PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) – IndyCar returns to Portland International Raceway with Sunday’s Grand Prix, but on Saturday a group of Beaverton students got a glimpse into careers in motorsports during Girls Day at the track.
Corben Cantu is a high school student at BASE, the Beaverton Academy of Science and Engineering.
“I think racing has always been my dream, I’ve been interested in cars since I was young,” Cantu said. “Biomedical engineering would be great, but honestly, this is changing my mind a little bit.”
Seeing is believing, says Diane Fitzpatrick, head of school at BASE.
“These women were able to envision a future in an industry they might not have considered before,” Fitzpatrick said.
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Chip Ganassi Racing and PNC Bank welcomed a handful of STEM-oriented students from BASE to the racetrack for Girls Day before IndyCar’s annual stop in the City of Roses.
Mia Davis is a junior at BASE.
“You see these cars going way too fast, and I wonder what’s going on in their head when they drive? ‘I have to go fast, I have to make a turn here,'” Davis said.
The children took a lap around the pit lane to learn what it takes to prepare drivers and their cars.
Sophomore Heidi Martinson said, “Are there any strategies for tires and how many tire compounds are there?”
Tires, transmissions and the women who help get everything into the garage.
“I’ve been worrying a little lately about what I’m going to do for college and everything, so I think this will give me a bit of a head start on ideas and show me what paths I can take for college, especially to get here,” Cantu said.
The BASE students heard from Danielle Shepherd, a senior engineer for six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon.
Davis said: “She said when she was younger she didn’t really see it. She didn’t realize it was a man’s world, she just thought it was so cool! She didn’t even look at it, she just thought, ‘Oh, cars, super fast, that’s fun and I want to do that too.'”
“Just with the skills you learn at a STEM school like BASE, you can really accomplish anything. And it’s those connections and networking, getting out there and learning new things that can give you a joyful career. And I was so excited by how she inspired these women today,” Fitzpatrick said.
Even Scott Dixon himself met the children, who may one day pursue careers in motorsports or the medical field, as the students also toured the on-site mobile medical facility.
“It was a very fun experience and I’m glad I was able to be a part of it. I got the chance to see the inner workings of a car and some parts of medicine, even though I’m not as interested in that as my friends, and I’m glad we all had fun,” Davis said.
IndyCar first came to PIR 40 years ago in 1984 and perhaps in the future some of these girls from BASE will make a tour stop at Portland International Raceway and the Portland Grand Prix.
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