If 2017 was about her career, then 2018 will be all about family for teenage Yorktown race car driver Macy Causey.
Causey, who recently turned 17, has returned to Yorktown after spending 2017 living with a family friend in North Carolina and racing with a professional NASCAR team. She earned a year-long ride in the Late Model Division with Rev Racing through NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity, which offers developmental opportunities for young women and minorities with professional ambitions in the sport.
Causey was not selected to drive for Rev again in 2018, and so she’ll race in her family’s Late Model race car. She said she was upset when she heard the news, but she’s been looking at the positives that came from her season with Rev Racing.
“Rev Racing is a great program and all the people on the crew, they’re not there just to work on the car,” Causey said. “They’re there to help the driver learn as much as they can and get as far as they can” in their career.
As for her career, Causey’s goals haven’t changed. She wants to make it to the highest rung of NASCAR competition, the Monster Energy Cup Series. Causey said she believes the success she had with Rev Racing in 2017 helped put her on track to one day share the racetrack with NASCAR’s biggest stars.
The successes included her first Late Model Division victory at South Boston Speedway in May, which Causey said was also a much-needed victory for her confidence in her ability.
Not looking to “run in the back”
“I realize that my talent could be at the same level as the national champions and track champions,” Causey said, but added, “I want to take my time through the different ranks and levels of racing. There’s so much for me to learn.”
Causey said she hopes to return to victory lane in 2018, and is optimistic she can do so. She plans to run about 15 races this year, most of which will be at her home racetrack, Langley Speedway in Hampton.
She plans to race at Martinsville Speedway and Myrtle Beach Speedway as well, but she said she is looking forward to being able to “focus on one track and trying to dominate it.”
“I’m obviously not going to race just to run in the back,” Causey added.
More than anything, after a year of living away from home, Causey said she is excited to spend the year working on the race car with her family.
Her grandmother is among her biggest fans
Racing runs in Causey’s blood.
Her father Rette is a race car driver, and her grandmother Diane Teel was the first woman to win a sanctioned NASCAR event in the 1970s. Macy even uses the same car number as her father, 33.
Causey said her family has served as her biggest fans and supporters, and even while she was living out-of-state, her grandmother could be seen in the stands on race day.
“To race at Langley for a full season with her there is special to me and special to her, because she’s never missed a race,” Causey said.
Causey’s fans can follow her website for updates with her racing schedule.
