Gabrielle Grigsby: How A Waterfall Jump Led To A Racing Career

A leap off a Kentucky waterfall for a shot at a first race car. Late nights in the shop turning a bare frame into a factory stock. A seat in the UNOH engine room and a bold jump to the ASA Stars National Tour. Gabby Grigsby’s path is a fast, honest look at how a young driver builds speed, skill, and thick skin—one step at a time.

We talk through the family roots that shaped her love for racing and how switching between a quarter-mile factory stock and a half-mile late model sharpened her race IQ. Gabby breaks down what it’s like to be the lone “engine girl” on a busy collegiate team, why engine knowledge changes how you drive, and how documenting failures turns bad nights into better setups. She shares the laddered goals that keep her grounded—finish, stay on the lead lap, qualify tighter—and what changes when you unload with the ASA paddock and test yourself against elite super late model talent.

You’ll hear how a small, family-led crew makes big weekends possible, from her dad’s crew chief role and sponsorship support to classmates getting ARCA-style pit reps. We dig into the realities of budget, travel, and social media, and why showing the work—not just the wins—matters to partners. Most of all, Gabby’s message to young women stands out: protect your confidence, ignore lazy opinions, and keep climbing your ladder without skipping steps.

Subscribe for more stories from women pushing motorsports forward, share this episode with someone who needs a spark, and leave a review to help more fans find the show. Your support keeps these voices loud and the momentum rolling.

Transcript

Meet Gabby Grigsby

SPEAKER_01 0:02

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 trail drivers, dreamers, and doers shaping the sport we love. In 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. This is the Women's Motorsports Network podcast, connecting and celebrating women in motorsports one story at a time. Let's hit the track. Hello everyone. This is Melinda Russell with the Women's and Motorsports Network podcast. And my guest today is Gabrielle Grigsby, and I'm going to call her Gabby so that I make sure I get her name pronounced right. And Gabby, I want to welcome you to the show and thank you for taking the time to be with me tonight. So let's start by having you just share a little bit about yourself.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

Well, first off, I want to say thank you for inviting me. This is great. But my name is Gabrielle. I'm from Curtis, Ohio. I mean, I'm in school currently. I'm going to University of Northwestern Ohio for high performance motorsports. And I'm actually almost done with that. And then I'm actually continuing on to my business degree here in a couple of months. So that's exciting.

SPEAKER_01 1:48

Very exciting.

SPEAKER_00 1:51

But yeah, I mean, there's really that's about it. Busy most of the time anyway. So I don't really have time to go out and do type like all the other type of stuff. I'm either in school on the race team at the school or I'm home working on the race car. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 2:06

So so you you go to UNOH. Do you know McKenna, McKenna Long?

SPEAKER_00 2:12

Yes, I do actually. I actually just had a class with her not too long ago.

SPEAKER_01 2:15

Well, you have to tell her you did my podcast because I've known her since she was a little girl. Oh yeah. Yeah, she live, she grew up just a few miles from here. I live in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and she grew up in the Plain Will Otzego area. And she was on the podcast a few months ago. And so I figured if you went to UNOH that you knew her. And it's also funny, one of my good friends, her son, just went, started going there, and he's on the basketball team. So wow. Yeah. Small world. So it is a small world. And I think I think more and more people, kids are hearing about UNOH and you know, looking into that school, especially in the motorsports field.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

So I mean, this place is pretty great. I first found out about it back in high school, right before I was about to graduate. And I was like, I get to play with race cars all day, you know. Uh-huh. That's perfect. And then I toured the school and I was like, okay, this is where I want to go. So yeah. Yeah.

Discovering UNOH And Choosing Motorsports

SPEAKER_01 3:16

Yeah, that's cool. Mara Henderson lives in northern Michigan, and she's actually a rep that goes around to the schools.

SPEAKER_00 3:24

Yes, yes. I think I I think I do know her.

