Women Shifting Gears Driven by Hemmings with Amanda Busick

It was at an early age that Kate Cook knew her passion in life was art.  By picking up commission pieces in high school, Kate was able to purchase her first car, a 1966 Jeepster Commando that she worked on with her father and brother.  It would be that Jeep that inspired her to combine her two loves into an artistic technique she calls “pinstripe illustration”.  While she started her career in watercolor, ink and oil paint, she decided to meld the traditional methods of painting with versatile enamel car paint.   Her latest series of illustrator paintings, entitled “She's been everywhere, man!” are inspired by nostalgic Americana with a colorful contemporary twist focusing on classic cars, travel, and the timeless female figure. Kate's husband and biggest cheerleader Morgan encouraged her to take the leap of faith and paint full time.  It's because of his support, Kate is able to live her dream, one illustration at a time through her studio Asphalt Canvas Custom Art.    Our biggest takeaway in this latest edition of Women Shifting Gears Driven by Hemmings is that anything is possible when you have love and support around you.  

While Anja Kempermann may be the U.S. Events Manager and Race Series Manager for Masters Historic Racing, it's her zest for life and her mantra of choosing to be happy that will have you smiling from ear to ear while listening to her chat with host Amanda Busick about her journey to her “happy place”.  Her passion for life coupled with her love for racing has made this self-proclaimed petrolhead one amazing woman. Kempermann's podcast marks our milestone 50th episode of Women Shifting Gears Driven by Hemmings.

Her love for Ford Mustangs started in high school when she was looking for a “cool car” with her dad.  When her parents met, her mom had a 1965 Mustang Coupe while her dad drove a 1966 GT.  Growing up, her dad would share stories about how much fun he had with his car, so when the time came to purchase her first ride, she knew she wanted a Mustang.  Her first Mustang was a 1966 Coupe. When that car was totaled, she took her insurance money and purchased her 1965 convertible that she still treasures today. Daphne Norris has had a lifetime of fun memories with her collection of cool cars.  She currently owns several Mustangs as well as a Shelby GT 500.  She stays active in Team Shelby as well as leads the North Florida chapter.  Most recently, Daphne was crowned the Women Shifting Gears judging class at the 2022 Amelia in her 1965 Ford Mustang convertible. Norris chats with host Amanda Busick about her life with Mustangs and her passion to get more women in the left seat.

Her love affair with Porsche started with a “FOR SALE” sign on a Saturn Yellow '72 914 that Mia Walsh saw while on her bicycle just prior to her 16th birthday.  Somehow, she convinced the owner to let her take it for a spin. It wouldn't be until 25 years later that she and her husband would purchase their first Porsche and join the Potomac Region of the PCA.  With over 300 total track days under her belt and encouraged by other racers to make the move to Club Racing, Mia modified her '09 Cayman S into a fully prepared GTB1 Race Car. She had her first race at Summit Point in 2015, winning two 3rd place podiums her first weekend, as well as the coveted Rookie Award from PCA National. After being recognized nationally as a top HPDE instructor in 2013, Mia worked her way up to the Potomac Region President in 2019.  Walsh now serves as Porsche Club of America - National High-Performance Driver Education Chair where she hopes to continue to encourage more women to participate. Mia chats with host Amanda Busick about her career with PCA and how she continues to inspire females in the classroom and at the track and how her birding hobby has helped her focus on racing.

It all started with a chat just prior to the start of the 2021 Indianapolis 500.  Racing legend Lyn St. James has been a longtime advocate for women in motorsports and had basically run out of gas while carrying the banner for equality.  But, when she witnessed first-hand what Beth Paretta was doing with her Paretta Autosport team at the Indy 500, she was refueled. She reached out to Paretta about forming an organization to help facilitate women's participation in the sport they both loved and Beth was on board 1000% as she told Lyn – You are not alone.  Together they contacted a team of about 40 women currently working as professionals in motorsport, along with some male allies, and a working group was formed in August 2021 to advance the idea to reality.  Today, The Women in Motorsports North America (WIMNA) organization is a community of professionals supporting opportunities for women across all disciplines of motorsport. By creating an inclusive, resourceful environment, the 501 (c)(3) charity looks to foster mentorship, advocacy, education, and growth to help ensure a successful and effective future for women in professional motorsports roles.  Beth and Lyn chat with host Amanda Busick about how their dream has become a reality and the opportunities and events that have already developed because of their new venture.   Two motorsport powerhouses in one podcast.  This is a good one.

Sonia Rief is vice president, Vehicle Connected Services & Program Management Office for Nissan U.S. and Canada. She was appointed to this position in March 2019. In this role, Rief is responsible for managing vehicle line profitability and leading Nissan's Connected Services organization. Overseeing the Connected Service organization includes planning, delivery, marketing and operations for internal and external customer content.Previously, Rief was director, Program Management Office at the Nissan Technical Center North America (NTCNA) in Farmington Hills, Michigan, and was responsible for vehicle line profit management of mid-size sedans, and compact and mid-size SUVs.  Rief joined Nissan in 2001, progressing through roles of increasing responsibility within the Research and Development function, including a one-year assignment in Japan supporting the Renault-Nissan Alliance.Rief holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University and an MBA from the University of Michigan. She was also named one of the 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry by Automotive News in both 2015 and 2020.Rief shares her life's journey both personally and professionally with host Amanda Busick as well as her desire to help encourage women to push their boundaries and become comfortable with being uncomfortable.

