Maddie Colleran

Maddie Colleran is a rising USF Juniors driver from Hunting Valley, Ohio, who didn’t touch a kart until 2023 and made her formula car debut just two years later—proof that when you’re determined, late starts don’t mean last place.

EARLY YEARS

Born September 12, 2009, in Hunting Valley, Ohio, Colleran came to racing later than most competitors who’ve been karting since they could walk. She didn’t start karting until 2023, diving into local 206 Briggs Junior competition in 2024. After just two years of kart racing, she took her first laps in a formula car at the Lucas Oil School of Racing, making the bold leap from weekend karting to professional open-wheel racing faster than most people get through their driver’s ed course.

At 5’5″ and 125 pounds, she’s a ninth-grader balancing homework with high-speed competition—a combination that would make most teenagers’ heads spin.

OTHER INTERESTS

When she’s not strapped into a race car, Colleran keeps the adrenaline flowing with swimming, dirt biking, and hiking. It’s a mix that suggests she’s comfortable with speed, endurance, and maybe a little mud—qualities that serve her well on race weekends. Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course holds special significance as her home track, giving her a familiar battleground in an otherwise grueling national championship schedule.

EARLY SUCCESS

Colleran’s 2025 rookie season with Zanella Racing in the USF Juniors Championship was a masterclass in steady improvement and sheer determination. She competed in both the Formula FARA and USF Juniors programs, gaining experience across multiple series simultaneously. Starting the season at NOLA Motorsports Park in April, she made a solid debut alongside fellow female rookies Emma Scarborough and Kaylee Countryman, all three scoring their first championship points.

Throughout the year, she continued to chip away at her lap times and race results. By Road America in June, she was classified P16 after post-race penalties shuffled the field, holding off Oliver Wheldon after his spin—a small but significant victory in confidence building. Her progress wasn’t flashy, but it was real. She ended the season as the only driver in the USF Juniors program to complete all 248 laps of racing, a feat that speaks volumes about her consistency and mechanical sympathy in a field of ambitious teenagers pushing machines to their limits.

She also participated in the YACademy Winter Series for USF Juniors at Homestead-Miami Speedway and NOLA Motorsports Park, wringing every ounce of seat time out of the off-season to sharpen her racecraft.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2023: Began karting, entering the sport later than most competitors[1].
• 2024: Competed in local 206 Briggs Junior karting series[2].
• 2025: Made formula car debut with Lucas Oil School of Racing[3].
• 2025: Scored first championship points at NOLA Motorsports Park debut in USF Juniors[4].
• 2025: Completed all 248 laps of USF Juniors racing—only driver in the field to achieve perfect attendance[5].
• 2025: Competed in both Formula FARA and USF Juniors programs simultaneously with Zanella Racing[6].
• 2025: Finished 20th in final USF Juniors championship standings with 58 points[7].

INSPIRATIONS

Colleran lists Ayrton Senna as her racing hero—a choice that reveals her appreciation for raw talent, unwavering commitment, and the kind of fierce competitiveness that defined the Brazilian legend. It’s an ambitious benchmark for any young driver, but particularly fitting for someone who’s building her racing foundation one lap at a time, with no shortcuts and no excuses.

REPUTATION

In the paddock, Colleran has earned respect for her work ethic and steady improvement. She’s not the flashiest driver on the grid, but she’s reliable, coachable, and shows up every weekend ready to extract more from herself and the car. Her perfect lap completion record in 2025 didn’t happen by accident—it’s the result of smart racecraft, mechanical sensitivity, and the kind of patience that keeps you out of trouble while you’re learning.

As one of three female drivers in the 2025 USF Juniors field, alongside Scarborough and Countryman, she’s part of a quietly significant moment in American open-wheel racing’s development ladder. She doesn’t make a big deal about it, she just gets on with the job—which is exactly the attitude that wins over team principals and sponsors.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Zanella Racing confirmed Colleran for a sophomore USF Juniors season in 2026, banking on her trajectory and consistency. The team’s faith is well-placed—drivers who complete every lap of their rookie season and show continuous improvement are exactly the kind you want back for year two. With a full season of experience under her helmet and the winter to refine her racecraft, she’s positioned to move up the grid and challenge for stronger finishes. Given her late start in motorsports, every season represents exponential growth, and 2026 will be the litmus test of just how far she can climb.

REFERENCES

[1] Colleran Confirmed for Sophomore USF Juniors Season with Zanella Racing – USF Juniors
[2] Maddie Colleran (R) – Driver Profile – USF Juniors
[3] Colleran Confirmed for Sophomore USF Juniors Season with Zanella Racing – USF Juniors
[4] Solid debut for Scarborough, Countryman and Colleran in USF Juniors at NOLA Motorsport Park – Racers Behind the Helmet
[5] Colleran Confirmed for Sophomore USF Juniors Season with Zanella Racing – USF Juniors
[6] Colleran Confirmed for Sophomore USF Juniors Season with Zanella Racing – USF Juniors
[7] 2025 Season Standings – USF Juniors