From Inside to Outside the Car, Women Drive SCCA’s Time Trials and Track Night Programs

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From Inside to Outside the Car, Women Drive SCCA’s Time Trials and Track Night Programs

Throughout Women’s History Month, we’re bringing you a series of articles covering the involvement of women within the Sports Car Club of America®. From autocross to road racing and beyond, women have played an integral role in this Club –without women in motorsports, SCCA would not be as great as it is today.

Perhaps the biggest challenge in motorsports, though, is getting started. The initial experience one has in a complex sport where there is a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge can either hook a new driver forever, or scare away someone with enthusiasm who becomes dismayed at the barriers to entry.

Within SCCA, experienced women are natural leaders in bringing new participants to motorsports through the Club’s Track Night in America Driven® by Tire Rack and Time Trials programs like the Tire Rack SCCA Time Attack Challenge and the Tire Rack SCCA Shootout. These events allow new drivers to participate and compete in whatever vehicle they have, with a path forward that is easy to follow at any pace.

"I've had a ball working with Track Night in America, which is the best thing SCCA has ever done, along with Time Trials," proclaimed Kathy Barnes, a past member of the SCCA Board of Directors who is involved in nearly every aspect of the Club. "It was really fun watching Track Night come together, and when they made the first schedule, we were going to have one 40 miles from my house. I called Heyward Wagner [SCCA’s Vice President of Experiential Programs] and said, 'Hi, what's my job there?' He said, 'You're going to be a driver coach.' Since then, I have probably worked more Track Nights than anybody else in the Club."

Barnes views Track Night in America as the best way to give people a positive experience with their first time on a racetrack.

"It's really fun watching them, watching friends who autocross try track driving for the first time," Barnes said. "We have a novice coach who works at one of our tracks who is on the Board of Directors for Women in Motorsports, North America (WIMNA). Her name is Renee Dupuis."

Dupuis had been participating in driving events for over a decade when she started coaching new drivers at SCCA events.

“It’s a sport that I love, so it’s been really rewarding to introduce the sport to new people and then encourage them,” said Dupuis, who, like Barnes is a New England Region member. “From that point of view, it’s been very satisfying. It’s near and dear to my heart. When they designed this program, I think they did an incredible job of encouraging people who don’t have any experience to dip a toe into the program.”

Dupuis is a perfect ambassador for SCCA’s Women on Track program, which is led by a strong group of female SCCA participants in every discipline. SCCA Women on Track was formed to encourage women to participate in every one of SCCA's offerings, in a manner that is open and not intimidating. This is exactly what Dupuis does for every new participant when she coaches at Track Night in America.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better coach to guide me through my first few Track Night events,” Track Night participant Kayla Densmore said. “Renee’s approach is not only knowledgeable and confident, but also humble. As a female participant in a prominently male sport, it was encouraging and empowering to have her as our instructor.”

While women hold many leadership positions throughout SCCA's Experiential event programs, they are supported by others who are employed as SCCA Staff members. The Club’s program professionals include SCCA Senior Manager of Experiential Programs Jennifer McAbee and former Solo National Champion and current Solo/Experiential Programs Communications Coordinator Nikki Edwards. The SCCA’s newest team member, Carrie Lee, will be speaking to drivers every day as Experiential Programs Customer Service Administrator.

Together with SCCA's volunteer force, these professional women make the Track Night and Time Trials programs accessible on a National level.

If you’re a woman looking to get more involved in motorsports, consider applying for one of SCCA Women on Track’s 2025 scholarships. Applications are being accepted for the following scholarships through May 31, 2025:

In addition, donations to the SCCA Foundation can be earmarked for SCCA Women on Track via the Foundation’s website. More information about SCCA Women on Track can be found by heading to the groups page on SCCA.com.

Photo of Renee Dupuis by Tradd Slayton

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