Women's Motorsports Network Podcast
Women's Motorsports Network Podcast shares the stories of women involved in motorsports from around the world. My first episode was in 2018 and I continue to add new episodes each week. Feel free to suggest potential guests to me at iwmanation@gmail.com
Melinda Russell
Women's Motorsports Network Podcast
The Middle Child Who Chose Ground Over Air with Charlotte Traynor
What happens when you're born into a family of aviators but feel drawn to conquer the ground instead? For 18-year-old Charlotte Traynor, the answer came through motorsports, sparked simply by watching in-car camera footage on television that ignited something within her.
Charlotte takes us through her unconventional journey into racing, beginning at age 13 with no family connections to the sport. From indoor karting centers to professional go-karts and now competing in the Mazda MX-5 Cup Series, her path illustrates the complex landscape young drivers must navigate to build a career in motorsports. The financial realities led her to Mazda's development ladder—a relatively affordable pathway that still offers substantial opportunities, including a $100,000 Rookie of the Year prize and significant payouts for female competitors.
Beyond the technical aspects of driving, Charlotte reveals how racing transformed her from a shy teenager into someone comfortable initiating conversations and representing herself professionally. Her mental approach to the sport—maintaining "short-term memory" after setbacks and always keeping her "eyes up"—provides wisdom that extends far beyond the track. Perhaps most poignantly, she shares her experience racing at Daytona for the first time: "I was probably feeling every single emotion you could feel inside the car... It was one of those things like, okay, I'm making it, I am doing this."
As motorsports evolves in the social media age, Charlotte discusses the surprising reality that teams now often ask about follower counts before race results. Her authentic perspective offers valuable insights for aspiring racers while reminding us all that perseverance matters: "You're never gonna know if you never even try... don't let anyone or anything hold you back." Ready to support the next generation of female racers? Follow Charlotte's journey and discover how passion combined with determination can open doors in even the most challenging environments.
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Welcome to the Women's Motorsports Network podcast, the show that puts the spotlight on the incredible women who fuel the world of motorsports, From drivers to crew members, engineers to fans and everyone in between. We're here to celebrate the trailblazers, dreamers and doers shaping the sport we love. Each episode we share inspiring stories of females of all ages, from every corner of the motorsports universe, past, present and future. It's a journey through the seasons of life filled with heartfelt moments, laughter and a whole lot of horsepower. So, whether you're a lifelong fan, a racer yourself or simply curious about the extraordinary women behind the wheel, settle in, relax and enjoy a fun and uplifting ride with us.
Melinda Russell:This is the Women's Motorsports Network podcast, connecting and celebrating women in motorsports, one story at a time. Let's hit the track. Promoting a track takes heart, and now showing appreciation can be just as easy with send out cards. You can thank sponsors, volunteers, drivers and fans with personalized digital cards sent right from your phone or laptop. Add a photo, write a message and hit send. It's that simple Unlimited sends for just $10 a month. Go to sendoutcardscom forward slash 53240. That's sendoutcardscom forward slash 53240. Because gratitude builds great tracks. Because gratitude builds great tracks. Hello everyone, this is Melinda Russell with the Women's Motorsports Network podcast, and my guest today is Charlotte Trainor, and Charlotte comes to us from the Southwest and I'm going to let her tell us where that is and a little bit more about herself. So, Charlotte, I want to welcome you to the show and would you first start by telling us a little about yourself so we can get to know you better.
Charlotte Traynor:Yes, hello, and thank you so much for having me. So my name is Charlotte Traynor, I'm 18 years old and I'm from Phoenix, arizona, so I'm a race car driver. I've been racing for about five years now, so I'm just trying to, you know, become a professional in that category, and I graduated high school early, so now I have kind of all my time as an 18-year-old to get to try to focus on racing and, you know, making a living off of it.
Melinda Russell:Yeah, that's exciting and I love hearing that. And you know we talked a little before the show started that I am pretty familiar with the Phoenix area, as most people know. My youngest, two daughters live out there and I come out there a lot, but I haven't ever been to a racetrack other than the one in Avondale, the NASCAR track. It seems like whenever I come out there it's they're not racing, it's too hot or it's the break or whatever it is, and so the racing season in Phoenix is a little different, I feel, than most places. So remind me I want to talk about that too. But let's start first with how did you get involved in motorsports?
Charlotte Traynor:So my start in motorsports is a bit different, I would say, than most people. I do not come from a racing family, so I have no connection to motorsports like in that way. My dad is a pilot, my grandpa was a pilot, my sister is a pilot, so it's like I come from this family of like aviators and for some odd reason I don't know, I'm just like the ground loving one of the family. But I started in motorsports a bit later, when I was around 13 years old and it was just from like watching it on TV, like we would always watch, you know, nascar, formula One, indycar, and even though, like nobody in my family raced, we still loved it and we actually had like dirt bikes. We were a little bit in like the motocross scene kind of Like, I'd say, when I was like 10 to 13 years old, because our neighbors were huge on motocross so they kind of got us into, I guess, motorsports through that way. So I actually rode dirt bikes for a little while when I was, you know, a young 10, you know year old. But yeah, I would just watch you know NASCAR and Formula One on TV, and it's like when they would show the in-car cameras and like the driver's point of view. I don't know, it was like a switch or something that just clicked on in my brain and I was like of view, I don't know, it was like a switch or something that just clicked on in my brain and I was like that looks like so much fun, I have to do that. Like it just looks so cool.
Charlotte Traynor:Like as a kid, I was like, holy cow, can I actually do this? Like how do I become a race car driver? I don't know why. I was just so fascinated with it. So I looked it up and I, you know, looked up all these things about you know how you can become a race car driver and the first thing it kind of said was like, well, start with go-karting.
