Molly Rhoads has become accustomed to winning on some of Minnesota’s most competitive race tracks.The 2000 graduate of Hastings High School has been behind the wheel of a race car for eight years. This past summer was one of her most successful, as she finished in fourth place in the season standings at Raceway Park in Shakopee.
The finish, along with a ninth-place showing in the Minnesota Late Model Challenge series, has helped her earn a look from some of the top racing teams in NASCAR.
Last week, Rhoads learned she had been selected to participate in an event Oct. 16-17 in Virginia that is designed to connect women and minorities with big-time teams such as Richard Childress Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing.
“It is two days to qualify and see what you’ve got,”?Rhoads said. “It will be a huge deal just to see what I can do in front of them.”
She applied for NASCAR’s “Drive for Diversity” program a year ago, but missed the deadline. This year, a representative of the program contacted her and asked her to apply again.
In 2005 there were more than 300 applicants, and 18 were selected to participate in the “Drive for Diversity” event. Of the 18 selected, five were signed to contracts.
Rhoads will spend the first day on the track, showing off the skills she has honed since she jumped in her brother A.J.’s car when she was 16. The second day of the event will be spent in interviews.
“I don’t have to bring anything but my helmet and gloves,”?she said. “They provide all the cars.”
If she signs a contract, it could be to race in weekly series races in California or North Carolina, or it could be to race regionally. Of the five who signed contracts at the event last year, one was signed to the more prestigious regional contract.
The opportunity to sign a contract would be a dream come true for the 24-year-old, who now lives in Goodhue and works for her dad at Dakota Rhoads Masonry on Highway 52.
“I’d like to race anything someone will let me drive,”?she said. “If I can’t be a driver, I would like to be a crew member.”
Racing has been a family affair for Rhoads, who starting by helping her brother in the pits and often has her twin sister, Megan, working on her pit crew.
Over the years, she has raced at Elko Speedway, Raceway Park and Interstate 94 Speedway.
Her skills developed quickly in recent years, both in the pits and on the track.
“I?know the ropes better,”?she said. “I’m not the rookie anymore.”
Rhoads’ worst crashes necessitated the need to replace the front of the car, and both occurred in the same week.
“The worst part is getting out of the car and seeing what happened in just one second,” she said.
Rhoads, who graduated from UW-River Falls with a degree in animal science, expects to hear from organizers of the diversity event by Nov. 1 if she is offered a contract. It could be the next step towards her dream — racing on the NASCAR circuit.
“This track is where some big names have come out of,”Rhoads said. “Even if I’m not picked, my name goes to other owners.”
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