Taylor Ferns

Taylor Ferns is a trailblazing sprint car and Silver Crown racer who holds more USAC records than most men twice her age—and she’s doing it all while juggling law school, a corporate day job, and running her own racing team.

EARLY YEARS

Born December 12, 1995, in Shelby Township, Michigan, Taylor Ferns was practically born into racing. Two of her uncles competed throughout the ’80s and early ’90s, and the Ferns family treated the Daytona 500 like a national holiday. By age six, she sat in her first race car—a quarter midget—and felt butterflies immediately. “Like love at first sight,” she’d later recall. That was it. The hook was set.

Growing up in a racing family meant the sport was woven into the fabric of her childhood. It wasn’t just something she watched; it was something she lived. And once she got behind the wheel, there was no turning back.

OTHER INTERESTS

Off the track, Ferns isn’t your average gearhead. She earned her BBA from Grand Valley State University in 2018 with a double major in Finance and Economics, then went on to complete an MBA in Finance and Management from Wayne State University in 2020. Not satisfied with that, she enrolled in Wayne State University Law School and earned her J.D., all while still racing competitively.

She works as Operations Manager at The Sam Bernstein Law Firm in Detroit, writes for SpeedSport magazine, and founded The Safety Bank, a nonprofit launched in partnership with the Shift Up Now Foundation. The Safety Bank focuses on advancing safety initiatives in motorsports—a cause she’s passionate about given the risks she faces every time she buckles in.

She’s also an ambassador for Women in Motorsports North America (WIMNA), an organization founded by her mentor Lyn St. James and IndyCar team owner Beth Paretta. Ferns has made it her mission to mentor younger girls interested in racing, giving back to the sport that gave her so much.

EARLY SUCCESS

Ferns started turning heads early. At just 14 years and four months old, she became the youngest female to win a sprint car race—a record that still stands. By 2010, she was winning USAC championships and collecting hardware like it was going out of style.

In 2011, she won the USAC D1 Regional Midget Championship, becoming only the second woman in history to win a USAC championship. That same year, she received the Kara Kendrick Award, recognizing her achievements as a young female driver. Her pavement success opened doors to stock car opportunities starting in 2012, though her heart remained with open-wheel racing.

She kept winning—on dirt, on pavement, in midgets, in sprint cars. She became the first female to win a 500 Sprint Car Tour race and eventually became the winningest female feature driver in USAC history. Not bad for someone who also had calculus homework to finish.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2010: Became the youngest female to win a sprint car race at 14 years and 4 months old[1].
• 2010: Received the Kara Kendrick Award[2].
• 2011: Won the USAC D1 Regional Midget Championship, becoming the second woman to win a USAC championship[3].
• 2022: Became the highest-finishing woman in USAC Silver Crown history with a podium finish at the famed Carb Night Classic[4].
• 2022: Won the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial at Salem Speedway, a prestigious 65th running of the event[5].
• 2023: Completed Skip Barber’s Three-Day Formula Racing School at Sebring International Raceway, her first venture into road racing[6].
• 2024: Signed with Abel Motorsports to compete in INDY NXT oval events[7].
• Career: Became the winningest female feature driver in USAC history[8].
• Career: First female to win a 500 Sprint Car Tour race[9].

INSPIRATIONS

Lyn St. James stands out as a major influence in Ferns’ career. St. James, a pioneering female driver herself and co-founder of WIMNA, has mentored Ferns and provided guidance as she navigates the male-dominated world of open-wheel racing. Their relationship isn’t just professional—it’s personal, rooted in a shared understanding of what it takes to compete at the highest levels while breaking barriers.

REPUTATION

Ferns is known for being just as competitive and fearless as any of her male competitors. She doesn’t back down, doesn’t make excuses, and doesn’t waste time complaining about the challenges women face in motorsports—she just goes out and beats the guys.

After years of searching, she’s found her niche in USAC Silver Crown and sprint car racing, where her aggressive driving style and sharp instincts shine. She’s respected in the paddock not because she’s a woman, but because she’s fast. The fact that she’s also managing a law career, writing articles, and running a nonprofit just adds to the legend.

In 2022, 8 Track Entertainment signed her for management representation, recognizing her marketability and crossover appeal beyond the racetrack. She’s not just a driver—she’s a brand.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Ferns is “all in” on her comeback tour, continuing to compete in USAC Silver Crown and sprint car events. In 2024, she partnered with Abel Motorsports to race INDY NXT oval events, expanding her reach into the Road to Indy ladder system. She’s also continuing her work with The Safety Bank and WIMNA, committed to making motorsports safer and more accessible for the next generation of female racers.

She’s juggling it all—racing, lawyering, mentoring, and building businesses—with the same intensity she brings to the track. Whatever comes next, you can bet she’ll be pushing limits and rewriting record books.

REFERENCES

[1] Home – The Official Website of Taylor Ferns
[2] Taylor Ferns – Shift Up Now
[3] 8 Track Entertainment Signs Winning USAC Racecar Driver Taylor Ferns
[4] Home – The Official Website of Taylor Ferns
[5] Taylor Ferns Wires James/O’Connor Memorial – SPEED SPORT
[6] Taylor Ferns discovers road racing at Sebring – Skip Barber
[7] USAC Short-Track Star Ferns To Race Oval Events with Abel
[8] Taylor Ferns Speeds Into Auto Racing History | Shelby, MI Patch
[9] Taylor Ferns – Shift Up Now
Taylor Ferns – Wikipedia
Ferns is “All In” on Comeback Tour – 500 Sprint Car Tour
Seidman Spotlight – Taylor Ferns – Grand Valley State University
Taylor Ferns – SPEED SPORT
Taylor Ferns: Racing Toward a Legacy in Open Wheel and Beyond
Meet the Athlete: Taylor Ferns – Shift Up Now