Public relations as a whole is a field dominated by caucasian females, and it is projected that in the coming years, this will only increase, with an estimated 80% of professionals being female within the coming years. With its basis in "promoting goodwill and harboring good feelings towards a person or an institution " it is easy to see why women are so drawn to the field.
PR has, in recent years, has become a huge part of our society, involved in every area of American life, from the political, business, and nonprofit sectors, to Hollywood, Music, and other sources of entertainment, including sports.
NASCAR has long been a male-dominated sport, with little opportunity for females to become involved. As the sport has grown from a southern-centric sport to an international phenomenon, women have finally been able to make a name for themselves in many areas, serving as mechanics, engineers, officials, crew members, broadcasters, and public relations representatives.
As with any role inside the NASCAR community, for men or women, the hours are long, the travel extensive, and the time spent away from home, stressful. Nearly 40 weekends a year are spent at the track, and unfamiliar towns and hotels crammed with crew members, officials and fans, replace the comforts of home, and a 'normal life' is all but deserted to pursue a dream. Add in the sponsor obligations, interviews and public appearances a driver has throughout the season that the PR rep is obligated to be at, and the PR person, especially for the most popular and sought-after drivers spend even more time on the road.
For most fans, working in NASCAR seems glamorous and exciting, and most fans would scoff at the notion of mid-season burnout, and have no clue of the sacrifices and strains that come along with the job. I was recently told that for every PR position that exists, a team or PR agency receives between 40 and 75 resumes from qualified candidates.
I recently read that it has become common practice for race teams to hire young-underqualified candiates who 'look good in their merchandise or uniform'. Young professional women were degraded to the point of having their qualifications and credentials diminished down to imply they are nothing more than pretty faces. The conversation continued, much to my personal chagrin, to imply that females looking to be involved with the sport were in fact, looking to be involved with the drivers or male crew members. The word pit lizard, a highly derogative term used for women who prowl the pits and garage areas trying to 'get with' the drivers and/or crew members, was thrown around, seemingly in jest, but for a female who has long dreamed of having a successful career in the sport, the phrase hit a nerve.
Leilani Munter, my personal favorite of the current female drivers, currently competing in the IRL's version of the busch series, Indy Pro, has often used the following phrase to describe her interest in the sport.
Auto Racing: I'm not in it for the boys, I'm in it for
the cars.
I can't speak for any females involved in the sport, or those who, like me, are attempting to break in. But I can speak for myself, and I'm not in it for the boys, I'm in it for the cars...
