The “Aha” Moment

Since I was a little girl I had always wanted to be a race car driver, but as I grew older I realized that it wasn’t the most realistic career path. After high school I went to college and graduated with a Business Administration diploma in the spring of 2013. That fall I felt that I should further my education and enrolled in the University of Manitoba. It only took a few weeks of lectures to realize that I really didn’t want to be there, nor did i feel I was meant to be there. It was at that moment sitting in a lecture, that I realized I could not possibly see myself doing anything other than driving a race car for the rest of my life. No matter how impossible it seemed, thats what I wanted more than anything.

That evening, I nervously sat my parents down and told them I no longer want to go to school and instead want to try to make it as a professional race car driver. To my surprise, they were 100% supportive of my decision. However my dad made sure to mention that this wasn’t going to be easy, and he wasn’t going to be flipping any bills.

That day was about 10 months ago. That day I could have only hoped that I would have a ride for the next season.

I spent all winter trying to make contacts, build relationships with the right people, and find any form sponsorship I could. I used my business marketing experience to compose sponsorship proposals, resumes, and whatever else I thought I needed to get the job done. Living in Manitoba, I knew the only way to get my name out there on the off-season was through social media, so I did what I could with that. I entered sponsorship contests, emailed hundreds of people and companies. I’ve never been more persistent on anything in my entire life. I wanted to make this happen real bad.

About a month before my racing season was about to start, I had a few sponsors together and was apart of the top 15 for the Search for a Champion contest that Champion Spark Plugs presented. I had a guaranteed $5,000 from them, but knew I needed to be the grand prize winner to be able to make a season in a sprint car happen. At this point, if I didn’t win, there was no Sprint Car racing for me this year.

A week before they announced the grand prize winner for the Search for a Champion Contest I had received a message on Facebook from a previous competitor of mine in the lightning sprint devision, Chris Unrau. In the message, Chris mentioned that he had been following my sponsorship drive and asked what else was needed in order to make the 2014 season possible for me. To be completely honest, I was hesitant at first. I have had fantastic offers from many people in the past but not one of them had ever came through. Except this time, it was the real deal.

And now I sit at my computer, writing my first blog ever, for my own racing website… I don’t even know if this is what a blog is supposed to be like! But in total awe that I was able to make this happen, with the help of other people of course. I am truly so grateful for this opportunity, and thankful that someone was able to come into my life and make this possible. Every week that I drive down the road to go racing, I can’t believe that I’m getting to do what I love most.