17-year-old Chloe Chambers is truly driven to succeed.  From an early age, she had her sights on Formula 1 Racing, and now her dream is becoming reality as she races on the same circuits in the W Series with hopes of one day running F1 as one of its first female drivers. She is confident that she's prepared, having mastered go-karting at the top level and joining Jenner Racing with top W Series racer, Jamie Chadwick.  She begins her W Series journey this weekend with the season-opener in Miami as part of Caitlyn Jenner's racing stable.  Having already set a Guinness World Records title for the fastest vehicular slalom using a Porsche 718 Spyder with a time of 47.45 seconds and competing on America's Got Talent Extreme, Chambers hopes that Simon Cowell's comments about her come true – You're a future star.  And you know what?  He's usually right!  Chloe chats with host Amanda Busick on our 45th podcast.

Automotive expert Lauren Fix is the nation's industry-leading expert in all things automotive and appears weekly on national television and radio as well as His Turn-Her Turn™ and Car Coach Reports. Lauren is an automotive authority who teaches drivers everywhere to love their choices and love their cars.  She has written three books on automobiles as well as having appeared on CNN, FOX News, Newsmax TV, CNBC, and USA Radio's Daybreak USA show and was Oprah'sgo-to gal for everything automotive.  If you're in need of buying a car or auto repair, you want Lauren on your side.  She's the first to tell you that knowledge is power, and she can help you rev up your car smarts to help you keep money in your wallet.  Her story is inspirational and her passion is infectious.  She chats with our host, Amanda Busick.

Southern Californian Sara Price has been racing most of her life.  She first raced at the age of eight and by 16, she was racing professionally.  In 2010, she was the first female factory-supported motocross racer with Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing.  She has won 19 national motocross championships.  Prior to making the switch to four-wheeled racing in 2012, she also medaled in Women's Super X at the 2010 X Games, and holds the record as the winningest female amateur to date. She currently competes in Off-Road Desert racing in a Trophy Truck, and works as a stunt professional, performing on motorcycles and in vehicles, and as a precision driver for television and film.Sara recently returned for her second season with Chip Ganassi Racing after becoming the first driver announced for the new electric racing venture in Extreme E in 2021. Price is the first female driver for Chip Ganassi Racing in the team's 32-year history and was also the first female driver signed in the new Extreme-E series.  Price and her teammate Kyle LeDuc drive the No. 99 GMC HUMMER EV for Chip Ganassi Racing.  The Extreme-E series is the first sport built out of concern for the climate crisis. The series' goal is to use electric racing to highlight remote environments under threat of climate change issues, and to encourage us all to take positive action to protect our planet's future.  The five-race series goes to the extreme in Saudi Arabia, Italy (twice) Chile and Uruguay. 

Stefy Bau was born and raised in Italy.  As a child, she barely remembers a time when she wasn't on a motorcycle.  She was first introduced to bikes by her father at age 4 and by 6, she was hooked on motocross.  At that point, she told her parents that she would one day race professionally and live in the United States.  Because her parents supported her 100% and told her she could be anything she wanted to be, she pursued her dream with great passion.She was successful from the beginning as she won every race she entered.  She was the first woman to win every round of the WMA National Championship in 1999.  Her career led her to seven Italian National Championships, 5 US National Championships, and 3 Women World Championships.  She was considered one of the fastest women motocross racers in the world.  But in 2005, her career suddenly ended.At the age of 28, a mishap with a jump completely shattered both of Stefy's ankles.  She was told that there was only a 1% chance that her left leg could be saved.  After being bed-ridden for 6 months and then in a wheelchair and eventually crutches, it took 10 years of surgeries to fix her ankle so that she could walk again.She was angry and in a very dark place at first, but then decided to take the positives out of the situation like being able to walk again, and proving all the doctors wrong.  By her parents telling her she could do anything, coupled with finding the positive in everything, Stefy was able to defy the odds in a devastating injury and stay in the sport she loves.Oh, the power of positive thinking!Stefy is currently the CEO of Init Esports where they focus on SIM-Racing and the development of women in gaming and Init Sports that develops athletes and brands in the motorsports industry with particular attention to the electric motorcycle market and the Ebike industry.  Stefy also serves on the advisory board of WiST (Women In Sports Tech) and continues to mentor women in sports and gaming to help grow the community.

