Stacey and Shelby McLaughlin
This week I interviewed a mother and daughter, Stacey and Shelby McLaughlin. Stacey is the team manager and mother of an amazing racer and young woman Shelby. I asked Stacey how she got into racing and she said "My Dad and grandparents always watched NASCAR, and when I met Mike he was into racing." When I met Stacey and found out she liked racing we just clicked, and Mike is her husband who also races. I also asked Stacey what led her to let Shelby to race, " Mike used to race quads before he got into go kart racing. I went to all of his quad races, but when he started racing go karts I didn't go as much as Shelby was just born. But, when Shelby was old enough to start going, she was would watch Daddy race and play with her matchbox cars at the track. When Shelby was just 3 years old we bought her an electric four wheeler and she just instinctively knew what to do. Then when she was 4 my Dad bought her an electric Jeep. Mike made her jump ramps and he would wet the driveway and she would do donuts with it!! LOL So of course at age 6 she was ready for her first kid kart and she never looked back from there."
I asked Shelby how long she has been racing and what she races, " I started when I was six and I am 14 now, so seven years going into my eighth season. I race Tobias All Star Slingshot." Shelby has become quite accomplished in her seven years of racing; 41 feature wins, a kid kart and jr champ kart championships, two Hamlin Junior Slingshot Championships, a Junior Slingshot National Championship and a Junior Slingshot World Championship. So, that is six all together, not too bad for only racing seven years.
I inquired what was the hardest part of watching Shelby race, Stacey replied " Honestly, the hardest part isn't so much worrying if she is going to get hurt as much as worrying if she will have a good race. She is so passionate about the sport and to her failure is not an option. When she has a bad race its not a good scene in the trailer afterwards and that truly stresses me out. Nothing harder then seeing your little girl who doesn't cry, cry when she has a bad race. She really has a hard time dealing with, but she does seem to be getting better at dealing as she ages. She just goes off somewhere by herself to just vent, cry a little and then try to move on. But I am not going to lie, I do worry about her getting hurt, but I can't let that hold her back nor myself from loving the sport she has chose. My anxiety level is through the roof at every start of a race, but seems to calm down as the race goes on, but those 5 to 20 mins are the longest minutes of my life!!! When she ran the Hamlin 100 and started 15th to finish 3rd and passing her dad at lap 5!! That was the longest race of my life!!!!" I can only imagine what it is like, I know what it is like to watch dear friends race and that is nerve-racking some days. I then asked Stacey if they would ever consider running traveling series, " Shelby does travel with the slingshot tour. She enjoys going to other tracks and getting more experience under her seat. You don't become a better driver just staying at one track. We would love to get down to Florida and up to Canada to race the division, but money can hinder that sometimes. But we do travel in PA, NY and NJ to race." Then the question came up, did Stacey ever want to race herself, " Honestly, at one time I did want to race in the supers class (the 35 and over), but never did. I would have been to just much and to much money. I have raced in quite a few powder puff race, I have won 2 go kart races and 2 slingshot races. I was really fun to do and I love that it helped me to understand to what Shelby is doing out on the race. I can tell you this....they don't drive your everyday car. I can see why race car drivers are considered athletes!!!" It is obviously in Shelby's genes to race and win.
I asked Stacey what her role on the team was, cheerleader, bank, or manager? Her reply, " My role, I would say is the Team Manager, if you want to name it. I get all the gear ready, I make sure we have plenty of fluids and food to keep us going through the race day. I check the line ups, help strap her in the race car, and just over all keep things running smoothly (as best I can!! lol) When Mike races it double time for me, knowing where both of them are to line up and getting both their gear together. When there is dual heats and they are back to back heat with Mike in one and Shelby in another, that can get a little crazy!!" I bet it can running two cars has to make a mom and wife a little crazy.
I then turned back to Shelby and asked if she would like to run bigger cars one day and if she had any females she looked up to, and her answer was awesome. She says," Yes a Sportsman modified, and no I don't, I actually look up to more guy drivers, like Brett Bieber who is a 5 time Nationals Champion in the All Star Slingshot Division. Also, Ryan Smith an 410 sprint car driver." It is awesome she wants to race a bigger car, but no women role models? She does have good taste in those though. I asked her if she felt girls or women could be competitive in bigger cars, "Yes of course, we all put our helmets on the same way. Do you think girls are more competitive on dirt or asphalt? I think driving dirt for girls is very tough, you need to be extremely strong physically. I find there are more women in drag racing." That was the best answer I could have expected and she is right more women go to drag racing than stay in dirt or asphalt. I then asked her if more women and girls deserve a chance in bigger cars and racing period, " I think girls can race in anything if they put their all into it. They have to have the drive and not think about the difference of guys verses girls. I think some girls have fear, and you can't think to much." I have to disagree about the thinking part, but I understand what she means.
