Page 18 - March 2019 IWMA News Interactive

Featuring Taylor Hagler with X Factor Racing
Thank you to #DRIVINGFORWARDTOGETHER and Taylor Hagler for permission to reprint this article. The Mission Statement for their group is:
To encourage, connect and support women in Autocross, as drivers in their own right, and to embolden them to exercise their power to vie in open competition, embracing ideals of strength and inclusion to radiate through all forms of Motorsport.
In honor of National Women’s Day, we had the op- portunity to interview Taylor Hagler, driver of the number 77 Honda Civic Si with X Factor Racing in the TC America series.
Taylor had a great start to the season, taking third place at Circuit of the Americas recently.
Look for more of Taylor’s success throughout the TC America season as she charges ahead to Virginia International Raceway for race number two.
How did you get started in Motorsports? Has your interest always been in track? Have you participated in other
forms of Motorsports?
“I was compet- ing on horses for 10 years. During this period I com- peted in hunter jumper and show jumping. Over the course of my 10 years com- peting, I traveled across many states with my Mom. Additionally, while com-
peting horses, I asked my father to allow me to run racing carts. At that time our finances would not allow me the op- portunity to compete in both, so I stuck with the horses. My father has always been a car guy, and has owned many high performance cars. In the end, his passion has helped to feed my desire to race cars. I had planned to continue to compete horses, but my horse got injured. Once this happened and I stopped competing horses, I went back to Dad to ask about taking race courses with Skip Barber. I did 2 courses with Skip Barber, then we went out and made all the purchases to start racing at an amateur level.”
How did you get involved in the TC America Se- ries?
“Over the short course of my racing (2018 season-9 race events), I utilized the services of X-Factor racing who spe- cializes in Spec Miata. The owner realized after a short time that my natural talent would be fitting into his pending World
Challenge effort. Late 2018, he invited us to participate with
his team. As such, we purchased the cars to compete, estab- lished ourselves with World Challenge and began our racing season.”
How would your races in Spec Miata compare to races in TC America?
“Spec Miata is a highly competitive series. During all of my races, I am routinely surrounded by as many as 15 cars all running within the same 1 second lap bracket. Additional- ly, in the Spec Miata series, I for the most part am the only fe- male racer, routinely surrounded by male drivers. On the TC side of things, I have little exposure since I have only com- pleted one race. To the contrary, I thoroughly enjoy the high profile World Challenge creates and very much appreciate the professionalism of all teams and drivers. Over the course of my Spec Miata racing, I can’t say that the professionalism compares to that of WC largely because I am a young rookie female driver competing with veteran drivers, some of which
cannot accept my level of competi- tion.”
Do you have any unique habits or rituals before a race? “I usually get a little nervous before the race and tend to get a little quiet. But for the most part, no, I don’t have any hard habits or ritu- als before the race. I simply take it all
in stride, get myself ready for the race, put my game face on and hit the track. From a family perspective we are fairly ritual before each race
when my Mom buckles me in and kisses me on my helmet.”
Is racing your full time job or is this something you do on the weekends? Do you work or go to school?
“Currently, racing is all I do. I would prefer to have a job, but as it appears, no one is willing to hire me with the World Challenge race schedule for 2019. My plan for the year as it stands today is to keep job searching and work to pre- pare myself for the GMAT test. Once I have completed my GMAT, I plan to go back to school to complete my MBA. I currently do unpaid work for an equity group, that I utilize for preparation for my end career.”
Does anyone else in your family race or are you the first one? “I am the first and likely the only there will ever be.”
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