GRRL! News Weekly

Welcome to GRRL! Weekly
the fastest newsletter in women’s sports

Week ending October 1

This week in GRRL! brings proof that major brands finally see the commercial power in women's motorsports, a perfect reaction time that took down a NASCAR legend, the heartbreak of an all-woman team battling from back in the pack to the lead jixed by bad luck, historic firsts on high-speed ovals and insane rally stages, plus multiple championship battles headed for showdowns.

Buckle up…

F1 Academy landed a partnership that validates everything: Hello Kitty is bringing its global brand power to the Las Vegas Grand Prix with dedicated Hello Kitty grandstands, a 36-piece merchandise collection, and fan activations. When a brand with a 75% female following invests this heavily, it’s because they've done their market research and know there’s ROI. Women now comprise over 40% of F1's global fanbase and nearly a quarter follow F1 Academy specifically - these aren't niche numbers anymore.

Susie Wolff framed it perfectly: F1 Academy is challenging "outdated perceptions of what belongs in motorsport," and the commercial world is responding. Hello Kitty isn’t dropping money on a cause - their investing in markets. It will be exciting to see the buzz created and the effect it will have an sponsors. We predict: Hello Racers!

Legendary NASCAR racer Tony Stewart posted an incredibly fast reaction time at the start of his first round matchup with IDA ZETTERSTROM. Unfortunately for Tony, IDA posted a perfect .000 reaction and eliminated him in the first round at St. Louis. Her 3.801 ET at 323.66 mph beat Stewart's 3.927, marking this just his second first-round loss of the season and dealt a major blow to his title hopes with only three races remaining. Stewart had looked strong through qualifying, but when the lights went out, ZETTERSTROM's flawless launch gave her the advantage she needed.

With this win the 2023 FIA Top Fuel Champion, ZETTERSTROM, takes another step forward in the NHRA after moving to the U.S. from Sweden. IDA’s victory reminds why we tune in - because skill and timing can create a shocking result in .000 seconds flat.

TAYLOR REIMER became just the second woman in ARCA Menards Series history to score a top-five finish on an intermediate oval, wheeling from 13th to fifth at Kansas Speedway. The 25-year-old showcased serious racecraft during multiple restarts, selecting racing lines away from traffic, while learning to navigate aerodynamic challenges that kill speed on 1.5-mile ovals.

Even NASCAR legend Mark Martin took notice, publicly congratulating her breakthrough performance. Coming from a driver with 40 Cup Series wins and one of the most respected voices in the sport, that recognition signals the racing community is paying attention. REIMER now joins an exclusive club as one of only three women to score top-five finishes on both dirt and pavement in ARCA competition.

P4: AOIFE RAFTERY - The Irish driver secured her first outright rally podium at Overmountain Rally Tennessee in her Rally3 debut. Half the ARA National podium were women, including co-drivers HANNAH MCKILLOP and RHIANON GELSOMINO, proving the DirtFish Women in Motorsport Program is competing at the front.

P5: JEM HEPWORTH & LINDSAY BREWER - Lamborghini Super Trofeo duo bounced back from contact-induced spin to claim third at Indianapolis, slicing the championship gap to just 17 points with one race remaining. Their four-race podium streak positions them perfectly for an incredible World Finals showdown at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in Italy on November 6-9.

P6: ISABELL RUSTAD - delivered a season-best fourth place at Mantorp Park, the highest-ever result by a woman in the 20-year history of the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia. ISABELL won Rookie of the Year and sixth in final championship standings.

P7: IRON DAMES - CÉLIA MARTIN charged from 17th to 7th, RAHEL FREY executed brilliant pass to take the lead at Fuji before an ill-timed safety car destroyed their strategy (yes, there’s more than ‘go fast’). Speed was there for podium, luck wasn't.

P8: ALEXANDRA HAINER - had a stellar IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge debut at Indianapolis, securing second place overall in her McLaren after qualifying just 1.8 seconds off pole despite never racing on the track or in the series before.

P9: LÆRKE RØNN - dominated Mantorp Park with double poles and front-running pace. A controversial 10-second penalty dropped her from first to ninth, but she still won Vice-Champion with two wins and ten podiums in her rookie GT season.

P10: ATIQA MIR - this ten-year-old phenom led most of Champions of the Future Academy race in Slovakia before finishing fourth, just 0.32 seconds from victory. Highest finish by female competitor this season, first Indian in COFTA top-four. Keep an eye on ATIQA.

British-New Zealander EMILY COTTY delivered her breakthrough weekend at Barcelona, securing first-ever top-10 qualifying (P10) and becoming only the fifth woman in Italian F4 history to achieve this milestone. She followed with her strongest race result yet - P11 in Race 2, narrowly missing points while securing best rookie classification.

Racing in one of the world's most competitive junior championships with almost 40 entries, COTTY swept both Female Trophy wins while proving she can battle at the sharp end of international competition.

(This is a new section to the newsletter to honor the GRRL!s who made it possible for all the women we champion. Each week we’ll remind you to appreciate women - famous or not - whose contributions helped make possible the success women enjoy today.)