Original article here
The Della Penna Foundation Is Closing the Gender Gap in Motorsports
by Amber Turpin
October 24, 2024
For some of us, the idea of starting a motorsports organization might seem completely out of left field. But for Michelle Della Penna, daughter of legendary IndyCar team owner John Della Penna, the concept was second nature. Having grown up around the racetrack, immersed in all things motor and racing, Della Penna felt compelled to tap into that background as a tribute to her father after his death. But in a new, progressive way for the next generation.
“I’m a business owner and entrepreneur and have done a lot of things in my life. I’m also a mom of three boys. But when my dad died about five years ago, I was at the track with one of my sons and I realized there were only one or two girls on the grid,” says Della Penna. “I asked myself why aren’t there more girls? And it occurred to me, maybe in honor of my dad I could sponsor a scholarship for a young lady.”
The light bulb moment ultimately led to the creation in 2021 of Della Penna Motorsports Next Gen Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization with a mission to close the gender gap in the motorsports industry by empowering young women and girls ages 5 to 16 with mentorship opportunities, experiential knowledge, expertise and skill in a direct, hands-on way.
“It became clear that just one scholarship for one little girl just doesn’t move the needle enough. So it was asking the question of ‘What are the tenets to follow?’, which led to the foundation.”
Once she had that clarity, the wheels started moving really fast. The initial idea came in February, and she filed for 501(c)(3) status in May, with the first event happening in September of 2021 at Laguna Seca. That was a big deal for Della Penna, it being her “home track.” And the process of putting together the foundation team was no small feat, but through friends and word of mouth, Della Penna was introduced to Susan Lucas-Conwell, who became the foundation’s executive director. They immediately connected and mapped out what support they needed, identifying that a board of directors and community engagement would both be crucial. Lucas-Conwell was followed by foundation members Lyn St. James and Beth Paretta.
“Lyn St. James, I grew up watching her, she’s a legend. She took my call right away and said ‘Whatever you need!’ Beth Paretta came at the same time. They are titans in this industry, and they became our pillars for this organization,” says Della Penna.
The opportunities for girls are impressive and keep growing. Recently wrapping up the Ferrari Challenge at the Sonoma Raceway, with which the foundation is closely tied, the organization is rolling out its scholarship program for 2025 and heading to Indianapolis for its third annual immersive weekend there — with capacity doubled in light of how many applicants wanted to take part.
Luckily for local girls looking to get more involved, “we have a pretty strong foothold in the Bay Area, primarily in Sonoma. We go out to local high schools, boys and girls clubs, and invite local girls out to events,” says Della Penna. “We also have fellowships that are weeklong events for young ladies to shadow a female driver for a week. It’s a deep dive into all things motorsports.”
Andy Knight, The Herald Bulletin, Feb 8, 2024
SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) — Women are underrepresented in all areas of motorsports. The Della Penna Foundation is working to change that by exposing young girls to all facets of the sport.
It was founded by Michelle Della Penna, the daughter of IndyCar driver John Della Penna. She said for most of her life, she was one of few girls at the race track.
“Women make up half of the population and motorsports is an amazing sport that is a microcosm of the entire world,” Della Penna said. “Everything from engineering to mechanics to development to marketing to public relations to finance, there is all of that within motorsports and women are hugely underrepresented. Not to mention the actual driving component where, at the Indy 500, there is one woman on a grid of 30 people.”
FEATURED CONTENT
Volunteers with the foundation took 15 high school girls from the Indianapolis area around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Indy 500 qualifying weekend. The girls got to meet with drivers and technicians to learn the ins and outs of racing, and watch the drivers qualify.
“The organization itself is really supportive of bringing more women into the fold. Drifting is a newer sport and unless you have a family history of motorsports, it’s hard to get into,” explained Zandara Kennedy, a member of the driver advisory council and a Formula Drift driver.
Kennedy said she wants to be the person that young girls can look up to since she did not have that growing up.
“I have zero family history in motorsports. My parents don’t care at all about vehicles, my brother is not into cars, so I am kind of the only one,” Kennedy said. “I fell into it through stunts actually. I wanted to become a better stunt driver, so I started taking better driving courses and I learned about drifting, and that became an addiction for me.”
Della Penna said the goal is to show girls they can be successful in any role in motorsports, despite many roles being traditionally held by men.
“We focus on the ages of 5 to 16, so really girls that are starting to develop what they like to do to girls getting ready to go off to college,” Della Penna said. “If you’re getting ready to start thinking about what you’re going to be doing for college and if you’re introduced to STEM and engineering programs. The younger you are, the better off you have of making a career out of it.”
“I really want to see more women in all aspects of motorsports. As a driver, I see only two other women, but in the pits, there aren’t a lot of techs either. I know there are many women out there with the capacity or the potential to be really good on a race team,” Kennedy said. “My best friend is an engineer and she came out and helped me, and I just want to encourage more women to see themselves in any position in motorsport.”
Della Penna is a first-generation Argentinian-American who is passionate about creating opportunities for women of color.
“This is a total labor of love for me. I absolutely love it,” Della Penna said. “Motorsports is near and dear to my heart. I’ve grown up in this sport, and I just want it to look more representative of the world that we live in.”
The foundation is based in California, but has many opportunities for Indianapolis girls because of the prominence of IndyCar in central Indiana.