Julia Landauer

Julia Landauer is a two-time champion stock car racing driver who’s carved her own path through NASCAR’s ranks while simultaneously building a career as a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and—yes—a reality TV contestant on Survivor.

EARLY YEARS

Born November 12, 1991, in New York City, Julia didn’t exactly grow up around grease-stained garages or track-side trailers[1]. Her parents weren’t racing people—her dad is a conductor—and her childhood in Manhattan wasn’t exactly NASCAR country[2]. But when she was 10 years old, her parents decided to introduce Julia and her two younger siblings to go-karting, probably thinking it would be a fun weekend activity[3]. Plot twist: Julia got behind the wheel and immediately knew this was her thing[4].

By age 12, she’d won her first go-kart championship and was already sneaking practice laps in her parents’ car in empty school parking lots[5]. The family eventually relocated to North Carolina—the heart of NASCAR territory—where Julia’s racing ambitions could actually take root[6]. She attended the prestigious Stuyvesant High School in New York before the move, juggling academics with an increasingly demanding racing schedule[7].

OTHER INTERESTS

Here’s where Julia gets interesting beyond the track. In 2013, while still an undergraduate at Stanford University, she competed on CBS’s Survivor: Caramoan as one of the “Fans” against returning players[8]. At 21 years old, she was balancing midterms, racing commitments, and strategizing how not to get voted off a tropical island. She didn’t win, but she proved she could handle high-pressure situations outside of a race car—and that she wasn’t afraid to put herself out there in wildly different arenas[9].

She graduated from Stanford in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, and Society, proving she had the intellectual chops to match her driving skills[10]. Post-graduation, she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, to pursue racing full-time, but also began building her platform as a motivational speaker[11]. She’s given TEDx talks, appeared as a keynote speaker at corporate events, and become an advocate for STEM education and women’s empowerment[12]. She also launched a podcast called “If I’m Honest with Julia Landauer,” where she discusses performance, resilience, and—in recent episodes—her evolving relationship with her racing career[13].

EARLY SUCCESS

Julia’s first taste of victory came early. At 13, she raced in her first car race, and by 14, she became the first woman to win a Skip Barber Racing Series championship[14]. That 2006 season was dominant—she racked up 12 wins in the Skip Barber National Championship, a record that announced her as a serious competitor[15]. She wasn’t just participating; she was winning, and winning decisively.

From there, she moved into single-seaters, competing in the Formula BMW USA series, before transitioning to stock cars—a move that would define her career[16]. She gained oval-racing experience in Ford Focus Midgets and continued climbing the ladder through various NASCAR developmental series[17]. At 14, she was already entering her freshman year of high school having made history. Not a bad start.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2006: First woman to win a Skip Barber Racing Series championship, with 12 wins in the season[18].
• 2015: Made history as the highest-ranking female competitor in the 62-year history of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series and became the first woman to win a NASCAR Late Model division race at Motor Mile Speedway[19].
• 2016: Finished fourth in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings in her rookie season and earned the Driver Achievement Award and Top Rookie honors[20].
• 2018: Secured three races with CBRT in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series[21].
• 2019: Became the first woman to lead a lap in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series[22].
• 2020: Joined PK Carsport for a full-time season in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series, finishing fifth overall, third in the Rookies classification, and earning her first career podium at Valencia[23].
• 2022: Competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Alpha Prime Racing[24].

INSPIRATIONS

One of Julia’s role models in racing is Lyn St. James, one of the pioneering women in motorsports who blazed trails decades before Julia strapped into her first race car[25]. St. James’s legacy as a trailblazer undoubtedly influenced how Julia approaches her own career—not just as a racer, but as someone who understands the responsibility of being a visible woman in a male-dominated sport.

REPUTATION

Julia has built a reputation as both a serious competitor and a thoughtful advocate for women in racing and STEM fields. On the track, she’s known for her consistency and determination, even if she hasn’t yet secured a long-term, fully-funded ride at NASCAR’s top levels—a challenge that plagues many talented drivers, especially women[26]. Off the track, she’s respected for her articulate, research-backed approach to motivational speaking and her willingness to talk openly about the realities of building a racing career[27].

She’s been featured on Forbes lists, profiled by ESPN, and recognized for her ability to translate the high-stakes world of motorsports into actionable strategies for professional environments[28]. Her platform isn’t just about racing—it’s about resilience, performance under pressure, and challenging the idea that women can’t compete at the highest levels. She’s also become increasingly transparent about the business side of racing, acknowledging in her podcast that she’s had to repurpose her ambition and is “overall less sad about not pursuing racing anymore” as she enters a new phase focused on speaking and advocacy[29].

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of 2025, Julia has shifted her primary focus from full-time racing to her work as a motivational keynote speaker, corporate advisor, and advocate[30]. She recently joined the Board of Directors for the Shift Up Now Foundation, an organization supporting STEM education and women’s empowerment—causes she’s championed throughout her career[31]. While she’s not ruling out future racing opportunities, her energy is now directed toward building her speaking career, growing her podcast, and using her platform to inspire the next generation of women in male-dominated fields[32]. She’s pivoting, but she’s doing it on her own terms—and she’s still got plenty to say.

REFERENCES

[1] Rotten Tomatoes – Julia Landauer
[2] ESPN – Forbes list could be a boost to Julia Landauer’s racing career
[3] Stuyvesant Alumni – Alumna Interview: Julia Landauer, Class of 2010
[4] Gotham Gal – Julia Laundauer, Race Car Driver, Woman Entrepreneur
[5] Stanford Magazine – After a Bump, It’s Full Speed Ahead
[6] Rotten Tomatoes – Julia Landauer TV Shows List
[7] Stuyvesant Alumni – Alumna Interview: Julia Landauer, Class of 2010
[8] The Stanford Daily – Julia Landauer discusses Survivor stint
[9] More What Not – Survivor: Caramoan Fan Julia Landauer
[10] Wikipedia – Julia Landauer
[11] Stanford STS Program – Julia Landauer
[12] YouTube – I’m A Racecar Driver. Yes I Get Scared
[13] Apple Podcasts – If I’m Honest with Julia Landauer
[14] LeanIn.org – Julia Landauer
[15] Skip Barber Racing School – Eastern Finale at LRP
[16] Wikipedia – Julia Landauer
[17] Stuyvesant Alumni – Alumna Interview: Julia Landauer, Class of 2010
[18] Skip Barber Racing School – Eastern Finale at LRP
[19] Ellevate Network – Julia Landauer Captures Historic Win at Motor Mile Speedway
[20] ESPN – Forbes list could be a boost to Julia Landauer’s racing career
[21] Wikipedia – Julia Landauer
[22] Wikipedia – Julia Landauer
[23] Racers Behind the Helmet – Brilliant EuroNASCAR season finale for American Julia Landauer
[24] Driver Database – Julia Landauer Racing Career Profile
[25] Beads for Good – Julia Landauer, Former Professional NASCAR Driver and Motivational Speaker
[26] ESPN – Julia Landauer hopes to graduate to racing’s next level
[27] Leading Authorities – Julia Landauer
[28] ESPN – Forbes list could be a boost to Julia Landauer’s racing career
[29] Julia Landauer – If I’m Honest: 5 Lessons Learned in 2024
[30] Julia Landauer – Official Website
[31] Shift Up Now Foundation – Welcomes Julia Landauer to Board of Directors
[32] Julia Landauer – If I’m Honest: Repurposing Ambition