International Women’s Day: NASCAR Roots

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Courtesy Rockford Speedway

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'It’s exciting and rewarding. You get an opportunity to meet many, many great people.' Jody Deery is a fixture in short track racing as the long-time owner of Illinois' venerable Rockford Speedway. She got her start in racing in 1954 and retired as the track's promoter in 2020.

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Adam Glanzman/NASCAR

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Gracie Trotter, driver of the #25 Mobil1 Toyota, became the first female race winner in the ARCA Menards Series platform with her win at The Bullring at Las Vegas last year.

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Grandview Speedway Facebook

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Theresa Rogers (center) and her husband Bruce, are the owners & promoters of Grandview Speedway, the long-time NASCAR dirt track in Pennsylvania. In 2018, they were inducted into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame

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Gina Schild-Knowles

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Gina Schild-Knowles, the promoter of the Texas Short Track Racing Series, is also the promoter for Houston Motorsports Park, the only asphalt short track in Texas. Under her guidance, Houston returned to the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series last season.

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New Smyrna Speedway Facebook

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Jane Hart, along with her husband Robert, own and operate Florida's New Smyrna Speedway. In addition to racing, the Harts are very invested in the local community, including the
Hart to Heart Breast Cancer Foundation and Race To Stop Suicide.

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NASCAR Whelen Euro Series

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In her first season racing in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, Julia Landauer finished fifth in the EuroNASCAR 2 Championship standings - the best finish by a female driver in series' history - with three top fives and seven top 10s. Landauer, originally from New York City, has also raced in the (now ARCA) East and West Series, as well as the NASCAR Pinty's Series in Canada.

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Matthew Manor/NASCAR

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Cherie Putnam is the NASCAR Pinty's Series Director, overseeing the stock car championship series in Canada. The Ontario native has been Ontario, has been involved in the sport for over 25 years. She was part of two NASCAR Pinty’s Series titles before becoming a NASCAR official.

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Kingsport Speedway

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Karen Tunnell keeps things running smoothly as the general manager and promoter of Kingsport Speedway in Tennessee.

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Courtesy South Boston Speedway

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Cathy Rice is the long-time General Manager of Virginia's historic South Boston Speedway and her track has hosted a who's who of late model talent over the years. The South Boston fixture recently announced 2021 will be her final season.

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Edmonton International Raceway

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Erica Thiering has raced at Edmonton International Raceway for 14 seasons, collecting 12 championships in the track's Division I super stocks division. She is also a 12-time NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Alberta champion.

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Barry Cantrell/NKP

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One of the most popular drivers on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Melissa Fifield has made 97 starts for her family-owned team.

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Benjamin Green/ARCA Racing

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Bridget Burgess competes in the ARCA Menards Series West, where she scored three top 10s in nine races last year as an 18-year-old for the family-owned team. Bridget's mother, Sarah, also serves as the crew chief and is a former drift and off-road racer herself.

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NASCAR Whelen Euro Series

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Anne Galpin is the Vice President of Competition and Marketing for the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. Anne co-founded the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series with her husband Jerome and she’s also his co-driver when they race rally cars.

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Shannon McIntosh/NASCAR

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Hailee McAnally keeps Bill McAnally Racing on track, keeps tabs on everything as Marketing Manager for her father's operation.

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Adam Glanzman/NASCAR

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Toni Breidinger is competing part-time for them in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series. She is the first Arab-American female driver to compete in a NASCAR national series event.

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Shannon McIntosh/NASCAR

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From left, chief scorer Liz Fredrickson, Director of Touring Series Racing Operations Lauren Wescoat and series official Becky McBride, are instrumental in the success of the ARCA Menards Series East and West.

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Edmonton International Raceway

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Edmonton International Raceway in Alberta, Canada, received the Business of the Year Award in Wetaskiwin in 2017 thanks in large part to the work done by owners Loretta Theiring (accepting the award) and her husband Ron (not pictured).

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Courtesy Alaska Raceway

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Karen Lackey (track owner) and Michelle Lackey Maynor (promoter) are in charge of NASCAR racing at Alaska Raceway near Anchorage.

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Stephane Azemard/NASCAR Whelen Euro Series

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Arianna Casoli made her NASCAR Whelen Euro Series debut in 2016 and since then she won the Legend Trophy (EuroNASCAR 2 drivers 40-and-over) once in 2020 and the Lady Trophy (EuroNASCAR 2 female drivers) twice. In 2020, she recorded her best career result at Circuit Zolder with the fifth-place finish in EuroNASCAR 2.

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