Alana Martin — also known by her married name Alana Carter — is a rising force in North American motorsports, competing across road racing, off-road rally, and endurance disciplines while building a reputation as one of the more versatile young drivers in the amateur-to-professional pipeline. [1]

EARLY YEARS

Born on April 3, 1997, Alana grew up in Mineral Wells, Texas. [2] Her path to motorsports wasn’t a straight line — she was a competitive athlete long before she sat behind the wheel of a race car, with a background in track and field that took her to the collegiate level. She ran for the Robert Morris University Colonials as part of the women’s indoor track program. [3] That athletic foundation — the discipline, the physical conditioning, the mental side of competition — would prove directly transferable when she made the pivot to motorsports.

OTHER INTERESTS

Away from the track, Alana has spoken publicly about the importance of mental performance and mindset in sports. She has been featured by CEP Mindset, a platform focused on the psychological side of athletic competition, where she discussed the need for an outlet and a guide in sports — acknowledging that the mental game is as demanding as the physical one. [4] She has also been involved in community and inspirational work, appearing on platforms aimed at encouraging women and girls to pursue careers in motorsports and high-performance fields. [5]

EARLY SUCCESS

Alana’s motorsports career gained serious traction through her involvement with the Radical Academy Canada, which announced a two-car lineup that included her participation. [6] That opportunity helped sharpen her skills in a structured, competitive environment before she graduated to higher-profile national series.

Her SRO TC America debut came with Ricca Autosport at Barber Motorsports Park — and it announced her presence loudly. The debut was described as a shining performance, with coverage noting that she acquitted herself impressively in her first outing in the series. [7] TC America, which runs as a support series on the SRO America platform, is a genuinely competitive environment, and making an impression on debut is not a given.

She followed that debut with a double top-10 finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in TC America competition — a result that drew specific attention from the motorsports media covering the series. [8] IMS is one of the most iconic venues in global motorsports, and performing consistently there means something.

In Mazda MX-5 Cup competition, she was part of a closely contested race at Road America — one of the most celebrated road courses in North America — where Carter was beaten out by Paley in a finish decided by a nose. [9] That kind of razor-thin margin is, in its own way, a statement: she was in the fight to the very end.

On the off-road side, Alana has competed in the Rebelle Rally, one of the most demanding all-women off-road navigation events in the United States. [10] The Rebelle is not a sprint — it’s a multi-day event across remote terrain that tests navigation, endurance, and decision-making as much as driving ability. Her participation there speaks to a competitive range that most road racers don’t bother to explore.

She has also competed in endurance racing through AE Victory Racing, an all-female team competing in the World Racing League. The team — alongside co-drivers Freiberg and Montgomery — claimed their first WRL podium together, a milestone that marked a significant step for the program. [11] AE Victory Racing has been building steadily, and heading into the WRL Championship final, the team’s two years of growth and expansion were noted explicitly in coverage of the series. [12] Alana is listed as a driver for the team. [13]

Her profile has grown through the Shift Up Now organization, which works to advance women in motorsports. She was first announced as a Polaris Talent joining Shift Up Now as a corporate member, [14] and is now listed as a team member on the organization’s roster. [15] That kind of institutional backing matters — it opens doors and provides a platform that independent drivers rarely access on their own.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2022: Made her SRO TC America debut with Ricca Autosport at Barber Motorsports Park, earning praise for her performance in her first series appearance [7].
• 2022: Recorded a double top-10 finish in TC America competition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway [8].
• Competed in the Rebelle Rally, one of the United States’ premier all-women off-road navigation events [10].
• Co-drove with Freiberg and Montgomery to claim AE Victory Racing’s first WRL podium in World Racing League competition [11].
• Ran with Radical Academy Canada, gaining structured single-make racing experience [6].
• Competed in Mazda MX-5 Cup at Road America, finishing in a tight battle decided by the smallest of margins [9].
• Named a Polaris Talent by Shift Up Now and elevated to corporate team member status with the organization [14][15].

INSPIRATIONS

Alana has spoken about the figures and philosophies that drive her competitive outlook. She has been featured discussing the “compete, don’t compare” mindset — a framework centered on measuring yourself against your own performance rather than being consumed by what competitors are doing. [16] That internal focus is a recurring theme in how she discusses her approach to sport and life.

She has also been featured on the Hypercraft USA platform in a series spotlighting inspirational female racing drivers, appearing in multiple episodes of the “Volts & Bolts” series. [5][17] The framing of those features — centered on her story as something worth telling — reflects how she’s perceived within the women’s motorsports community: as someone whose trajectory is worth watching.

REPUTATION

Within the women’s motorsports space, Alana has cultivated a reputation as a multi-disciplined competitor who takes her craft seriously and doesn’t limit herself to a single lane. Road racing, off-road navigation, endurance — she’s shown a willingness to test herself across formats that demand very different skill sets. That versatility is not accidental; it reflects a deliberate approach to developing as a complete driver. [1][6][10]

She has been featured in outlets ranging from Racers Behind the Helmet to Dinner with Racers, the latter of which included her in a “Rising Stars” episode — a designation that carries weight in a community that doesn’t hand out compliments casually. [8][18] Her personal website and media presence suggest someone who understands that modern motorsports requires drivers to be their own best advocates. [19]

Her association with AE Victory Racing and Shift Up Now also positions her within a broader ecosystem of women pushing for more visibility and opportunity in North American motorsports — not through grievance, but through results. [11][12][14]

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Details about specific 2025 programs had not been publicly confirmed at the time this profile was compiled. However, her continued involvement with AE Victory Racing — a team described as entering a new era ahead — and her standing with Shift Up Now suggest that her competitive schedule will continue to expand. [12][15] The trajectory is clear enough: more seat time, more series, and a driver who has demonstrated she can perform when the competition gets tight.

References:

Racer X Online – Alana Martin Race Vault
Shift Up Now – Athletes
Robert Morris University – Alana Martin Track Roster
CEP Mindset – The Need for an Outlet and a Guide in Sports
Hypercraft USA – Alana Carter: Inspirational Female Racecar Driver (Ep. 3 Volts & Bolts)
Radical Motorsport – Radical Academy Canada Announces Two-Car Lineup
Women in Motorsports NA – Rising Star Alana Carter to Make SRO TC America Debut
Racers Behind the Helmet – TC America Double Top 10 for Alana Carter at IMS
Mazda MX-5 Cup – Carter Beats Paley by a Nose at Road America
Rebelle Rally – Official Results
Racers Behind the Helmet – Freiberg, Montgomery and Carter Claim First WRL Podium for AE Victory Racing
Women in Motorsports NA – AE Victory Racing Heads into WRL Championship Final
AE Victory Racing – Drivers
Shift Up Now – Polaris Talent to Join Shift Up Now as a Corporate Member
Shift Up Now – Alana Carter Team Member
CEP Mindset – Compete, Don’t Compare
Hypercraft USA – Alana Carter: Inspirational Female Racecar Driver (Volts & Bolts Part 2)
Dinner with Racers – Ep. 297: Dinner Bites Rising Stars – Alana Carter
Alana Carter – Official Website
TC America – Alana Carter Shines in TC Debut at Barber Motorsports Park