Charlotte Traynor:So I was like, hey, dad, I kind of want to, you know, um, try this out. And obviously he didn't really know what to do, cause he's not a racer, he doesn't come from racing at all. So he was like, okay, we just went to an indoor go-karting center, you know like kind of where they go for birthday parties and stuff like that, and I really took to it, like I really enjoyed it. It was something that I was actually decent at. You know, I didn't have too many things as a kid that I like, really liked and things that like clicked for me and it's like that was one of them. So that like surprised me and I really liked it and I was good at it. So, sure enough, my dad and I we bought like a professional go kart that you can race, and we did that for like about five years, I'd say. And now, you know, I'm moving up and taking the step up into cars. So last year was my first year racing cars.
Melinda Russell:So now I'm just going along with that journey you know, charlotte, you say that you, you know you're different from your family, but not really, because if they're flying they're in the speed you know.
Charlotte Traynor:That's kind of a speed thing um, I mean, my sister has yeah, she's always been obsessed with like fighter jets and stuff. So I'm like, okay, you can conquer the air and I'll conquer the ground yeah, that's a good plan.
Charlotte Traynor:You got every area covered, right one of somebody has to race boats or something oh my gosh, maybe my brother, I can get him into racing something well like you know, there's some people, I know, that race boats out and like by near Lake Havasu and other places. So yeah, yeah, I have friends that race like jet skis up there. It's honestly sometimes more insane than cars Like it really kind of is.
Melinda Russell:I think it really is. So you mentioned a brother and a sister. Is there three of you in the family, Three kids?
Charlotte Traynor:Yes, there is. So I'm a middle child. I have an older sister who's 21. And then my younger brother is 16.
Melinda Russell:Okay, all right. So you have the middle child syndrome.
Charlotte Traynor:So yes, I do.
Melinda Russell:All right, I have. I'm the youngest of three daughters that my parents had, so I was the baby and I always hear about that for sure still, and I'm my 60s, so that's how that goes. So, charlotte, what kind of car are you racing? Where are you racing?
Charlotte Traynor:tell me all about that so the car that I'm racing now is a Mazda MX-5 cup car. When I started racing cars I started in this spec Miata and then we kind of like moved up because Mazda Motorsports they have a really accessible ladder for someone that's wanting to get into car racing for a relatively inexpensive price. Because, you know, obviously a kid's dream is to kind of go in the open wheel world and stuff like that, but it's way too expensive for me, like that's out of the budget. So you know, mazda Motorsports has a really good pathway for go-carters trying to step up to cars. Um, they have like a spec Miata, spec MX-5 and then MX-5 cup and it's kind of like different levels, um, and a relatively inexpensive way to get into the sport.
Charlotte Traynor:So, um, I started in a spec Miata last year driving had some, you know, decent results and success in that, which was great. So I kind of like moved up and through some connections that we have here in Arizona, we were able to purchase an MX-5 Cup car and just kind of dabble in that series a little bit. And I say dabble is because we're only running three of those races this year. Only running three of those races this year. I think the calendar. Gosh, I don't know how many races I think it might have. Like 12 races total over the course of like six weekends, so it's like they're all combined. Don't quote me on that, I need to check the schedule.
Melinda Russell:That sounds about right, though.
Charlotte Traynor:Yeah, make sure. But so we're running a part-time season in the MX5 Cup Series. And it's part-time because if you run three races, that's like the most you can run in order to be eligible for Rookie of the Year next year in that series. And the special thing about the Mazda MX-5 Cup Series is that its payouts are incredible. It has incredible payouts for the drivers, for the females in the series highest finishing female gets like two thousand dollars per race and the rookie of the year gets a hundred grand. So, and and the championship winner if you win the overall championship, you get 250 grand.
Charlotte Traynor:So it's like people have become millionaires off racing in that series and there's really nothing else like it that offers that kind of like cash payback. So we were really drawn to that series and because our friends from arizona they're competing in that series, so they kind of like pulled us in as we were saying like, hey, we want to get into cars, we kind of shadowed them and would follow them around to the mazda mx-5 cup races and then we realized like hey, we can get into this and they have a car that we can buy. So we've just been using them for and they have a car that we can buy. So we've just been using them for training and for the races that we do. We do with them. So it's really been like a lucky kind of case scenario to end up with those people to be able to run in that series.
Melinda Russell:Do you want to share who they are, or would you rather not?
Charlotte Traynor:Yeah, I will. Um, so it's Parker DeLong racing Um, it's just uh, him and his dad. Um, so it's parker de long racing um, it's just uh, him and his dad. So it's a totally like privateer operation almost, which is really difficult.
Charlotte Traynor:Trying to run like as a privateer team against all the huge mx5 cup teams like jtr, bsi, mmr, like it's big. Those teams have been doing it for years and years and the m MX five cup is like all they know. So to step in, just Parker and his dad like to do this and to kind of step up and be able to compete with them is just huge. And I mean they have, like last year at road Atlanta, parker got second place like, and that's huge. You know, you are really swimming with the sharks in that series. So it's been also really cool to like not only see my development but like their development as well in that series. So it's super cool to be a part of and we're so just we're lucky to have come across them, because they coached us in go-karts, so it's like he coached me in karting and then we just kind of like followed them. Then, you know, when they went to the nx5 cup, then we went, you know a year later.
Melinda Russell:So so when you go to those races is, I think, sally mott races. That yes, have you met her.
Charlotte Traynor:I have. I've met her multiple times. I've met all the girls in the series, so there's a lot more this year, which is incredible. I've met sally. She's incredible. She's been so helpful with like all the advice and all the tips that she's given me. She's great, super talented as well, so it's really cool to get to like share the paddock with her. There's Heather Hadley, who's also incredibly experienced in that series and she's so sweet as well.
