July 3, 2025 • 33 mins
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 exceptional isn't just her accomplishments on the track, but how she's navigated life's most challenging turns. At just 13, she was taken under wing by the legendary Gasparelli family, helping on their funny car despite her youth. Though marriage and motherhood temporarily pulled her from racing, Nancy channeled her creativity into a music career that yielded 70 gold and platinum records. But the call of nitro never faded.
After returning to the sport following a 21-year hiatus, Nancy methodically climbed the racing ladder – from Super Comp to alcohol funny car to nostalgia funny car, setting records and becoming nearly unbeatable in first-round eliminations. Just as she acquired a Top Fuel funny car in 2022, life threw its cruelest curve. A devastating personal and professional crisis nearly destroyed everything she'd built, forcing her to put racing aside while focusing on survival.
Lesser souls might have surrendered, but Nancy refused to give up. Slowly, methodically, she rebuilt both her life and her race car, replacing virtually everything except the middle chassis section. Throughout these dark years, select sponsors remained loyal despite her inability to represent them on track – a testament to the respect she's earned throughout the industry.
Today, Nancy stands ready to make history, proudly partnered with the American Valor Foundation honoring Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield. Rather than seeing herself as a "woman of power," Nancy identifies as an "empowered woman" serving as a beacon of inspiration regardless of gender. Her message resonates beyond motorsports: "Anybody that thinks they can't, I'm here to tell you right now you can."
Ready to witness motorsports history? Follow Nancy Matter Racing on social media as she prepares to unleash this beautiful red beast on the quarter-mile. Her comeback story might just inspire your own.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Melinda Russell (00:02):
Welcome to the Women's Motorsports Network
podcast, the show that puts thespotlight on the incredible
women who fuel the world ofmotorsports, from drivers to
crew members, engineers to fansand everyone in between.
We're here to celebrate thetrailblazers, dreamers and doers
shaping the sport we love.
Each episode we share inspiringstories of females of all ages,
(00:24):
from every corner of themotorsports universe, past,
present and future.
It's a journey through theseasons of life filled with
heartfelt moments, laughter anda whole lot of horsepower.
So, whether you're a lifelongfan, a racer yourself or simply
curious about the extraordinarywomen behind the wheel, settle
in, relax and enjoy a fun anduplifting ride with us.
(00:47):
This is the Women's MotorsportsNetwork podcast, connecting and
celebrating women in motorsports, one story at a time.
Let's hit the track.
Promoting a track takes heart,and now showing appreciation can
be just as easy with send outcards.
(01:10):
You can thank sponsors,volunteers, drivers and fans
with personalized digital cardssent right from your phone or
laptop.
Add a photo, write a messageand hit send.
It's that simple Unlimitedsends for just $10 a month.
Go to sendoutcardscom forwardslash 53240.
(01:33):
That's sendoutcardscom forwardslash 53240.
Because gratitude builds greattracks.
Because gratitude builds greattracks.
Hello everyone, this is MelindaRussell with the Women's
Motorsports Network podcast, andtoday my guest is Nancy Matter.
(01:54):
Nancy, I want to welcome you tothe show, and would you first
start by telling us a little bitabout yourself?
Nancy Matter (02:03):
Hi everyone, and thank you so much, mel Melinda,
for inviting me on here to sharemy story.
I really appreciate it.
I, my name is Nancy matter,employed at this point, and I
have two children, ryan andJamie, and then a granddaughter
named Veronica.
And a drag race.
And you drag race and you dragrace, that's for sure.
Melinda Russell (02:27):
And where do you live, Nancy?
Nancy Matter (02:31):
Oh, I forgot about that part A suburb just north
of Dallas, texas.
I am via from Los Angeles, so Iam not a native Texan, and the
possibility of moving up to Indyis very high and likely in the
very near future.
Gosh, what else did you want toknow on that?
(02:52):
Did you have?
Do you have, any pets?
I do.
I have two feral cats one namedEvil Cat Nevil because he's
evil, and then Enderly becausehe's evil, and then enderly who
I saved from being eaten byhawks.
Uh, uh, cat cat.
Who's my indoor main coon, andthen, uh, pitbull.
Okay, what the equation and hisname is.
Melinda Russell (03:15):
What a collection.
Nancy Matter (03:17):
Yeah, for sure so and the evil cat needle and the
Pitbull are best friends.
Sorry, oh my gosh.
Melinda Russell (03:23):
Well, go figure , yeah Right, Right.
Nancy Matter (03:37):
When I was a little girl and we won't go too
far back into some of that storybecause I learned about it on
the day I got married my firstrecollection of going to the
races was the San Fernandoraceway in the San Fernando
Valley in Los Angeles.
My mother was with I don't knowher third or fourth, fifth
husband I'm not sure which itwas and he raced Okay, and so I
(04:00):
remember going there with them.
Bracket racing, basically, iswhat they were doing.
As things transpired they builta little bit faster of a
bracket car and the bracket cardid quite well.
We went to Lyons, orange County, ontario Motor Speedway at the
time Santa Maria, all the localtracks that were out there,
(04:20):
irwindale, and from there theydecided he decided he wanted to
do an NHRA super stock car.
So they built that car and inthe interim my mother became
Wally Park's secretary at theNHRA corporate office and so I
worked at the corporate officewhen I was a teenager for a
couple of years, during thesummer, when I was out of school
(04:43):
, but every weekend we were atthe races literally.
And when I was 13, I met afamily with a very, very
well-known name in drag racingby the name of Gasparelli, and
Lou and Vicki kind of just tookme under their wing and I was
very young, I was already inhigh school at the age of 13.
(05:04):
So I was very far advancedintellectually and they figured
out that the reason why I talkedso much was because I was bored
.
So they escalated me throughclasses and I kept up with
everybody.
Then I started helping Louieand Vicki on a funny car from
that point on.
And I couldn't drive, obviously, to the races, so they would
(05:24):
actually send a crew guy up topick me up't drive, obviously to
the races.
So they would actually send acrew guy up, pick me up and take
me to the races with them.
And I sat in the car to go tothe pits, pits from the pit to
the staging lanes, and then toload up into the trailer.
I would be the person drivingit up in there.
Because I was tall and lanky, Icould crawl out of the the hatch
, so we did that until I was oh,and I did out of the hatch, so
we did that until I was oh, andI did the shoots and the fuel,
(05:46):
so I did that until I was 19.
And the reason why I steppedaway is because my ex-husband
and I didn't see eye to eye.
I loved racing, he didn't, andso I wanted to be the good wife
at that point, because I gotmarried at 18, just right after
I turned 18.
And so then I quit doing racingand I had a very lucrative
(06:09):
music career and I had twochildren.
So I mean, I owned my.
I owned my first house in LAwhen I was 20 years old.
Melinda Russell (06:15):
Wow, wow.
Nancy Matter (06:18):
Yeah, you know.
So you know, as time goes byand you're doing things, and I
was in bands and I played and,you know, did all this stuff.
And him and I together were inbands.
He was the lead singer and,believe it or not, I was the
drummer and did backgrounds.
And you know, I worked a dayjob, accounting and stuff like
that.
I know it's crazy life andthings just kept transpiring and
(06:39):
doing things.
Things just kept transpiringand doing things.