SPEAKER_01 3:27

Yeah, I've actually she does, she travels with the race teams, I think. Anyway, so it's funny that then she had gone, and that's how McKenna got acquainted. And it really is a small world when you stop to think about it. So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:42

And are you a what are you a sophomore there? Technically, I would be a senior if I'm staying on the tech side. Okay. It's only a two-year program, and I'm almost done. I graduate that side in May. So, but I am continuing to plan getting my bachelor's degree. So that's an extra two years if I do the two plus two program that they offer.

SPEAKER_01 4:04

Yeah. What a good program.

SPEAKER_00 4:06

It that is, it really is.

SPEAKER_01 4:07

Yeah. Can't say enough about that school. I I just I love being able to interview kids that go to that school for sure. So, how did you get started in motorsports? It didn't happen when you went to college. You obviously loved it before that. So tell me, take me, take me back and tell me your story.

Building The First Car And Early Seasons

SPEAKER_00 4:28

So my grandpa raced, and then my dad started racing not too long ago either. He started racing actually later on in his life. He started back in 2012. But before that, they used to always take me to the races on Friday nights and things like that. Probably like right when I was born, they I was going to the racetrack pretty much. So I grew up around it, you know, falling asleep in the stands once I got tired type deal. But when I was around 13, 14 years old, I was like really, you know, wanting to get into a race car, like, you know, be like my dad. I want to be cool, you know, I want to be out every Friday night going to a racetrack, besides just helping. So I made a bet with him down in Lake Cumberland, Kentucky. And there was a 40-foot waterfall, is what it seemed like. And I was like, if I jump off this waterfall, I get a race car. And he took the bet. And so I climbed my, you know, climbed up the hill and I jumped off the waterfall. And then next thing I knew, the week after that, I got a race car. Um, so I was like, I was like, is this really all I had to do to get a race car the whole time? You know? I still think that's a pretty big deal to jump off of that. Yeah, yeah. Well, I was like, you know, I gotta try something. So he got me my first car. It was a factory stock that I raced locally at Toledo and Flat Rock Speedway. We took the car, took it all the way down to the bare frame and built it back up. New roll cage, new suspension, all of the works, you know. And what year was that, Gabby? Uh, that was roughly so COVID happened, so I couldn't start that year. So in 21 is when I started racing. Okay. And then I finished that season off. I would watch my dad race, and then I would race, and you would watch me race type deal. And that's how it went for that full year, and then into my second year of racing, it was kind of like that as well. But I started to get more onto working on his late model, trying to get used to that because there was a plan of me racing both in 2023. So, and the whole time while being in high school, I was playing soccer, you know, so going back and forth from soccer, racing, and then I was I was pretty busy. I mean, yeah, really busy. So jumped in 2023. I raced both the factory stock and the late mall sportsman. And at the end of the year, I got repeat of the year in the late mall sportsman, and then I also finished top 10 in both of my classes that I raced in. I believe it was like, oh no, top five and top 10. In the sportsman, I was fifth in points, I believe. And then in the factory stock, I was sixth. So pretty close to almost two top fives.

Two Cars, Two Tracks, One Driver

SPEAKER_01 7:21

Yeah, and then I'm sorry, you know, jumping back and forth between two cars, it doesn't sound like it'd be all that big of a deal, but it is because they drive different, and the and the people that you're driving against, everything's different, and so you know people who don't understand racing that much would think that, oh, that's just more experience. Well, that's true, but it's experience in two different types of racing because even though it's short track racing, they're both they're going to be different kinds of cars.

