Women's Motorsports Network Podcast Melinda Russell

Shelley Greenwald is an accomplished safety director at Slinger Speedway, with a rich background in emergency response and healthcare that includes service as a registered nurse at St. Luke's Hospital and as a firefighter and paramedic in Sussex, Wisconsin. Greenwald views her role as a safety director through a lens of tenacity and boundary-breaking, stemming from her personal journey of evolving from a volunteer to a safety director in the male-dominated world of racing. Against initial skepticism, Greenwald earned the trust and confidence of her peers and track owners, underscoring the essential role of a keen and alert safety team in the high-risk racing environment.  This unique blend of medical expertise and racing experiences allows Greenwald to approach her position with deep commitment, always prioritizing safety in every aspect of the sport.
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Emily Heisler, a 27-year-old Wisconsin resident and Race Director for the Mid-Am Series, has a profound passion for motorsports, a journey that started as a volunteer and photographer. Emily's perspective on women in motorsport, shaped by a decade of dedication and hard work, revolves around passion, dedication, and gratitude. Her love for the sport led her to become a race director at a young age, a dream she had never imagined achieving. Despite her family's limited understanding of her passion, they support her, with her mother and husband being particularly involved by attending some of the races. Emily's perspective, rooted in her experiences, showcases a deep connection to motorsport and a strong sense of fulfillment in her role within the racing world.
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Brooke Pulice, a graduate of Saginaw Valley State University, brings her expertise in marketing and sales to Great Lakes Super Sprints as their social media and PR manager. Possessing a deep passion for motorsports sparked during a college marketing class, Pulice uses her role to promote the exhilarating sport of sprint racing. With her perspective shaped by her background and experiences, Brooke explains that the Great Lakes Super Sprints series is a diverse and intense race series that includes 360 wing cars, 410 non-wing sprint cars, and 1000 cc lightning sprint cars. The series, primarily held in Michigan and Ohio, with additional races in Canada, Tennessee, and Indiana, provides an eclectic racing experience for participants and fans alike. Brooke is particularly excited about the upcoming season, featuring a schedule of 42 unique races, while also acknowledging the challenges of long-distance travel. Yet, with new tracks and opportunities on the horizon, she remains enthusiastic about engaging with the motorsports community.
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Shayne McGowan, a sports performance expert specializing in the mental aspect of athletic success, is known for his work under Mental Edge Performance, a service he founded to help athletes enhance their mental game in sports, particularly in motorsport. McGowan’s perspective on women in motorsport encourages equality and inclusivity, recognizing the passion, dedication, and potential that female athletes bring to the sport. His experiences working with various athletes have led him to advocate for a stronger mental game and continuous improvement as keys to achieving success. Similarly, Mental Edge Performance emphasizes the importance of mental strength, confidence, and resilience in succeeding in motorsport and believes that these mental factors can be as crucial as physical and technical abilities. This perspective aligns with their broader philosophy of 'mind over matter' and highlights their commitment to providing athletes with the mental tools necessary for top-level performance.

Paige Verney, a dedicated mother and racing enthusiast, is the founder of Maine's Lost Speedways. Alongside her role as a stay-at-home mom, she passionately pursues the history of lost speedways, particularly in Maine, and shares her insights on social media platforms such as Maine's Lost Speedway's Facebook page. Verney emphasizes the significance of women in motorsports and the importance of supporting local racetracks while addressing the financial challenges that racers face today. Her perspective is shaped by her active involvement in the racing community and her personal experiences, such as her granddaughter's struggles to secure sponsorships in a tough economic climate. Both Verney and the founder of Maine's Lost Speedways greatly value the preservation of racing history and are likely to support and encourage women's participation in motorsports, highlighting the need for community support, awareness, and financial backing in the face of these challenges.
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Taylor Kitchen, a dynamic individual with a background in PR and marketing, hails from a small town where she grew up as a triplet before finding her passion in the male-dominated field of motorsports. Her perspective on women's role in this industry is firmly rooted in the belief of empowerment, highlighting their fearless determination and resilience in such a competitive environment. Taylor underscores the essential role of representation and storytelling in the media, using her platforms to amplify the voices and experiences of women in motorsports. These views have been shaped by her own journey, which includes overcoming personal challenges like managing a chronic illness, and the influence of figures like Brad who stressed the significance of taking the leap and building networks. Taylor Kitchen continues to inspire others, advocating for self-belief, community, collaboration, and the relentless pursuit of dreams within the motorsports industry.