And I finally decided when Iwas in my 20s that I didn't want
to work in a day job for therest of my life the way that I
was doing, because I was doingaccounting, ok.
So.
So from that point I decided tothrow myself into engineering
(07:03):
school, where in musicengineering school, and I did
very, very well there and Ilanded my first job in a CD
cassette manufacturing company,working in their mastering
studio.
So that led me to ultimately,after years and years and years
and years and years ofperfecting my craft, and end up
(07:26):
my own studio after a 10 year, adecade long tenure with a major
record label.
Okay, so from there it wasgetting.
My marriage was alreadystarting to fail at that point,
cause he didn't like the factthat I was becoming so
independent and still being ableto handle the homestead,
basically, um.
So we ended up.
(07:47):
We ultimately got a divorce, um, and he he's doing well, he's a
good guy, you know, he's um.
It just we weren't goodtogether, Um, and about three or
four months after our divorceNow, mind you, this is 20 years
later, okay, so there's a bigtime span here I took my kids at
the ages of 10 and 12, raisedthem up all the way through.
(08:09):
We're still, you know, we stilltalk every day.
In fact, my son called me justbefore before you.
You know, I joined in on the onthe podcast, and I went to the
races at the Northwest nationalsin Seattle for the first time
in 21 years and I've never left.
So from there I went with GaryBerg, who's a very well-known
(08:32):
modified production eliminator,volkswagen guy, with the Bird
family.
I mean, they're like worldrenowned, which you know.
How do you know all that?
When you're a kid you don'tknow, you know, and Gary and I
are still very, very goodfriends.
But that rekindled ourfriendship.
And, uh, I kept getting toldwhy don't you drive again, why
don't you drive?
And he wouldn't do it and I'mlike I'm not living vicariously
(08:54):
through anybody.
I went to the Frank Holly schoolof drag racing in Pomona.
Uh, I hopped in.
Jack Beckman was was theteacher.
I hopped into a dragster and Ifinally told Jack this about six
or seven years ago.
Uh, the first time I launchedthe dragster I let go of the
steering wheel, okay, and I wentoh, and I said a couple of
choice words and I went oh, andI grabbed the wheel again.
(09:15):
Well, I never told anybody that.
I was like oh, oh, my gosh, yougotta be kidding me, but I got
my license that day.
You know, cause you just mindover matter.
You know, you just kind of gookay.
Um, yeah, you needed thatadrenaline shot and you know
this was a great experience andit's safe, you know, and
everything.
So at that point I realized thatdriving my Lexus on the
(09:36):
freeways in Los Angeles,speeding, was not a good idea.
Um, so it was a very goodgrowth spurt to no longer speed
on the freeways.
So I ended up buying a SuperComp car.
And now, mind you, I have myown recording studio at this
point and I'm buying a home, andI bought a Super Comp car with
(09:56):
the trailer, some of the tools,you know this and that, and
started mingling in the Division7 Super Comp ranks.
But every race we went to Iended up in the division seven
super comp ranks and I, and, butevery time, every race we went
to, I ended up in the alcoholfunny car pits.
And I got to the point wherethe NHRA guys knew what I was
doing and so they would pit meas close as possible to the
alcohol pits Cause they knew Iwas going to be working on an
(10:18):
alcohol car in between, you know, the batteries getting charged
on the super comp car.
So I kind of had it down to a T.
Well, after about a year and ahalf it was.
I knew I was going to drive afunny car.
Uh, the dragsters were just notfor me.
You know, it was like everytime I'd get in a funny car and
they do a warmup, I'd be like Iwas in it, I was ready because
it reminded me so much of beingin Louie's car, so much.
(10:39):
Um, the dragster, I always like, kind of, you know, ran out of
breath, hyperventilated a littlebit, you know, like, and then
it's so opposite because thefunny car is enclosed, but I was
just like I, I'm going to drivea funny car.
And uh, before I made theinvestment, I went to the Frank
Colley school again and thistime Frank was the instructor.
And the first time I launchedthe car I'm like what, what's
(11:02):
wrong with this car?
You know, I don't, I don't getit.
And we get back in the class andFrank says, uh, what do you
think your 60 foot was?
I said one, 23,.
You know one, one, one, 1.23seconds for viewers that don't
know, you know what I'm speakingabout.
And he goes, did you look atyour time slip?
I said no, he goes.
How do you know that?
I said, cause it's as slow asmy super comp car.
(11:22):
And he kind of looked at me andhe goes, okay.
And my next one was a one, oh,one 60 foot, one, one seconds,
one almost a one flat.
I'm like, all right, now we gotsomething, you know.
So, anyway, you know we kind ofmoved forward.
I knew at that point I was goingto get a funny car.
So I worked very, very diligent, parked the super comp car,
(11:42):
worked really diligently in themusic studio, where the my music
industry career was moreinterested in my drag racing, of
what I was doing, and the dragracers were more interested in
the music and so it was a goodyin and yang.
That kind of came togetherwhere I could do a light switch
(12:04):
and move from one industry tothe other, you know.
And then my son was of age.
At that point I didn't drivewhen my children, you know
obviously, were younger.
I stayed, you know, with themand the crazy end of the music
industry, of how, the thick ofthe deafness of the music
industry that I was, and and somy son actually was to the point
where he was driving my truckand trailer to the races, where
(12:27):
I could work in the music studioand then I could fly into the
race, do the race and fly homeand go back to work in the
studio and then he would go toanother race.
You know he would drive iteither home or go to another
race.
So it really worked out good inthat aspect.
But once it was time for me tobuy the funny car, we took a
trip out to Colorado and wepicked up my funny car and we
(12:49):
get it home and I got a lot ofspare parts.
I mean just an amazing array ofspare parts.
And you know all this and thegentleman at the time that was
kind of pointing me in the rightdirection.
He goes now I need you to giveme an inventory of everything
you have.
He goes now I need you to giveme an inventory of everything
you have.
Okay, now, mind you, I'd beenin a music industry for so long.
I had a big block Chevy 454,you know in in the super comp
(13:11):
dragster that could run eightnineties.
It ran, really ran about eightsixties, but it was, I said.
I said to him, just plain flatwhat do you want me to say?
That I've got this thing, I'm aBob, and that whatchamacallit,
because I have no idea what Ihave.
And he laughed and he goes.
That's the most honeststatement I have ever heard out
of a driver's mouth.
You know, and I was like, ok,you know, so we went on from
(13:34):
there and we can't I campaignthe alcohol funny car for 14
years.
I met Jeremy back, I alreadyhad my funny car.
I had it way before I met him.
Um, he actually I already hadmy license.
Um, the first time he came tothe track and started, you know
kind of looking at everythingand what was going on and, uh,
(13:56):
campaign that car for 14 years.
You know I had music sponsorsthat came on board with the car.
I had the who in 2007 that wehad an agreement arrangement, um
, that I would do weeklyconcerts instead of having to
wait 30 to 60 days.
They were paying me weekly sothat I could continue taking the
alcohol car out on the road andwith, you know, at that point
Jeremy was driving the truck andtrailer and, you know, doing
(14:19):
all the maintenance andservicing so I could fly back
and forth back in about 2017,2016,.
We were kind of like, well, wecould buy, like all the Alan
stuff and really did I freeze?
