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Mia LeRoux & The Green Machine

Read the Whole Blog HERE




THE DRIVER

Name- Mia LeRoux
Age- 17
Racing Number- 117
Affiliation (if team)- BSI Racing
Sponsors-
Hometown- Ocala, FL
Occupation/Education level: College Student
Years competing- <1
First Race-
5.01.2021 with Novice Permit - Palmer Motorsports Park
9.04.2021 with competition license: Sebring International Raceway, 2 hour endurance race, I got 1st place, my first ever endurance race AND first time racing on my competition license.




The Car- "Green Machine"

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Year/Make/Model: 1991 Mazda Na Miata (1.6 liter engine)
Nickname and reason behind the nickname(if applicable): I call her green machine, only because she is literally lime green and is a machine
Racing class: “SMSE” (Spec Miata South East)
Custom bodywork and/or paint: “Sublime green” used on Dodge Demon for the body, black hood, roof and trunk. (recently painted. Used to be red)
What engine is in the car? 1.6 liter Mazda
Engine modifications and/or power adders? OEM
Cooling setup: OEM
Horsepower and torque: 114 HP, 100ft-lb
Transmission: Stock 5 Speed
Front and rear axle: OEM
Suspension: Bilstein Shocks
Brake setup: Hawk Performance (Blues)
Wheels & Tires-brands and sizes: Team Dynamics 15x7, 25mm offsets and Hoosier SM 7.5 205/50zr15 Slicks



Full Q&A with Mia

When did you first start racing?
Spring of 2021

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How did you get involved in racing?
I first started racing during the pandemic. My classes had all become online classes, and I was spending most of my time alone, doing schoolwork in my bedroom. My dad had been racing for years and I had always been around the track. My dad would still head up to Palmer Motorsports Park in Palmer, MA (we were members there), and one day took me with him. When I would finish my classes, he would take me out in his race car (Miata), eventually letting me go out onto the track on my own. From there, I bought my own Miata, and worked on getting my competition license with SCCA.

What kind of racing do you do?
I race in SCCA’s road racing circuit.

Do you participate in any series?
I occasionally race in SCCA’s Hoosier Super Tour, but do not participate in the series fully.

How many events have you done?
Honestly, too many to count. I try to get some seat time at The FIRM at least once a week in between races, and when I'm up north, I usually go 2 times a week at Palmer Motorsports Park.

What do you like most about driving?
Racing gave me an outlet of self expression. For years I had this compressed, internalized desire for speed, reading my fathers Carroll Shelby books, eavesdropping during Top Gear Episodes and watching him race. When I tried out racing for myself, I understood the allure and prestige it held. When I'm behind the wheel, I don't have to ask myself who I am anymore- it's a sense of freedom, unexplainable even. Suddenly, time slowed down and I became a driver when I stopped asking myself who I was and started driving like the person I wanted to be.

What are your personal goals as a driver for 2022?
My Goals for the 2022 season are to drive as many tracks as I can, get as much seat time as possible, and generally improve my speed and times.

What are your long term goals/hopes/dreams?
I would like to create a career in motorsport, whether it be a driver, or not, I would just like to be in the industry for the rest of my life.

What do you do for a living?
Right now I'm enrolled as a transfer student at the College of Central Florida. I will transfer to USF in fall of 2023 when I receive my associate's degree. I'm technically a biology major and will go to school to be a plastic surgeon, but that is my backup plan. Racing has always been a dream of mine and I am working towards getting into a professional series. My ultimate goal is to get into IMSA's endurance series, racing Le Mans.

Have there been any challenges trying to get into racing?
Racing definitely takes a lot of planning and thinking to work around a busy schedule.

What is your personal best accomplishment?
A huge accomplishment for me was racing Sebring for the first time in September. It was not only the first time at the track, but also the first time I raced without my dad, first race ever on my competition license, first ever endurance race, first race in Florida, and my first ever time on the podium. I was so surprised that I had gotten on the podium when I finished the race because in an endurance race, everyone is on a different lap and the winner is determined by whoever has the most laps in the set time. Someone who is behind you can pass you, but you may still beat them. Another thing that I was super surprised about was how short 2 hours feels when you're doing what you love. I discovered my natural talent in endurance races. That race also established my identity as a driver for me. In a way it reinvented my driving identity. For a while on my novice permit I wasn't confident in my own abilities as a driver, I used to think I was bad, not realizing that I was new and that I needed patience with myself. That race showed me that I was capable of performing competitively in the racing world and that my dream was totally attainable for me.