She was boundless.  She was Betty Skelton – a woman left behind until three determined women worked tirelessly to uncover her story.  Producers Pam Miller (8-time Emmy award winner and NASCAR on FOX producer), Lindsey Mandia (Vice President of Production at FOX Sports), and Cindy Sisson (CEO of GSEvents LLC) are the women behind the woman in this first installment of the docu-series “Left Behind” that was recently released on FS1's Race Hub.  Skelton was a land speed record holder and aerobatics pilot who set 17 aviation and automobile records. She was known as "The First Lady of Firsts", and helped create opportunities for women in aviation, auto racing, astronautics, and advertising – yet very few knew much about her… until now. The women behind Betty Skelton's story are the first guests in Season 3 of our Women Shifting Gears Driven by Hemmings podcast.  They share their story of perseverance in discovering her history and how there's a little bit of Betty in all of us.   We should all take a lesson from Betty Skelton…. A woman who pushed the boundaries for women – with great poise and grace.  While her opportunities were limited, she discovered ways around those limitations to create her own destiny – one that is now celebrated, thanks to the hard work of three dedicated women.   Betty would be proud.

In Episode 15 of our Women Shifting Gears Driven by Hemmings Podcast, we first introduced you to Renée Brinkerhoff and her Project 356 World Rally Tour.  At that time, she had raced in six of the seven continents.  In last week's show (Episode 39), host Amanda Busick, along with Renée and her daughter Christina, set the stage as they made their way to Antarctica.  In this new episode, Renée and Christina, along with their Valkyrie Racing team, take on the elements and all that goes with sub-zero temperatures.   While they finished the last chapter of their Project 356 World Rally Tour,  their mission in the fight against child trafficking is far from over.  We just may see the “Polar Porsche” continue to race against the elements and continue to fight the fight.  They're not done. Bundle up and enjoy the ride.

They had accomplished six out of seven continents in their quest to end child trafficking with their Valkyrie Racing Project 356 campaign.  The last leg was a cold reality… literally.  Even though there had been months (and a COVID year) of preparation, this final journey to Antarctica did not go off without a hitch.  The mother-daughter team of Renée and Christina Brinkerhoff share the unexpected hurdles that they had to overcome in the days leading up to their final Project 356 chapter and the sobering moment when they wrote their “death letters” to their loved ones in case they didn't come home. This Brinkerhoff duo loves going to the edge.  It's in their blood.  While they are family, they're also teammates who are willing to risk their lives for a cause they are determined to eliminate. While these two brave women and their small but mighty team faced the cold conditions, this story will surely warm the hearts of our listeners.  Renée and Christina Brinkerhoff share the days leading up to the start of their final 356 miles with host Amanda Busick in Part 1 of our 2-part series. Bundle up.  This is a good one. Thank you, Covercraft, for supporting our podcast. You can also enter to win a replica of the Valkyrie Racing Porsche 356 A with a giveaway through Omaze.  When entering use promo code: WomenShiftingGears150.  Contest ends March 5th.  

It's all about the fan experience.  This week's guest, Jessica Fickenscher, is the Chief Experience Officer for Speedway Motorsports and makes it her daily mission to ensure race fans at their eleven premier NASCAR facilities have an experience of a lifetime. Speaking of experiences, Jessica has experienced a lot in her 25+ years at Speedway Motorsports.  She first entered the doors as an intern and will probably exit those same doors when she walks into retirement.  Her fans-first initiatives have delivered best-in-class fan experiences and she continues to create ways to make their attendees happy and coming back for more. If the fan experience responsibility wasn't enough, Fickenscher also facilitates capital improvement and property development projects across the company's facilities and oversees their relationship with food service partner, Levy Restaurants.  In addition, she leads business operations as the senior executive for company subsidiaries U.S. Legend Cars which consists of the world's largest producer of fun and affordable race cars, and SMI Properties, a souvenir production and merchandising division. Fickenscher is the managing director of Speedway Children's Charities national chapter and serves as a board member for the Charlotte chapter. Speedway Children's Charities is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides funding for non-profit organizations in the Charlotte community that meet the direct needs of children. Jessica chats with host Amanda Busick about how she juggles so many responsibilities while maintaining a family life – something that is important to not only Jessica, but to her employer as well. Special thanks to our friends at Covercraft for sponsoring this podcast.

TV personality Jamie Little is a woman of many firsts… the first female pit reporter for the Indy 500 and the first-ever female pit reporter to cover both the Indy 500 and Daytona 500 for network TV's live flag-to-flag coverage in the same year.  Most recently, she became the play-by-play voice of the ARCA Menards Series, making her the first woman in history to call TV play-by-play for a national racing series. Little has been a NASCAR pit reporter for FOX Sports since 2015 and is now in her 21st year as a broadcaster. Jamie joins host and fellow FOX Sports reporter Amanda Busick as she takes us through her broadcast journey, why her support team is vital to her success and how her “what's next” question led her to add that answer to her list of firsts. Simply put, she's amazing.

She comes from motorsports royalty.  With a racing father in John Force,  Brittany Force and her sisters grew up at all the tracks she's now racing.  She feels quite at home at these tracks where her team is also her family – a family that she enjoys celebrating the highs with and learning from their lows. In just five seasons, Brittany Force went from rookie to Top Fuel World Champion by securing the 2017 NHRA Top Fuel world championship. She was only the second woman to hold the world title in Top Fuel and the first in 35 years. Now Brittany holds both ends of the Top Fuel national records. Brittany has 11 Top Fuel wins; 32 Top Fuel No. 1 qualifiers and her time and speed records include 3.623 seconds at 338.17 mph! Force chats with host Amanda Busick about life on and off the track and how she turned a terrifying wreck in 2018 into proof that she has heart, desire and love of drag racing to continue the championship hunt in a sport that she's known literally her entire life.   Enjoy the ride.

