Women's Motorsports Network Podcast
Women's Motorsports Network Podcast shares the stories of women involved in motorsports from around the world. The first episode was in 2018 and new episodes are added each week. Feel free to suggest potential guests to Melinda at melinda@wmnnation.com. Melinda Russell
Episodes
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 jo...
Lizzie 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 ...
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...
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 t...
Karyl Bell's motorsports journey is the perfect blend of family legacy, entrepreneurial spirit, and unwavering determination. From her earliest memories at Lebanon Valley Dragway in upstate New York, where her mother serves as assistant track manager and her father races, Karyl has turned a childhood passion into both a competitive career and innovative business ventures.
Beginning in junior dragsters at...
Nancy Matter's resilience burns brighter than nitromethane in this powerful conversation about perseverance, passion, and breaking barriers in motorsports. From her childhood days at San Fernando Raceway to becoming the first female owner-driver of a Top Fuel Funny Car in this century, Nancy's journey exemplifies the never-quit attitude that defines championship racers.
What makes Nancy's story...
What happens when you're born into a family of aviators but feel drawn to conquer the ground instead? For 18-year-old Charlotte Traynor, the answer came through motorsports, sparked simply by watching in-car camera footage on television that ignited something within her.
Charlotte takes us through her unconventional journey into racing, beginning at age 13 with no family connections to the sport. From in...
Beylea Kronseder shares her journey from racing RC cars to competing in quarter midget nationals at just 11 years old, discussing how motorsports has transformed her from shy kid to confident racer and mentor.
• Began racing at age 9 after previously racing RC cars, following a family tradition of motorsports
• Currently races in Senior Honda class, moving to Heavy Honda, and building a Heavy 160 car
...
Former IHRA Pro Mod World Champion Dina Parisi shares her journey from professional figure skater to drag racer and advocates for prioritizing safety in motorsports.
• Dina discusses her unusual career path from Ice Capades figure skater to drag racer, noting surprising parallels between both performance careers
• Racing fans get direct access to drivers in drag racing, creating meaningful connections unl...
Kelly Anderson shares her extraordinary journey from a 51-year-old grandmother to a wheelie-popping drag racer with a mission to help foster children through motorsports. Her passion for racing ignited when she scribbled "I want to drag race" on a napkin at a coaching event, leading to her first race in October 2019 and eventually developing into a nonprofit organization helping foster youth.
• Reco...
In this week’s Women’s Motorsports Network podcast, we sit down with Angie Parrish — a true motorsports trailblazer from Tennessee. Angie’s journey takes us from working on her first car at 16 to becoming an instructor, champion, and respected leader in autocross, rallycross, road course racing, and more.
Her story is filled with passion, resilience, and a whole lot of horsepower. If you need a little inspiration this ...
In this inspiring episode, Melinda Russell interviews Laura Butcher, an off-road motorsports leader from northern Nevada whose journey into racing was deeply influenced by her late brother, Mike, an off-road racer himself. Laura shares how her initial involvement in motorsports began as pit support and co-driving with her brother before his passing in 2014. After stepping away from her career as a paramedic, Laura une...
In this inspiring episode of the Women's Motorsports Network Podcast, host Melinda Russell welcomes professional race car driver and mechanical engineer Sabre Cook. Based in Indianapolis, Sabre currently competes in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America and shares her fascinating journey from childhood karting to international racing success.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/womensmotorsportsnetw...
In this inspiring episode, host Melinda Russell interviews MaKenna Long, a young woman who grew up in the racing world and is now building her career in motorsports.
MaKenna started racing quarter midgets at seven and a half years old at Little Kalamazoo Speedway in Michigan, thanks to her grandfather’s curiosity about a new track being built nearby. What started as a family hobby quickly became a family passion, with ...
In this inspiring episode, host Melinda Russell sits down with Haily Unferdorfer, a dynamic force in motorsports marketing and a passionate advocate for women in racing. Haily shares her journey from growing up in a motorsports family to working behind the scenes with Lucas Oil, MAVTV, and now Racer Network, where she plays a key role in marketing and rebranding efforts. Her love for storytelling and connecting people...
In this episode, host Melinda Russell interviews 8-year-old junior dragster racer Karter Platt, who shares her early start and growing passion for motorsports. Karter, from Texas, began racing at just 4 years old after attending the Amarillo Dragway with her Gigi and Papa. Racing quickly became a family affair, with her mom, Gigi, and Papa supporting her at every event.
Karter races a lime green, purple, and pink half-...
A Lifestyle Post - Things I want My Kids To Know
1. Happiness is a lot of work. You can’t be lazy or entitled to achieve it.
2. You will make mistakes, and they will only define you if you give it that kind of power. If the lesson is learned, the mistake is worth it. It’s your choice whether or not it wins. You are not a prisoner to your past and you are allowed to grow.
3. The world owes you nothin...
Granfluencers — Redefining Influence at Any Age
Welcome back to the show!
Today, we’re diving into a powerful and inspiring trend that's flipping the script on social media marketing — Granfluencers.
So, who are Granfluencers?
Granfluencers are social media stars typically aged 60 and above, who have built massive, loyal followings on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Their content spans everything from fashion an...
How do you handle setbacks at the racetrack?
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In this episode, Melinda Russell sits down with 22-year-old Carolyn Fitzgerald, a rising star in the Formula 4 West Coast Pro Series. Carolyn shares her unique path into motorsports, beginning with indoor karting and quickly progressing through racing school, licensing, and now competing at California’s most iconic road courses. Off the track, she holds a culinary degree and works in a restaurant to support her racing...
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