WEBVTT
00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:09.919
Welcome to the Women's Motorsports Network Podcast, the show that puts the spotlight on the incredible women who fuel the world of motorsports.
00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:20.079
From drivers to crew members, engineers to fans, and everyone in between, we're here to celebrate the trailbizers, dreamers, and doers shaping the sport we love.
00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:29.039
Each episode, we share inspiring stories of females of all ages from every corner of the motorsports universe, past, present, and future.
00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:34.960
It's a journey through the seasons of life filled with heartfelt moments, laughter, and a whole lot of horsepower.
00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:47.119
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.
00:00:47.359 --> 00:00:55.119
This is the Women's Motorsports Network podcast, connecting and celebrating women in motorsports one story at a time.
00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:56.799
Let's hit the track.
00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:07.760
Hello, this is Melinda Russell with the Women's Motorsports Network Podcast.
00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:10.239
And Mikhail is my guest today.
00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:12.640
So, McKay, welcome to the show.
00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:16.719
And first, I want to start by having you share a little bit about yourself.
00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:25.040
I am 21 years old, and I like to be active and go outdoors and travel and stuff.
00:01:25.120 --> 00:01:29.599
And I am the youngest in my family, and I have two brothers and two sisters.
00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:30.319
Okay.
00:01:31.040 --> 00:01:34.079
And do they all still live at home or just you?
00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:35.840
Uh, just I do.
00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:36.719
Well, I did.
00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:38.640
I don't live at home anymore.
00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:39.840
But all right.
00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:42.000
And do you have any pets?
00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:43.840
I have two dogs.
00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:44.480
Okay.
00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:45.200
All right.
00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:47.200
We love our dogs, don't we?
00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:50.159
So many people I talk to have dogs.
00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:52.799
It just amazes me, but that's awesome.
00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:54.719
So you're 21 years old.
00:01:54.799 --> 00:01:55.599
Do you go to school?
00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:56.319
Do you work?
00:01:56.480 --> 00:01:58.400
What do you do when you're not racing?
00:01:58.879 --> 00:01:59.359
I work.
00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:03.359
I actually work for Amzoil and I work for my boyfriend's business.
00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:05.439
He owns a construction company.
00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:06.079
Okay.
00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:07.040
All right.
00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:08.319
Sounds good.
00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:10.800
So tell me your motorsports story.
00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:12.080
How did you get started?
00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:14.400
And take me back to the beginning.
00:02:14.639 --> 00:02:19.919
When did you first get introduced to motorsports and take me to where you are today?
00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:27.199
So I first started when I was five years old, and it was actually a family friend that my mom knew.
00:02:27.439 --> 00:02:34.960
His son did it, and then my dad saw like what he did and stuff, and he got interested into it.
00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:38.560
So then he bought me a snowmobile, and then I just went from there.
00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:39.520
Yeah.
00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:42.479
So it gets in your blood, doesn't it?
00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:43.120
Yeah.
00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:45.039
Yeah, for sure.
00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:48.719
So how long ago was that that you got started?
00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:52.319
I was five, so I'm 21 now, probably.
00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:53.120
Okay.
00:02:53.759 --> 00:02:58.319
So when you started at five years old, you weren't driving what you drive now.
00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:00.000
So kind of take me down the path.
00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:01.759
What all have you raced?
00:03:02.080 --> 00:03:11.520
So I raced a 120, and then I raced a 120 champ, and then a 500, and then now I'm on 600s.
00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:12.159
Okay.
00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:13.120
All right.
00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:16.400
And what what uh where do you race?
00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:17.439
Do you travel?
00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:18.560
Are you in a series?
00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:20.000
Tell me about where you race.
00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:27.680
So I race the Amsoil Championship Snow Cross series, which that is traveling all over for where they are located.
00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:33.520
And then I also race the Hartford Snow Cross series, so that's just in Hartford, Wisconsin.
00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:42.639
And then sometimes I'll do other regionals that are located in like Michigan or Minnesota or random spots.
00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:45.199
So you're all over the place.
00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:45.919
Yeah.
00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:46.479
Yeah.
00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:48.960
And so are you racing this weekend?
00:03:49.280 --> 00:03:50.080
Yes, I am.
00:03:50.159 --> 00:03:53.360
I'm actually going to New York this weekend for Amsoil.
00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:54.000
Okay.
00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:55.039
All right.
00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:58.080
So that has to be like a national race, right?
00:03:58.319 --> 00:03:58.719
Yep.
00:03:58.879 --> 00:03:59.120
Yeah.
00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:01.120
Yeah.
00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:05.360
So what keeps you going, traveling, and doing all this, okay.