Joining UNOH’s Race Team

Becoming The “Engine Girl”

SPEAKER_00 7:55

Well, yeah, for sure. Now that you said that, because the factory stock it's a bit slower. That raced on the quarter mile at Toledo, and then I would hop into the Late Mall sportsman that ran the half mile there, going about you know, 10 times faster at least. I feel like it made me faster in the factory stock because I would race the late mall sportsman first, and then I'd be like, why is this thing so slow? Um yeah, so and then at the end of 2023, I finished my racing season, and then that's when I decided to join Uno. So I got accepted in right away and I applied for the race team here, and eventually I started working on the race team here. Yeah, so I continued all the way through 23 into 24, and 24 was kind of a rough, patchy time with my racing. Unfortunately, I didn't get as many races in as I wanted, but I was out at Lima Land every Friday helping the race team out because I am one of the engine girls on the team. Uh, the only engine girl on the team. So I would be there every Friday night making sure everything's running right. And the race team is like a full-time job. I'm there for at least four or five hours a day, if not later, depending on what's happening. Right now, everybody's getting for the big trip down to Velusia, Florida for the dirt car nationals. So it's been pretty busy here. And then so I mainly raced the Late Mall Sportsman that year. I didn't really have time for the factory stock. I wish I did have more time, but it was whenever I could fit it in my schedule.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

Yeah. Um tell me, tell me at this at school on the race team. You said you're the only engine girl. Now, do you work for a certain like I if I remember right, McKenna works for a certain team that races. Yes. Is that what you do?

SPEAKER_00 9:43

So I work with the school. She works with a team outside of the school. Okay. Um, she is on the Over the Wall Club, from what I remember.

SPEAKER_01 9:53

Yes. I think so.

SPEAKER_00 9:55

They're able to filter out with different arca arca teams, excuse me, different arca teams to be able to like, you know, when she graduated, she could work with them full time. For me, I'm kind of like the school's football team, if that makes sense. Oh, yeah. Okay. So I'll eventually get a scholarship at the end of it, type and things like that, but you have to reapply every year. But it's a full gear thing.

SPEAKER_01 10:18

So okay. But so did you choose to be like work on the engines and that, or is that something that's that you know it was part of a rotation and you just found you really liked it or you were really good at it? How did you end up being the the engine girl?

SPEAKER_00 10:35

So I really didn't know what I wanted to do on the race team yet, but I knew I wanted to make a statement, if that makes sense. Because I I liked welding, and that's what I did in high school most of my time, but I've always wanted to get into the engine side of things. I mean, it's pretty cool. So thankfully, the head engine guy at the time was willing to accept me in. So I would be cleaning parts while they're putting together an engine for a stock car. And I kind of filtered my way in there, and I have a really good group of guys around me with the engine department.

SPEAKER_01 11:08

Yeah, that's cool. Now, is that something you'll continue to do till you graduate, or will you learn some other part of that, or how does that work?

SPEAKER_00 11:19

So I wasn't always just an engine person. I did fill in for some people on a stock car if need be, if people decided to go home that weekend. So I'm one of the people that can do whatever that needs to be done, but I like to stick with the engine side of things just because I am trying to learn that more. Okay, because that's what this place is all about. It's all about learning. So yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:43

So now when you graduate in May, you're gonna continue on and get your business degree, correct? Yes, that's the plan. Okay, so business degree as far as motorsports business or a general business degree.

SPEAKER_00 11:59

I might keep it in the motorsports because they do have the motorsports marketing degree and a couple other things like that. So I'm gonna try to keep it in the motorsports area.

SPEAKER_01 12:08

Okay, because at the end of that, what you want to do is work for a race team.

Career Goals And Series Plans

SPEAKER_00 12:13

Yeah, actually, that's the whole end goal. I mean, work for a race team for a little bit and then you know, see where life takes me for the most part. I do definitely want to continue racing. We have big plans for next year for racing. So because this year I started racing with ASA National Tour. Okay, a lot of learning. That is a lot of learning from you know, starting off your home track where you race every Friday night to traveling around to different tracks all around the country with some of the best racers out there. So we plan to continue in the super late model, and then I'm also gonna start racing in the Pro Series as well, the Jugs Pro Series for the races here and there. So yeah, yeah.

Sponsors, Family Crew, And Costs

SPEAKER_01 12:57

Now, who helps you when you do that? You can't do that by yourself.