Uh, we can buy all the AlanJohnson stuff and you know it
(14:40):
was like 55 grand for one engineor we could buy this turnkey
nostalgia funny car for close tothe same price.
And so we were like, you know,maybe it's time for a change,
maybe it's time to step it up alittle bit.
So we, luckily, with my good,good, good, good friend Charlie,
with a little bit of help, wewent out to Virginia Beach and
(15:01):
we picked up a nostalgia funnycar.
So with the nostalgia funny car, you know, we had somebody that
came in and pointed us in theright direction, and he was, you
know, he did, he's reallyreally good at doing all of that
and you know, we were verysuccessful with and without him,
probably more without him thanwe were with him.
Um, mikey Cavallari stepped inand pointed us in the right
(15:23):
direction.
We got two track records thatone of them still holds the
still holds the fastest funnycar elapsed time.
The other one, we hold theactual track record for speed
and for mile an hour, for ET andmile an hour.
We have a plethora of wins.
I mean, we got to a point wherepretty much we couldn't be beat
first round.
It was a very unusual thing ifwe got beat first round, and
(15:47):
that's very exciting when you'rewinning.
Beat first round, you know, andthat and that's very exciting
when you're winning.
I mean, of course it's exciting.
It's better than having thatlose light every, every round,
every round, every round.
But you just don't give up.
You know, you set your mind towhat your goals are.
You don't give up.
And we had an opportunity backin 20, late 2021 to potentially
(16:13):
buy a top fuel funny car, um, sowe picked it up in 2022.
Um, and excuse me, I'm sayingI'm a lot, I'm trying to do that
.
Then we had a life hiccup.
Okay, so, everybody has ups anddowns in their lives and we had
a life hiccup that literallytook us over two years to
maneuver everything.
We almost lost our business.
We almost lost, you know, wemoved four times in eight months
and I had a 7,700 square footshop with the diesel repair
(16:36):
facility.
So, when you have to relocateeverything, and you've got, you
know, tractor, trailer, acomplete racing operation,
you've got all the tools, you'vegot multiple trailers.
You've got all the tools,you've got multiple trailers,
you've got all the stuff thatyou've accumulated and worked
hard for, and now you're going.
What do I do?
So you, you know, drag racingwent on the back burner.
(16:56):
Okay, um, we have since rebuiltthe car, is it's very close to
being done.
We still have some things wehave to do.
You know, we've got our clutchprogram.
Obviously has to be puttogether because it's very
important in one of these cars.
We need some fuel systems.
We've got the majority ofeverything.
(17:17):
It's just a matter offine-tuning it.
And we need plumbing.
We've got, you know, prettymuch everything else.
We've been slowly but surelychunking away at all the things
that this car needs.
We did a funny car restorationis what we had to do and uh, and
we're getting there.
You know, and I'm really excitedbecause we're so close to me
being able to, like clay says,stomp on that loud pedal.
(17:40):
You know, for me I'm going topounce on it.
You know, I've I've got thiswhole lion motif going right now
.
That's real fun.
But I'm I'm so excited to justget back in the home.
We did a large photo shootyesterday.
It wasn't a professional photoshoot, but I have a new
marketing person that's helpingme pulling things together.
And we, you know, we're justit's, it's time, it's our time.
(18:01):
Now.
You know all the, all thecrying, or you know crying, yeah
, I can cry, I'm a girl.
But but you know all the, allthe crying, or you know crying?
Yeah, I can cry.
I'm a girl, um, but.
But you know, it's like whenyou're going through something
like that, you know youremotions just run so high and
low and um, you know, to be atthis point and to have this girl
sitting behind me right now,with all new tanks, I mean
pretty much everything's new onthe car.
(18:22):
The only thing that's not newis the middle part of the
chassis.
Everything else is new.
You know, we've got a titaniumshield, we've got a.
You know we've got all new DSPsafety padding.
We've got all new, brand new.
Thank God for Murph McKinneyand McKinney Corporation.
They have just been a godsendfor us.
This car, basically, is aMcKinney car at this point.
(18:44):
And you know, we've gotdifferent blocks, we've got
different, different manifolds,we've got different.
Everything is different.
And we put the body on the car.
Just literally a couple of daysago, we put the body on the car
.
It's the first time the body'sbeen on the car.
With all of these new parts,with the new steering, with I
mean everything, everything.
And you know, and that takestime, that takes, that takes
(19:06):
money.
And you know, and that takestime, that takes, that takes
money.
And when you're self-employedand you've tanked your whole
wellbeing and living.
You have to really dig indeeper to say what is my
priorities here?
Well, our priorities wasobviously to be making a living
so that we can go back to dragracing.
And, uh, two years and 11months, the black cloud went
away and here we are today andI'm so excited.
Um, I would like to say a reallybig kudos to a few people.
(19:30):
Um, red line oil stayed with usduring that hiatus.
Pack spring stayed with usduring that hiatus.
Autolite has stayed with usduring that hiatus.
Uh, bullet cams has stayed withus.
Darton sleeves has stayed withus.
I communicated to themeverything that was going on and
they could, and they could tell.
They could tell the differencein my demeanor and my bubbly
(19:50):
self wasn't so bubbly, it wasvery serious and I'm like, look,
I have to tell you what's goingon and it was a lot to not pull
back the tears while you'retelling these people.
I know that you're sponsoringme, but I can't do anything for
you right now.
It's okay.
I know that you're sponsoringme, but I can't do anything for
you right now.
It's okay, we're going to staywith you and they have, and I'm
so blessed and I'm so gratefuland I hope to aspire to give
(20:16):
them in tenfold all of theirsupport back to them.
I tag them in everything I do,all this stuff.
We've also in the interim,we've picked up Star racer belts
, um, you know, system systemone, oil filtration.
They pretty much stayed with us.
So it's kind of, you know, it's, it's really exciting.
And anybody that thinks thatthey can't, I'm here to tell you
(20:37):
right now you can, you know,dig your feet in.
You know, it doesn't matterwhat the obstacles is.
I mean, look, I walked away.
I, I, you know, I didn't haveto walk away from racing, but to
have a happy husband, I had tohave a happy life and I had
children and I wanted to bethere for my children.
Um, and you know, and I think Idid a pretty good job with them
, I'd like to think I, like youknow, I got the, the, the one in
(21:07):
the basement living with me.
You know, I did like I kickedthem out like go go, flap your
wings.
You know, go, fly and be abutterfly, but, um, yeah, so I
don't know, nancy, what.
Melinda Russell (21:19):
What an incredible story.
Um, thank you, I didn't.
I didn't know your story.
I mean, I'd heard your name,but I didn't really know
(21:42):
anything about you.
And so the fact that you gaveit up, went back, went through a
see your face.
If you're watching the video,you can see the big smile on her
face, right in front of thatpretty red car that's sitting
there and I just have to giveyou kudos, for so many people
could have just given up.
They could have, you know, goneto alcohol or drugs or whatever
(22:07):
.
To just say, my life sucks andI you know, and, but you didn't.
You work through it and andyou're ready to go racing again.
How exciting, so I am.
When do you think you might beactually on the track?
Nancy Matter (22:21):
well, you know, I, I set goal dates and then, of
course, the universe hasdifferent goal dates, right.
So right now are real strong.
