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Sarah Montgomery is a professional race car driver and instructor from Lafayette, Louisiana, who’s been making waves in motorsports since she was young enough to need a piggy bank to fund her racing dreams—and she’s been proving doubters wrong ever since.

EARLY YEARS

Born on May 18, 1994, Sarah Montgomery grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana, with her parents Laura and Robert, and her sister Emily[1]. When she was just 10 years old, her dad scored free tickets to an IndyCar race at Texas Motor Speedway, and that trip changed everything[2]. Watching those cars scream around the track—with Danica Patrick among the competitors that day—flipped a switch in young Sarah’s brain[3]. What started as excitement morphed into full-blown obsession.

She didn’t just dream about racing; she started saving. With her piggy bank as her first sponsor, Sarah began plotting her path to the track[4]. By the time she was old enough to get behind the wheel, she was already competing in dirt oval go-karts across the southern United States, where she racked up three championships[5]. Turns out, the girl had natural talent to match that relentless drive.

OTHER INTERESTS

Sarah isn’t just about burning rubber. While juggling a racing schedule that takes her to tracks about 30 times a year, she pursued a marketing degree at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, balancing textbooks with tire temps like it was no big deal[6]. She’s also deeply involved in philanthropy, partnering with Lemons of Love, a Chicago-based charity that supports adults battling cancer[7]. When she’s not racing, Sarah works as a driving instructor at the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and has also carved out time as a real estate agent, helping people find their dream homes[8]. Her faith plays a major role in her life, grounding her through the highs and the brutal lows of professional racing[9].

EARLY SUCCESS

Sarah’s first Spec Miata race came in 2011, and she didn’t waste time proving she belonged[10]. The following year, she won the Spec Miata Charity Challenge 1 Hour Enduro at Gulf Coast Racing Series[11]. By 2013, she was on fire: she claimed both the Gulf Coast Racing Series Championship and the NASA NOLA Region Spec Miata Series Championship[12]. Her hometown took notice—the City of Lafayette’s Visitor’s Commission became one of her sponsors, making her the only competitor in the 2016 Battery MX-5 Cup sponsored by an entire city[13].

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. In May 2017, Sarah was competing in the Pirelli World Challenge at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park when disaster struck at the track’s notorious turn 2[14]. Her Honda Civic—possibly due to a flat tire—lost control and slammed into the wall. Then it flipped. Eight times[15]. She walked away with a concussion and several broken ribs, injuries that would sideline most people permanently. Not Sarah. She was determined to rebuild her racing career, and that’s exactly what she did[16].

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2012: Won Spec Miata Charity Challenge 1 Hour Enduro at Gulf Coast Racing Series[17].
• 2013: Won Gulf Coast Racing Series Championship[18].
• 2013: Won NASA NOLA Region Spec Miata Series Championship[19].
• 2016: Competed in inaugural Mazda MX-5 Cup Global Invitational[20].
• 2016: First female in Global Mazda MX-5 Cup history to finish on the podium[21].
• 2019: Driving for Sick Sideways Racing, earned four consecutive podium finishes including two third-place finishes at Portland[22].
• 2021: Competed in the highest class of World Racing League driving a Porsche GT4, led many laps and earned a win at the 24 Hours of COTA[23].
• 2023: Part of all-female AE Victory Racing team that made history with breakthrough success in World Racing League[24].
• 2023: First all-female team to secure a GTO class podium in WRL, competing alongside Ashley Freiberg and Alana Carter[25].

INSPIRATIONS

That childhood trip to see IndyCar racing—complete with watching Danica Patrick compete—planted the seed[26]. But Sarah’s been fortunate to have real mentorship along the way. Captain Nemo Mosing shepherded her into professional driving classes and the world of competitive racing, and continues to serve as a mentor today[27]. She’s also got racing in her DNA: her uncle and cousin, Bob and Bill Riley of Riley Technologies, are fixtures in the motorsports world[28]. Their support and expertise have been invaluable as she’s climbed the ranks.