I then asked Stacey if she thought racing was a good sport for girls and if she felt it was harder for girls and women to get respect in the sport, " I do think racing is a great sport for young girls and women. I believe it has taught Shelby how to be tough, and not to take any crap!! She is an extremely tough young lady and I am so proud of that. Do I think its any harder for girls? For Shelby, no, but for others yes. Its not an easy sport, you have to be strong minded and physically strong also. Shelby does get the respect she deserves!! She is highly respected on and off the track. On the track for her competitive, but clean style of racing. Off the track for her humor and humbleness." Humor and humility are two qualities needed in racing, thick skin is another. I asked them both what they love about the sport and their answers were a little different. Stacey says, " I love cause Shelby loves it!! I love the friendships that are made. There is nothing better then a good night at the race track with good clean racing and good friends!! I love most that we do it as a family!! Shelby is 14, a freshman in high school, and I can say I know where and what my kid is doing on a Friday or Saturday night. I enjoy the traveling to other tracks, the road trips, you can have some memorable conversations with your teenage kid when they trapped in a truck for a few hours." As a parent this is a good way to know where your child is and what they are doing. I agree the friendships made are awesome, especially when those friends become family. Shelby replied, " I love the competitiveness!! I love getting out on that track and only thinking about one thing, pass as many cars as possible to get to the front. I also love the friendships I have made. I really don't have a lot of friends in school, my best friends are at the track." Different but the same.
I also asked Stacey if was hard to keep Shelby motivated and inspired when and if something goes wrong. This was her answer, " This question goes back to a lot of what I have already said about Shelby. He motto written in her race car is "Never Give Up". She was a little discouraged at the beginning of last year, being the first year in All Stars. This was a young lady who just came off back to back Championships in the Junior division at the Hamlin Speedway, and 2 time National/World Series Champion. But she held it tough and fought hard!!! Shelby is a big fighter!! You can't not be in this sport and be successful. You have to be strong and handle defeat cause you can never predict what is going to happen on any given night." Stacey also added "I am so proud of Shelby, she has proven that girls can make it in this sport and be respected doing it. When she puts that helmet on, they are all the same, they are all a "race car driver" It doesn't matter that she is a girl." I asked this question because I knew when Shelby had a bad wreck and was hurt she was bound and determined to race no matter what. You have to love that kind of determination and drive. We are too Stacey, we are too.
I asked them one final question about Shelby racing her dad, who would win and if either of them would hold back or go all in? Stacey answered. "Shelby has raced her Dad a couple of times now, each time Shelby passed him out on the track and Mike absolutely didn't hold back, he was proud of her. Even though she beat him each time, he knows all his hard work he had put into the sport for her has paid off. He is not ashamed to say she is the better driver." Not for nothing , but Mike is pretty accomplished himself. Now Shelby's answer is the best and I would not expect anything else, " I already have and I beat him twice, he taught me well!!" As for holding back and letting him win, "HELL NO!!!!!!" Like I said a true racer and I expected nothing less.
I know we will be hearing Shelby McLaughlin's name a lot more in the future. I know she has a bright future ahead of her and many more championships to come. Hold on Stacey it is going to be a wild ride, but totally worth it.
I asked Shelby how long she has been racing and what she races, " I started when I was six and I am 14 now, so seven years going into my eighth season. I race Tobias All Star Slingshot." Shelby has become quite accomplished in her seven years of racing; 41 feature wins, a kid kart and jr champ kart championships, two Hamlin Junior Slingshot Championships, a Junior Slingshot National Championship and a Junior Slingshot World Championship. So, that is six all together, not too bad for only racing seven years.
I inquired what was the hardest part of watching Shelby race, Stacey replied " Honestly, the hardest part isn't so much worrying if she is going to get hurt as much as worrying if she will have a good race. She is so passionate about the sport and to her failure is not an option. When she has a bad race its not a good scene in the trailer afterwards and that truly stresses me out. Nothing harder then seeing your little girl who doesn't cry, cry when she has a bad race. She really has a hard time dealing with, but she does seem to be getting better at dealing as she ages. She just goes off somewhere by herself to just vent, cry a little and then try to move on. But I am not going to lie, I do worry about her getting hurt, but I can't let that hold her back nor myself from loving the sport she has chose. My anxiety level is through the roof at every start of a race, but seems to calm down as the race goes on, but those 5 to 20 mins are the longest minutes of my life!!! When she ran the Hamlin 100 and started 15th to finish 3rd and passing her dad at lap 5!! That was the longest race of my life!!!!" I can only imagine what it is like, I know what it is like to watch dear friends race and that is nerve-racking some days. I then asked Stacey if they would ever consider running traveling series, " Shelby does travel with the slingshot tour. She enjoys going to other tracks and getting more experience under her seat. You don't become a better driver just staying at one track. We would love to get down to Florida and up to Canada to race the division, but money can hinder that sometimes. But we do travel in PA, NY and NJ to race." Then the question came up, did Stacey ever want to race herself, " Honestly, at one time I did want to race in the supers class (the 35 and over), but never did. I would have been to just much and to much money. I have raced in quite a few powder puff race, I have won 2 go kart races and 2 slingshot races. I was really fun to do and I love that it helped me to understand to what Shelby is doing out on the race. I can tell you this....they don't drive your everyday car. I can see why race car drivers are considered athletes!!!" It is obviously in Shelby's genes to race and win.