SPEAKER_00 13:01

Well, my biggest supporter and my biggest help is my dad. I mean, without him, I couldn't do any of this that I'm doing now, right? He's my crew chief pretty much, he takes care of literally everything. And his company, he has SunForce Building Company, he is my number one sponsor with that too. So he always has the hood spot, but I am always looking for sponsors, so yeah, because it gets pretty expensive at times. But I mean, it's racing, you can't do anything about it, yeah. But mainly my dad, he is my biggest supporter, like I said, and my mom. She's always there, she always makes sure we're fed and she'll fill in if she needs to help on the car. It's really a family thing because both of my uncles this year helped me out. One of them was my spotter, the other one was more of a tire guy, but he also helped fill in working on the cars. And then whoever really wants to help us on the race team, I've had people from school help me out a lot on the car and whatnot at different types of races. Like at towards the end of the year, I had at least two guys from my school helping me out on the car, and I am offering it to other people too, like, hey, more learning, you know, because it's kind of set up like ARCA in a way. There's a bunch of tech, and then you have pit stops and things like that. So if they want practice, I have the car for it.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

Right, right. And and even, you know, yeah, they're they're volunteering, but it also looks good on a resume for when they absolutely absolutely can do hands-on, the better, you know, for you and for them for sure. So, Gabby, every every day, every day or evening at the racetrack is not a good one, unfortunately. Unfortunately, no. How do you how do you deal with that? I, you know, a lot of a lot of things that we learn being involved in motorsports is what I call a life lesson, and this is one of them. How do you deal with adversity?

Handling Adversity And Setting Goals

SPEAKER_00 14:57

Well, I mean, this year, like I said, was a really rough year of just learning, and then, you know, unfortunately, the car wasn't set up right as always as it should have been, and just mechanical issues because it was a new car for us, too. So we took it as, you know, we know what to look at for next time, we know how to fix it if that happens again, and just keep our head up. I mean, you can't mope about it forever. So make sure you write it down, think about it for next time, and then we make sure we do better than we did last time. We had a lot of goals set for us this year. One of them is being, you know, finishing a race, which we did, staying on the lead lap, things like that. Like everything is a step ahead of the other steps, right? Excuse me, you know, stepping up over overcoming what you did overcome before.

SPEAKER_01 15:49

Yeah, but you have you have your goals and you have them written down, and you don't jump from the bottom to the top.

SPEAKER_00 15:58

No, it's like a ladder, like that. I know like that.

SPEAKER_01 16:03

Yeah, it's like being on a ladder one step at a time, and and if you get too crazy and try to jump some steps, it usually doesn't work very well. Unfortunately, no, yeah, it'll come back to bite you for sure. So, what has been your proudest moment in your racing? You got some awards here not that long ago, so but maybe that wasn't your proudest moment. What's something that you're when you look back at it, you say, wow, I'm really proud that I did that.

SPEAKER_00 16:37

Honestly, it probably this racing year altogether, because starting out with the ASA Stars National Tour, we were halfway through their season, and my first race was at Newport. And being able to go from something completely different, you know, a lot slower car because the sportsman is a lot slower than the super. It's a really big eye-opening experience. And it's like, wow, I really did that, you know. I came in here with all these other talented drivers that have been doing it for far longer than me. I know a lot of them started out in go-karts, you know, to being able to compete on one of the biggest stages in America in racing. So, and then continuing on. That was definitely one of my biggest, proudest moments for sure. Yeah.

Acceptance, Critics, And Resilience

SPEAKER_01 17:23

So were you accepted as when you started racing in that series? Did anybody, you know, give any trouble about jumping in halfway through, or that you're a girl, or that you don't have as much experience? You know, all the things that you hear, or did they pretty much accept you?