00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:09.280
What what do you love about all of this racing deal?
00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:13.199
Um, honestly, I just love doing it and I've always done it.
00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:18.000
So I don't know, it's just kind of fun for me to do, and I just like doing it.
00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:20.720
So until I get sick of it, I guess I'm gonna do it.
00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:21.600
Yeah.
00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:27.279
And were were your parents, you know, did they encourage you to do it when you were young?
00:04:27.839 --> 00:04:29.439
My dad always has.
00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:37.759
My mom was iffy about it back and forth, but yeah, mainly it's just my dad and all that supports me in doing it.
00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:38.319
Yeah.
00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:46.480
And obviously, like friends and family, and like my boyfriend and my dad's new wife.
00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:47.680
So Okay.
00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:52.399
Moms have a harder time watching their little race, I think.
00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:54.000
So that's different.
00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:55.120
Yeah.
00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:58.160
So what's your favorite thing about it?
00:04:58.399 --> 00:04:59.040
You know?
00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:04.480
Honestly, it's probably the traveling and going into different states and doing it.
00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:07.360
But sometimes it's also not the traveling.
00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:15.040
So I would say it's between traveling and just just what it is, like what you do and how it is and everything.
00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:17.279
Yeah, the whole experience.
00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:18.079
Yeah.
00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:23.279
The people, the going fast, the jumps, all of it put together.
00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:24.240
Yeah.
00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:26.000
Yeah, for sure.
00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:30.720
So what are some things that maybe you've you've started at a young age?
00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:41.279
So what are some things that you've learned maybe about life by being involved in motorsports that maybe you wouldn't have learned already so far?
00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:45.279
Um it's kind of a hard question.
00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:51.920
Well, or what are some things that you know you feel like maybe you got better at because of motorsports?
00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:56.560
Like a lot of times it's confidence or it's patience.
00:05:57.439 --> 00:06:22.800
Yeah, probably I'd say probably like confidence and stuff like that, or being more aggressive, not in like not in like a personality way of being more aggressive, just like being more aggressive like in the sport and obviously knowing more stuff than like some people would about like a snowmobile versus like just a random other person.
00:06:22.879 --> 00:06:27.519
I feel like is something else that I've also learned from it too.
00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:28.399
Yeah.
00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:44.000
And the traveling and all the meeting people, you know, if if you're if as a person, if you're not involved in those kind of things, there's a lot to learn about traveling, not getting upset and things like that.
00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:55.279
And so I just think it it gives especially younger girls an all-around good experience of of life lessons, is is what I like to call them for sure.
00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:56.000
Yes.
00:06:56.240 --> 00:07:09.040
So if something is hard with school though, like when I was in school, it was hard because they would end up uh getting like mad of how many days you missed because of how much you have to travel.
00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:10.720
So that was always the thing.
00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:14.399
Yeah, and you went to a regular school, not homeschooled.
00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:34.079
Yeah, I went to a regular school all the way up until freshman year, and then sophomore year I did online, and from there I just did sophomore and junior year online, and then I ended up graduating in junior year like a whole year early because of online school.
00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:36.399
I just was able to get everything done right away.
00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:38.079
Yeah, that's good.
00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:40.079
That's that's good for sure.
00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:47.439
So if if I Googled you, would there be anything that I would learn about you that most people don't know?
00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:53.040
Um, you'd probably see a lot of snow cross stuff is about it.
00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:53.600
I don't know.
00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:58.160
I've never really Googled myself, but I feel like snow cross stuff.
00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:03.839
You know, when you went to school and you were racing, did your friends understand it?
00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:04.879
Did they know about it?
00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:07.600
Did they come and watch any of any of that?
00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:12.800
A lot of them knew about it, but they didn't really understand it.
00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:18.879
Obviously, you're not gonna understand everything to do with racing if you're just like not there involved.
00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:23.040
But a few of them would come and watch here and there, but that's about it.
00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:25.519
It's hard to explain it, isn't it?
00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:44.080
Yeah, I mean, I always explain it that it's just like motocross, but with the snowmobile on snow, but then you gotta try to like explain like oh, you have practice, and then you'll do heat one, heat two, and then there might be an LCQ if there's over a certain amount of people, and then there's a final.
00:08:44.799 --> 00:08:50.559
And it's just some of them just didn't really understand that or how you would like qualify for a final.
00:08:50.639 --> 00:08:58.399
So if you went like one-one, you'd obviously get first pick on the final, but a lot of them like really wouldn't understand that either.
00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:03.679
Yeah, and it is I get it, it's hard to understand if you haven't really ever seen it.
