My name is Taylor Martin. I am a 15 year old Race Car Driver from Windham, New Hampshire. I am a sophomore at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence Massachusetts. I have been racing now for 8 years. I currently compete in Legend Series Racing and have just purchased my first full size Late Model Stock Car.
I started racing at the age of 8 years old in Quarter Midgets Racing in Connecticut. My family did not have a racing history but I certainly am hooked on this sport. While competing in Quarter Midgets my family and I traveled around the country and competed in hundreds of events. I was fortunate enough to win the Eastern Grand Nationals in my first year of competition. For the next 6 years until moving out of quarter midgets, I went on to win many more races and make hundreds of new friends in the racing community. I also learned to love this sport more then anything. Racers have an unbelievable bond with each other. Although competing with others on the race track is what our sport is all about, your competitors become your best friends. They are the first to come along and help you out when you need it. Another great benefit of this sport is being with family. When we go racing it is usually entire days or weekends spent together as a family. That is another aspect of this sport that is so great.
In 2010 I moved on to racing in the Bandolero Division. I raced in Connecticut, New Hampshire and North Carolina for 2 years in the Bandolero Division. I won the Bandolero Championship in both 2010 and 2011 at Waterford Speedbowl. Along with this I received the honor of becoming the youngest and First Female Racer at Waterford to ever win a Championship in the tracks 65 year history. I also competed at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the summer of 2010 and won my first race there, the Bandolero Rookie Race. Overall winning 22 races in my 2 years the Bandolero Division at Waterford, Charlotte and Route 106 Race Park in New Hampshire. While competing in Bandolero’s I began to race also in the Legends Series in 2011. I received the Rookie of the Year Award at Waterford Speedbowl in 2011 for the Legends Series. In 2012 I competed in the Legends Series full time. I raced at Seekonk Speedway, Star Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the Legends Young Lion Division. With four divisional wins it was another year of first time accomplishments. I became the first and youngest ever Female to compete in the New England Legends Cars Series. I also competed in 3 Legends Series Invitational Races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In September of 2012 at the NHMS Invitational Race I qualified on the outside pole position and went on to finish third. This would be another major accomplishment. This podium finish would be the first Female and youngest ever podium finish for any Racer at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. I am very proud of that.
To have success in racing is very rewarding. There are however many other experiences that have evolved out of racing that are equally as or sometimes more rewarding than winning a race. I have had the opportunity to be involved in many charitable events. This is something that I really enjoy and look forward to more and more as time goes on. My favorites involve young children. I have been invited to speak to organizations like the Girl Scouts and participate in fund raisers for Children’s Hospitals, Speedway Children’s Charities and others alike. In September of 2012 while meeting with a group of young Girl Scouts and their parents, I was amazed at how much of an impact young athletes could make on the younger children. Encouraging a group of young girls to believe in themselves was the theme. To see all of these children and listen to the questions that they asked made me realize how impressionable we all can be. These experiences are many of the reasons why I love this sport.
I will continue to try to be a great role model and motivator to children. That to me is real success, helping and caring about others.
My goals for the 2013 season and beyond are to be the very best that I can at what I love, Racing. I do compete in others sports as well. I have played on my High School Basketball and Volleyball teams but nothing compares to Racing. Racing is a very unique sport. I love the competition, the fans and the time it allows our family to spend together. Being at the race track, spending time with friends and family and meeting new people every time I race is what I love to do.
My plans for the upcoming season are to continue to compete in the Legends Series and work my way in to the Late Model ranks. While it will be a huge step, that is what I have been working towards for the last few years. My next big racing goal is to compete in some local Late Model races. I would like to eventually qualify and compete in the ACT tour, known as the American Canadian Tour. This is a prestigious Late Model Touring division in New England.
It is every young racers dream to have a life long career in this sport. Even though racing is a predominantly male sport, I can achieve any goal that I set for myself. I am a racer just like anyone else out there on the race track. I do not believe that I am an underdog as a female. I “will” succeed. Although it can be difficult, I am determined to take one step at a time and set achievable goals for myself. So far, since I began racing at 8 years old until this point at 15 years old it has been more rewarding than I could have imagined. I hope that I am able to race forever and continue to enjoy all of the other gratifying experiences that come along with this sport.
