Originally from New Brunswick, Canada, Mandi Lee and her family packed up and moved to North Carolina in pursuit of additional racing opportunities, and she is determined to make the most the move! Lee's dad was a racer and serves as her inspiration as she aims to capture all the skills she can every time she hits the track in pursuit of her racing dreams.
Hometown: Noonan, New Brunswick
Car Number: 41
Division: Outlaws
Team: Redhead Racing
Favorite Food: Salad
1. What made you get into racing?
My dad was a driver and I would always help him at the track and he let me drive his car once. I liked it enough to get my own car and he started helping me race. So it's cool to have something
that me and my dad are both interested in and can do together.
2. What is your favorite thing about racing?
Well there’s a lot of good people you meet when you’re racing and it's a pretty positive environment most of the time. Everyone is helpful and quick to jump in to help to each other. So that would be my favorite part about racing.
3. What made you choose your number on your car?
It was my dads number and close to my grandfather's number so I wanted to continue on the family legacy in my racing career.
4. What is your favorite track to race at and why?
I really like Auburndale in Florida. It’s a really cool track to race at and everytime I go down there to the Winter Showdown, I just have a lot of fun.
5. What has been your favorite memory since you started racing?
My favorite memory is when I got first place in my teammates #9 car. He let me drive it at Kartway in TN. So that was a cool experience to not only drive my teammates car but to get a win in it.
6. What goals do you have for yourself as a driver?
As I gain more experience as a driver I want to start getting more wins and start beating some of the other drivers that are beating me right now.
7. Who is your biggest inspiration?
My dad. He was a driver and he is the one who gave me my passion for racing and taught me everything that I know.
8. What does it mean to you to be a girl in a male dominated sport?
Some people think that girls drive differently or whatever but I don’t think that. I think that anyone can drive if they want to, it doesn't matter if you’re a girl or a boy.
9. How has racing impacted your life?
When I was in Canada I used to just race in the summer and it would only be once a week or once every two weeks. But now since I moved here my whole life has basically been racing, even if that just means helping other people with their cars and stuff. So my life is a lot different than when I used to go to public school and then race every once in a while.
10. Was it scary moving away from Canada or do you like it better?
Yeah, we’re all pretty happy here and it felt pretty natural to do it.
11. How has your racing career been so far?
My first year in racing was good, well actually it wasn’t that good because I didn’t win a championship, I got second place though. Then we moved down here and I don’t win as much but we’re getting there. I've learned a lot.
12. What is one word that you would use to describe your racing style?
Patient.
13. Is racing in Canada a lot different than here?
Yeah, it’s a lot different because mostly everyone around here that I'm racing with has been racing karts since they were younger and I only started when I was 12 which is still pretty young but they start even younger here. So they have been around it their whole lives and I’ve only been in a car for 2 years, this is my 3rd year. And the season is much shorter there.