REPUTATION

Sarah Montgomery has earned respect not just for her speed, but for her grit. Coming back from a crash that left her concussed and broken takes something most people don’t have. She silenced doubters by getting back in the car and continuing to compete at the highest levels[29]. Her work with AE Victory Racing—an all-female team founded with the mission to provide racing opportunities for women, led by women—has put her at the forefront of changing the face of motorsports[30]. She’s been featured in reality TV on MotorTrend’s “The Drive Within,” bringing her story to audiences beyond the track[31]. Whether she’s instructing at Porsche Experience Center, advocating for women in racing through organizations like Shift Up Now, or wheeling an Audi R8 in endurance competition, Sarah represents a new generation of female racers who refuse to be sidelined[32].

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

For the 2025 season, Sarah and AE Victory Racing introduced a brand-new car to their World Racing League campaign, continuing to push the boundaries of what all-female teams can accomplish in endurance racing[33]. Though her continued partnership with AE Victory Racing has been described as “bittersweet,” she remains committed to competing at the highest levels and inspiring the next generation of female racers[34]. With her experience across multiple platforms—from Spec Miata to GT4 machinery—Sarah’s got the skill set and determination to keep climbing. And knowing her track record, she’s not done making history yet.

REFERENCES

[1] About Sarah – Sarah Montgomery Racing
[2] How Sarah Montgomery Got Her Need for Speed – The Daily Iberian
[3] Catch Her If You Can – New Orleans Magazine
[4] Sarah Montgomery Battles Back From Adversity – FloRacing
[5] About Sarah – Sarah Montgomery Racing
[6] High-Octane Sophomore Balances School, Car Racing – University of Louisiana
[7] Then and Now: Sarah Montgomery – Face Magazine
[8] 2157: Sarah Montgomery – Cars Yeah
[9] Sarah Montgomery, Professional Race Car Driver Making Lafayette Proud – Discover Lafayette
[10] About Sarah – Sarah Montgomery Racing
[11] About Sarah – Sarah Montgomery Racing
[12] About Sarah – Sarah Montgomery Racing
[13] Mazda Announces U.S. Drivers For Inaugural Mazda MX-5 Cup Global Invitational – Mazda USA
[14] Mazda Global MX-5 Cup Racer Sarah Montgomery Silences the Doubters – Autoweek
[15] Mazda Global MX-5 Cup Racer Sarah Montgomery Silences the Doubters – Autoweek
[16] Sarah Montgomery Battles Back From Adversity – FloRacing
[17] About Sarah – Sarah Montgomery Racing
[18] About Sarah – Sarah Montgomery Racing
[19] About Sarah – Sarah Montgomery Racing
[20] Mazda Announces U.S. Drivers For Inaugural Mazda MX-5 Cup Global Invitational – Mazda USA
[21] Lafayette Race Car Driver Sarah Montgomery Makes History – 103.3 The Goat
[22] Sick Sideways Finishes 2019 with 41 Podiums, 18 Wins and One Championship – Mazda MX-5 Cup
[23] About Sarah – Sarah Montgomery Racing
[24] Freiberg, Carter and Montgomery Claim Breakthrough Success for AE Victory Racing – Racers Behind the Helmet
[25] Freiberg, Montgomery and Carter Claim Back-to-Back WRL Podiums – Racers Behind the Helmet
[26] Catch Her If You Can – New Orleans Magazine
[27] Sarah Montgomery, Professional Race Car Driver Making Lafayette Proud – Discover Lafayette
[28] About Sarah – Sarah Montgomery Racing
[29] Mazda Global MX-5 Cup Racer Sarah Montgomery Silences the Doubters – Autoweek
[30] Drivers – AE Victory Racing
[31] Lafayette Native Sarah Montgomery to be Featured Star in Race Car Driving Reality TV Series – KPEL 96.5
[32] Meet the Athlete: Sarah Montgomery – Shift Up Now
[33] Meet the Athlete: Sarah Montgomery – Shift Up Now
[34] AE Victory Racing End WRL Season with Top-5 in COTA – Racers Behind the Helmet