Why Race MX-5 Cup: Sarah Montgomery

Sarah Montgomery, marketing student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, shares why she competes in the Battery Tender Global MX-5 Cup presented by BFGoodrich Tires.The dream of racing started for me when I was 10 years old, but it was a meeting with Mazda Motorsports Director, John Doonan that put a real path to that dream.

I had been racing dirt oval karts for a few years when my dad and I got to tag along with my uncle Bill Riley to a prototype race at Miller Motorsports Park. Throughout the weekend, Uncle Bill's main goal was to introduce me to John, but it was a busy weekend for both of them and it looked like it wasn't going to happen. I would love to say my main goal for the weekend was to meet people that could further my racing future, but when I found out Patrick Dempsey was there, my sights slightly shifted.

Even though he was in between meetings and very busy, we finally had the chance to meet with John, and he enthusiastically explained the Mazda ladder system to me. I was mesmerized. Looking back on it now, one has to wonder how many kids John Doonan has made an impression on. I had hopes and dreams before, but my path started that weekend.