The Acura NSX GT3 has scored four GTD race
the past two seasons of IMSA competition.
There is a team at the Mobil 1
Twelve Hours of Sebring that’s just
like any other team. They have a
lineup of fast, experienced drivers
who have earned their positions in
the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar
Championship. They were quickest
in their class in pre-season
testing, and contended for victory
at the season-opening Rolex 24 at
Daytona.
The only difference between this
team and any other is that the drivers
happen to be women. As all of
them are quick to point out, the car
doesn’t know the difference.
The No. 57 Heinricher Racing with
Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 Evo team features
a roster of proven race-winners: Katherine Legge, Bia
Figueiredo and Christina Nielsen. Team founder Jackie
Heinricher is a biotech CEO who has raced in Ferrari
Challenge, Global Rallycross and Lamborghini Super Trofeo.
Two years ago, she had the idea to run a car full of
women. Not just a token effort designed to be a quick PR
hit, and equally quickly disappear, but rather a car full of
drivers who could win.
“The car does not know your gender,
and I feel as if this sort of professional
effort legitimizes that in
a way that’s particularly important
and inspirational outside of racing,”
Heinricher said.
It would be an ambitious effort, and
one that took almost two years to
assemble. Once heavy equipment
and diesel engine manufacturer
Caterpillar embraced the concept
and came on board, it was time to
put the rest of the pieces in place.
“Caterpillar is committed to a diverse
workplace that’s representative
of the customers we serve
around the world,” said Victoria Morrissey,
Global Marketing and Brand Director for the Peoria,
Illinois-based company. “Women are an important,
valuable part of our global team and this all-female race
team is an example of how we support them.”
Once funding was in place, Heinricher found a competitive
partner in the Meyer Shank Racing crew, whose owner
Michael Shank has run a pair of Acura NSX GT3s in
IMSA’s GTD class since 2017.
S U P E R S E B R I N G 2 0 1 9
102
Heinricher
Racing
with Meyer
Shank
Racing:
Because the Car
Doesn’t Know
the Difference
continue on page 128