Driving Through the Glass Ceiling: Megan Reitenour

Hey, if Dale Earnhardt could drive a pink car, why can't she?

Seventeen-year-old third generation driver Megan Reitenour began her driving career at just two years old, with her dad propping her up with pillows in a pink Barbie Corvette.

After racing quad runners at age four, Reitenour moved to Quarter Midgets a year later. During her seven-year tenure in the series, she collected over 150 top three finishes and three championships before leaving for Badolero.

Ranked fifth in the nation during her time in Badoleros, the Ohio native became the 2004-2005 Bandelero State Championship and won both the Buckeye Nationals and Great Lakes Nationals.

Once again, it was time for Reitenour to move on with her racing career, which is exactly what she did in 2006 when she began racing Legend cars. Success also followed, when she finished with a top 10 in all but two races in her first season.

In the semipro series of the division, she was ranked in the top 20 percent in the nation and won the Young Lions State of Ohio Championship. The KOIL (Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois Legends) saw Reitenour break two records; she became the first female to ever have a top five and a top finish in the series.

Reitenour would then go on to race in ARCA Lincoln Welders before jumping to the Super Cup Stock Car Series in 2008. Her rookie of the year award, along with three wins, nine top fives, and 10 top 10s got her recognized by the Drive for Diversity Testing & Evaluation Combine, where she became one of their development drivers.

She also caught the eye of Lyn St. James and Project Podium, a group founded by St. James to help more women get into motorsports. Reitenour was selected to participate, and is currently racing in the NASCAR Whelen All American Series for Leicht Motorsports in North Carolina.

To learn more about Megan and her career, including how you can help support the Megan Reitenour Racing Program, visit www.meganreitenour.com.

If you'd like more information on Lyn St. James, Project Podium, and the Women in the Winner's Circle program, you may check out my article or visit www.lynstjames.com.