Laura Wontrop Klauser is the Sports Car Racing Program Manager at General Motors overseeing the Corvette C8.R, Cadillac DPi-V.R, and Camaro GT4.R cars that race globally. Her responsibilities from prior Cadillac and Camaro GT4.R Racing Program Manger roles have carried over with the additional responsibility for Corvette C8.R program and all future sportscar racing programs.   Laura started working at General Motors as a summer co-op student then hired full time in 2008 after graduation from RPI. Prior to her racing program manager roles, she held various positions on different platforms including advanced design on the Corvette C7, releasing suspension parts for the Cadillac CT6, and noise and vibration on the Chevrolet Cruze, Buick Encore, and Chevrolet Spark.At only 35 years of age, Klauser is already considered a GM veteran.  She chats with host Amanda Busick about how she handles the responsibility of being a young female leader in a male-dominated field.  A self-proclaimed “confectionery creator”, Laura shares how sweet her life is on and off the track including the development of a recipe for success at the 2023 Le Mans as Cadillac returns to the 100th anniversary of the race.

Victoria Thomas is the CFO & owner of Kelly-Moss Road and Race, a Porsche-centric brand specializing in custom Porsche builds, along with over 30 years of on-track success.In addition to managing the fiscal end of a team producing over 100 podiums and 4 National Championships in 2021, Victoria oversees the brand vision and marketing strategy for the company.2021 saw the launch of the KMR Online Racecar Driver Academy, a vision Victoria had during the pandemic to bring racing knowledge to anyone from the comforts of their own home.  The most compressive online training in the industry, the Driver Academy has over 70 online lessons on racing so drivers can be laser-focused when they arrive on track, boasting a promise to save time, save money and increase on-track satisfaction.With a managerial accounting background, Victoria's focus has always been on healthy growth and Kelly-Moss has grown over 350% in her tenure.  Victoria is passionate to increase awareness surrounding the opportunities for women in motorsports and thrilled to be in a position to bring more female drivers, engineers and technicians to the industry.Victoria's passion is infectious.  Her desire to get more females hired in the industry is applauded.  Enjoy the show.

Are you scared of taking a leap of faith? If so, this is the podcast for you.Guest Sharon Brawner recently took that leap of faith in a career change that makes for a perfect full-circle story.  From growing up around cars and racing, to her 20 years with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville all the way to her new role as President and CEO of the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky, it's a story of meant-to-be moments that will surely touch your heart.A self-proclaimed “car chick”, Brawner shares her journey for the love of cars, especially the Corvette, and how she is the perfect choice to take the National Corvette Museum to new heights.  She's ready for the challenge, especially with her dad proudly looking down on her.Brawner's story is one of true inspiration.  Enjoy the show.

After spending 10 years in equestrian show jumping competition, Taylor Hagler traded in the horse for horsepower in 2018. This was a natural progression, as Taylor and her father have been lifelong sports car racing fans. Taylor moved into Spec Miata in NASA Texas and has proven to be a quick study in sports car racing. In her first season of competition, Taylor worked up to 5th place of 69 drivers in the NASA Texas Spec Miata championship. She was also awarded the Rookie of the Year by the NASA Texas organization for the skill and growth that she exhibited throughout the season.In the latter part of 2018 and early 2019, Taylor made another big step in her racing career and collected her first win at Road Atlanta with the SCCA and her first pole position at MSR Houston with NASA. These strong performances caught the eye of the X-Factor Racing team who was plotting a return to professional racing.  With this deal, Taylor began testing in the potent Honda Civic for her professional debut at Circuit of the Americas in March of 2019.In her debut weekend in TC America, Taylor was able to earn her first podium finish in front of family, friends, and a home crowd at Circuit of the Americas in Elroy, Texas.  She followed up her early season success with another podium finish and her first career pole position at Watkins Glen. As a result of her consistent improvement throughout the year, Taylor finished her debut season in professional racing in 5th place in the TC America TCA Driver's Championship.For the 2020 season, Taylor signed with Honda Performance Development (HPD) to drive in the IMSA TCR series under LAP Motorsports and LA Honda World Racing. She and co-driver Ryan Eversley captured one podium finish and five Top 5 finishes during the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season.  Taylor also captured the pole position for the second event at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course during a break-out weekend in 2020.Taylor joined Michael Lewis in the number 77 Hyundai Veloster N TCR for Bryan Herta Autosport in the 2021 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge where they finished the season at the top of the podium as champions of the series.  Hagler became the first-ever female to earn the championship title in the TCR category and is the second female champion in IMSA history.Hagler was also named the 2021 SRO GT World Challenge America Rookie of the Year.All of this in just four professional racing seasons.  Wow.