Charlotte Traynor:Yeah, there's Ashlyn Speed, who won the scholarship last year and, is you know, this is her first year in the cup series, so it's super cool to talk with her. Like we're both kind of the new faces, so that's cool, um, and then there's there's another girl, my mighty casteris. I don't know if I'm saying her name right, but um, she's she's from uruguay, I think, and she's she's incredibly nice as well. Um, she did like some of the open wheel stuff I think she has experience in that and like the F1 academy, so she was super nice from the brief chat that I got with her. So it's it's really cool to like have more girls getting into that series and kind of have that community. It's super cool just to get to share the paddock and the track with them yeah, so did you watch the movie or documentary to the finish?
Melinda Russell:yes, finish.
Charlotte Traynor:Yes, I did. I did watch it. It's cool. It's like it's crazy. Who would have thought that? You know Mazda, the MX Web Cup would be getting you know this series, kind of following it. It's just, it's crazy. But it's so cool to see like that series has grown so much and the viewers that it gets now the popularity it's completely deserved. Like the racing in that series is like no other. It's so entertaining. Like the last lap people will be going like five wide through the dirt, someone's off there, someone's spinning out. So it's super entertaining and I it deserves like all the hype and the buzz that it deserves more promotion and I don't think it gets near enough.
Melinda Russell:It gets overshadowed by some of the bigger series but the racing is unbelievable, and I think connor zillich raced in that series a little bit he did.
Charlotte Traynor:he did, and that's a thing that they bring up. A lot is like the drivers that kind of go through the mx5 cup, you can just go in anything else and be fast. Yeah, because the mx5 cup and that can just go in anything else and be fast. Yeah, Because the MX-5 Cup and that's why we see, you know, Conor Zilch is so good and kids like Tyler Gonzalez and Nathan Nicholson and all these you know incredible drivers that go off and then they drive other things Like they're so talented they are and it's because the MX-5 Cup is such a good like starting ground and it's because the MX-5 Cup is such a good starting ground and the car is so tricky to get a grasp on and drive.
Charlotte Traynor:The series is so competitive, so it's really like you have everything thrown at you and then when you get in an LMP2 car or a GT car or something like that, it's like the car does the work for you and it's everything's at least in my opinion. I feel like I can say that too from driving different things. It's like nothing is as hard as the MX-5 Cup car and the racing and the car itself. It's just it's really tricky. So if you can perform there, you can perform almost anywhere.
Melinda Russell:Yeah, and it's road course racing, right, yeah. Yeah, and so that's one reason he's so good on road courses.
Charlotte Traynor:Yeah, for sure, he definitely has that, you know, kind of one up on everyone and even in ovals too, like I mean, it's just been, he's been insane everywhere he goes and obviously it's you know, raw talent, but I feel like it's also you know part of the development that the MX five cup brings you know, yeah, hello. I'm sorry it's okay, I'm like, oh, am I alone?
Melinda Russell:yeah, you were alone for a little bit. So, um, sorry about that. So, yeah, um, I love seeing these series that make it easier to get started, because, I mean, all sports can be expensive, but but you know, if you're a football player, you're not buying your own footballs and equipment right.
Melinda Russell:They're paying you to do all that and and to get into motorsports you've got to bring some money or some sponsors normally, and so it's a whole different model of business and things. And so you know, we've got to make it more affordable for people to get started, or, you know, unless you're young and your parents are millionaires, it's really hard to get into it. So I love that you're doing that, yeah, and it's really tricky because it's like it's really hard to get into it.
Charlotte Traynor:So I love that you're doing that, yeah, and it's really tricky because it's like it's so tough.
Charlotte Traynor:You see so many kids and I know so many kids that I know if they got in a car, if they got the chance, they would just be incredible, but they don't get the chance because they don't have the funding.
Charlotte Traynor:So that's one of the huge things that I do want to do one day is somehow get you know more kids, give more talented kids a chance. You know like it's, you know it sucks how this sport has kind of sometimes just become like overshadowed by the people that have money, you know, and now it's like money over talent, which is really unfortunate, and you know it doesn't even make the racing as good, because then you have more kids and people crashing cars because they don't really know how to drive as well as you know maybe someone else that can't afford to go in the series. So you know, one day that would be like a dream of mine to like create some sort of foundation or something that gives you know young talented kids a chance who wouldn't really have a chance, you know, anywhere else kids a chance, who wouldn't really have a chance, you know, anywhere else.
Melinda Russell:I, I love that idea for you as well, because I, you know, I mean we can't say that everybody that's in the top series come from money, but if you most of them, most of them do, a lot of them do, and so you know not nothing against those people, because I'll tell you, the NASCAR teams and those three series, they have a lot of extremely talented racers, but I know there's just as many probably that are out there that are winning at a local level, who could compete in a NASCAR series or whatever, and they just don't get the chance. And that's the sad part. But you know, that's true in football, baseball, everything else. You know, you think of all the little league teams that play during the summer and then how many get to really be professional baseball players. It's tough, it's really, it's really tough to do. So, yeah, for sure. So now, where do you race most of the time? Charlotte? So I race.
Charlotte Traynor:I would say we've kind of been moving more out East. When I first started, like in cars and in go-karts, it was all kind of out West, like we would go out to California. You know, buttonwillow, willow Springs. There's a decent amount of tracks in Arizona as well, like road course tracks, not just the, you know, oval. So we kind of, you know, just race on the west coast. But now kind of the more we step up and the bigger it gets, lots of the racing is all on the east coast. So we've been traveling out east a lot, just going to lots of different tracks like birmingham, alabama. I was just in daytona, yeah, virginia. So it's kind of it started west and now it's like transitioning to the east because that's where racing is honestly like that's where, that's where everything is, that's where the hub is. So definitely like the more I go on with this, the more I'm gonna kind of see myself out there.
Melinda Russell:Yeah but so now, who travels with you when you go to the races? How you know, how do you get your car there, and all that Normally it's my dad.