SPEAKER_00 17:40

I would say it's half and half. I mean, I really didn't hear all the bad stuff, but I also try to ignore it anyways and you know, go on about my day because why am I gonna let some person on the internet tell me otherwise? Right. The people with the series were really accepting, you know, they're happy to see it, happy to see more people like me coming in, things like that, because there is a lot of younger kids joining in there too. Yeah, but and then there was also another girl that raced with the pro series a lot this year as well, and I was really happy for how she did, and you know, overcoming it because she's also in school, I believe, and she hasn't raced in a very long time. So for her to be able to jump in there and do that as well, I'm super proud of that, yeah, for her. But I mean, I'd say it'd be 50-50. I know there's people that talk, but you just ignore it, you know.

SPEAKER_01 18:31

Right. Best advice you can give any girl that's listening is ignore the haters because there's always gonna be somebody that's either jealous or they don't want to get beat by a girl or whatever, whatever it is, right?

SPEAKER_00 18:44

I mean, I've dealt with that my whole racing career pretty much. So it's just you gotta ignore it. You can't let that bother you and just go on about your day because you're better than that. So right.

Life Skills Racing Teaches

SPEAKER_01 18:54

So, what would you say? Uh you know, and I ask this of a lot of girls, and I get a lot of different answers. Had you not been involved in motorsports, what are some things that you've learned or you know, I guess learned is the best word, from being a part of a sport like motorsports that you would not have learned had you not done this? Because I know there's a lot of things that motorsports teaches everyone that's involved. What are some things that you can look back on and say, I I wouldn't have been able to do this, I wouldn't have known how to overcome adversity, I wouldn't have known, you know, how to talk to adults like this. I'll I've I've heard all kinds of of things. Can you think of anything that that sticks out to you that uh you know you're grateful that you were able to learn at a young age?

SPEAKER_00 19:56

I'd say it's really uh given me tough skin. You know, thick skin. It's really taught me that, you know, the world isn't always going to be nice to you. Yeah. But, you know, being able to overcome it and just ignore it, like I said earlier. And then also just being able to, you know, take your knowledge from what you get and work with it, work with your hands on it, hands-on experience, things like that. Because I know a lot of people aren't into what I'm into. And I mean, I get that everybody's into their own thing. But at the same time, it really just toughens you up. And I think that's good, you know. But I mean, I I wish I could put it in a better way. Because it's not something like something that I could easily explain, just you know, you gotta get in there, you know. Yeah. Yeah. And things like that. That's a good question, though.

Using Social Media And Networking

SPEAKER_01 20:52

I I think, you know, so you're 20 years old. I think that from what I've seen, typically, and and this isn't true of everybody, there's not a there's not a hard and fast rule for everybody in any situation. But what I have noticed is that young women that have been involved in motorsports have had to learn, like I said, adversity, you know, you're around a lot of adults, you're learning things as far as working on a car or doing different things that you would never learn at that age had you not been in motorsports. And I could keep going, the list is pretty long. Oh, yeah. And so I see a lot of maturity in girls at an age when they wouldn't be as mature had they not been involved in motorsports, and I think that that's the biggest thing that I can say that I see, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:46

I agree with you on that for sure.

SPEAKER_01 21:48

They're little adults, young adults.

SPEAKER_00 21:51

Well, especially for some of the younger ones now getting into it. I'm like, wow, you know, yeah, yeah, that's pretty much it. Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 22:01

So, how do you use social media? Do you promote your racing? Do you, you know, talk about what you do at UNOH? How do you use it?

SPEAKER_00 22:11

So I'm trying to get more onto the media side of things because originally I just work on the car. Like, you know, I'll come home, work on the car, go back to school type deal, or even when I was younger, I'm one of the main people that work on my own car. So I'm trying to get more into the media side of things, trying to show, you know, behind the scenes in the shops or something like that. But I'll post about the races that I'm going to coming up, or I'm gonna make a post about PRI because I am going to PRI this weekend. Okay. So you know, kind of get that out there, like, hey, if you want to talk type deal.