00:09:04.639 --> 00:09:05.759
But yeah.
00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:12.480
So when you're not racing, what's your favorite thing to do when you're not at the track or racing?
00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:24.480
Um honestly probably hang out with like my dogs and friends and family, and I like to travel, but obviously during snow cross, that's a little hard because it is so expensive that you can't just go and travel.
00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:31.039
Yeah, but yeah, just mainly hanging out with friends, family, and like my pets, obviously.
00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:31.679
Okay.
00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:38.399
So um, what are you most proud of as far as your racing or maybe your favorite memory?
00:09:38.639 --> 00:09:40.399
Something along that line.
00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:47.039
Definitely the national podiums that I've gotten.
00:09:47.200 --> 00:10:02.399
It's not been as many as I would like, but definitely that and winning like championships throughout the years of snowcross and stuff, and all the trophies that I have, they're all around my room, or they're in big boxes, just full.
00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:09.279
Or we have a basement at my dad's house, so there's like a railing that goes down all the way down it.
00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:14.639
It's like a wall type of thing, and we have just trophies all lined up throughout it.
00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:16.720
Okay, all right.
00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:20.720
Yeah, those those trophies, and one one day, Michaelie.
00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:26.240
I promise you, you're gonna look at them and you're gonna be like, okay, I'm keeping this one, I'm throwing this one away.
00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:35.759
So my daughter's played a lot of Gus Macker basketball in the summer, and it's it's like a series that travels and you go to different towns if you want.
00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:38.080
And anyway, they were pretty successful.
00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:42.080
Both of both of my girls had different teams, and they were pretty successful.
00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:48.480
And we had so many Gus Macker trophies for winning and sportsmanship and all these different things.
00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:53.679
And I finally, you know, my daughters grew up, and I and I said, What do you want to do with these?
00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:55.600
And they're like, just throw them away.
00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:59.200
And I was thinking they were so proud of them when they got them.
00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:01.120
But I mean, what are you gonna do?
00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:03.759
You know, after a while, you have to do something with them.
00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:08.080
So your dad's happy to keep them for you, then that's a good thing.
00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:10.559
Yeah, yeah, for sure.
00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:16.960
So who helps you with your your do you call it a sled, a snowmobile?
00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:18.000
What do you call it?
00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:19.600
We call it a sled.
00:11:19.840 --> 00:11:21.600
Okay, what who helps you with it?
00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:27.679
Who maintains it and and helps you keep it up to you know, so that it's in good racing condition?
00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:32.000
So there's a handful of people, not like a handful, there's a few.
00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:33.759
So it's my boyfriend and I.
00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:39.919
We like keep it maintained throughout like the weeks and stuff in between the races, and obviously my dad will help too.
00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:46.080
And during the weekends, my dad also helps, and then sometimes we'll send it off to like our mechanic.
00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:53.279
His name is Mike, and I'll send it to him and he'll fully go through it before the year starts and stuff to make sure everything's good.
00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:54.399
But yeah.
00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:56.000
Yeah, so you have help.
00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:59.360
And do you work on it at all ever or does Mike do it?
00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:07.120
I work on it here and there, but when it gets sent down to him before and after the season starts, it's just him.
00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:14.480
But like through the weeks, us having it in between the races, I'll do stuff here and there, but mainly it's just like my boyfriend or my dad.
00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:16.240
Okay, all right.
00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:23.759
So on a on a day when things maybe haven't gone very well at the race, how do you handle that?
00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:25.120
What do you what do you do?
00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:27.679
How do you you know overcome that?
00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:36.399
Um, I mean, I'll get upset obviously and mad, but I'll just say there's nothing I can do about it, so I just gotta move on.
00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:37.279
Yeah.
00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:38.320
Yeah.
00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:39.840
It it's hard, you know.
00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:58.399
That's one of the things I think that girls in motor well, boys learn it too, but we're talking about women in motorsports learn is how to deal with adversity, how to overcome it, how to put it at the back of your mind, how not to think about it when you get back on the track for the next race, all those things, right?
00:12:58.720 --> 00:12:59.360
Yeah.
00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:00.480
Yeah.
00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:14.480
So tell me what your did you have you ever had a wreck or an accident, a flip, anything like that, or have you maintained a pretty steady course?
00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:20.960
Um yeah, there's been plenty of times where I've crashed or fallen off or flipped the sled and stuff like that.
00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:30.879
And actually last year I actually broke my foot racing stone cross, so I was out for the rest of the season, and then I had to get three surgeries just to even fix that.
00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:33.759
So Yeah, that stays.
00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:35.279
Yeah, it does.
00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:37.759
It was a long, long recovery time.