Charlotte Traynor:So we one of the past races that we did in the MX five cup my first one at Barber we drove our MX five cup car all the way from Phoenix to Birmingham, alabama, you know, all the way across the country.
Melinda Russell:So it's a lot of work.
Charlotte Traynor:It's yeah, it's a lot of work and it just shows, I feel like, how much work and effort that really goes into trying to become a professional race car driver.
Charlotte Traynor:Like I feel like people it just flies over people's heads and they don't realize, like how much work you actually put in.
Charlotte Traynor:You know, and when we're not driving now we kind of keep our car on the East coast because that's where we are the most and it's too hot to train in Arizona in the summer. So it's really, you know, it's no use keeping it here when the days are just like 105 degrees and you can't really go drive. So we just keep it out east and then we just fly out east because, because my dad's a pilot, it's actually really easy to fly. Yeah, you know, if the flights are open, we can just hop on. So that is a bonus. It is actually really easy to get out there and normally me and him we just go out and then, uh, we have, you know, we have people that are part of the team, that kind of like drive our car to wherever we're going, so like if we're going to Alabama or if we're going to Atlanta, they'll just, you know, drive it out there and we'll just spend the day practicing or preparing for a race.
Melinda Russell:All right, yeah, you're lucky that your dad's a pilot. That works out good for you. Not many, not many drivers have that advantage, for sure. Yeah, so, charlotte, what is the thing that was the hardest for you to learn when you were driving a car? What took you the most time to to kind of master?
Charlotte Traynor:I think honestly just being able to let things go and have almost like a short-term memory, because sometimes I would get too caught up over things and stuck on things Like, let's say, you have a bad start or someone hits you, I would get so flustered in the moment and I feel like racing cars. It's really taught me how to like keep my cool and how to really like forget what just happened in the past corner, cause it's hard. It's hard to like get past if you get spied out or you make a mistake, and it's so easy to like beat yourself up over the little things. But you know it really made me realize like that's not going to get me anywhere. You know, like you, really, as a race car driver, you almost have to have like this short term memory and, just, you know, keep focusing forward.
Charlotte Traynor:I feel like it kind of that's a good thing on life too. It kind of gives you like you know that went up on having that in life as well, but that was definitely took me a little bit to learn and it's tricky. It's tricky to not beat yourself up over like the little things and you're like well, it's happened, I can't change it, I can't do anything about it. So you know, I just got to move forward.
Melinda Russell:You know that I think racing, and you know again, a lot of sports, teach us life lessons, and that's one of the things that you know might be a life lesson that you're learning is, you know you can't hold on to everything and hold grudges and all and all that. You have to be forgiving, you have to give people grace and and that kind of thing, and and you know I talked to a lot of girls who are very shy and then once they're into racing they come out of their shell, they're there, they go from introvert to extrovert. A lot of those things. What else have you learned Do you think that you can attribute to being a race car driver?
Charlotte Traynor:Honestly, I have learned so much, I think, to add on to kind of like the introvert to extrovert. Like racing teaches you how to. I feel like it's almost like life, like things aren't going to go your way. You're gonna have more bad days than good, you know. And it teaches you how to get over things, and not just get over things. It also teaches you how to represent, like as a race car driver, you're not just your only job isn't just to drive the car fast Outside of the car. You have to be a spokesperson for yourself, you have to market for yourself, you have to reach out to people, you have to send emails, you have to do all these things that you know people don't realize. So it really has, like brought me out of my shell as well.
Charlotte Traynor:I was definitely a very shy kid and I didn't. I got so nervous talking to people and I wasn't really one for conversations with people. But now, like racing, like I realized like I can just go up to anyone and say anything. Now, like I'll go up and I will be the one to initiate the conversation. I will be the one to like send the email when before, like I would never do that, but now it's.
Charlotte Traynor:It's really just made me into like a spokesperson and, you know, an extrovert, because that's what you need. You know you're not. If you don't knock on the door it's it's never going to be open. So, you know, it's really taught me that as well, and I feel like that's just so valuable for getting through life is learning how to represent yourself, who you are as a person, build a brand for yourself too. So it's incredible All the things that racing teaches you and you don't even realize. And then you look back at yourself a few years ago and you're like, wow, I really have grown, not just as a driver but as a person.
Melinda Russell:Yeah, that's so true and I'm glad you said that because you know a lot of girls and their parents even don't realize that there's a lot of benefits to being in motorsports that you can't put your finger on before you start and every person's different. Every person isn't going to grow up or change. You know change how they are, but overall I hear it so often that all the things that motorsports has changed for the good in a young woman. So I love hearing that Now do you have marketing partners or is this more of a? You know you pay as you go.
Charlotte Traynor:Well, right now it's I pay as I go. That's one of the things that I'm working on right now. You know, just like putting together sponsorship packets and putting together all these deals and, you know, trying to go up to people, and so that is what I'm my project I would say at the moment. You know it's something once again, but I'm learning how to do. It's like I've never put together a sponsorship packet before this. I have no idea what I'm doing, but you just have to kind of go along with things, and I do have, you know, a few people helping me out. We do have you know a few like sponsor stickers on the car. You know that just sometimes help with like some of the prices, whether it's like fuel or like your helmet right or tires, um.
Charlotte Traynor:But I'm definitely like in the process of trying to get myself out there more, get more sponsors, kind of like grow your brand on social media as well, because that's been a huge tool for drivers these days.
Charlotte Traynor:So I'm like, well, if you kind of get yourself out there on social media, that's just going to open so many more doors for you. And I have talked to like multiple professional drivers in the past, like these NASCAR drivers, that um one of them, she gave me advice and she was like the first thing that this team asked me when I was going to sign for them wasn't how many wins do you have, it's how many followers do you have, and then how many wins do you have? And it's just crazy because it's like that is how motorsports has changed and it's like if you have that online presence and that it's very clear that you can bring something to the team that's not just driving like they will want you. So that's been another huge thing that I've kind of been like working on is just growing that like online presence. So then, like the more people know you, the more you get yourself out there. It's like that's how you're going to find opportunities to you know.
