Meet Meghan. She lives in Canada, and has a great career in the automotive industry. She wants to encourage and inspire other women to follow their passion.
What is your name? What country/state do you participate in motorsports in?
My name is Meghan and I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Which forms Motorsports do you participate in?
Autocross and track racing. Occasionally drag racing.
What class do you drive? What car?
F street with my 2001 Mustang Bullitt edition GT, and also have a 2017 Fiesta ST that I drive in HS.
When did you start? How did you start?
I started racing on our local track when I was about 15 or 16 with Driving Unlimited
Canada.
Any words for newcomers or someone hesitant to motorsport?
You must believe in yourself at all costs. Starting anything new is intimidating and scary
but you can’t let fear hold you back.
When you’re not racing what can you be founddoing?
Painting cars at work or at my MMA gym!
What made you decide to enter into the automotive industry?
It’s nearly an impossible question to answer; it’s just such a natural fit and a no-brainer
for a true car enthusiast to make passion for vehicles into a career.
What is your favorite racing memory?
When I was 16 I got a ride in the Porsche GT cup series car, I’m so glad I did that when
I was young because there is no way I can be a passenger at 300 km/h on the
straightaway now. My nerves can’t handle riding shotgun.
What are your plans for the 2021 season?
Due to Covid restrictions and political standings in the province in regards to auto
racing, I have no idea what the immediate future of amateur Motorsports holds. I hope to get either one of my cars out more than once, pending track time.
What are you focused on improving on the off-season/next season?
During the off-season is when I like to do work to either vehicle as I have more time than
during the sunny season. That’s driving time!
How has being showcased as a Ford Superfan been?
I am very grateful for the opportunities that owning a performance Ford vehicle has
done for me. When I bought my 01 Bullitt, I just wanted a good car. When I needed a
daily driver and bought my fiesta st, I just needed a reliable daily. There is no way I
could’ve foreseen that my quirky and eccentric enthusiasm for both cars has exploded
into what it has. I’m well aware these are not top-tier vehicles like supercar/exotics are,
but to me, my Bullitt is a super-car. I mean, how many people can tell you they drove a
$10,000 car 4,000 kms to ascend to the top of Pikes Peak, enter a car show, race it at
autocross, then drive it home with zero issues? This is a true test to the engineering of
this vehicle, which you can find in the book: “Engineer-Enthusiast-Excitement” as well as “Ford Mustang Bullitt Generations” featuring the Bullitt edition vehicles.
I hope that being showcased as a ford superfan inspires young girls like I once was,
wanting “the car with the pony on it”, to keep the Mustang around for years to come.
How does the Driving Forward Together initiative align with your views?
I am an advocate for women in automotive, either in the industry, or auto sports. Since
day 1 I was constantly told I can’t do something based on my gender, and that’s absurd. Since I was a little girl, I wondered why people try to impose these limits in my life.
Ultimately, there is no place in today’s society for a mindset as such. Women are able to learn the skills just as men are, yet we make up a much smaller percentage of the workforce in automotive trades. This is a monumental missed opportunity for employers, and to me, it’s baffling and unacceptable. I hope by showcasing my skills and my enthusiasm for the job, I can normalize it for women to be doing this kind of work. I truly hope in my lifetime I get to
work with more girls and see more girls out on the track.
Safety note: just like racing, safety is job number one when working on your vehicle.
When spraying products containing isocyanate hardeners, a fresh air supplied mask is
required by law.
Check out the BoothTalk Podcast featuring Meghan, Episode 89