Jan 196 min read

In the Pits with Lacy Kuehl / Driver / Spokesperson / Musher / Hall of Famer / Ambassador / Motorsports

Updated: Jan 21

Friday, January19, 2024

By: Nicole Sparkman

U.S Legend Cars International and INEX

Contributor: Brent Kuehl

Navigating tracks nationwide, Lacy Kuehl, a Semi-Pro driver from Sarasota, Florida, has demonstrated both skill and determination. She recently took on the challenge of participating in this year's Junior Iditarod in Alaska. Beyond the racing circuit, her dedication shines through in her family's charity, established 11 years ago, which focuses on promoting awareness of the signs and symptoms of diabetes and supporting those impacted by diabetes.

Hometown: Sarasota, Florida

Division: Semi-Pro

Age: 17

07/28/2006

Number: 4

Team: Turn Speed Racing and

Drive for Diabetes Awareness, INC

Team: PETIT Mushing Alaska

Team: Patrick Moore Motorsports

Micro Sprints "No One Fights Alone"

Team: Torkelson Motorsports, Tork Foundation

2014

Rookie First, Win Asphalt Oval.

Ambassador Racing School, FL

2014

First, Dirt Oval WIN

Florida Dirt Motor Speedway, FL

https://www.digitalbrosstudios.com/driven

2017

Inverness Grand Prix Award for Sportsmanship

First, Road WIN. Inverness Grand Prix, FL

2018

Received a plaque from The Villages Motorsports fan Club for her advocacy for Diabetes Awareness and Motorsports. Honoring KUEHL as an Ambassador for Motorsports and Humanity.

2018 Received Perseverance Award:

From the Florida Dirt Karting Series

2019

Combine for NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth Development program. Age 12 NASCAR'S youngest signed development Driver. Finished in 2nd place in the youth Combine at the GoPro Motorplex in NC

2019

Young Racer Award for the NASCAR Drive for Diversity Youth development program. Presented by Amanda Oliver at the

NASCAR Hall of Fame on May 23, 2019

Young Racer Award

US Legend Cars 26th Annual Bojangles Summer Shootout 10 races at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Youngest driver at age 12 in the Young Lions Division. Finishing 16 of 30. In points, Best finished 10th of 26 Young Lions.

2019 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Combine

Lacy Kuehl and NASCAR President Steve Phelps

2022

Inducted into the Hall Of Fame of Motorsports, Florida

Presented by The Villages Motor Racing Fan Club, Florida

2022

NASCAR ALLSTAR Race Atlanta Motorspeedway 5th place finish

Team MVP Motorsports

Chris Hamm

Lacy Kuehl and President Chris Bleistein

2023

February 25th Alaska Junior Iditarod 150-mile race in the frozen tundra of Alaska

Awarded THE BLUE HARNESS AWARD for best lead dogs in the race. Voted by her peers from the Jr. Iditarod

2023 Jr. Iditarod

Lacy Kuehl #8 Jr. Iditarod Lacy Kuehl and Dakota

Start of the 2023 Jr. Iditarod 150 Miles

Nicolas PETIT, Lou Schrader, Kaiden Foster, Arty Krutikov, Lacy Kuehl

Click the PIC to watch the Movie

DRIVEN: Florida Driver to Alaskan Musher

Produced by: Digital Bros Creative Studios

https://www.digitalbrosstudios.com/driven

Nicole Sparkman U.S Legend Cars International and INEX

ask Lacy Kuehl 15 Questions

1. What is the most interesting thing that you have on your bucket list?

I've always wanted to go to the Maldives or Hawaii. I just love traveling and seeing different places and those are like two really high up there.

2. Where would you say has been the best place that you've traveled and why?

I've traveled to Alaska, the scenery, the hunting and the amazing racetrack they have there. That is definitely the most amazing place I've been to.

Left to right: Saygen Boehmer Lacy Kuehl and Tyren Torkelson

3. If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring three things, what would they be?

I'd bring a yacht, all my friends and a race car.

