TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Working towards her goal of combining engineering and racing, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology student, Mandy Chick, recently partnered with Rose-Hulman through sponsorship for her car in support of her upcoming races.
Majoring in mechanical engineering, Chick is currently a junior. However, her racing history began when she was only six years old and developed through family history and a love of engineering. With a history of family racing and NASCAR involvement behind her, Chick continues to move forward with her career and her passions, recently moving up to the ARCA Menards Series in 2022.
“I live, eat, sleep, and breathe it. I’ve worked hands-on since I was 10 with the cars and that’s where my passion with engineering started. I wouldn’t have done it for the last 15 years if I didn’t love it,” Chick explained.
Currently preparing for her next upcoming race on Feb. 18 in the 200-mile at the Daytona International Speedway, which serves as one of the lead-in races for the Daytona 500, Chick expressed gratitude for the support from her school and her peers. Chick is currently the only known active racer on the circuit that is both attending as a full-time student and is sponsored by their college.
“We’re really looking forward to working with Rose-Hulman. I love the community here. They have done so much for me and I just really enjoy connecting with them,” Chick said.
While Chick is making strides in the fields of racing and engineering for women, she has still faced challenges throughout her experiences, but still holds onto and enjoys the many rewards that come from her hard work.
“I have faced my fair share of challenges in my career. If you look at my history, even in my engineering career, and then in my racing, I have been in male-dominated fields since I was little. so I would say that’s certainly a challenge, is that there’s still a glass ceiling for women in racing. That’s difficult to navigate sometimes, but I’ve gotten used to it, and built some great connections at the level that I’m at,” Chick said. “But I think one of the most rewarding things for me is the impact I can make back on the community.”
Having given multiple talks at various elementary, middle, and high schools about how to be focused, accepting, and goal-oriented, Chick hopes to encourage others to achieve their goals. With a small 3D printing business of her own, Chick aspires to merge her love of racing and engineering in her future.
For those interested in learning more about Chick, her driving history, or keeping up with her races, visit her website.
