Women in NASCAR: The Fastest Chick in Town

Courtesy: Mandy Chick

As the 2022 NASCAR season wrapped with a thrilling conclusion in Phoenix, another driver is looking forward to the 2023 season despite an already busy schedule. Meet Mandy Chick—
the fastest chick in town.

Chick has a busy off-season planned, which includes her continuing a rigorous college schedule that finds her pursuing her undergraduate and her master's degrees simultaneously. More on that in a bit. Her team also has new cars to build and trade shows to attend on behalf of their marketing partners. They will also be doing a lot of development since the ARCA program is still new for them. 

The time they spend in the shop will ensure that their program is ready for the 2023 season, but that work starts well before the season kicks off. In addition to the marketing partnerships they currently hold, Chick plans to establish the kind of partnerships that will allow her to compete for the full race schedule in the 2023 ARCA Menards Series National Tour, an opportunity that she believes would allow her to contend for Rookie of the Year.

Courtesy: Mandy Chick at the Milwaukee Mile

In that pursuit, Chick still has to contend with those who don't think women belong on the track, "There are still people who question whether female drivers have the skills to drive race cars. However, female drivers are still learning how to conduct themselves in a manner that shows they have the ability. It's incumbent upon us to act in a professional manner in order to gain the respect from others that is deserved. The critical eye is even more critical for females in the racing industry. Females are held to different standards," Chick explained.  

Chick actually has deep racing roots. A third-generation racer, she's grown up around the sport. Her grandfather was involved with race cars from his teenage years, eventually building, preparing, and working as a crew chief for cars in SCCA, Canadian American Formula Atlantic, CanAm, and NASCAR. Her dad grew up working on cars and later raced in SCCA and the NASCAR Asphalt Modifieds. Between 2000 and 2006, her dad and her granddad owned a part-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team. 

Her long-term goals in racing go beyond on-track activities. Remember that dual degree pursuit? Chick is working on a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering with two minors in economics and entrepreneurial studies. At the same time, she's working on a master's degree in engineering management. 

It's an ambitious plan, but Chick wants to set herself up for success, "I have chosen to pursue these degrees to position myself for future leadership opportunities in the engineering field. I hate to limit myself right now and the world is full of opportunities. Whether I get an opportunity to drive a race car full time or work in the racing industry, either one would be something I am passionate about. I feel my education at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and my background in racing will set me up for much success in the future," Chick said.

Aside from her education and racing, Chick is involved in numerous other pursuits. She's especially thrilled with her charity work. 

"I have worked with various organizations to inspire kindness, self-confidence, and overall well-being in today's youth through my speaking tour, Drive to Inspire. I have traveled to different cities and spoken in middle and elementary schools about these topics. I am also currently a mentor in Rose-Hulman's PRISM EMERGE program, which is focused on STEM outreach to female students in ninth grade.

"I am [also] Vice President of Chapter Programming and Development in my school's Tri Delta Sorority Gamma Pi Chapter, which keeps me very busy. In addition, I am on the Admissions A-Team at Rose, greeting families and answering questions for prospective students. I have a small 3D printing business, called Victory 23 Designs, where I design and print cost-effective parts, primarily for the racing industry. 

"My family is very close, and I take every opportunity to participate in family activities when I am visiting my home in Kansas. My boyfriend, Dalton, is one of my biggest supporters and is one of our crew members who travels with us to ARCA races and is our fuel man during pit stops," Chick explained. 

She's also a dog mom to two English bulldogs, Lola and Libby. Though she misses them while she's in school or on the road, her family is quick to share pictures every day, and she catches up when she can on Facetime.

Chick celebrated her 21st birthday on October 17. You can follow her online at mandychick.com and on her various social media platforms with links on her website.