These Women, and the Mazda Miata MX-5, Are Changing the Face of Racing in ‘First to the Finish’

Like any race weekend, there is routine: practice rounds, qualifying and then two races. Cars are in and out of the pit, drivers and crew are focused on the cars, the stats, the competition.

But that’s just part of the job. Drivers, team owners and others are always on call, talking with media, owners, sponsors, investors and fans, giving paddock tours and stopping to talk with everyone who approaches them. It’s mind-blowing how involved it all is. It’s impressive they still have the mental energy to get out on the track and get the job done.

What might be more impressive, though, is what it takes to truly get to the race.

When Sally (above, right, with writer Sara Lacey) and Heather are not working at the racetrack, they’re working to pay their way to race. Sally is in sales and it’s been an excellently flexible job. She works to fund her racing life, especially when big expenses occur.

Heather just graduated from college with a double major in finance and accounting, moved across the country, and dealt with some personal relationships going sideways. It’s a hustle to always do their day-to-day jobs and keep their racing life front of mind, their eyes on the prize.

Sally herself says that racing is it for her right now, that there is no Plan B. So she is working a lot of angles to make her racing dreams happen.

Shea’s priority is having a steady foundation for her team—BSI had 6 drivers in the most recent race—in an environment rife with tension, competition, and drama. And then there is her team at home to manage: Two kids and husband Nick Chorley, who runs BSI with her.

Shea herself is a former racer who has blazed a trail for female drivers competing the sole woman in IMSA for six years. And though she talked about how she didn’t have opportunities when she was coming up in this sport as a driver, it’s notable how she is creating opportunities for the women who follow her. In particular, she had Heather Hadley on her team in 2023 and 2024.

In watching the first episode of First to the Finish and talking with Heather, Sally and Shea (left to right above with Sara Lacey, far left), it’s hard to say who’s on the biggest roller coaster. For Shea, the swings are massive. In St. Petersburg, BSI had a great round in their first practice session.

But she explains that then the pressure adds to the second practice session. Good results in one round do not promise good results in the next. And it’s not just managing the team’s results each session, she has to pivot a lot with six drivers and cars under her wing. 

“The hardest part about what we do… is the emotional side of the roller coaster every single day you’re in the paddock. You can have the highest of highs and lowest of lows all in one day,” she said.

“More often than not it’s, ‘How do I celebrate a driver who just won, and how to cope with one of my drivers who just did not have the race that he or she wanted to have? So how do I go from the happiest person on the planet to helping [a driver] cope, ‘Let’s evaluate the highs and the lows let’s focus on the positive.’” 

Managing your expectations can be the key to racing, as Heather (above, left) has learned. “Your expectations are constantly changing and the emotions are through the roof,” and that’s particularly difficult in the MX-5 Cup series.

“I’ve learned that taking those wins where you can get them is what” helps most on the track, she said. “Wins do not come easy in this series. And so having that progression as an individual and as a driver is very important.”

“And so if I’m at least moving in an upward trajectory then I’m happy.” She noted that any progression is something to be celebrated. “You can go anywhere else and do very very well but in a series like this if you’re even in the top ten, top fifteen, that’s something to be proud of.”

Sometimes leveling up brings feelings of gratitude, of course. But is it enough to keep these competitive women satisfied? No. None of them feel comfortable with just participating. Sally says, “Its cool to look back every now and then and be like, ‘Wow, I’m actually at Daytona right now.'”

“I’m so blessed to be able to do this, the average person does not get to do this. I was so caught up in last season and the standings … dude, I was in the best time of my life and I didn’t even know it. And I am right now! Can I just appreciate it and not get caught up in the results?”

While self-reflection is important, so is belief in yourself, said Sally. Results are important to her, too. If she isn’t doing well, she doesn’t enjoy it as much.

The women get a lot of questions about getting into racing but don’t know where to start. Heather explains that it’s not that complex.

“People say, “I don’t know how I would get started. I don’t even see myself making it. I used to think the same way, that things are so far away,” she said. “And they’re not.”

Heather emphasizes she’s had stages of her life where she didn’t think she would make it, either. She says it’s important to make things happen for yourself and believe in yourself.

Shea takes it a bit further. She says that it’s not necessarily easy but that getting into racing isn’t as daunting as it seems. Shea emphasizes being ready when doors open. That, and having a strong work ethic to put yourself in place when opportunities open up.

 “That’s just a linear process. Overnight sensations take years in the making.”

Maybe the most important lesson? Be resourceful and be flexible. Adjustability is necessary because not everything happens as you think it will, Shea says. “Never say no to anything. Every time you say yes you’re opening yourself up to vulnerability, but that’s what moves you forward.”

And “yes” is what led to starring in First to the Finish. Yes, it’s exhausting to be ‘on’ all weekend and still focus on a race. But passion leads to candor, and theirs is exceptional, as is their driving achievement and accomplishments in team ownership excellence.

And, the guts to talk about what it’s been like for them. Which makes the series all the more of a must-watch.