I asked Stacey what her role on the team was, cheerleader, bank, or manager? Her reply, " My role, I would say is the Team Manager, if you want to name it. I get all the gear ready, I make sure we have plenty of fluids and food to keep us going through the race day. I check the line ups, help strap her in the race car, and just over all keep things running smoothly (as best I can!! lol) When Mike races it double time for me, knowing where both of them are to line up and getting both their gear together. When there is dual heats and they are back to back heat with Mike in one and Shelby in another, that can get a little crazy!!" I bet it can running two cars has to make a mom and wife a little crazy.
I then turned back to Shelby and asked if she would like to run bigger cars one day and if she had any females she looked up to, and her answer was awesome. She says," Yes a Sportsman modified, and no I don't, I actually look up to more guy drivers, like Brett Bieber who is a 5 time Nationals Champion in the All Star Slingshot Division. Also, Ryan Smith an 410 sprint car driver." It is awesome she wants to race a bigger car, but no women role models? She does have good taste in those though. I asked her if she felt girls or women could be competitive in bigger cars, "Yes of course, we all put our helmets on the same way. Do you think girls are more competitive on dirt or asphalt? I think driving dirt for girls is very tough, you need to be extremely strong physically. I find there are more women in drag racing." That was the best answer I could have expected and she is right more women go to drag racing than stay in dirt or asphalt. I then asked her if more women and girls deserve a chance in bigger cars and racing period, " I think girls can race in anything if they put their all into it. They have to have the drive and not think about the difference of guys verses girls. I think some girls have fear, and you can't think to much." I have to disagree about the thinking part, but I understand what she means.
I then asked Stacey if she thought racing was a good sport for girls and if she felt it was harder for girls and women to get respect in the sport, " I do think racing is a great sport for young girls and women. I believe it has taught Shelby how to be tough, and not to take any crap!! She is an extremely tough young lady and I am so proud of that. Do I think its any harder for girls? For Shelby, no, but for others yes. Its not an easy sport, you have to be strong minded and physically strong also. Shelby does get the respect she deserves!! She is highly respected on and off the track. On the track for her competitive, but clean style of racing. Off the track for her humor and humbleness." Humor and humility are two qualities needed in racing, thick skin is another. I asked them both what they love about the sport and their answers were a little different. Stacey says, " I love cause Shelby loves it!! I love the friendships that are made. There is nothing better then a good night at the race track with good clean racing and good friends!! I love most that we do it as a family!! Shelby is 14, a freshman in high school, and I can say I know where and what my kid is doing on a Friday or Saturday night. I enjoy the traveling to other tracks, the road trips, you can have some memorable conversations with your teenage kid when they trapped in a truck for a few hours." As a parent this is a good way to know where your child is and what they are doing. I agree the friendships made are awesome, especially when those friends become family. Shelby replied, " I love the competitiveness!! I love getting out on that track and only thinking about one thing, pass as many cars as possible to get to the front. I also love the friendships I have made. I really don't have a lot of friends in school, my best friends are at the track." Different but the same.
I also asked Stacey if was hard to keep Shelby motivated and inspired when and if something goes wrong. This was her answer, " This question goes back to a lot of what I have already said about Shelby. He motto written in her race car is "Never Give Up". She was a little discouraged at the beginning of last year, being the first year in All Stars. This was a young lady who just came off back to back Championships in the Junior division at the Hamlin Speedway, and 2 time National/World Series Champion. But she held it tough and fought hard!!! Shelby is a big fighter!! You can't not be in this sport and be successful. You have to be strong and handle defeat cause you can never predict what is going to happen on any given night." Stacey also added "I am so proud of Shelby, she has proven that girls can make it in this sport and be respected doing it. When she puts that helmet on, they are all the same, they are all a "race car driver" It doesn't matter that she is a girl." I asked this question because I knew when Shelby had a bad wreck and was hurt she was bound and determined to race no matter what. You have to love that kind of determination and drive. We are too Stacey, we are too.
I asked them one final question about Shelby racing her dad, who would win and if either of them would hold back or go all in? Stacey answered. "Shelby has raced her Dad a couple of times now, each time Shelby passed him out on the track and Mike absolutely didn't hold back, he was proud of her. Even though she beat him each time, he knows all his hard work he had put into the sport for her has paid off. He is not ashamed to say she is the better driver." Not for nothing , but Mike is pretty accomplished himself. Now Shelby's answer is the best and I would not expect anything else, " I already have and I beat him twice, he taught me well!!" As for holding back and letting him win, "HELL NO!!!!!!" Like I said a true racer and I expected nothing less.
I know we will be hearing Shelby McLaughlin's name a lot more in the future. I know she has a bright future ahead of her and many more championships to come. Hold on Stacey it is going to be a wild ride, but totally worth it.
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