When Macy Causey raced around the final lap at South Boston Speedway, she earned more than her first career victory- she took home a checkered flag for her entire family.
With the May 20 win, the 16-year-old Yorktown native became the first female driver to win a Late Model Division race at South Boston Speedway.
Causey said her parents and grandparents were watching the race from the grandstands. After the race, their presence in victory lane made the win all the sweeter.
“My Grandmom has never missed a race of mine so having her there when I won my first one was amazing,” said Causey, who was in victory lane with her family and her race team to celebrate the momentous win. “It was really emotional since they were there. Everyone was crying.”
Causey’s grandmother Diane Teel said she has been in remission for five years, but even a bout with cancer could not keep her from the track when Macy was racing.
“I have had chemo, and left chemo to watch her race,” Teel said.
Racing runs in Causey’s blood. Her father Rette races his own car, and 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.
Those racing genes served her well in the closing laps, as Causey had to dodge an accident and win a last-lap duel to take the checkered flag.
With four laps to go, Causey was in third place.
“The leaders wrecked each other going down the backstretch,” Causey said. “I barely clipped one of them and all these things were going through my head. Will the tire go down? Was it only body work damage? I was hoping and praying nothing would go wrong on the car.”
The damage to her right front was largely cosmetic, and Causey led the field to the green flag for a restart with two laps left. On the outside of the front row was Brandon Pierce, one of her competitors in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Division.
“I was really worried about the restart,” Causey said. “[Pierce] out-qualified me so I was a little worried, but I knew his fuel cell bar was dragging in the turns, so he was sliding up. I knew if I held the bottom line I could definitely pull away off the corner. When the last lap came around I made sure I hit my marks.”
Causey and Pierce entered turn three of the final lap side-by-side. Causey was able to hold the low line and exited turn four for the final time with a small gap over Pierce.
“He slid up high and she got him good,” in turns three and four, Teel said. “She was fighting for everything she was worth.”
Causey’s family cheered her on from the stands as the checkered flag waved.
“Your heart was in your throat for the whole two laps,” Teel said. “Is she going to do it? Please God let her do it.”
The entire family was crying in victory lane, Teel said, and Causey was so emotional she could hardly speak to the PA announcer.
“It was unimaginable,” said Teel. “It was just so exciting that you couldn’t explain it. I know when I called my son and his little girl, she thought something happened to Macy because I was crying so bad.”
Causey drives for Rev Racing as a part of NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Program, which provides opportunities for female and minority drivers. Teel retired from racing long ago to focus on her family, but said her dream is still alive with her granddaughter.
“To win at South Boston, it’s a prestigious track,” Teel said. “South Boston always has the top people there. She has won the respect of all the top dog drivers. They respect her and she respects them.”
Read more profiles of local residents in WYDaily’s section In Our Hometown.
