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Gray Leadbetter is a professional American race car driver from Morganton, North Carolina, who became the first woman to win a Pro Class Championship in Championship Off-Road history at age 17—and she’s only getting started.

EARLY YEARS

Born December 9, 2004, in Morganton, North Carolina, Gray Leadbetter discovered her need for speed at an age when most kids are learning to ride a bike. By three years old, she was tearing through the woods on a dirt bike, having graduated from a battery-powered four-wheeler that clearly wasn’t cutting it. Her father, Stephen, had no background in motorsports and no particular agenda for his daughter’s future. He just saw her face light up behind the wheel—or handlebars—and made the very wise decision not to get in her way.

What followed was a childhood that reads like a motorsports fever dream. Gray competed in motocross and karting from a very young age, racking up seat time and skills most adults never achieve. At 12, she attended the DirtFish rally school for a private three-day session with Subaru Rally Team driver Patrik Sandell. That same year, she also drove a Viper at the Bondurant Racing School in Chandler, Arizona—because apparently, 12 is the perfect age to handle 450 horsepower. During winters, she traveled to Sweden for one-on-one driver training with Patrik Sandell at FlatOut Sweden, learning to navigate frozen roads with the kind of precision that would later define her career.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond the track, Gray is a dedicated supporter of the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, an organization focused on funding research to find less toxic, more effective treatments for childhood cancer. It’s a cause she’s passionate about, and she uses her platform to raise awareness and support for NPCF’s mission to help eliminate childhood cancer.

EARLY SUCCESS

By the time Gray was 15, she had over a decade of racing experience under her belt—a fact that’s both impressive and slightly absurd. She was competing in everything from motocross to karting, legends cars, and rallycross, building a resume that would make most professional drivers jealous. Her versatility wasn’t just for show; she was winning.

In 2017, at just 12 years old, Gray became the first female to win a US Pro Kart Series national race. She also competed in the UTV World Championships in Laughlin, Nevada, in both 2017 and 2018, finishing strong in both years. By 14, she was the youngest competitor and the only female in Americas Rallycross 2, where she was mentored by off-road legend and Indy 500 winner Buddy Rice. She wasn’t just holding her own—she was setting the pace.

At 16, Gray showed up at the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series World Finals, further proving that if it has wheels and goes fast, she’ll race it. She also competed in the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals with Marc Dailey Racing, continuing her pattern of jumping into high-level competition and learning on the fly.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2017: Became the first female to win a US Pro Kart Series national race at age 12.
• 2021: Competed in Americas Rallycross 2 as the youngest competitor and only female at age 14, mentored by Buddy Rice.
• 2022: Made her Championship Off-Road Pro Spec debut and won Race 1 of the Antigo opener at age 17, becoming the first woman to win a Pro Class race in series history.
• 2022: Became the first woman to win a Pro Class Championship in Championship Off-Road history, clinching the Pro Spec title by a single point with Ryan Beat Motorsports.
• 2022: Competed in the Energy X-Prix in Uruguay with Chip Ganassi Racing in Extreme E, marking her first exposure to the series at age 17.
• 2024: Made her Extreme E debut with Legacy Motor Club alongside action sports icon Travis Pastrana.
• 2024: Competed in Nitrocross’ SXS class, earning four podiums and finishing in the top three in the standings.

INSPIRATIONS

Gray’s racing hero is Travis Pastrana, one of the world’s most versatile and fearless motorsports athletes. She’s taken his approach to heart: if it’s fast and it’s challenging, she’s interested. Working alongside Pastrana in Extreme E was a full-circle moment for her, and his influence is evident in her willingness to race anything, anywhere. She’s also quick to credit her mentors, including Buddy Rice, off-road legend Johnny Greaves and his son CJ Greaves, and Patrik Sandell, all of whom have played key roles in shaping her driving style and competitive mindset.

REPUTATION

Gray has built a reputation as a driver with an old-school racer’s heart and a fearless approach to competition. She’s humble about her achievements, often deflecting credit to her mentors and team, but her results speak for themselves. She’s accustomed to being the first, the only woman, or the youngest competitor in the room—and she’s consistently proven she belongs there. Her driving philosophy is simple: “Don’t think, just drive.” It’s a mindset that’s served her well across multiple disciplines, from dirt bikes to hydrogen-powered race cars.

Known for her adaptability, Gray moves seamlessly between series and vehicle types, whether it’s short-course off-road trucks, sprint cars, rallycross, or international electric and hydrogen racing. She’s not just collecting experience—she’s mastering it. And while she’s still young, her work ethic, versatility, and results have earned her respect in a male-dominated industry that doesn’t hand out participation trophies.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

For 2025, Gray is moving up to the Pro Lite class in Championship Off-Road, continuing her partnership with Ryan Beat Motorsports. The step up represents a new challenge, and she’s approaching it with the same focus that’s defined her career so far. In October 2024, she also entered Extreme H as the replacement for Laia Sanz, racing alongside Fraser McConnell with the Zeroid team. With Extreme H’s shift to hydrogen-powered vehicles, Gray is once again on the cutting edge of motorsports technology, proving that her appetite for new challenges hasn’t slowed down.

Beyond the immediate season, Gray has expressed her dream of racing at Daytona, a goal that fits perfectly with her pattern of chasing the biggest stages in motorsports. If her track record is any indication, it’s not a question of if, but when.

REFERENCES

Gray Leadbetter – Wikipedia
Don’t Think, Just Drive – Interview with Gray Leadbetter – Paddock Sorority
Destined for Speed – DodgeGarage
Gray Leadbetter – American Race Car Driver
Gray Leadbetter on her Extreme E debut – News
Gray Leadbetter: A 12-Year-Old Champion – DirtFish
Gray Leadbetter Moves to Pro Lite for 2025 Championship Off-Road Season
Gray Leadbetter on Mentoring, Heroes & Movies – SpeedFreaks
17-year-old Gray Leadbetter posts another first for women in racing
In the Hot Seat: Gray Leadbetter – The Podium Finish
Extreme H: Electric Cars Out, Hydrogen Is The Future – ThePitcrewOnline
Young Woman Shattering The “Dirt Ceiling” – PR Newswire
Gray Leadbetter Breaks New Ceiling for Women Racers
Gray Leadbetter becomes first female Championship Off-Road Pro winner
About GRAY – Gray Leadbetter
National Pediatric Cancer Foundation – Gray Leadbetter