Racing to Break Barriers

By Maureen M. McVail

The stereotype is that girls play with Barbies and boys play with cars. I’m a woman, and I love (to play with) cars. I started racing my Porsche in 1999. I did what any mother of two young children would do with a Porsche stock race car—I decided to sign up for a high-performance driving event at Pocono Raceway. After my first time on track, I was hooked!

I didn’t think of it as uncharted territory; it was a simple desire on my part. I just knew that the track was where the car and I belonged. Initially, you have an instructor and compete against the clock. I then worked my way through the ranks, eventually driving without an instructor and reaching speeds of over 140 mph. It isn't the straight line that’s the thrill—it's going into a corner, sliding with one wheel in the air. The G-forces were the most exhilarating part.

Managing passes at high speeds—both passing others and being passed—was a blast. The ability to drive on a real racetrack, used for professional races, felt special and unique. The Porsche Club would lease tracks in New York (Watkins Glen being my favorite), Virginia, New Jersey, and several other challenging courses. We don’t go in circles like NASCAR; we race on road courses with sharp turns.

As a side note—the lounge at Pocono says “For wives of drivers.” What would Danica Patrick say about that?! She’s a prime example of breaking barriers.

I was the only woman at most events. Numerous men asked where my husband was, assuming I was just a supportive wife of a driver. That didn’t stop me. Needless to say, my Mommies and Me group disapproved. They voiced their objections by asking how I could do something so dangerous with two young children at home.

My response? We have helmets, six-point harnesses, roll bars, and we’re all going in one direction. These safety measures kept us protected—though, of course, there was always a risk. Another challenge came when my then-husband was asked how he could "let me" participate in a traditionally male sport. I ignored the Mommies and Me group and the naysayers and pursued racing with courage and gusto. I turned these obstacles into opportunities to follow my passion.

I never thought of racing cars as breaking barriers—but it did. The car doesn’t care about your gender. I passed men on the track. Yes, I enjoyed that immensely. I also learned how to work on my own car. I changed my brake pads at the track. After numerous offers of help, one fellow driver thwarted any attempts to assist me. He said, “She can do it herself!” I will always remember him as a wonderful advocate for women.

I am determined to recruit other women to engage in motorsports at any level. I am currently part of the working group of Women in Motorsports North America. I also started an initiative called MORACING.NET to share my passion and empower women and girls through motorsports.

I sponsored an all-women’s team and various semi-professional race car drivers. We won first in class at Sebring Raceway in Florida. I was involved in the early stages of Shift Up – Accelerating Ambition. Our goal was to inspire girls and women to pursue any of their dreams—motorsport-related or not. I also founded and managed a small but mighty club racing team. Though I co-owned it with a male friend, women were also drivers.

As I developed MORACING.NET further, I conducted workshops and shared insights about racing. I showed in-car footage of races and let participants sit behind the wheel of my race car. They even got to wear my helmet, fireproof racing suit, and gloves. My goal was always to empower and inspire women and girls to dream big.

These workshops were based on the belief: “If you can see it, you can be it.” It was so gratifying to see the enthusiasm and excitement of the participants. One especially rewarding workshop was with Delaware’s One Village Alliance program, Girls Can Do Anything in Delaware. They can!

Beyond workshops, I created pathways for other women by leasing my race car to them. Several women took that opportunity and eventually purchased their own cars to pursue their newfound passion for racing. Today, several women have achieved professional status. I can’t take credit for their success, but seeing their growth is deeply encouraging. Still, we have a long way to go.

Girls can play with Barbies and with cars!

Maureen has been a grateful member of Great Dames for over 10 yrs. As the Events Specialist at Drexel’s Institute for Women’s Health, Great Dames was a perfect fit for her. Her second chapter includes being an apprentice mechanic and front office manager at an automotive shop.