SPEAKER_01 22:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:46

So I'm trying to get more onto that side of things, you know, like, hey, this is what we do. I just need to get a little bit better at it.

Encouragement For Young Women

SPEAKER_01 22:53

Well, and get maybe a little more comfortable at it. Yeah. Normally I would be in Indy right now for the women with drive event and PRI, which I'll uh next year definitely put women with drive event on your schedule. It's very beneficial. I'm not there because I'm having back surgery on Tuesday. And so yeah, thank you. The last thing I need is to hug somebody or shake a hand and then get sick.

SPEAKER_00 23:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 23:24

So I've had I the last couple weeks, I've kind of kept myself away from crowds or that kind of thing because I don't want to get sick and then have to cancel or reschedule. So that's why I'm not there. And it's breaking my heart that I'm not there because it's an amazing, amazing event. It's life-changing, it's definitely life-changing. So put that on your list for next year to definitely, definitely go. Yeah. Is there anything about your racing or your, you know, your future, your career in motorsports that you want to share or encourage maybe other young women to look into?

SPEAKER_00 24:08

Well, I mean, it kind of goes back to what I said before. You can't just let anybody tell you what to do. I'm gonna continue racing. I'm gonna continue trying to get higher into racing. It's just a steady growth, you know? Because we got the super, and now we have a pro that we're gonna be working on. And it's not like we have a big team, it's really just me, my dad, and a couple other people whenever they can. So yeah, don't let anybody tell you what to do. You know, keep doing what you're doing, you know. You can't let anybody take your shine away. So yeah, I mean, that's pretty much it. You could say that in a hundred different ways, but it always goes back to that. Don't let anybody tell you what to do. This is your world, you know.

SPEAKER_01 24:52

You can't let anybody stop you from living your world, so yeah, and you know, everybody has dreams and goals, and and there's a lot of negativity that we have to deal with in in general. I mean, you turn on the news and that's all it is, and so we we have that around us all the time, and what we have to do is, like you said, block that out and focus on the good and focus on what you want to do in the future, and and I love hearing that from a young person because it's easy to get drugged down into the the pit, I guess you could say, and not the not the pit crew, the actual. And I'm I'm glad to hear that you're a positive and you're saying that. That's great. Is there anything that we haven't talked about or that you'd like to share before we close out tonight?

Closing Thanks And Community CTA

SPEAKER_00 25:47

I think we pretty much covered it all. I mean, I don't really have a giant, like a normal story to tell everybody. I'm literally just a normal human being that's going to school every day. That works your butt off to be able to do what I'm able to do.

SPEAKER_01 26:02

So well, and let me tell you something, Gabby. That is that is a good story. And don't discount your story because there's a lot of lot of kids that aren't doing anything. And so you're working, you know, you're working hard towards a goal, and and it's not it's not an easy path to take. It's a it's a difficult path. And so I I'm proud of you for sticking with it and and going on and getting your business degree. And hopefully one of these days you'll be running a team somewhere. Wouldn't that be cool? That would be cool, yeah. Well, thank you. Yeah, thank you, Gabby, and I appreciate you being on. Make sure that you let us know and keep track of what of what you're up to because we like to know what our you know, our guests are are doing. And so when you start racing again this year, make sure you let me know where you're at and what you're doing.

SPEAKER_00 26:57

Definitely, definitely. I will definitely let you know because, like I said, we have a lot of plans this year since I'm not gonna be in school full time. Right. So we're gonna try to get a lot more racing in. Well, that's that's when you need to tag me so that I can keep track of what you're up to.

SPEAKER_01 27:13

Yes. All right, well, Gabby, thanks again for being on. I appreciate it, and thanks for sharing your story. Good luck from now till May and get that that degree under your belt and then move on to the business. And and let's stay in touch so that I can see where you're at.

SPEAKER_00 27:30

Yes, thank thank you for inviting me on the show. It was a pleasure to talk to you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 27:39

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.