This month we’re celebrating the incredible women who help RLL Racing run. We’ve asked some of the hard-working women about their experience with the team and advice for those interested in motorsports.
Jenna Soukup is a Control System Engineer for the IMSA team and has been with the program for two years. During Jenna’s time here, she was a part of the LMDh launch and the team’s first GTP victory.
Donna Filson has been with the Rahal family for over 20 years and is Bobby’s personal assistant and Finance Manager for Graham Rahal LLC. Donna began with the Rahal family when Bobby started a go-kart racing series and then managed Graham’s racing logistics and business activities when he started racing.
Noel Seaman joined the IMSA team this offseason as a Mechanic on the No. 25 BMW M Hybrid V8. Noel transitions to Driver Changer during the race and ensures each driver is safely strapped into the car in record time.
Q: As a female working in a role that has been predominantly held by men, what’s the experience been like?
Jenna: There haven’t been noticeable hurdles. In some ways, motorsports is better than the normal corporate world for this. As most people assume that if you’re in this role, you must have earned it rather than dealing with the idea of a “diversity hire.”
Noel: As a woman in motorsports, I find my job very fulfilling because I can work with other qualified mechanics from around the world.
Q: How have you seen the industry evolve over the years in allowing women to have more leadership?
Donna: Women are still a minority on the racing circuit, but the biggest growth I have seen is in the area of engineering and welcoming them to a male-dominated industry and profession.
Q: What would you say to a female looking to get involved in motorsports?
Jenna: I would say to get involved in any hands-on project with motorsports that you can. Racing is a small world, so any project is good for networking. Work on as many aspects of the project as you can, to gain more perspective and knowledge beyond a typical engineering role.
Noel: Some advice I would give to others looking to become a race mechanic would be to never stop working harder, don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.
Donna: Know the industry backward & forwards, inside and out, from what happens behind the scenes to understand what happens on the race track, not only with results but also how the cars handle and the magnitude of what it takes to have a team show up at the track. Never burn any bridges – the paddock is quite small! Remember the names and make it personal.