I have to cross grade mylicense, okay, and I still do
have current NHRA top alcoholand um, and and nostalgia funny
car.
So, yeah, gosh, I wish I couldsay this weekend that we were,
(22:43):
cause I've had a lot of peopleAre you coming?
Are you coming?
Are you coming?
Not yet, not yet, not yet.
So I'm really God willing, godwilling, um, I have a branding
meeting on Friday, actually downin Houston, um, but God willing
, by at least by Dallas, thatI'll get to debut the car.
And there's a lot of innerworkings here that I'd like to
(23:04):
fill in, fill in some of theblanks for you.
I'm actually the recipient,with my music career, that
afforded me to do this.
Uh, I have 70 golden platinumrecords, okay, um, I've been to
the Grammys.
I've, you know, I'veaccomplished a lot of things In
addition to that.
Um, there's only been six womenahead of me that have been
(23:27):
owner drivers of the top hillfunny car and my new branding
partner potential down on Friday.
We've already got a verbalagreement, Okay, that's why I
can say this it's not, it's nota million dollars, it's nothing
like that.
It's just something to help,you know, chunk away at the baby
steps.
Um, I'm the first in thissearch in this century to be an
(23:50):
owner-driver female top fuelfunny car, not a dragster top
fuel funny car.
And so when he pointed that out,I was like, ooh, that's kind of
a big, that's kind of I neverthought of it like that.
It was kind of, oh, that's kindof cool.
So it's very, very exciting.
Um, I received a couple ofmessages yesterday from a couple
(24:14):
of different crew chiefs thatwork on different cars and one
of them just said I, you know,I'm so happy that you're doing
this.
This is really a hugeaccomplishment, you know.
And and then I have somebodyelse.
You know, mike is up inWashington and he's really
pointed me in the rightdirection to get the car to
where the car is today, andwe're going to ultimately set up
his fuel system in the car.
It'll be his.
(24:35):
You know there's going to be alot of stuff that he has
participated behind the scenes,you know, just moving forward to
make this happen.
I'm so excited, I can't wait.
Melinda Russell (24:46):
Wow.
Nancy Matter (24:47):
What a great story I thank you.
Melinda Russell (24:50):
I, yeah, you know I listen.
I hear a lot of stories, nancy,but there's times that I just
sit and listen because I youknow the things that people go
through and and a lot of peopledon't know maybe your story or
or that you had some times andand it's easy to put on that
(25:11):
smiley face and and you know.
But what people don'tunderstand is what's going on
behind the scenes.
And now for you to be where youare and looking forward to
getting back on the track isjust so it's.
It's um encouraging for otherpeople.
I love what you said.
(25:31):
If I can do this, so can you.
If I can make it through toughtimes and come out on the other
side, so can you.
Nancy Matter (25:40):
Yeah yeah, yeah, anybody can.
You just have to, you just haveto dig, you just have to be
true grit, like you know, really.
I would like to say one otherthing before you know, because I
know we're getting close to ourtime american valor foundation,
with chris kyle and chadlittlefield and I know that
there's, you know it's, it'sreally the chris kyle legacy,
(26:02):
but I always include chadbecause chad was with chris when
the fateful day happened.
Um, I really would like to saythank you so much to Wayne,
debbie, jeff, amy, the and theLittlefield family, don Judy,
jerry and Teresa Teresa.
You know, rest her soul.
She passed away, but I havestuck with them because and they
(26:24):
have stuck with me and they'revery loyal based people and it's
such an honor to have beenchosen back in 2014, which you
know, to represent thatfoundation and to still, to this
day, they are my foundation ofchoice.
The back of the car is, is, islooks very similar, without the
(26:48):
words yet because we didn't getthose on there, but it's going
to be identical to the back ofthe trailer.
So, when you see them side byside and the craziest thing and
this is for all the fans whenyou come out, I'm keeping that
on the back of the trailer.
And I do that, I preface that.
Whenever I'm talking to abranding partner, whenever I'm
talking to anybody partner,whenever I'm talking to anybody,
(27:08):
I always say I need to keep theback of the trailer as the
guardian and with Chris and Chad, and but their eyes follow you
when you walk around.
And so we took the car, we tookthe car and my one friend up in
Oklahoma, he comes down, hegoes, he goes.
Did their eyes follow you onthe back of that car too?
I'm like I don't know, let's golook.
And they do.
(27:29):
And it's like, oh, it's so cool, but you can't see it on video.
It won't do it on video.
It's some type of phenomena ofthe photo I chose and there was
no photoshopping on them, but Imean we took away the Port
Aransas, the dock and all thatstuff, but it's just a natural
(27:49):
phenomenon and that's thepicture I was led to to put on
there and it's just.
It's just.
I don't know I will.
I feel like they.
I'm not, I'm a civilian boy.
I'm a civilian as you get.
I didn't even like guns till Igot involved in all this.
They terrified me, but I'm okaynow, you know, but they're just
, they always have my back.
Yeah, and I don't.
I don't want to go down thetrack without them at this point
(28:11):
on the car.
Melinda Russell (28:12):
Right.
Nancy Matter (28:12):
You know they've been on the car since 2015,.
I believe you know, so, but Iwould really like to say a kudos
to them for the American ValorFoundation and for all the work
that they do for Gold Starfamilies, for veterans, for
officers, for fallen officers,families for fire fire, you know
, fire men and all that stuff.
It's a, it's a huge cause forum to be able to give back to
(28:34):
all these people, you know sothat's amazing.
Melinda Russell (28:38):
So, nancy, how can people follow you um social
media, whatever, so that theycan keep track of you and when
and when you start racing, wecan see what you're up to?
Nancy Matter (28:49):
That'd be great, okay, so everything's pretty
much based on either Nancymatter or Nancy matter racing.
So, uh, my personal page onFacebook is tapped and I
probably have a thousand peopletrying to.
You know, I can't I just can'tfacilitate everything but my
Nancy matter racing on Facebook.
I'm also on linkedin, uh, undernancy matter.
I've got uh instagram x,twitter x, okay, um, youtube.
(29:15):
Youtube is nancy matter racing,which there's not a lot on
there right now, but I'm gettingbetter.
Uh, tiktok nancy, I think it'snancy matter racing.
I'm there, I'm an all.
Melinda Russell (29:25):
Well, I appreciate the time and and that
you were willing to share yourstory, because it's it's a good
one and it's going to inspireother people.
I know that for sure.
Nancy Matter (29:35):
I hope so.
I want to be a beacon of hopefor people, of men and women.
You know they've got this wholething right now.
That's women of power, which Itotally support.
But I don't feel myself being awoman of power.
I feel myself as being anempowered woman, and it's just
by that simple change of thatword.
I want to be the beacon ofinspiration for men and women,
(29:56):
both that you can do this.
You know you don't have to be62 and say I'm retired and you
lay around on the couch for therest of your life.
No, get out, do things.
Your body is wanting you tomove and you know, be happy, and
you know and and do all thatstuff you know.
So yeah.
Melinda Russell (30:14):
I hope you'll live a lot longer if you stay
active and find something thatmakes you want to get up in the
morning.
Nancy Matter (30:22):
Yeah, exactly, you know, even if it's just going
out and into your garden orwhatever, or you know, feeding
the birds, going to the park,there's so many different levels
of success and you know I justhappen to choose things that are
so bipolar from each other andeverything's been male dominated
.
