Sarah Montgomery
Sports Car racing // Lafayette, Louisiana
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Sarah Montgomery became Louisiana’s first female professional race car driver in 2014 and made history as the first woman to podium in the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Series.
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My entire personal goal for this year was to become the first female ever on the podium…I am completely honored and humbled to be here racing on this stage
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FULL BIO: Sarah Montgomery
Sarah Montgomery made history as Louisiana’s first female professional race car driver and became the first woman to podium in the Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Series. This Lafayette native has carved her path through motorsports with determination, skill, and an angry red fleur-de-lis on her helmet that represents her Louisiana pride.
EARLY YEARS
Born May 18 in Lafayette, Louisiana, Sarah grew up in a family that breathed motorsports. Her parents, Robert and Laura Montgomery, encouraged her racing interests from the start, and visits to her uncle Bob Riley’s racing engineering workshops planted the seeds of her love for mechanics and speed. At age 8, she was enrolled in karting lessons, but it was attending an IndyCar race with her father at age 12 (thanks to free tickets) that truly ignited her passion for professional racing. After graduating Lafayette High School around 2013, she earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in approximately 2017.
OTHER INTERESTS
While racing dominates her life, Sarah maintains deep pride in her Louisiana roots, symbolized by the “red angry fleur-de-lis” painted on her racing helmet. She starred in the MotorTrend TV docu-series “The Drive Within” starting in 2021, showcasing the challenges and lifestyle of professional racing.
EARLY SUCCESS
Sarah’s progression through motorsports was methodical and impressive. Starting with karting at 8, she moved through Mazda MX-5 Cup and regional touring cars before obtaining her professional racing license around 2014—making her Louisiana’s first female professional race car driver. She made her professional debut in 2016, racing her Mazda nicknamed “Nemo.” Despite balancing a demanding racing schedule with college coursework, she completed her degree in four years while maintaining good grades and friendships.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2014: Obtained professional racing license, becoming Louisiana’s first female professional race car driver[2].
- 2016: Made professional racing debut[3].
- 2019: Became the first female in Global Mazda MX-5 Cup Series history to finish on the podium at Portland International Raceway, achieving back-to-back podiums in rounds 9 and 10[1].
- 2021: Competed in Porsche Cayman endurance races in the World Racing League[3].
- 2025: Currently competing in World Racing League driving a Toyota Supra for AE Victory Racing[5].
INSPIRATIONS
Sarah credits her family as her primary inspiration, particularly her parents Robert and Laura Montgomery, and her uncle Bob Riley, whose racing engineering workshops fostered her early interest in motorsports. The pivotal moment came at age 12 when her father took her to an IndyCar race, sparking her professional ambitions. She acknowledges mentors in the racing community, though she hasn’t named them publicly, expressing respect for seasoned drivers she encountered on the Mazda MX-5 Cup podium.
REPUTATION
Montgomery has earned respect in the industry for her disciplined, analytical driving style and aggressive but clean racecraft. Media coverage consistently focuses on her groundbreaking achievements for women in racing, with no reported controversies or disputes. She serves as a symbolic role model and mentor as part of the Shift Up Now female racing collective, praised by peers and team members for her competitive skill and professional approach.
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
As of 2025, Sarah remains an active professional driver competing in the World Racing League for AE Victory Racing. She has expressed plans to advance her career to bigger stages and competitions while maintaining her strong sponsor and media profile. Based in Lafayette, Louisiana, she continues to run her own brand and website highlighting her racing career and instruction, with no public information suggesting retirement plans in the near future.
References:
24-7 Press Release, September 2019[1]
Face Acadiana magazine, January 2018[2]
103.3 The Goat local news, November 2021[3]
Mabumbe.com biography, June 2025[4]
Official website sarahmontgomeryracing.com, January 2021 & 2025 update[5]
Have Sarah updates or corrections? Please let us know – We’d love to keep this profile current.
