from Leicestershire discovered her passion for racing not as a child karting prodigy, but as a 17-year-old who simply woke up one day and decided she wanted to be a race car driver. Her refreshing candor about this unconventional path reveals that sometimes the most extraordinary journeys begin with nothing more than pure determination. Working d...

Send us a text Lizzy Vogel, an eight-year-old fourth-generation quarter midget racer, shares her inspiring journey from beginning in go-karts at age five to becoming a Hoosier Hero award winner while managing multiple surgeries for her cleft palate and lip. Her remarkable story encompasses the highs and lows of her racing career, her cleft palate awareness initiatives, and her compassionate work creating care packages for children undergoing similar surgeries. • Started racing go-karts at a...

Send us a text When Ella Wu Heilman climbed onto her first PW50 motorcycle at just two years old, no one could have predicted the remarkable journey ahead. Now fifteen and speaking with the wisdom of a veteran racer, Ella shares her extraordinary thirteen-year motorsports journey that's taken her from backyard dirt tracks to competing on a Kawasaki Ninja 400. The Pacific Northwest teenager reveals how her father's passion for dirt bikes sparked her own enduring love for racing, creating a fo...

Send us a text When six-year-old Lena Chin attended her first race at Sebring, something clicked—the sights, sounds, and energy of motorsport captured her imagination completely. Nearly two decades later, she's become a competitive force in the Gridlife Touring Cup Series, piloting her Honda S2000 against some of the best amateur racers in the country. In this illuminating conversation, Lena pulls back the curtain on the unique world of Gridlife racing—a grassroots series that blends competi...