If you aren't you, you knowyou're working in man's world.
(30:42):
I don't know any different.
I've been doing this all mylife.
I don't look at it that way.
You know we're people, we'rehuman beings and we need to be
good human beings, you know.
Melinda Russell (30:52):
That's for sure .
Well, nancy, thanks again fortaking time today to be on the
show.
I really appreciate it, and ifyou'll hang on just for a second
here after we end the recording, and then I'll let you go on
about your day.
Nancy Matter (31:06):
Thank you so much, melinda.
Thank you, thank you, thank youand God bless.
Oh, you're welcome.
Melinda Russell (31:15):
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That's it for this episode ofthe women's motorsports network
podcast.
We hope you've been inspired bythe stories I shared today and
feel more connected to theamazing community of women in
motorsports.
(32:17):
Remember, whether you're behindthe wheel, in the pits or
cheering from the stands, yourstory matters and together we're
driving change and celebratingevery milestone.
If you enjoyed today's episode,be sure to subscribe, leave us
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(32:42):
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So until next time, stayinspired, stay connected and
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This is the women's motorsports network podcast, where
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Welcome to the Women's Motorsports Network
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Each episode we share inspiringstories of females of all ages,
(00:24):
from every corner of themotorsports universe, past,
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It's a journey through theseasons of life filled with
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(00:47):
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Because gratitude builds greattracks.
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Hello everyone, this is MelindaRussell with the Women's
Motorsports Network podcast, andtoday my guest is Nancy Matter.
(01:54):
Nancy, I want to welcome you tothe show, and would you first
start by telling us a little bitabout yourself?
Nancy Matter (02:03):
Hi everyone, and thank you so much, mel Melinda,
for inviting me on here to sharemy story.
I really appreciate it.
I, my name is Nancy matter,employed at this point, and I
have two children, ryan andJamie, and then a granddaughter
named Veronica.
And a drag race.
And you drag race and you dragrace, that's for sure.
Melinda Russell (02:27):
And where do you live, Nancy?
Nancy Matter (02:31):
Oh, I forgot about that part A suburb just north
of Dallas, texas.
I am via from Los Angeles, so Iam not a native Texan, and the
possibility of moving up to Indyis very high and likely in the
very near future.
Gosh, what else did you want toknow on that?
(02:52):
Did you have?
Do you have, any pets?
I do.
I have two feral cats one namedEvil Cat Nevil because he's
evil, and then Enderly becausehe's evil, and then enderly who
I saved from being eaten byhawks.
Uh, uh, cat cat.
Who's my indoor main coon, andthen, uh, pitbull.
Okay, what the equation and hisname is.
Melinda Russell (03:15):
What a collection.
Nancy Matter (03:17):
Yeah, for sure so and the evil cat needle and the
Pitbull are best friends.
Sorry, oh my gosh.
Melinda Russell (03:23):
Well, go figure , yeah Right, Right.
Nancy Matter (03:37):
When I was a little girl and we won't go too
far back into some of that storybecause I learned about it on
the day I got married my firstrecollection of going to the
races was the San Fernandoraceway in the San Fernando
Valley in Los Angeles.
My mother was with I don't knowher third or fourth, fifth
husband I'm not sure which itwas and he raced Okay, and so I
(04:00):
remember going there with them.
Bracket racing, basically, iswhat they were doing.
As things transpired they builta little bit faster of a
bracket car and the bracket cardid quite well.
We went to Lyons, orange County, ontario Motor Speedway at the
time Santa Maria, all the localtracks that were out there,
(04:20):
irwindale, and from there theydecided he decided he wanted to
do an NHRA super stock car.
So they built that car and inthe interim my mother became
Wally Park's secretary at theNHRA corporate office and so I
worked at the corporate officewhen I was a teenager for a
couple of years, during thesummer, when I was out of school
(04:43):
, but every weekend we were atthe races literally.
And when I was 13, I met afamily with a very, very
well-known name in drag racingby the name of Gasparelli, and
Lou and Vicki kind of just tookme under their wing and I was
very young, I was already inhigh school at the age of 13.
(05:04):
So I was very far advancedintellectually and they figured
out that the reason why I talkedso much was because I was bored
.
So they escalated me throughclasses and I kept up with
everybody.
Then I started helping Louieand Vicki on a funny car from
that point on.
And I couldn't drive, obviously, to the races, so they would
(05:24):
actually send a crew guy up topick me up't drive, obviously to
the races.
So they would actually send acrew guy up, pick me up and take
me to the races with them.
And I sat in the car to go tothe pits, pits from the pit to
the staging lanes, and then toload up into the trailer.
I would be the person drivingit up in there.
Because I was tall and lanky, Icould crawl out of the the hatch
, so we did that until I was oh,and I did out of the hatch, so
we did that until I was oh, andI did the shoots and the fuel,
(05:46):
so I did that until I was 19.
And the reason why I steppedaway is because my ex-husband
and I didn't see eye to eye.
I loved racing, he didn't, andso I wanted to be the good wife
at that point, because I gotmarried at 18, just right after
I turned 18.
And so then I quit doing racingand I had a very lucrative
(06:09):
music career and I had twochildren.
So I mean, I owned my.
I owned my first house in LAwhen I was 20 years old.
Melinda Russell (06:15):
Wow, wow.
Nancy Matter (06:18):
Yeah, you know.
So you know, as time goes byand you're doing things, and I
was in bands and I played and,you know, did all this stuff.
And him and I together were inbands.
He was the lead singer and,believe it or not, I was the
drummer and did backgrounds.
And you know, I worked a dayjob, accounting and stuff like
that.
I know it's crazy life andthings just kept transpiring and
(06:39):
doing things.
Things just kept transpiringand doing things.
And I finally decided when Iwas in my 20s that I didn't want
to work in a day job for therest of my life the way that I
was doing, because I was doingaccounting, ok.
So.
So from that point I decided tothrow myself into engineering
(07:03):
school, where in musicengineering school, and I did
very, very well there and Ilanded my first job in a CD
cassette manufacturing company,working in their mastering
studio.
So that led me to ultimately,after years and years and years
and years and years ofperfecting my craft, and end up
(07:26):
my own studio after a 10 year, adecade long tenure with a major
record label.
Okay, so from there it wasgetting.
My marriage was alreadystarting to fail at that point,
cause he didn't like the factthat I was becoming so
independent and still being ableto handle the homestead,
basically, um.
So we ended up.
(07:47):
We ultimately got a divorce, um, and he he's doing well, he's a
good guy, you know, he's um.
It just we weren't goodtogether, Um, and about three or
four months after our divorceNow, mind you, this is 20 years
later, okay, so there's a bigtime span here I took my kids at
the ages of 10 and 12, raisedthem up all the way through.
(08:09):
We're still, you know, we stilltalk every day.
In fact, my son called me justbefore before you.
You know, I joined in on the onthe podcast, and I went to the
races at the Northwest nationalsin Seattle for the first time
in 21 years and I've never left.
So from there I went with GaryBerg, who's a very well-known
(08:32):
modified production eliminator,volkswagen guy, with the Bird
family.
I mean, they're like worldrenowned, which you know.
How do you know all that?
When you're a kid you don'tknow, you know, and Gary and I
are still very, very goodfriends.