Melinda Russell:Absolutely. And then another thing that you're going to want to grow is your email list, so 100%. I had over 10,000 followers on a Facebook page and two years ago it got hacked and I lost them all.
Charlotte Traynor:Oh first I cried no, no, I would like be bawling, oh my gosh mad.
Melinda Russell:I was so mad because there was no monetary reason for somebody to hack my Facebook page they're not gonna make a penny off of it and I was so, just so angry that somebody, just for meanness they were just being mean, I mean, that's how I looked at it yeah, that's so frustrating so I I still am trying, you know, I'm still trying to grow it back, but I haven't really concentrated on that. Charlotte, I've grown my email list. I have over 7,000 email addresses. Oh wow, I own those.
Melinda Russell:Yeah, I nobody can take those away from me, yeah, so you know that that, to me, is such a a bonus that I I learned the hard way. You know I'll go back and get my followers back eventually. In fact, I was able recently to get on my old Facebook page through a backdoor, kind of not as an admin, but I was able to see all the followers where before I couldn't see them, and so I printed it. You know it was 70, some pages of of names. You know five or six names to a page. I printed it and I'm going to eventually reach out to everyone and try to get them to follow me again.
Melinda Russell:But that's in my spare time, which you know. Who has spare time? Right? Yeah, seriously, yeah. So anyway, but grow an email list. I would, I would really encourage you to do that. So you don't work on the car because it's out east and you're out west and so you know that's, that's okay. A lot of them don't. A lot of young gals or even guys don't work on their car, if you ask an NASCAR driver.
Charlotte Traynor:Yeah, when it was here in Arizona, my dad and I we would work on it. And still, at the track I do because the team that we're with, obviously parker delong it's, it's just us, you know. So it's like we. You kind of need all hands on deck, sure. So even though I'm not working on the car, like most of the time, I will help in areas that I do need to help. And obviously, when it was here just in our garage, my dad and I would work on it. We changed the oil, we changed the tires.
Charlotte Traynor:He makes me work on it like he's not gonna, he's not gonna let me run off and do other things, like no, he, he makes me work on my stuff. Yeah, it was the exact same with go-karts. I was actually a mechanic, um, for a go-karting team, um, like a year ago. I just, you know, I'll go to the track when I wasn't racing and I would work on, you know, other kids, other kids, go-karts. So I do have a little bit of experience kind of, in that and it's like, cause we have to, we don't have the extra help Right, so it's it's all hands on deck, you know.
Melinda Russell:Okay, yeah, well, that's good to hear. I'm glad to hear that for sure. So now as a girl racing and there are a few girls in what you're doing but even back in the go-karts, did you ever feel like you didn't fit in or didn't belong? Did anybody ever treat you like? What are you doing here?
Charlotte Traynor:yeah, well, I knew, you know, from the start like it was something that I wanted to do and inside me I knew that I belonged. But it was definitely hard, I feel like sometimes to find like your click and like people to talk to. Like, thank goodness I so I grew up in Colorado, so that's kind of where I started racing and I had the best group of friends, like one at me and my friend, like we started on the exact same day. It was his first day, it was my first day in the go-kart and you know our friend group. I had a really nice little friend group of like what five or six of us, um, that kind of all competed locally together and there was.
Charlotte Traynor:I was never treated differently, like there was no differences, it was just all fun like buddy, buddy stuff. But kind of like at bigger national go-kart races where people don't really know you, um, you could feel it a little bit like people would stare at you or they would. There was a lot of instances where they would treat me differently, like on track, because obviously in go-karting you can kind of tell who's a girl and who's not. You can tell that they're smaller in the cart, so smaller must mean easier to push around. So that means I'm just gonna push you into the barrier. So that did happen at times. It did, it did get me upset. I would get driven differently, I'd say, at the bigger races by lots of people, just because they you know, they see you and they know, you know who you are. So they just think that it's okay and nobody's gonna work with you. Nobody's, you know. You're trying to tap the back of your helmet and say like hey, push me, let's work together. Like, but nobody works with you, nobody does any of that um, and just like talking to like all the guys and everyone kind of had their own group and I'm like, okay, cool, I'm gonna go back to the tent and just kind of look at my stuff by myself.
Charlotte Traynor:But I got over it because at the end of the day, like I didn't really care, like this is what I'm here to do, this is what I want to make. You know, I want to make a career off this and this is what I'm so passionate about. Like you cannot take that away from me, right, you know? So it's like all your little egotistical things you have going on, like do whatever you want At the end of the day, it's not going to make me stop, like nothing you can do is going to make me quit or stop, and thank goodness, like in cars, I have not experienced that Like people are.
Charlotte Traynor:So you know they're a lot better because it's a car Like they don't. You know you're not just a small person in a go-kart, you're a car like in front of them and they don't want to wreck their car as well because it's so much more expensive too. So, um, I I have not experienced, you know, any sort of like uh, behavior like that in cars, which is awesome and incredible to see. And I feel like people realize, like okay, there are some girls that are like really good, you know, and they, they understand it and they respect you, which is incredible. But I definitely faced a little bit of that in karting.
Melinda Russell:I would say yeah, so Charlotte racing, are you still in school?
Charlotte Traynor:I am not in school at the moment. So I graduated early because I homeschooled, so I was able to graduate early. So now I'm taking a gap year because I'm only 18 years old. So I am taking a gap year to focus on racing and to be able to travel every week and do what I want to do, to try to, you know, live out this career. So if I ever did go to school in the future, it would probably be, you know, some sort of trade school, just to study.