4. If you could pick any job in the world that isn't like racing related, what would you pick and why?

Outside of racing, I'd say an Air Force pilot would be super cool.

5. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

I'd be a dog. I have two dogs, a German Shepherd and an Alaskan Husky, which is from Alaska. When I was there when I ran the Junior Iditarod, she was from a litter of puppies that we had, so I brought her back to Florida.

Alaskan Husky Shooby-Doo

Working dog Ketone

6. What is something that you want to accomplish outside of racing and in racing?

I would like to get my degree in business or engineering and to move up into ARCA sometime soon in the future.

7. What is your favorite thing to do outside of racing?

Going to the gym and working out. That's really high up there. I'm always doing that. And then just seeing friends when I'm able to and I'm not traveling out of state.

8. How do you juggle school, working, racing, and your social life?

I do a lot, and it can be hard to juggle sometimes. I have a flexible schedule with my school, so it's not tied to a specific time. Whenever I'm able to work, they're super flexible. They even sponsored my trip to Alaska; they're awesome with my travel. As for seeing friends, I just do that whenever I'm able to.

9. How old were you when you started racing? How did you get into it?

I got into racing when I was six after my little brother Rocco passed away from type one diabetes at the age of one. They said he had the flu and had to go home three times. He ended up going into diabetic ketoacidosis and the doctors continued to treat him wrong. So, unfortunately, he passed away. We went to a JDRF event and we met a diabetic driver that was there. We were invited by their team to go to Daytona to experience what it was like at a racetrack. My family doesn't come from any racing background but we knew about Daytona and that was it. We went to our local racetrack six weeks in a row and on the sixth week I had to beg my dad to go to the racetrack and we ended up buying go-karts. I raced go-karts for six years and then I was accepted into the NASCAR Drive diversity [youth driver development] program in 2019 when I was 12 and I've been racing ever since.

10. What do you find most enjoyable about racing?

The adrenaline and the family aspect of being at a racetrack.

Boys and Girls Club of Concord, NC

11. What's your favorite track that you've raced at so far?

I would say Atlanta (Motor Speedway quarter-mile). I have so many memories there and it's been a difficult track but it's very technical with it being a short track. It was a lot of fun to learn over the past couple of years.

Atlanta Motors Speedway

12. What was the experience of training with dogs compared to racing and working with a race car?

Racing is hard, and a lot of training goes into it. However, when it comes to dogs, you can't just leave them in a garage for a week after you work on them. You're with them every single day, feeding them every morning, and running them 40 miles every day or every other day. It's a lot more work, almost like having a baby or a child. You really form a bond with the dogs. It's definitely a lot different from racing a car. While there are some aspects, such as the mental aspect, that I use from racing cars, the experience is entirely different.

13. What is one thing that racing has taught you in your everyday life?

Racing has taught me to persevere and always move forward no matter what happens. There are always going to be ups and downs in racing, and you don't always win. Racing has taught me many life lessons, and it has brought a lot of things into my life as well. It has really made me grow as a person.

14. How did you come up with your paint scheme and number?

The charity logo for Drive for Diabetes Awareness is red, white, gray, and black. My number has always been yellow. When we went to buy the car, the body was gray, and the fenders were red. So, we thought, 'Alright, we'll just put our sticker on there for the number and the logo,' and it matches perfectly. We've stuck with that for the past four years for the charity drive for diabetes awareness. So, the number four just stuck with us.

15. When did your family start the Drive for Diabetes Awareness Charity?

We founded the charity 11 years ago. We help spread awareness of the signs and symptoms of diabetes so that no other family has to go through what my family did with my little brother. We're always doing off-track events and have brochures with what the symptoms are and what diabetics can do to help themselves. We mainly focus on getting the awareness out. We don't focus on a cure at all. We're a separate entity and have a different mission than many other diabetic charities.