But that rekindled ourfriendship.
And, uh, I kept getting toldwhy don't you drive again, why
don't you drive?
And he wouldn't do it and I'mlike I'm not living vicariously
(08:54):
through anybody.
I went to the Frank Holly schoolof drag racing in Pomona.
Uh, I hopped in.
Jack Beckman was was theteacher.
I hopped into a dragster and Ifinally told Jack this about six
or seven years ago.
Uh, the first time I launchedthe dragster I let go of the
steering wheel, okay, and I wentoh, and I said a couple of
choice words and I went oh, andI grabbed the wheel again.
(09:15):
Well, I never told anybody that.
I was like oh, oh, my gosh, yougotta be kidding me, but I got
my license that day.
You know, cause you just mindover matter.
You know, you just kind of gookay.
Um, yeah, you needed thatadrenaline shot and you know
this was a great experience andit's safe, you know, and
everything.
So at that point I realized thatdriving my Lexus on the
(09:36):
freeways in Los Angeles,speeding, was not a good idea.
Um, so it was a very goodgrowth spurt to no longer speed
on the freeways.
So I ended up buying a SuperComp car.
And now, mind you, I have myown recording studio at this
point and I'm buying a home, andI bought a Super Comp car with
(09:56):
the trailer, some of the tools,you know this and that, and
started mingling in the Division7 Super Comp ranks.
But every race we went to Iended up in the division seven
super comp ranks and I, and, butevery time, every race we went
to, I ended up in the alcoholfunny car pits.
And I got to the point wherethe NHRA guys knew what I was
doing and so they would pit meas close as possible to the
alcohol pits Cause they knew Iwas going to be working on an
(10:18):
alcohol car in between, you know, the batteries getting charged
on the super comp car.
So I kind of had it down to a T.
Well, after about a year and ahalf it was.
I knew I was going to drive afunny car.
Uh, the dragsters were just notfor me.
You know, it was like everytime I'd get in a funny car and
they do a warmup, I'd be like Iwas in it, I was ready because
it reminded me so much of beingin Louie's car, so much.
(10:39):
Um, the dragster, I always like, kind of, you know, ran out of
breath, hyperventilated a littlebit, you know, like, and then
it's so opposite because thefunny car is enclosed, but I was
just like I, I'm going to drivea funny car.
And uh, before I made theinvestment, I went to the Frank
Colley school again and thistime Frank was the instructor.
And the first time I launchedthe car I'm like what, what's
(11:02):
wrong with this car?
You know, I don't, I don't getit.
And we get back in the class andFrank says, uh, what do you
think your 60 foot was?
I said one, 23,.
You know one, one, one, 1.23seconds for viewers that don't
know, you know what I'm speakingabout.
And he goes, did you look atyour time slip?
I said no, he goes.
How do you know that?
I said, cause it's as slow asmy super comp car.
(11:22):
And he kind of looked at me andhe goes, okay.
And my next one was a one, oh,one 60 foot, one, one seconds,
one almost a one flat.
I'm like, all right, now we gotsomething, you know.
So, anyway, you know we kind ofmoved forward.
I knew at that point I was goingto get a funny car.
So I worked very, very diligent, parked the super comp car,
(11:42):
worked really diligently in themusic studio, where the my music
industry career was moreinterested in my drag racing, of
what I was doing, and the dragracers were more interested in
the music and so it was a goodyin and yang.
That kind of came togetherwhere I could do a light switch
(12:04):
and move from one industry tothe other, you know.
And then my son was of age.
At that point I didn't drivewhen my children, you know
obviously, were younger.
I stayed, you know, with themand the crazy end of the music
industry, of how, the thick ofthe deafness of the music
industry that I was, and and somy son actually was to the point
where he was driving my truckand trailer to the races, where
(12:27):
I could work in the music studioand then I could fly into the
race, do the race and fly homeand go back to work in the
studio and then he would go toanother race.
You know he would drive iteither home or go to another
race.
So it really worked out good inthat aspect.
But once it was time for me tobuy the funny car, we took a
trip out to Colorado and wepicked up my funny car and we
(12:49):
get it home and I got a lot ofspare parts.
I mean just an amazing array ofspare parts.
And you know all this and thegentleman at the time that was
kind of pointing me in the rightdirection.
He goes now I need you to giveme an inventory of everything
you have.
He goes now I need you to giveme an inventory of everything
you have.
Okay, now, mind you, I'd beenin a music industry for so long.
I had a big block Chevy 454,you know in in the super comp
(13:11):
dragster that could run eightnineties.
It ran, really ran about eightsixties, but it was, I said.
I said to him, just plain flatwhat do you want me to say?
That I've got this thing, I'm aBob, and that whatchamacallit,
because I have no idea what Ihave.
And he laughed and he goes.
That's the most honeststatement I have ever heard out
of a driver's mouth.
You know, and I was like, ok,you know, so we went on from
(13:34):
there and we can't I campaignthe alcohol funny car for 14
years.
I met Jeremy back, I alreadyhad my funny car.
I had it way before I met him.
Um, he actually I already hadmy license.
Um, the first time he came tothe track and started, you know
kind of looking at everythingand what was going on and, uh,
(13:56):
campaign that car for 14 years.
You know I had music sponsorsthat came on board with the car.
I had the who in 2007 that wehad an agreement arrangement, um
, that I would do weeklyconcerts instead of having to
wait 30 to 60 days.
They were paying me weekly sothat I could continue taking the
alcohol car out on the road andwith, you know, at that point
Jeremy was driving the truck andtrailer and, you know, doing
(14:19):
all the maintenance andservicing so I could fly back
and forth back in about 2017,2016,.
We were kind of like, well, wecould buy, like all the Alan
stuff and really did I freeze?
Uh, we can buy all the AlanJohnson stuff and you know it
(14:40):
was like 55 grand for one engineor we could buy this turnkey
nostalgia funny car for close tothe same price.
And so we were like, you know,maybe it's time for a change,
maybe it's time to step it up alittle bit.
So we, luckily, with my good,good, good, good friend Charlie,
with a little bit of help, wewent out to Virginia Beach and
(15:01):
we picked up a nostalgia funnycar.
So with the nostalgia funny car, you know, we had somebody that
came in and pointed us in theright direction, and he was, you
know, he did, he's reallyreally good at doing all of that
and you know, we were verysuccessful with and without him,
probably more without him thanwe were with him.
Um, mikey Cavallari stepped inand pointed us in the right
(15:23):
direction.
We got two track records thatone of them still holds the
still holds the fastest funnycar elapsed time.
The other one, we hold theactual track record for speed
and for mile an hour, for ET andmile an hour.
We have a plethora of wins.
I mean, we got to a point wherepretty much we couldn't be beat
first round.
It was a very unusual thing ifwe got beat first round, and
(15:47):
that's very exciting when you'rewinning.
Beat first round, you know, andthat and that's very exciting
when you're winning.
I mean, of course it's exciting.
It's better than having thatlose light every, every round,
every round, every round.
But you just don't give up.
You know, you set your mind towhat your goals are.
You don't give up.
And we had an opportunity backin 20, late 2021 to potentially
(16:13):
buy a top fuel funny car, um, sowe picked it up in 2022.