00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:38.159
Yeah.
00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:42.559
And is everything better back to back together now and good to go?
00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:44.240
Yeah, it's good to go now.
00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:51.200
It wasn't a few months ago, but it was just because that was so fresh out of surgery and stuff like that.
00:13:51.440 --> 00:14:00.960
But I mean, you know, that's that's pretty typical when I talk to someone either in a a car or a motorcycle or whatever, you know.
00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:10.000
I don't think I've ever spoken to anybody that hasn't had some kind of uh accident or a flip or something, and it's just part of it, isn't it?
00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:11.600
Yeah, yeah, it is.
00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:13.840
It sucks, but yeah.
00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:19.519
So what kind of condition do you have to stay in in order to handle that sled?
00:14:19.600 --> 00:14:21.840
Because I would think they'd be pretty heavy.
00:14:22.159 --> 00:14:23.440
Yeah, they are pretty heavy.
00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:29.600
I don't know how much they weigh exactly, but you just basically gotta like stay in shape somewhat.
00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:41.759
I mean, obviously I work out and stuff, but you just gotta stay in shape enough that you're able to hang on or move it if you need to, or start it and stuff like that.
00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:42.720
Yeah.
00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:49.440
And you know, I would and I would think that would be the hardest part is uh the weight of it and trying to manage it.
00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:50.879
Yeah, yeah.
00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:56.639
So do your arms get sore, your legs, what's what's the the hardest part of your body?
00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:59.840
Um it's honestly probably my back, to be honest.
00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:02.080
It gets sore a lot.
00:15:02.240 --> 00:15:04.559
Um other than that, no, nothing really.
00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:22.080
I mean, sometimes it is your arms, your legs here and there if you hit something wrong or like crash or something, but mainly you just are in good enough shape already that you really won't get that sore in those areas, but sometimes you will get like arm pump and stuff.
00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:22.639
Okay.
00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:30.399
I to me it's so I have a bad back, and I just had back surgery in January, and so I'm still recovering from that.
00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:43.200
And so thinking about doing that is yeah, that wouldn't be my thing for sure, but I also think with was thinking it maybe it would make your arms and your shoulders you know sore from hanging on.
00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:44.639
Definitely can.
00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:45.840
Yeah.
00:15:46.639 --> 00:16:06.000
So when people come to the races, do a lot of I know you race against the same people over and over, but do you have like fans that come and show up, or do you have like little girls that come and want to talk to you, get your autograph, anything like that along the fan, fan uh people?
00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:17.919
Fans are mainly just people that I know that will show up, but every once in a while here or there, a little kid will come up to you and ask for like a signature or want to say hi or stuff like that.
00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:20.320
So yeah, is that pretty cool?
00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:35.759
Yeah, it's pretty cool, but a lot of them get like scared if you're fully suited up, like with your help and stuff on it and goggles, they'll like have to have their parents bring them up to you, and then their parents will be like, Oh, they wanted to say hi, and you say hi, and they kind of just like back up a little bit.
00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:42.799
Yeah, it's kind of funny, but it's kind of like when little ones see Santa Claus or the Easter bunny, they're not sure.
00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:45.600
Yeah, for sure.
00:16:46.159 --> 00:16:48.799
So do you have sponsors, McKay?
00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:52.799
And if so, do you you know, are you the one that talks to them?
00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:54.960
Your dad, how do you get sponsors?
00:16:55.360 --> 00:17:00.639
Mainly I asked for sponsors, but this year I'm on a team, which is called Green Mountain Racing.
00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:04.559
So I have all of his sponsors plus some of my own.
00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:07.839
But with those, he talks to them and gets them.
00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:14.000
But with any sponsors that I have by myself, I normally like get a hold of them and talk to them and stuff like that.
00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:14.640
Okay.
00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:20.319
As you've gotten older, has it gotten easier for you to call or talk to people?
00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:25.759
Yeah, it's definitely gotten easier just because like you know what to kind of say and what to expect.
00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:29.119
And obviously, like you have to give them a resume.
00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:39.519
So like it it's just a lot easier the more that you have on the resume and the more like points like you have, like, towards like championships and stuff.
00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:54.880
Like if you have a lot of first place like championships or a lot of podiums and stuff like that is easy, and like you also have to stay pretty active on social media, like you gotta post like updates and stuff throughout the weekend, and obviously tag them.
00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:59.279
So if you do that, it's pretty easy to get them for like the next season and stuff.
00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:00.000
Yeah.
00:18:00.319 --> 00:18:03.519
So okay, tell me how do you use social media?
00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:06.880
What platforms do you use and and how do you use it?