Rowan Edgar: The Car Doesn’t Know Your Gender, Only Your Grit

A teenager with a torque wrench and a plan—Rowan Edgar is redefining what focus looks like at 15. We sit down with the Missouri micro sprint driver to map her path from caged karts to her first A-class win, and the choices that make speed possible: homeschooling to create time for travel and training, daily fitness to stay sharp to the checkers, and a mindset built on resets rather than excuses. Rowan brings a refreshingly direct take on confidence, composure, and why the car only responds to skill, not stereotypes.

The story begins in a family shop, where modifieds were built and raced and a young girl asked for her shot until an aunt dropped a go-kart in the driveway. From there, she worked through 250 and 450 classes, learning how to handle power and read surfaces before stepping into micros. We dig into adapting lines as the track slicks off, the night everything clicked for her first A-class victory, and the rituals that keep her grounded—yes, the no-chicken rule on race day made the cut. She also gets real about setbacks, including the blown engine saga that forced a pause and taught her exactly where she wants to spend weekends: at the track, not at parties.

Rowan shares practical advice on sponsorship—how conversations at PRI turn into real partnerships when you follow up and own your results online. She talks about the growing number of girls in micros, why she chooses to lead with “race car driver” rather than “female racer,” and how young drivers can build resilience by working on their own cars. We cover pre-race music, shop nights, crew support from family and friends, and the long game: medical training to fund a racing life and a clear target to win a High Limit sprint car feature.

If you love honest race craft, measurable goals, and the grit it takes to earn speed, this conversation delivers. Tap play, share it with a young driver who needs a nudge, and subscribe for more stories from the Women’s Motorsports Network. Then tell us: what goal are you aiming at next?

Chapters

• 0:00 Meet Rowan Edgar
• 1:58 Homeschool Acceleration And College Plans
• 3:15 Family Roots And First Go-Kart
• 4:26 From Caged Karts To Micros
• 6:16 Tracks, Travel, And Race Frequency
• 7:10 Choosing Racing Over Other Sports
• 7:38 First A-Class Win And Slick Tracks
• 8:44 Adapting To Track Changes
• 9:26 Women In Micros And Growing Community
• 10:14 Confidence, Mindset, And Bad Nights
• 12:01 Sponsors And How To Land Them
• 13:20 Race Day Rituals And Superstitions
• 14:38 Fitness, Focus, And Pre-Race Routine
• 16:20 Family Crew And Shop Help
• 17:23 Starting Positions And Race Craft
• 18:17 On-The-Track Fixes Under Red
• 19:04 Car Identity: Colors And Number
• 20:02 Fitting In And Finding Friends
• 21:05 A Favorite Race To Relive
• 22:03 Learning Maintenance And Engines
• 22:39 Essentials In The Race Bag
• 23:06 Big Dreams: High Limit Sprint Cars
• 24:13 Acceptance Of Women In Racing
• 25:18 Pre-Race Music And Mental Game
• 26:30 Life Lessons Racing Taught Early
• 27:46 Why The Track Beats Teen Parties
• 29:05 Concerts, Hobbies, And Surprise Interests
• 29:52 Social Media And Where To Follow
• 30:32 Season Plans And Tulsa Shootout