Um, and excuse me, I'm sayingI'm a lot, I'm trying to do that
.
Then we had a life hiccup.
Okay, so, everybody has ups anddowns in their lives and we had
a life hiccup that literallytook us over two years to
maneuver everything.
We almost lost our business.
We almost lost, you know, wemoved four times in eight months
and I had a 7,700 square footshop with the diesel repair
(16:36):
facility.
So, when you have to relocateeverything, and you've got, you
know, tractor, trailer, acomplete racing operation,
you've got all the tools, you'vegot multiple trailers.
You've got all the tools,you've got multiple trailers,
you've got all the stuff thatyou've accumulated and worked
hard for, and now you're going.
What do I do?
So you, you know, drag racingwent on the back burner.
(16:56):
Okay, um, we have since rebuiltthe car, is it's very close to
being done.
We still have some things wehave to do.
You know, we've got our clutchprogram.
Obviously has to be puttogether because it's very
important in one of these cars.
We need some fuel systems.
We've got the majority ofeverything.
(17:17):
It's just a matter offine-tuning it.
And we need plumbing.
We've got, you know, prettymuch everything else.
We've been slowly but surelychunking away at all the things
that this car needs.
We did a funny car restorationis what we had to do and uh, and
we're getting there.
You know, and I'm really excitedbecause we're so close to me
being able to, like clay says,stomp on that loud pedal.
(17:40):
You know, for me I'm going topounce on it.
You know, I've I've got thiswhole lion motif going right now
.
That's real fun.
But I'm I'm so excited to justget back in the home.
We did a large photo shootyesterday.
It wasn't a professional photoshoot, but I have a new
marketing person that's helpingme pulling things together.
And we, you know, we're justit's, it's time, it's our time.
(18:01):
Now.
You know all the, all thecrying, or you know crying, yeah
, I can cry, I'm a girl.
But but you know all the, allthe crying, or you know crying?
Yeah, I can cry.
I'm a girl, um, but.
But you know, it's like whenyou're going through something
like that, you know youremotions just run so high and
low and um, you know, to be atthis point and to have this girl
sitting behind me right now,with all new tanks, I mean
pretty much everything's new onthe car.
(18:22):
The only thing that's not newis the middle part of the
chassis.
Everything else is new.
You know, we've got a titaniumshield, we've got a.
You know we've got all new DSPsafety padding.
We've got all new, brand new.
Thank God for Murph McKinneyand McKinney Corporation.
They have just been a godsendfor us.
This car, basically, is aMcKinney car at this point.
(18:44):
And you know, we've gotdifferent blocks, we've got
different, different manifolds,we've got different.
Everything is different.
And we put the body on the car.
Just literally a couple of daysago, we put the body on the car
.
It's the first time the body'sbeen on the car.
With all of these new parts,with the new steering, with I
mean everything, everything.
And you know, and that takestime, that takes, that takes
(19:06):
money.
And you know, and that takestime, that takes, that takes
money.
And when you're self-employedand you've tanked your whole
wellbeing and living.
You have to really dig indeeper to say what is my
priorities here?
Well, our priorities wasobviously to be making a living
so that we can go back to dragracing.
And, uh, two years and 11months, the black cloud went
away and here we are today andI'm so excited.
Um, I would like to say a reallybig kudos to a few people.
(19:30):
Um, red line oil stayed with usduring that hiatus.
Pack spring stayed with usduring that hiatus.
Autolite has stayed with usduring that hiatus.
Uh, bullet cams has stayed withus.
Darton sleeves has stayed withus.
I communicated to themeverything that was going on and
they could, and they could tell.
They could tell the differencein my demeanor and my bubbly
(19:50):
self wasn't so bubbly, it wasvery serious and I'm like, look,
I have to tell you what's goingon and it was a lot to not pull
back the tears while you'retelling these people.
I know that you're sponsoringme, but I can't do anything for
you right now.
It's okay.
I know that you're sponsoringme, but I can't do anything for
you right now.
It's okay, we're going to staywith you and they have, and I'm
so blessed and I'm so gratefuland I hope to aspire to give
(20:16):
them in tenfold all of theirsupport back to them.
I tag them in everything I do,all this stuff.
We've also in the interim,we've picked up Star racer belts
, um, you know, system systemone, oil filtration.
They pretty much stayed with us.
So it's kind of, you know, it's, it's really exciting.
And anybody that thinks thatthey can't, I'm here to tell you
(20:37):
right now you can, you know,dig your feet in.
You know, it doesn't matterwhat the obstacles is.
I mean, look, I walked away.
I, I, you know, I didn't haveto walk away from racing, but to
have a happy husband, I had tohave a happy life and I had
children and I wanted to bethere for my children.
Um, and you know, and I think Idid a pretty good job with them
, I'd like to think I, like youknow, I got the, the, the one in
(21:07):
the basement living with me.
You know, I did like I kickedthem out like go go, flap your
wings.
You know, go, fly and be abutterfly, but, um, yeah, so I
don't know, nancy, what.
Melinda Russell (21:19):
What an incredible story.
Um, thank you, I didn't.
I didn't know your story.
I mean, I'd heard your name,but I didn't really know
(21:42):
anything about you.
And so the fact that you gaveit up, went back, went through a
see your face.
If you're watching the video,you can see the big smile on her
face, right in front of thatpretty red car that's sitting
there and I just have to giveyou kudos, for so many people
could have just given up.
They could have, you know, goneto alcohol or drugs or whatever
(22:07):
.
To just say, my life sucks andI you know, and, but you didn't.
You work through it and andyou're ready to go racing again.
How exciting, so I am.
When do you think you might beactually on the track?
Nancy Matter (22:21):
well, you know, I, I set goal dates and then, of
course, the universe hasdifferent goal dates, right.
So right now are real strong.
I have to cross grade mylicense, okay, and I still do
have current NHRA top alcoholand um, and and nostalgia funny
car.
So, yeah, gosh, I wish I couldsay this weekend that we were,
(22:43):
cause I've had a lot of peopleAre you coming?
Are you coming?
Are you coming?
Not yet, not yet, not yet.
So I'm really God willing, godwilling, um, I have a branding
meeting on Friday, actually downin Houston, um, but God willing
, by at least by Dallas, thatI'll get to debut the car.
And there's a lot of innerworkings here that I'd like to
(23:04):
fill in, fill in some of theblanks for you.
I'm actually the recipient,with my music career, that
afforded me to do this.
Uh, I have 70 golden platinumrecords, okay, um, I've been to
the Grammys.
I've, you know, I'veaccomplished a lot of things In
addition to that.
Um, there's only been six womenahead of me that have been
(23:27):
owner drivers of the top hillfunny car and my new branding
partner potential down on Friday.
We've already got a verbalagreement, Okay, that's why I
can say this it's not, it's nota million dollars, it's nothing
like that.
It's just something to help,you know, chunk away at the baby
steps.
Um, I'm the first in thissearch in this century to be an
(23:50):
owner-driver female top fuelfunny car, not a dragster top
fuel funny car.
And so when he pointed that out,I was like, ooh, that's kind of
a big, that's kind of I neverthought of it like that.
It was kind of, oh, that's kindof cool.
So it's very, very exciting.
Um, I received a couple ofmessages yesterday from a couple
(24:14):
of different crew chiefs thatwork on different cars and one
of them just said I, you know,I'm so happy that you're doing
this.
