Celebrating International Women’s Day the IMSA way

As the world celebrates International Women's Day, IMSA takes great pride in the many women who serve in vital and varied roles throughout the paddock – from the driver’s seat to pit lane and beyond – as well as within the race sanctioning organization.

Women are more prominent at IMSA than ever, in and around the paddock on race weekends and doing their part behind the scenes to keep events running smoothly. From visible positions such as pit lane officials and atop the starter’s stand to those helping manage competition in Race Control.

From those who helped create the automated system that made it easier for teams and drivers to enter and compete to those designing the physical layout of paddocks at IMSA tracks in North America. From those working closely with track promoters to organize and squeeze in all essential activities to those working with teams, sponsors, partners, media and more to see that every IMSA “customer” receives what they need at a given event or throughout the season.

On this special day, some of the women at IMSA explained their emerging roles and the opportunities that exist for others interested in motorsports careers. They are but a few of the many women employed at IMSA who help make it the diverse and energetic organization it is today.

Angela Hall, Senior Director, Member Services

In a nutshell, Hall says, “I handle everything that has to do with registration or membership or entries.”

Her career began as an executive assistant in NASCAR and ventured to Kansas Speedway before joining IMSA in 2016 as a coordinator in Member Services. At IMSA, she helped design the automated system that handles team and driver licensing and entries, credentials, parking and more.

“We were one of the first in motorsports to be able to go to electronic signatures for competitors,” Hall explains. “We process (licenses for) over 800 drivers in a season.”

Overseeing the registration processes for the seven series IMSA sanctions can be an overwhelming task, Hall admits, making sure all entrants meet the various deadlines. Member Services’ development of the automated process has been one of her greatest joys at IMSA.

“All of that comes through the system that we built out in-house,” Hall says. “We get to kind of write our own working software, which is unusual – that doesn’t happen. The people that are actually utilizing it get to write it, so I enjoy being able to produce that out, make our processes more seamless, make things a lot easier for our competitors and our customers.

“Because at the end of the day, if we make their life easier, they want to come back. And that’s the main thing that my department is here for, is customer service.”

Emily Nash, Senior Manager, Track Marketing and Promotions

Starting as an IMSA intern in 2012, Nash has been with the company for a decade, primarily in Marketing but also spending some time in International Business Development.

A major in event management at the University of Central Florida, her current role has her doing just that. She works with every track promoter to schedule anything that’s “fan-facing,” including autograph sessions, grid walks, fan forums, pit tours, track signage, prerace and postrace ceremonies detailed down to the second, even the popular transporter parade that will take place next week in downtown Sebring to ramp up excitement for the iconic 12-hour race.

She said her team of six or seven people enter race weekend with a plan for each activity but knowing how quickly things can change with weather and other unexpected variables, backup plans are always in place.

“I always say we’re on a swivel and we’re ready to pivot if and when something needs to change,” Nash says.

Her greatest satisfaction comes when the preparation efforts come off as planned – or as close as possible.

“It’s really nice to put all the planning into it and go and execute and hit your marks and have happy teammates that are excited to be there,” Nash says. “And then you’re also satisfying the client or the promoter or the fans that are there and see your work come to fruition and go as planned and have a positive impact on the race weekend.”

Hanna Kabat and Jennifer Gray, Pit Lane Officials

While not fulltime IMSA employees, Kabat and Gray are part of the “weekend warriors” who fill many vital roles at events. Kabat is in her second season as a pit lane official, Gray is a rookie in 2022. They make up half the women on this year’s pit lane staff.

As with many pit lane officials, both women were recruited by Johnny Knotts, IMSA Pit Lane Supervisor.

“He talked me into coming aboard,” says Kabat, a senior studying art education at the University of Green Bay who met Knotts while she worked as a security officer at Road America in Wisconsin. “He said, ‘I think you’d be a really great part of the team.’

“It was an opportunity that I wasn’t really expecting or anticipating,” she continues, “but I’m so glad that I took this opportunity and that I got the opportunity, because it turned out to be something that I love and it is a passion for me now.”

Gray grew up near a dirt track and has been a fan since childhood. “If it takes racing fuel, I love it!” she admits.

She also admitted to being nervous working her first race, the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January, but knew that her training and support from fellow pit officials would carry her through. She’s proud to be counted among the growing number of women at IMSA.

“It speaks to the culture of IMSA that they are supportive of that,” Gray says. “It’s not just there are token females here and there. Women are actively promoted within the organization; I have seen that. I feel like this is hopefully just the beginning and we’ll see where it leads. I’m excited.”

Kabat credits the women who preceded her for paving the way and making things easier for those like her who have followed. She also points to a sisterhood of support that runs throughout the paddock.

“We have kind of this awesome camaraderie among all of us (women) in the paddock,” Kabat explains. “Once we get to know each other, we see each other working together. At the end of the day, they’re there because of their passion and what they want to do, too. It’s really awesome to see these women stepping into these non-conventional roles in racing.”