Award-winning veteran motorsports journalist Deb Williams knew at an early age what she wanted to be when she grew up…. a writer… specifically in NASCAR.  The path she would take would carry her through a storied career full of journalistic opportunities that few in her business have ever experienced.  Her love for the sport of stock car racing runs only second to the people she has worked with throughout her career that have taught and guided her to the top of her profession.Deb shares stories of triumph and tragedy as she has covered the likes of Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon and how the tragic side of the sport has been the toughest aspect of her career as she reported on those she considered family.  Deb is not only respected but loved by all in the NASCAR garage.You don't want to miss the fascinating stories Williams has to share.  Enjoy the show.

Born in Hong Kong to a German mother and Chinese father, Martina Kwan was destined for a life that was different.  She spent her childhood in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, but credits living in war-torn Beirut, Lebanon between the ages of 8-10, as an experience that defined much of her fearlessness today.  Her unique path in life has shaped her into a woman of drive and determination.With a successful career in finance and business, Kwan made a commitment to herself to become a race car driver at the age of 50.  Her racing experience has driven her to three championships and a passion for teaching others to believe in themselves.  Martina shares her life experiences with host Amanda Busick including how she turned her PTSD into the top of the podium.  This is an amazing story of an exceptional woman.  Enjoy the ride.

Her canvas is the road.  Her art is the vehicle and your imagination is the fuel needed to lead you through the backroads of amazing car stories that just might have been gone and forgotten.   Critically acclaimed Heidi Mraz has an unbelievable artistic talent as she creates masterpieces through research and documentation to creatively share car stories like never before.  Her goal is to preserve these stories through pieces of work that will leave you staring in disbelief, amazement, and awe. Mraz chats with host Amanda Busick about past, present and future projects as she continues to uncover lost automotive stories.   Her story is unique, just like her art.  Enjoy the ride.

Just push forward.  That's the mindset Kim Barnes has had most of her life.  Whether it was for something she wanted to do as a child, as a young professional, or even now as an expert car collector and judge, Kim has always pushed forward in pursuit of her passions.  Kim is an exceptional woman who shares her stories of trials and tribulations as she has lived through an era of traditions and expectations that she has bucked in pursuit of true happiness.Kim Barnes has been featured in automotive publications and the Wall Street Journal for her Concours winning, eclectic collection of sporting cars that includes Sunbeam Tigers, Alpine, Austin Healey, Triumphs, Barracuda Mod Top, Corvettes, muscle cars, and special edition Citroens. She is a commercial business manager at Michelin and has worked as the Event Director for the Art in Motion Concours at Monticello Motor Club, Market & Acquisition Specialists and Restoration Manager for Vintage Motor Management, a copywriter for the Trump Concours, and host of The Classic Car Radio Show. Kim's judging credits include AACA, NCRS, Greenwich Concours, Greenbrier Concours, Radnor Hunt Concours, Hilton Head Concours, St. Michaels Concours, Atlanta Concours, and marque specialty events. She maintains her personal cars and does some of the restoration work.  She's the one you want to go to a Concours with… 

Tina Nelles has been with BASF for 16 years.  Her many years of customer care and service as well as her current role as marketing services manager have helped prepare her for her biggest passion – developing initiatives for youth, diversity and women in the automotive space.  Identifying talent continues to be a high priority for Nelles and her company, BASF, supports her endeavors 100%.Tina shares her passion with host Amanda Busick as she prepares the youth of today with wonderful opportunities for the future.

Alaska Raceway Park is the premier motorsports complex in Alaska where they feature NHRA Division 6 drag racing on their 1/4 mile track as well as NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series racing and INEX Legend and Bandolero racing on their 1/3 mile paved high bank oval.  This week host Amanda Busick talks with Michelle Lackey Maynor, the president and majority track owner about the road she traveled to get to this position, and how her main goal is to make her father proud as she takes over the country's most beautiful track from her parents.  If you hear of a Kid Rock concert coming to ARP, you know Michelle's dream has become reality as her “rockstar” status in the track ownership world is hitting a high note.

Racing down the track in 6 seconds at over 200 mph is nothing for NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Angelle Sampey.  With 45 victories and three championships, she is the winningest female driver in all of motorsports.The 5'1” powerhouse takes racing in stride while she and her husband raise their two daughters in south Louisiana.  In fact, in her girl's playroom, the trophy from her 42nd win sits next to a sign that reads “Dreams only work if you do”.Sampey shares her story of resilience as she races towards her fourth NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championship this weekend in California.  This “Racin' Cajun” is a true inspiration on and off the track.  

Olivia and Genna Gentry (also known as the Gentry Sisters) have racing in their blood.  Having grown up around the Hemmings Motor News Great Race, as soon as they were old enough, they were ready to participate!  Olivia (20) is the driver while Genna (18) is the navigator.  In 2021, the Gentry Sisters won the Hemmings Great Race, bettering the time of their next competitor that, by the way, was their mother and cousin.The Gentry Sisters take you through the grueling nine days that take place each summer and describe how intense and nerve-wracking it can be.  And… they wouldn't have it any other way.

