Daytona International Raceway - MX-5 Cup Rounds 1 & 2
This past week, Rounds 1 and 2 of the Mazda MX-5 Cup took place at the iconic Daytona International Speedway. I arrived feeling prepared after a productive off-season—expanding my network, practicing my race craft on the simulator, and designing a fresh new look for 2025. My livery and suit are inspired by the Iron Dames, a team I admire for their dedication to elevating women in motorsports and proving that our dreams belong on the biggest stages.
On Wednesday, we kicked off the event with Practice 1 and 2, facing the largest field since 2016 with 36 cars on track. The first session was cold and wet, so my focus was on adapting to the conditions, bringing the tires up to temperature, and chipping away at finding speed. By Practice 2, the track was drier and more rubber was laid down, providing better grip. I finished both sessions inside the Top 20, although it was just practice, I wasn’t satisfied. With such a competitive field, I knew I had to push harder, so I stayed focused, determined to come back stronger in qualifying and set myself up for two solid races.
On Thursday, we had Qualifying and Race 1. With improved track conditions, my confidence was higher. As a team, we worked to position ourselves for a strong qualifying result, but the field bunched up in the infield as everyone tried to set up their perfect lap. Despite this challenge, I managed to put together a few solid laps and, after avoiding maximum out-lap time penalties, qualified P17, securing the Top-Finishing Female spot. While I wasn’t thrilled with 17th, my second-fastest lap put me in P12 for Race 2, providing a strong foundation to build on.
For Race 1, we lined up on the grid with slicks, but a last-minute decision by the race director called for everyone to switch to wet tires. As the crew swapped my tires, I focused on adjusting my mindset for a rain race. This was my first time racing in the rain and my first experience with Michelin rain tires. While it wasn’t the ideal situation, I did my best to adapt and stay focused.
Unfortunately, the rain held off for the first part of the race, causing us to wear down most of the rubber on our Michelin rain tires. Midway through, the rain intensified, and I struggled to find grip, rotate the car, and get it properly planted. I crossed the line in P23 out of 36—far from the result I wanted. However, on the bright side, I gained valuable experience, brought the car home in one piece, and had a solid starting position of P12 for a dry Race 2 the next day.
For Race 2, the sun was finally shining, and the track was in perfect condition. Lining up 12th on the sixth row, I felt confident in my pace in the dry, backed by hours of onboard study and preparation.
As we took the green flag, chaos erupted almost instantly. Two cars at the front of the field made contact right in front of me. I stayed on throttle to maintain momentum, hoping to slip past the spinning cars. But before I could react, a heavy hit to my rear bumper sent me straight into the wall. From there, a chain reaction unfolded, triggering a massive 17-car pileup on the front stretch before we had even properly started the race.
Before the race had even truly begun, my car had already suffered significant damage to the right front. After a hard hit, I was lucky to still be in the race—something most of my competitors caught in "the big one" couldn’t say. A severe tire rub sent smoke flooding into my cockpit, and my toe was knocked out by at least two inches, making the car a handful, especially on the banking. I was doing everything I could to wrestle a wounded car that was 10 seconds off the pace. At that point, my goal shifted—just survive, finish the race, and salvage as many points as possible.
I crossed the line in P21—not the result I was hoping for, but it could have been much worse. Despite the challenges, I was able to salvage some valuable points. While my goal isn’t to be the best female racer, a silver lining was finishing the weekend as the top-finishing female in the championship standings.
Daytona was a challenging race with plenty of lessons, but one I’m ready to leave behind. The work is already underway for St. Pete, which will be my first-ever street course race. Let’s make it one to remember!
January 24, 2025