Have you received any podiums or notable finishes that you are proud of?
Yes, My past 3 races that I have done, I finished on the podium all three times. I really excel at endurance races because I am able to get my best lap times around 40 laps in, and I'm able to begin performing at my best later in the race, outlasting my competition.

Oftentimes you are the only female driving. What is that experience like for you?
Honestly I never really put much thought into being the only girl on the track because it's never really impacted my experience on or off track. Motorsport is one of the only sports where gender doesn't give you an advantage. People always ask me that question, and I honestly never really know how to approach it, it has always been me and my car.

You are also one of the youngest drivers on the grid at times, like The FIRM. What is that experience like for you?
One of the best things about being a young driver at a track like The FIRM is that everyone is willing to help and support you along the journey. Many of the more seasoned drivers are able to help you improve your driving and provide overall advice for you as a driver. The racing community is super supportive of young drivers and truly fosters a welcoming experience for them.

Why come to The FIRM?
I chose The FIRM as my main practice track because of the members club. The members club is a great opportunity for drivers who really are looking to get tons of seat time for a reasonable price. I'm able to go driving once a week at least and get nearly 4 hours of track time every time I go. As a driver who is relatively new to racing, my success is dependent on my experience behind the wheel. The FIRM offers me the hours that I need to refine and improve my driving style and the facilities to ask for help when I need it. The off track support team there is super insightful and provides me with the contacts and advice I need within the industry to be successful. I truly believe that my success within this past season was directly correlated to my practice at the FIRM.

What do you like most about our facility?
Everyone who works to help the drivers do what they do truly love their jobs and helping people. The community at the track is super inclusive and welcoming and always makes the driving days way more enjoyable. The track itself is also super well maintained, and has the perfect layout to practice moves that you wouldn't necessarily want to try for the first time at a race.

Have you taken any of our classes? If so, what did you think? If not, would you?
I have not taken any classes at The FIRM yet, but I would definitely be interested in trying out some rally classes or different styles of driving that I am not accustomed to.

How does your experience while at The FIRM differ from other venues or races?
The FIRM is no different than any other international raceway in that it is very well set up and organized. It may be smaller in size, but it certainly competes in stature. The FIRM is like a second home to me, I always feel welcomed there.

What have some of your biggest challenges been as a young driver?
The challenge that I face the most as a younger driver who is new to the sport is definitely comparing myself to other more seasoned drivers. At the end of the day, It is about how well you do in your own race. For a while I used to be very hard on myself when I was first learning how to race because I expected myself to be competitive with the other drivers off the bat. In racing you need to have patience with yourself and only look at the person behind you, you and the person in front of you. Speed and technique come with time and practice.

Who or what has inspired you?
Some of my biggest inspirations in driving are Lynn St James and Lella Lombardi. Their careers were very inspiring to me because they showed me that there was a place for women in motorsport and taught me that gender doesn't give anyone an advantage or disadvantage within the industry. Although both are female drivers, that does not define them. At the end of the day, they are drivers, regardless of being female.

What advice would you give to another female interested in racing?
Just jump into it!! The industry may lean more towards the male side, but your gender really doesn't make a difference at the end of the day. If you want to be fast, just get out there and do it! Race cars don’t care who drives them, they just like to go fast! One of the most beautiful things about racing is that your gender doesn't affect your performance, it is truly a level playing field.

What are your plans for 2022?
I will be racing about once a month in the central Florida region of SCCA, picking up speed, momentum and overall control over my car.

Why do you love your car/what do you love about it the most?
My car is definitely a quirky car which is one of the things I love about it. Every time I drive it, I learn something new about how to get the most speed out of it. I love that about my car.

How involved are you when it comes to maintaining and preparing your car for events?
My dad and I do the majority of the upkeep on my car, but I do take it to a race mechanic before events to do an alignment, set up, brake bleed, and anything that we wouldn't be able to do ourselves.

Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself, car or your journey into racing?
My family move to Florida from Rhode Island because we knew that in order for me to competitively race and campaign for a professional series, that I needed to be able to race year long and get experience at as many tracks ag possible. Rhode Island is beautiful and the racing season is great, but is only limited to 5-6 months. Florida offers me seat time all year long and our location is central to so many tracks.
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