Charlotte Kainz
Motorcycle racing // Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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Charlotte Kainz, a pioneering female flat track racer from Milwaukee, rose from drawing Harley-Davidson XR750s as a toddler to competing professionally on those same machines, achieving a season-best 13th place at the Arizona Mile before her tragic passing at age 20.
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FULL BIO: Charlotte Kainz
Charlotte Kainz was a pioneering female flat track racer who captured hearts with her remarkable talent and determination, rising from a child prodigy drawing Harley-Davidson XR750s to competing professionally on those very machines against seasoned veterans.
EARLY YEARS
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Charlotte grew up in nearby Greenfield where her passion for motorsports manifested extraordinarily early. As a toddler, she was already drawing detailed pictures of Harley-Davidson XR750 motorcycles—the same machines she would later race professionally. After graduating from Greenfield High School in 2015, she attended the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater while pursuing her racing career. By age nine, filmmaker Wendy Schneider encountered Charlotte racing at the Aztalan Cycle Club in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, already displaying the talent that would define her too-brief but impactful career.
EARLY SUCCESS
Charlotte’s racing journey accelerated quickly from those early days at local dirt tracks. Demonstrating natural talent by age four, she rapidly developed the skills and competitive spirit that would propel her into professional competition. Her fearless approach on the track distinguished her from other racers, making her stand out despite her small-town background. Competing in the AMA Pro Flat Track series while still in her teens represented a remarkable achievement, as she raced a Harley-Davidson 750—the very bike she had drawn as a child. Her season-best 13th place finish at the Arizona Mile highlighted her ability to compete against much more experienced racers, many of whom had been racing professionally for years before she entered the scene.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 2015: Graduated Greenfield High School while already competing in professional flat track racing[1].
- 2016: Achieved season-best 13th place at the Arizona Mile in the AMA Pro Flat Track series[1].
- 2016: Featured prominently in the documentary “Angels of Dirt,” chronicling her 17-year journey in motorsports[2].
REPUTATION
Charlotte earned tremendous respect in the motorsports community for her unwavering determination and exceptional talent in a male-dominated sport. Her fearless approach to racing inspired young women across the country, proving that gender was no barrier to competing at the highest levels of flat track racing. The racing community recognized her as not just a talented female racer, but as a formidable competitor regardless of gender. Tragically, her life was cut short at age 20 in a racing accident, but her influence continues through initiatives like the Charlotte Kainz Memorial race. The documentary “Angels of Dirt” preserves her legacy, showcasing a racer who confronted the physical dangers of her sport with admirable bravery while maintaining her passion for competition throughout her career.
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
References:
Charlotte Kainz Racing Profile
Angels of Dirt Documentary
Motorsports Memorial Foundation Interview
AMA Pro Flat Track Archives
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