Charlotte Traynor:You know a certain thing, and it would probably be engineering, because you know, I would still want to be in motor sports and it would be any sort of like motor sports engineering, because that is something that I'm also passionate about. But as of right now, it's just, you know, 100% full focus on racing, because that's what you have to do. You know, if you want to become a professional, you know, you're, you're doing it every single week, you're. You know the tennis players they're all playing every single day. The football players they're all training every single day. So it's like you have to give it your all. You can't 50, 50 it, and I'm so lucky that you know.
Melinda Russell:I was homeschooled and I had the time and I still do have the time to give it faced with like this incredible opportunity. So I'm for sure going to make the most of it, absolutely so. Everybody has a bad day at the track. When you have a bad day at the track, how do you handle that?
Charlotte Traynor:Ooh, normally well, normally, my family's there with me at the track, so, whether it's my dad or my brother, um, they're huge, they're huge. Support uh, having the right people around you, I feel like, is, you know, wins more than half the battle, because, you know, it all depends on your support system, and I'm so thankful that I do have a great support system around me. So I know that if I'm like having a bad day, or I had a bad day or I, you know something's going on at the track, or you know whatever race happened that I didn't like it, you know. I know that, whether it's my dad or my brother or even my sister, you know I'll be able to reach out to anyone and I feel like you know the people that you surround yourself with can really get you through the hard times.
Charlotte Traynor:And then I feel like also just kind of like taking a moment. You know, even though, because it gets so hectic at the track, I feel like sometimes you forget to like that you can step away for a second, you can go in the trailer, you can go in the hall or just take a moment to yourself, like whether it's just laying down, reflecting like, and just kind of stepping back from whatever the situation may be. That also like really helps, you know, and you don't realize that you needed it until, like, you step out of the trailer from like that five minutes of silence that you just had, you're like, hmm, I feel a lot better about what just happened now that I just kind of took time to step back from this like chaotic environment, you know.
Melinda Russell:Yeah, yeah, good, good advice for other people to do the same. So let's say it's race day. Do you have a routine? Are you superstitious? You always wear the same socks. I always eat at McDonald's for breakfast. What might be your race day routine?
Charlotte Traynor:Okay, in terms of superstitions, I actually don't really have many Like I'm not crazy superstitious, I'm not like, oh, I need to do this and this and this before I get in the car. Sometimes I'll listen to music, but lots of the time, like, I'll just study, like I'll visualize like the track and I'll visualize like the perfect lap, kind of that I want to do. Take time to just close my eyes and really think about that. I'll look at, I'll study the track map, I'll study my video and I'll just really try to like get everything in my brain. You know that I need to think about whether it's like a certain braking zone or how I want to start the race, or like who I'm around. You know, what do they drive like. So you know just really kind of like getting in the zone, looking at my own stuff, looking at my video, the track map and everything that I need to do.
Charlotte Traynor:I'd say that's something that I do a lot before the races. And also just like deep breathing, like when I'm in the car, like we're, you know, getting ready to go out, I will do like all sorts of deep breathing things. You know these deeper the exercises. Sometimes I'll like clench my fists super tight and then like release it, you know, and then just kind of like, do that, cause it does, it works, it feels good. It's like you clench up like all this you know tense energy that you have building up and then you just release it and let it go, you know, and take a deep breath and that you know that that works for me as well.
Melinda Russell:So yeah, yeah, good, good advice as well. I'm not sure if I asked you this what's your favorite part of?
Charlotte Traynor:being involved in motor sports. Can I say everything? Obviously, I'd say the people are so incredible. Like you realize, the more that you get into racing it's like everybody's connected in some way and everybody knows someone and it's just like this one big family. Like you all understand each other on this different level. I feel like, and the bonds and the connections that I've made are like no other. Like all my friends that I have in racing, it's like they're not even friends, they're family, like the family that you make.
Charlotte Traynor:You know, cause you go through so much together. You go through the highest of highs and you see each other at your best and you see each other at your worst. So it's like you become so vulnerable and I feel like you know, in other aspects of life you don't really get that, but in racing you really. It shows like all of your sides and it really grows. You know that connection to the people that you're with. You know, and then, like when you do have good days, you have great results. It just makes that like even sweeter when you have, you know, that incredible team and that incredible group of people that you share it with.
Melinda Russell:Yeah, I hear that's the answer that I get. Probably 90% of the time or more is the people. Yeah, for sure. So if you had somebody come up to you at a, at a race or something, and say my daughter or son wants to get started in racing, are you gonna encourage them that racing is a good sport, especially for a girl to get started in? And then how should they get started?
Charlotte Traynor:100. I think if it's something that they really that they're passionate about, they should 100% pursue it, no questions asked, obviously. Give them a bit of rundown of just what I did, like starting go-karting. If the kid's young enough, which most of the time they are. Sometimes I've had like little kids come up to the car. They're like really young and I'm like, maybe come up to the car. They're like really young and I'm like maybe you want to wait a little bit for go-karts.
Charlotte Traynor:But um, yeah, I just say like, look up tracks in your area, look up go-karting tracks or, you know, maybe they're a bit older, look up car tracks. Like you just really have to immerse yourself in the environment and because so many people at the track will be willing to help you. So if you just go there and you just check it out, even if you're a bit unsure, you're like we're not sure if we want to get into racing, we're not sure yet. Just go and check it out, Go to your local go-kart track, go to your local racetrack. There will be so many people there that will want to help you and, you know, help you find the right path and, who knows, maybe you get in a go-k, out and explore, like other pathways, you just have to get your foot in the door.
Charlotte Traynor:So yeah, that would obviously be the biggest thing. You know that I say. And then if they're passionate about racing and passionate about go-karting, like they get in a go-kart and they love it, then awesome, like, sign up just for your local league, like throughout the state. It does not have to be big, you do not need to start big whatsoever, you know, just do what you feel like, start with any local karting series that's kind of like near your area, you know, and just let it build from there and they all, most of those places, have try and rides.
