Driver Spotlight: McKenna Haase

McKenna Haase

McKenna Haase is 16 years old. She began her racing career in 2009 in an Outlaw Sprint Kart. This motivated young driver is going into her her 4th season of racing and is now racing a Micro Sprint Car. 

How did you get your start in racing?

McKenna: My cousin started racing at a young age in Oklahoma, and I fell in love with the sport when I went to watch him for the first time. When I went to my first NASCAR Nationwide race at Iowa Speedway in 2008, there was a display for a public sprint car styled go kart track in Knoxville, IA. I drove there in a league they had for two years before hearing about a race track similar to my cousin’s also in Knoxville. After watching for a few nights, I got the chance to climb in a car, and my dad decided it was time to get me one of my own.

What is your proudest moment in your racing career so far?

McKenna: My proudest moment in my racing career so far is picking up a feature win my first time at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex in my second micro sprint car race.

What is your goal for this season?

McKenna: My goal for this season is that I want to get more feature wins this year than I did last year.

What is your goal for your career in racing?

McKenna: My goal for my career is to race sprint cars at Knoxville Raceway and become the first female to win an A-Main at Knoxville. Beyond that I want to move on to race with the World of the Outlaws and NASCAR.

Who do you look up to/admire in racing?

McKenna: The three people I look up to in racing are Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, and Danica Patrick; all three have worked hard for what they’ve earned, and Kasey and Tony grew up racing micro/mini sprint cars (what I race now) and worked their way up to the top in sprint cars (what I hope to race someday). Danica has set a lot of records as a female in both Indy cars and NASCAR, and she’s showed that girls can do anything no matter what anyone says.

What challenges in your racing career have you faced? How did you overcome your challenge?

McKenna: One of the challenges I’ve faced is that I got started in racing a lot later than most of the people. I'm always trying my best to be as prepared and competitive as possible right out of the gate with every class I’ve moved up to.

Follow McKenna Haase on her website, www.mckennahaase.webs.com, Facebook-Team Haase Racing, Twitter: @THRroadgal, Youtube- THRroadgal