Jamie Brewer is the Vehicle Chief Engineer of Future Electric Vehicles at General Motors, including the Cadillac LYRIQ.  She has been an integral part of the GM team since the early 2000s, working her way from Vehicle Performance Engineer to Director and Global BOM Leader of Garnish, Overhead Systems, Carpet, Acoustics, and Trunk Trim to now leading the EV area.Brewer chats with host Amanda Busick about her GM journey, the feeling she'll have when the first Cadillac LYRIQ rolls of the assembly line, how she and her team will listen to the customers to continue to develop their products and how she continuously challenges herself to get outside her comfort zone.And… she has an identical twin sister who is the Executive Chief Engineer for GM's full-size trucks!  We can only imagine how proud their parents are!

After spending the earlier part of her career as an intellectual property solicitor, as well as in corporate finance working sports and gaming deals, then taking a career break to give birth to her son, W Series CEO Catherine Bond Muir was ready for a new challenge and the free-to-enter car racing championship was born. The W Series provides equal opportunities for women in racing and eliminates the financial barriers that have historically prevented them from progressing to the upper echelons of motorsport, including Formula 1.  Muir and her team believe that the more high-profile female role models it can create, the more the W Series will inspire young girls in the grassroots level. There are eight races in partnership with Formula 1 including this week's Circuit of the Americas (COTA), in an effort to build greater diversity across F1 and racing.   Bond chats with host Amanda Busick about the W Series inception, its growth, where it's heading and the opportunity of a lifetime for her professional female race drivers.

GSEvents kicks off Season 2 of our podcast with the exciting partnership announcement that this show is now being “driven” by Hemmings.  Jaclyn Sunseri, Vice President, Media Revenue and Sales along with GSEvents' CEO Cindy Sisson sit down with host Amanda Busick to share the story behind the relationship, why it's a perfect fit, and how the future is bright for women in automotive.As GSEvents celebrates its one-year anniversary, Sisson shares how her company is getting women in the left seat through this podcast, monthly virtuals, live summits, luxury car test drives, car events and more.  She also gives a glimpse into 2022 and all the exciting things planned.  Buckle up!

She's a NASCAR gal gone INDYCAR.  Liz Allison has spent her professional career in stock cars, but, when the pandemic hit, she found herself at home in Nashville with time on her hands.  As fate would have it, Allison joined forces with long-time friend, Matt Crews to become the Director of Partnership Relations for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.  This event, unlike others, is more than just a race… it's an entertainment extravaganza that includes 14 events that lead up to the race where Allison and her team are involved with them all.  Allison takes us through her team's duties leading up to race weekend and shares how this event is so different than those she's worked in the past.  It has been a labor of love for Liz as she works hard to ensure that all who attend the race will walk away in awe.Host Amanda Busick chats with Allison about how she dealt with the loss of her husband, Davey, and how she worked through her grief to come out the other side.  Liz gives great advice to those going through tragedy and shares what helped her move on. Today, Liz Allison has love at home and at the race track.  We're proud of her perseverance as she steers her team across the finish line of the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix.

Valerie Thompson is the fastest female motorcycle racer on the planet with a record of 328.467 mph on the famed BUB 7 Streamliner motorcycle.  She won't rest until she breaks 400 mph speed – the fastest on a motorcycle for a man or woman. Thompson shares an emotional recollection of her 2018 crash in Australia with host Amanda Busick as her team searched for reasons why the accident happened.  Luckily, Thompson walked away from the crash with minor injuries and has taken the time to rebuild her bike and her nerve to get back on and go for it.  She'll do just that in August.  We have no doubt she'll nail it. Look for Thompson and her team's story in an upcoming documentary “Rockets and Titans” coming out in movie theaters.  There won't be a dry eye in the house.

Lindsey Harrell began her career right out of college with a PR firm that managed public relations for the Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance.  She loved everything about the Concours and as fate would have it, an opportunity presented itself with the event that was right up Harrell's alley.  Lindsey worked for 12 years with then-President Cheryl Meister (formerly Carolyn Vanagel) as Vice President of Operations before stepping into the head role after Vanagel's retirement in 2019.  With a year of COVID to add to the mix, Harrell and her all-female team have stayed on course with a creative strategy that has kept them top of mind during the pandemic.  Harrell and her team are now ready for a spectacular event in November.Harrell takes us through her mentor + mentee relationship with Vanagel and how she's carrying on the past president's initiatives as well as bringing on some new ones of her own.  One initiative they are both proud of is the 2nd annual Women Driving America event to celebrate female collectors and Concours d'Elegance judges.  The 2021 Hilton Head Island Concours d'Elegance will be a mixed experience of car and southern culture that will no doubt be an incredible event on the Island.

After spending over 12 years as the general counsel as well as holding executive positions for Speedway Motorsports and Charlotte Motor Speedway, Lauri Eberhart is now the Partner and Founding Member of Apollo Sports and Entertainment Law Group based in Charlotte.  A self-described “badass” lawyer, Lauri's primary areas of practice are sports and entertainment law with a concentration on advising a variety of sports clients on legal and business matters in addition to risk management.  Advocating for women to celebrate their triumphs, Lauri embodies this energy as a reminder to anyone who may be struggling with being a successful female in a male-dominated career.  She has made it her mission to bring abundance and success to those she encounters on this path.