This is really a hugeaccomplishment, you know.
And and then I have somebodyelse.
You know, mike is up inWashington and he's really
pointed me in the rightdirection to get the car to
where the car is today, andwe're going to ultimately set up
his fuel system in the car.
It'll be his.
(24:35):
You know there's going to be alot of stuff that he has
participated behind the scenes,you know, just moving forward to
make this happen.
I'm so excited, I can't wait.
Melinda Russell (24:46):
Wow.
Nancy Matter (24:47):
What a great story I thank you.
Melinda Russell (24:50):
I, yeah, you know I listen.
I hear a lot of stories, nancy,but there's times that I just
sit and listen because I youknow the things that people go
through and and a lot of peopledon't know maybe your story or
or that you had some times andand it's easy to put on that
(25:11):
smiley face and and you know.
But what people don'tunderstand is what's going on
behind the scenes.
And now for you to be where youare and looking forward to
getting back on the track isjust so it's.
It's um encouraging for otherpeople.
I love what you said.
(25:31):
If I can do this, so can you.
If I can make it through toughtimes and come out on the other
side, so can you.
Nancy Matter (25:40):
Yeah yeah, yeah, anybody can.
You just have to, you just haveto dig, you just have to be
true grit, like you know, really.
I would like to say one otherthing before you know, because I
know we're getting close to ourtime american valor foundation,
with chris kyle and chadlittlefield and I know that
there's, you know it's, it'sreally the chris kyle legacy,
(26:02):
but I always include chadbecause chad was with chris when
the fateful day happened.
Um, I really would like to saythank you so much to Wayne,
debbie, jeff, amy, the and theLittlefield family, don Judy,
jerry and Teresa Teresa.
You know, rest her soul.
She passed away, but I havestuck with them because and they
(26:24):
have stuck with me and they'revery loyal based people and it's
such an honor to have beenchosen back in 2014, which you
know, to represent thatfoundation and to still, to this
day, they are my foundation ofchoice.
The back of the car is, is, islooks very similar, without the
(26:48):
words yet because we didn't getthose on there, but it's going
to be identical to the back ofthe trailer.
So, when you see them side byside and the craziest thing and
this is for all the fans whenyou come out, I'm keeping that
on the back of the trailer.
And I do that, I preface that.
Whenever I'm talking to abranding partner, whenever I'm
talking to anybody partner,whenever I'm talking to anybody,
(27:08):
I always say I need to keep theback of the trailer as the
guardian and with Chris and Chad, and but their eyes follow you
when you walk around.
And so we took the car, we tookthe car and my one friend up in
Oklahoma, he comes down, hegoes, he goes.
Did their eyes follow you onthe back of that car too?
I'm like I don't know, let's golook.
And they do.
(27:29):
And it's like, oh, it's so cool, but you can't see it on video.
It won't do it on video.
It's some type of phenomena ofthe photo I chose and there was
no photoshopping on them, but Imean we took away the Port
Aransas, the dock and all thatstuff, but it's just a natural
(27:49):
phenomenon and that's thepicture I was led to to put on
there and it's just.
It's just.
I don't know I will.
I feel like they.
I'm not, I'm a civilian boy.
I'm a civilian as you get.
I didn't even like guns till Igot involved in all this.
They terrified me, but I'm okaynow, you know, but they're just
, they always have my back.
Yeah, and I don't.
I don't want to go down thetrack without them at this point
(28:11):
on the car.
Melinda Russell (28:12):
Right.
Nancy Matter (28:12):
You know they've been on the car since 2015,.
I believe you know, so, but Iwould really like to say a kudos
to them for the American ValorFoundation and for all the work
that they do for Gold Starfamilies, for veterans, for
officers, for fallen officers,families for fire fire, you know
, fire men and all that stuff.
It's a, it's a huge cause forum to be able to give back to
(28:34):
all these people, you know sothat's amazing.
Melinda Russell (28:38):
So, nancy, how can people follow you um social
media, whatever, so that theycan keep track of you and when
and when you start racing, wecan see what you're up to?
Nancy Matter (28:49):
That'd be great, okay, so everything's pretty
much based on either Nancymatter or Nancy matter racing.
So, uh, my personal page onFacebook is tapped and I
probably have a thousand peopletrying to.
You know, I can't I just can'tfacilitate everything but my
Nancy matter racing on Facebook.
I'm also on linkedin, uh, undernancy matter.
I've got uh instagram x,twitter x, okay, um, youtube.
(29:15):
Youtube is nancy matter racing,which there's not a lot on
there right now, but I'm gettingbetter.
Uh, tiktok nancy, I think it'snancy matter racing.
I'm there, I'm an all.
Melinda Russell (29:25):
Well, I appreciate the time and and that
you were willing to share yourstory, because it's it's a good
one and it's going to inspireother people.
I know that for sure.
Nancy Matter (29:35):
I hope so.
I want to be a beacon of hopefor people, of men and women.
You know they've got this wholething right now.
That's women of power, which Itotally support.
But I don't feel myself being awoman of power.
I feel myself as being anempowered woman, and it's just
by that simple change of thatword.
I want to be the beacon ofinspiration for men and women,
(29:56):
both that you can do this.
You know you don't have to be62 and say I'm retired and you
lay around on the couch for therest of your life.
No, get out, do things.
Your body is wanting you tomove and you know, be happy, and
you know and and do all thatstuff you know.
So yeah.
Melinda Russell (30:14):
I hope you'll live a lot longer if you stay
active and find something thatmakes you want to get up in the
morning.
Nancy Matter (30:22):
Yeah, exactly, you know, even if it's just going
out and into your garden orwhatever, or you know, feeding
the birds, going to the park,there's so many different levels
of success and you know I justhappen to choose things that are
so bipolar from each other andeverything's been male dominated
.
If you aren't you, you knowyou're working in man's world.
(30:42):
I don't know any different.
I've been doing this all mylife.
I don't look at it that way.
You know we're people, we'rehuman beings and we need to be
good human beings, you know.
Melinda Russell (30:52):
That's for sure .
Well, nancy, thanks again fortaking time today to be on the
show.
I really appreciate it, and ifyou'll hang on just for a second
here after we end the recording, and then I'll let you go on
about your day.
Nancy Matter (31:06):
Thank you so much, melinda.
Thank you, thank you, thank youand God bless.
Oh, you're welcome.
Melinda Russell (31:15):
If you're looking to buy, sell or trade
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(31:37):
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(31:57):
and more Again.
That's racingjunkcom.
That's it for this episode ofthe women's motorsports network
podcast.
We hope you've been inspired bythe stories I shared today and
feel more connected to theamazing community of women in
motorsports.
(32:17):
Remember, whether you're behindthe wheel, in the pits or
cheering from the stands, yourstory matters and together we're
driving change and celebratingevery milestone.
If you enjoyed today's episode,be sure to subscribe, leave us
a review and share it withsomeone who loves motorsports as
much as you do, and don'tforget to follow us on Facebook
(32:42):
and Instagram for updates,behind-the-scenes content,
content and more incrediblestories.
So until next time, stayinspired, stay connected and
keep racing through life.
This is the women's motorsports network podcast, where
every woman's story is worthcelebrating.
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