Megan Tomlinson

Megan Tomlinson is a Canadian touring car racer who made history as the first female driver to score points in TCR World Tour competition and co-founded Slate Racing, Canada’s first female-founded racing team.

EARLY YEARS

Born around 2000 in Ottawa, Ontario, Megan Tomlinson grew up watching her father Ron campaign racecars at Calabogie Motorsports Park[3]. At fifteen, she stood trackside and watched him compete, never imagining she’d follow in his tire tracks. But something clicked that day—the noise, the speed, the pure commitment required to throw a car into a corner at full tilt. A year later, at sixteen, she was strapped into her own racecar[2][3].

The Tomlinson racing lineage ran deep. Ron had been competing for years, and his presence in the paddock gave Megan a front-row education in everything from racecraft to car setup. But her spark didn’t come solely from family. At the track one day, she spotted a poster of Erika—likely Erika van Wetten—crowned rookie of the year. That image stuck. She wanted the same thing[2][3].

There was no silver spoon, no karting career from age five, no factory backing waiting in the wings. Just a teenager from Ottawa with a father who raced and a burning desire to prove she belonged in the driver’s seat. She started in a gentleman’s Spec Miata series, then moved into a Honda Civic for three years, grinding through the Super Production Challenge and learning racecraft one apex at a time[2].

OTHER INTERESTS

Outside the cockpit, Tomlinson channeled her competitive energy into building something bigger than herself. In a sport where women often compete alone, she co-founded Slate Racing, Canada’s first female-founded racing team[3]. The venture wasn’t just about putting cars on track—it was about creating infrastructure, opportunity, and community for women in a male-dominated field. It’s rare to see a driver in her early twenties thinking beyond lap times and podiums, but Tomlinson understood that racing needed more than fast women; it needed women building teams, calling shots, and setting the tone.

EARLY SUCCESS

Tomlinson’s progression followed a steady climb rather than an overnight sensation arc. After her years in the Honda Civic, she moved up to the FEL Sports Car Championship Canada TCA series, where she collected multiple podiums[2][3]. By 2022, she was running the Super Production Challenge Series Canada with TWOth Autosport, finishing 15th in the championship with 54 points[5]. Not flashy, but consistent—and consistency matters when you’re building credibility.

Her big leap came when she stepped up to TCR competition. She made her TCR debut at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park with TWOth Autosport in an Audi, and the platform suited her immediately[4]. “The step up to TCR has been incredible—it’s something I’ve aimed for since the beginning,” she said. “The platform feels a lot more stable than the cars I used to race, which gives me more confidence on the track”[3].

The 2024 SCCC TCR season brought both triumph and frustration. Running with Tomlinson Motorsports in an Audi RS3 LMS TCR, she finished fifth overall with 205 points across ten races—a solid result considering three of those twelve starts were compromised by mechanical gremlins[1][3][5]. “I faced some challenges, with three out of 12 races impacted by mechanical issues, but I still managed to secure a 5th place overall finish, which was really rewarding,” she noted[3].

But the real headline came at Mid-Ohio. Tomlinson joined Volcano Motorsport for a round of the KUMHO FIA TCR World Tour, and she didn’t just participate—she scored points, becoming the first female driver in TCR World Tour history to do so[1]. It was the kind of barrier-breaking moment that shifts perceptions, proving that women can compete at the highest levels of touring car racing when given the chance.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2024: First female driver to score points in TCR World Tour history at Mid-Ohio[1]
• 2024: 5th place overall in Sports Car Championship Canada TCR with 205 points despite mechanical issues in three races[1][3][5]
• 2024: Only female entry in Touring Car category at FIA Motorsport Games, finishing hundredths shy of top-10 after penalty[1]
• 2024: Competed in TCR World Tour rounds at Vallelunga and Marrakech with Volcano Motorsport[1]
• 2024: Raced IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge at VIR with father Ron Tomlinson for Precision Racing LA[6]
• 2024: Competed in Spanish TCR at Valencia with Goat Racing Team[1]
• Career: 41 podiums across 135 races, 9 pole positions, 6 fastest laps[5]
• Co-founded Slate Racing, Canada’s first female-founded racing team[3]

INSPIRATIONS

Tomlinson’s racing DNA is pure Ron Tomlinson. Her father didn’t just introduce her to the sport—he actively raced alongside her, serving as both mentor and teammate. In 2024, they shared the grid at VIR in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, a father-daughter pairing rare enough to warrant attention[6]. Ron’s influence runs deeper than genetics; he gave her access, knowledge, and the belief that she had every right to be on track.

The other major influence came from that rookie of the year poster—Erika, whose name became shorthand for what Tomlinson wanted to achieve. It wasn’t about copying someone else’s path; it was about seeing proof that women could win awards, earn respect, and carve out space in a sport that doesn’t hand out participation trophies[2].

She also credits Morgan Smillie’s father, who coached her through key developmental stages, helping refine her racecraft and approach[2]. The common thread? Tomlinson surrounded herself with people who believed in ability over gender, and she absorbed everything they offered.

REPUTATION

In the paddock, Tomlinson has earned a reputation that balances fierce competitiveness with approachability. One description nails it: “Racer at heart, don’t let her sunny disposition lull you into a false sense of security out on track”[2]. She’s known for battling hard for every position, consistently improving her pace—evidenced by her practice session progression at the FIA Motorsport Games, where she methodically closed lap time gaps[1].

Media coverage has framed her as a barrier-breaker and rising star, focusing on her pioneering achievements and family racing ties[1][2][3][4]. The tone is uniformly positive, though it’s worth noting she’s earned that positivity through results, not hype. Scoring TCR World Tour points as the only female in the field carries weight. So does finishing fifth in a championship while fighting mechanical issues that would have sidelined less determined drivers.

Her leadership role with Slate Racing adds another dimension to her reputation. “Being part of Slate Racing has been one of the most meaningful parts of my career,” she said. “Motorsports can feel isolating for women, so having a team of women supporting each other—both on and off the track—has been incredible”[3]. That perspective—recognizing the structural challenges women face and actively building solutions—sets her apart from drivers who simply show up and race.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of late 2024, Tomlinson was affiliated with Tomlinson Motorsports for SCCC TCR and continued her involvement with Slate Racing[1][2][3]. No specific plans for 2025 or beyond have been publicly documented, though her trajectory suggests continued TCR competition and expansion of Slate Racing’s platform. Her stated ambition—pushing beyond comfort zones and aiming for higher-level TCR competition since the beginning—indicates she’s far from satisfied with what she’s already accomplished[3].

The smart money says she’ll keep chasing international TCR opportunities while building the infrastructure that helps other women follow the same path. Tomlinson isn’t just racing for herself anymore—she’s racing to prove that Canada can produce world-class female touring car drivers, and that women-founded teams can compete with the boys’ clubs that have dominated motorsports for generations.

References:

[1] Megan Tomlinson – Racers Behind the Helmet
[2] Slate Racing: Meet Canada’s Motorsport Avengers – Paddock Sorority
[3] Driven to Win: Megan Tomlinson is Breaking Barriers on the Track – Faces Magazine
[4] Megan Tomlinson Joins Volcano Motorsport at Mid-Ohio – TCR World Ranking
[5] Megan Tomlinson – DriverDB
[6] Megan Tomlinson Builds Momentum – RTD Media
[7] Megan Tomlinson Aiming – FIA TCR World Tour