August 15,  2021 marks the 70th running of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.  The 70th year milestone should have taken place last year, but, 2020 had other plans.  Now that the world has re-opened, Chairman Sandra Button, in her 35th year, is ready to greet her “car tribe” with open arms.  Button takes host Amanda Busick through the week at Pebble Beach and shares her favorite things to do and experience.  Sandra also talks about the new “Women Who Love Their Cars Presented by Shifting Gears” session that will be held during the Pebble Beach Classic Car Forum and how exciting it will be to have a panel of female car collectors because "passion doesn't know a gender".

For almost three decades, a voice inside her told her that she would one day race a car.  Renée Brinkerhoff knew nothing about racing, but knew that this was a drive within her that she couldn't ignore.  So she asked herself, “what are you going to do about it?”  In her mid-50s and a mother of four, Brinkerhoff decided to go racing, but not just any racing, rally racing in some of the most dangerous races in the world.  As she went “all-in”, she had to learn to face her fears and just “get over it”. Brinkerhoff decided that her racing needed to have a philanthropic purpose so she started Project 356 – a world rally tour that has taken her racing in six out of seven continents where she is raising awareness and money to help fund grassroots organizations who are on the front lines around the world, fighting child trafficking.There's one continent left – Antarctica – where she and her Valkyrie Racing Team will have two goals: to drive 356 miles on the harshest, coldest terrain in the world, and to achieve a new land speed record on the ice of Antarctica.  Renée and her team will be racing the elements in Antarctica in December of 2021.There's one thing for sure… Renée Brinkerhoff has no fear of the unknown.  Her story will amaze you.

VIR has been her passion, and her mission, since May, 1998. Virginia International Raceway has grown from a start-up resurrection of the historic track built in 1957 to one of the top six road courses in America according to Car & Driver magazine. Connie Nyholm's passion is seen in all areas at VIR.  From her "making howdies" and engaging with the fans, to constantly looking for ways to make the race experience better, her dedication is all heart.  You can see it, and you can feel it when you step onto the grounds at VIR.  Host Amanda Busick talks with Connie about how she and her team are always looking to be better and to go forward.  She claims that her journey will always be "unfinished" as she continues to put her heart and soul into everything she does.

Play Like a Girl is a 501(c)3 charitable organization inspiring girls through sport and active play.  What started with one woman in 2004 is now a national movement.  That woman, Dr. Kimberly Clay, joins Host Amanda Busick as she shares how her "fearless" mantra has helped her vision and dreams come alive.Play Like a Girl has been named the official charity of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Women with Drive Summit. Learn more here.

If you do what you love, it doesn't feel like work.  That's the case for INDYCAR's Kayla Bundle.  At the young age of 23, this rockstar is wise beyond her years.  She's always loved motorsports, especially INDYCAR, and now gets to live her dream by working in the sport.  Kayla takes host Amanda Busick through the social media preparation for the "Month of May", all the way up to the craziness that is race day.  Join us as she shares her life of capturing and creating social media content for “the greatest spectacle in racing”.

“Beauty from Ashes”-- Amanda Busick explores automotive artist Lyn Hiner's remarkable journey, from her formative years with her dad's car, to her horrific 2012 accident that galvanized her artistic career, to the light and happiness her acclaimed work creates today with collectors worldwide. Lyn's story of family, life and navigating her personal journey, including ”building monuments to remember I survived” give remarkable insight into her drive to create.

Legendary professional Timer/Scorer and 2021 Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee Judy Stropus takes host Amanda Busick for a heck of a ride through her career, spanning five decades. Judy honed her skills in the 60s and 70s, and created bulletproof results for racers in nearly every discipline. In the era before computers, she twice kept times and scores for 100 cars in a single race, tracking results entirely by hand. “All I ever wanted in my life is respect”. Judy reminisces about working with Roger Penske when women working in the pits was forbidden, why ovals are”hell!' to score, and why the instant results of timing and scoring are so gratifying. Adrienne Barbeau may have played Judy in ‘CannonballRun', but she would have been equally happy with Ann Margaret -- another iconic car girl!

This week, Amanda Busick talks with Courtney Force about the pressure of growing up as John Force's daughter and explores how Courtney has embraced each chapter of her personal evolution - daughter, winning NHRA racer, wife of IndyCar racer Graham Rahal, and now, a mom and committed fundraiser for veterans' services non-profit Soldier Strong. Courtney discusses the importance of her close bond with her sisters, her decision to follow in her dad's footsteps, and mastering the intensity of those 3.7 seconds (“at first everything would go black…”). Courtney shares how growing up in a racing family prepared her for her nomadic racing life and why she'd love to see her daughter follow in her footsteps. And maybe, to race again?