Charlotte Traynor:Yeah, yeah, they have like arrive and drives where you can just show up and you know, no really big commitment, just show up, drive. If you like, it keep going. If you don't, then hey, you know, you tried.
Melinda Russell:Yeah, that's a great way to do it. A lot of people leave there and go straight to buying a cart.
Charlotte Traynor:Yeah, exactly, so it starts things for a lot of people.
Melinda Russell:Yeah it does for sure. So what's been the best advice that someone has given you, or has anybody given you any good advice?
Charlotte Traynor:Yeah, I've gotten a lot of good advice over the years. I think actually, some of the best advice I've kind of been given was so two weeks ago I was racing at Daytona in a WRL event. It was an endurance race and it was in a new car, a car that I haven't driven and I was with these like other really good girls it was a team of girls which was awesome and they had so much experience and, um, one of the girls, laura hayes, she gave me this really good like tip just keep your eyes up, not just like obviously looking towards the next braking zone and everything, but just in general, like obviously. And I realized like when I keep my eyes up, you know your hands follow your eyes in racing.
Charlotte Traynor:So if I'm looking exactly where I want to go, that's exactly where the car is going to go, you know, and it seems like such a simple fix, but it's so true and that helped me so much, and not just on track but off track to keep your eyes up, keep your head up, like no matter what happens if something happens that you weren't happy with, you had a bad session, you had a bad race just keep your eyes up, like you have to keep your eyes up and fixed on where you want to go.
Charlotte Traynor:You can't let your sights wander, because then your hands are gonna follow, your head's gonna follow, you know you're gonna follow where you're looking. So just always keep looking up, always keep, you know, moving forward. You can't let the little things you know upset you and get to you, because where you look is where you're going to go, you know, not just in the car, but out of the car as well. So I think that was huge and that really stuck with me and it's something that like really helps and I feel like works with me. Like if I'm getting flustered, you know, I'm just like eyes up, charlotte, keep your eyes up, you know.
Melinda Russell:That's even true when you drive a car down the road. Yeah, that's even true when you drive a car down the road. Yeah, you're driving down the road and then you, you're, you see a deer or something and you look over and there goes your hands exactly exactly.
Charlotte Traynor:So I feel like it's really one of those things where it's like applicable almost in any scenario.
Melinda Russell:Yeah, so do you have a favorite race memory so far? It could be good or bad.
Charlotte Traynor:I think it probably was two weeks ago, racing at Daytona. That was my first time at that track and I mean I grew up, you know, watching races there, watching NASCAR race there, watching the 24 hours there. So to actually get to step foot on that place, not just as a spectator or a viewer but as a racer, and like driving that first lap around Daytona International Speedway and feeling like the banking how steep the banking is there I was like wow, I was probably feeling every single emotion you could feel inside the car. It was just such a cool, like pinch me moment. It was kind of one of those things. It's like okay, I'm making it, like I am doing this. This is my dream, I'm actually driving it like this track that I've dreamed of driving it for years, you know. And it was so cool too, like at night, like when the sun goes down and they turn the lights on. It's like the place just came alive and I was like how is this real? So that was for sure like one of the coolest experiences of my life.
Melinda Russell:Yeah, I love day, love Daytona. It's. It's a beautiful place to be in, especially at night. Yeah, now, charlotte, you're the social media age. So how do you use social media to promote yourself? We talked about you, know we? We have to promote ourselves. They have to have a brand and share our brand. So how do you do that? And then, like, what platforms and how could people follow you?
Charlotte Traynor:Yeah, so my main social media platforms are TikTok and Instagram, and I've actually just recently started. My Instagram following has been getting a lot better and it's something that I've been working on on and honestly, it's just a matter of like finding some trends and some things that maybe your peers are doing, or like inspiration, and then it's so simple, like I feel like people try to make social media and content creation seem so hard, but it really isn't. It's very simple. Take a few clips whether it's a clip of you walking to the car or a clip of you at the race and kind of be creative with it. You could add, like you know, a caption or a saying and just kind of make this like jumble of a reel or a video. You know that kind of like highlights a few of the aspects of who you are, what you do, and like have like a little catch with it, and then you put it out there and it's it actually draws in like a very decent crowd, like one of the videos that I posted on tiktok. It was so random, like it was just, you know, it was me outside the car and then me driving the car, and it got almost like 47 000 views, for just simple things like that, and it's like you just have to do it and like, put yourself out there and, like I was scared, like I did not really want to post on social media first, because I'm like, oh, that's scary, but it's like you have to and, at the end of the day, you cannot worry about what other people are going to say because, like, other people understand, like social media, as we talked about, has been such a useful tool for drivers these days, so it's like the more you see others post, you're like this is it? Like it? Like this is what you need to do.
Charlotte Traynor:You need to be kind of like the next big thing getting yourself out there, and all it takes is just, you know, a few good clips, clips of the car, clips of yourself, you know kind of like put them together in a clever way and you know, just keep posting and be consistent with it, because it's like, not something may not blow up like the first time. You just have to be consistent with it, consistently post. You know kind of make a schedule of when you're going to post, what you're going to do, you know, and just just stay at it, because it will, it will work. You know, eventually, you just have to, you know, keep pushing yourself and keep getting yourself out there.
Melinda Russell:Yeah, a couple of girls that well, of course, haley Deacon was really good at it, but a couple other girls that have been really good at that, and I love what you said about it as well. Be consistent, you have to do it. Our Taylor Kuhl, k-u-e-h-l from the Arizona area. Do you know Taylor? Yeah, I've seen her online. Yes, okay, she's really good at it. So is Kylie Glick. Yeah, she's very good, very good, and so, um, and the thing is, charlotte, that people don't people can always find your race results and those kinds of things, but they want to know who you are, and I think the thing you know not to don't put your drama on there, which I know you don't, but a lot of people do.
