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 diabetes symptoms and providing support to those impacted by the condition.
Hometown: Sarasota, Florida
Division: Semi-Pro
Number: 4
Team: Turn Speed Racing and Drive 4 Diabetes Awareness
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.
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 then I have 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.
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.
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.
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, 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 brought many life lessons to me, 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 4 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 now for the charity drive for diabetes awareness. So, the number four just kind of stuck with us.
15. When did your family start the Drive 4 Diabetes Awareness Charity?
We founded the charity 11 years ago. We help spread awareness 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 we have a different mission than a lot of other diabetic charities.