Amanda Busick connects with privé products CEO and dedicated Porsche racer Shay Hoelscher.  Shay shares stories about her lifelong love of scary rides, her first powder puff demolition derby sparking her love of racing, and her belief that if you think you can you will, if you think you can't, you won't.  Shay's commitment to personal growth for herself and the women she impacts through PCA driver coaching, and her lifetime dedication to community, manifest themselves in her career as a change agent. Shay brings teamwork and confidence developed through racing to her passion for Project Beauty Share, to support women moving through challenging circumstances. 

Podcast host Amanda Busick takes some high speed laps around race car driver Sabré Cook's life, education, motivations and career.  Sabré tells it like it is-- the hard work, why losing can be more valuable than winning, her extraordinary experience of being selected to race in the international W Series.  Sabré talks about “weaponizing being uncomfortable” and shares her advice to today's thirteen year old aspiring  racers. 

Amanda Busick talks with master metalworker and CRASH Jewelry founder Christi Schimpke about the power of mid-life career pivots, her a-ha moment looking at crashed exotic cars, and her love of the arts reflecting in the depth of automotive paint. Christi speaks about founding CRASH and the trials of building a start-up company in a traditionally masculine hobby. Christi and Amanda explore the creative process of finding and working with metal, paint, power tools, and the creative rush, as Amanda celebrates her first CRASH.

Amanda and Motor Trend's VP of Experiential Marketing & Events, Karen Brown, have a candid conversation about life, perseverance, and how Karen has carried her love and appreciation for her Dad's life lessons with her through her twenty-five years in the automotive and experiential marketing space. Karen shares her career high point, including a major activation around Paul McCartney's World Tour, and shares her goals for her career and how she envisions impactful marketing activation creating social change. 

Deb Pollack's enviable career in automotive public relations and marketing has immersed her in projects for the world's most famous marques, including Ferrari and Maserati.  She has contributed her PR talent to concours and rallies around the world. To honor her mother's 90th birthday, Deb founded  “Drive Toward a Cure”, a non-profit that raises funds to combat Parkinson's Disease through car rallies, track days, concours, and fundraisers. Deb's mother suffered from Parkinsons, and Deb's goal is to eradicate the disease.Deb is known for her passionate work for Singer Vehicle Design, whose bespoke designs and craftsmanship resonate with Porsche fans. Her work for Singer has connected Deb to some of the world's finest car collectors and grown her immense network of car people. To Deb, car people are her extended family, and she treats each person she knows as such. Host Amanda Busick and Deb bring Deb's love of cars and car people full circle as they talk about Deb's life work elevating the conversation around car people and great car events. 

Amanda talks with the legendary Lyn St James in an extraordinarily candid interview, covering topics as wide ranging as Lyn's first meeting with Roger Penske, the core of a good race strategy, and how empowering it is to step into a race car. Lyn shares what it's like to mentor up-and-coming racers and some of her proudest career moments. Amanda explores what it means to Lyn to be celebrated, and how Lyn is wearing her Amelia Island Concours 2021 Honoree mantle. As always, Lyn steps up to demonstrate to her friends, her teammates, her mentees and to her efforts at the FIA/ACCUS what it means to demonstrate the Spirit of the American Woman.

Mercedes Lilienthal uses her writer's podium to shine a light on “women who are unseen and notable” in the automotive world through her stories for the New York Times, Tread magazine, Toyota Cruisers, and Trucks, and the communication platform “Crankshaft Culture” she shares with her husband, Andy Lilienthal. Her Twitter handle, “@WriterWithGrit”, captures her determination to focus on life's great journey. Her travels include the Alcan5000 Arctic rally in a RHD diesel through -40 degree temps, the grueling and competitive Rebelle Rally, and a pandemic-2020 thirteen-state cross-country journey.She shines a light on women who inspire seizing opportunity, including one of her she-roes, Jessie Combs, whose “go get ‘em” attitude and competitive spirit she came to greatly admire during their interview conversations. Mercedes chooses to focus on women who wrench cars, work in diesel, rally, and get out there in the left seat -- oftentimes behind the scenes but mission-critical roles.Mercedes believes that “if you aren't uncomfortable, you aren't learning”.Her faithful and loyal travel companions include her husband Andy Lilienthal and her beloved stuffed bunny, Bert, who's traveled the world with Mercedes. Their choice of road trip music: “we let the road speak to us”. What a perfect motto for this engaging and strong woman who uses her positive energy to develop her life story. 

Welcome to the first episode of “Women Shifting Gears”, where Amanda Busick gets GSEvents' founders Cindy Sisson and Theresa Gilpatrick in the driver's seat, talking about women and cars, empowering women with cars, the collaborative conversations that need to take place to grow the automotive space, and how they see GSEvents creating that platform. Why GSEvents was foundedHow Theresa and Cindy met, and why their unique partnership worksWhere they see the future of GSEvents and what they want to achieveConnecting the dots on their careers and how it's all coming together to serve the automotive communityHow they see their Women Shifting Gears brand serving their communityInspirational and motivational moments Pivotal experiences Cindy and Theresa remember that drive them to create opportunities for women to grow their voices in motorsports and car cultureCome along for the ride as Amanda navigates through one of the best road trips ever in a ride full of partnerships, friendships and great adventures --  including road snacks!