Melinda Russell:People don't want to see your drama. They want to see you walking into your favorite restaurant and then a picture of your favorite meal, or they want to see you going to, you know, getting on an airplane with your dad and saying, hey, did you know my dad was a pilot or is a pilot? Blah, blah, things like that. You, hey, did you know my dad was a pilot or is a pilot? Blah, blah, things like that. You know, do you have any pets? They want to see you with your pets, all those kinds of things, or a tick tock with you. Know, I love, I love to go to Bucky's. So I have my cup that I've had for probably almost a year now. It's the only cup I use. It's bigger than most and it holds the ice longer. And so you know, people want to see who are you, what do you? Like that kind of thing and a lot of people, I think, forget that. They don't want to just see you in a car going around a track.
Charlotte Traynor:Yeah Right, like you have to show some personality, like you're not just a robot. Like you put on the helmet I feel like we all look like robots and that's kind of what people think. It's like you're not just this vanilla driver with, like you know, people love it when they get that depth and that personality and someone that is worth following, following along with Cause. It's like like, yeah, you could be a good driver, but if you have like no personality, no likability whatsoever, it's like you have to show kind of the side of you that you know people don't get from just a simple post saying how the weekend went or something. So you do have to, yeah, get creative, like with certain things on how to get yourself out there and how to say like, hey, this is who I am, I'm not just a race car driver. Like this is my personality, this is what I do, you know so yeah, perfect.
Melinda Russell:Well, charlotte, is there anything we haven't talked about that we need to share, about you or your racing or anything at all?
Charlotte Traynor:well, I do need to add with the Buc-ee's thing. We are, my family, we are obsessed with Buc-ee's, literally. That is the stuff like whether it's a road trip or, oh my gosh, probably the amount of times that we went to bucky's when my dad and I were driving out to alabama with our car and then we were just staying there like out east, that is our spot.
Melinda Russell:So I, I I'm at home with the bucky's merchandise and all that you know you're a bucky's fan when you're gonna do a road trip and and one of the first things you're a Bucky's fan when you're going to do a road trip and and one of the first things you Google is Bucky locations. I mean, I'm sorry, the food is good there, the restrooms are clean, they have great merchandise, even for my dog, and yeah, we love, we love Bucky's for sure, a hundred percent Like we were.
Charlotte Traynor:there was actually one in Florida a few weeks ago and one of our friend guys that was with us he'd never been to Buc-ee's. So we're like, oh my gosh, are we about to introduce you to Buc-ee's? Like?
Melinda Russell:yeah, so you know there's. There's a few things I know I told you. You know, my daughters live in your area in Arizona, and I live in Michigan, and so there's always a few things that when I go to Arizona I have to do, and so there's not a Bucky's in Phoenix but there is In-N-Out I have to go to In-N-Out. We used to not have Chick-fil-A, Now we do, but I used to always have to go to Chick-fil-A and you know there's just some things there that I don't have in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and so you know your location. You always have those places that mean a lot to you. Yeah, exactly exactly.
Charlotte Traynor:Actually, they're making a Buc-ee's in Arizona. They're making it in like Buckeye and I think it's literally going to be the biggest Buc-ee's like on the planet.
Melinda Russell:You know they say that every time they build one, every time they build one, it's going to be the biggest one there is one coming to Arizona, so that's awesome.
Charlotte Traynor:I'm excited about that.
Melinda Russell:I was just in Colorado for several days visiting my sister. She lives in Berthard or whatever. Anyway, there's a Buc-ee's about 15 minutes from them, but we were so busy I never even got there. I can't believe I didn't go there but I didn't. But I'll be back there, but I'll definitely be able to go to the one in Arizona, because Buckeye is not that far. You know, when my husband and I lived in our RV a couple winters so that we could be out close to the daughters and the grandkids, and we lived in Surprise, and so you could just go from Surprise right up to Buckeye. It's not that far, but yeah, that's great. I love that too. So anything else you want to share at all, charlotte, before we hang up, Well, I'm gonna think honestly, just, you know, follow your dreams.
Charlotte Traynor:You know, like, do what you're passionate about. And you can't be scared like there's gonna be so many people that, like you know, they try to judge you and they try to say things like, oh, you shouldn't do this, you shouldn't do that, are you sure you want to do this? Like you know you should have a second option, a second plan, and it's like you're never gonna know if you never even try, you know. So it's like you can't be swayed by what other people have said and it's like, okay, just because you didn't make it doesn't mean that I'm not gonna make it, you know. So it's like don't let anyone or anything hold you back.
Charlotte Traynor:And I feel like just like having that you know tunnel vision of your eyes set on where you want to go, what you want to do, and not letting anyone kind of like interrupt you and getting in the way. That is huge. And just kind of having the perseverance because it's tough, like it's tough to make a, you know, career with whatever you want to do, whatever you're passionate about. You know it's and you're gonna have more bad days than good, but, you know, having that perseverance just to like get through it, you know, and not being swayed by what other people think of you, like it's just huge and something that I would just you know say to kind of everyone.
Melinda Russell:Yeah, good, good advice, very good advice and a good way to end the show, charlotte. So thank you so much for being on with me. If you want to hold on just a second after we stop recording, then we'll finish out our day, so thanks again for being on.
Charlotte Traynor:For sure, thank you for having me.
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Melinda Russell:That's it for this episode of the Women's Motorsports Network podcast. We hope you've been inspired by the stories I shared today and feel more connected to the amazing community of women in motorsports. Remember, whether you're behind the wheel in the pits or cheering from the stands, your story matters and together we're driving change and celebrating every milestone. If you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to subscribe, leave us a review and share it with someone who loves motorsports as much as you do, and don't forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates, behind the scenes content and more incredible stories. So until next time, stay inspired, stay connected and keep racing through life. This is the Women's Motorsports Network podcast, where every woman's story is worth celebrating.