Shift Up Now fans and supporters, we’re excited to bring you a brand-new series called “Meet the Athlete.”
Our goal is to tell the Athletes’ stories in a fun Q&A format, so you can get to know each one. That way, you’ll have even more reason to cheer for them, and show your support by being a Shift Up Now Member!
So without further ado, meet Taylor Ferns!
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A race car driver or a lawyer.
Where and how did you get started in racing?
I come from a racing family - my uncles raced late models and stock cars in the 80s and 90s. A neighbor of ours had Quarter Midgets and my dad thought that might be something my siblings and I would like to do. We always had quads, dirt bikes, snowmobiles, side-by-sides, etc. around, and I loved going fast. We found a car for sale in nearby Lansing, MI. When we went to check it out, I had instant butterflies as soon as I sat in it. My parents had to pull me out of the car after an hour. I started racing in 2002 at the age of six. My local track was MMRA / “Waterford.”
Describe how you progressed through your early days to where you are now.
To be honest, when I first started in Quarter Midgets, I wasn't very good. Then, as I got more seat time and experience, I became really competitive. The same thing happened when I started racing dirt Micro Sprints at nine or ten years old. I was terrible the first year. I just couldn't get a hang of throwing the car sideways, and the whole "dirt" racing concept.
The following year, I won about 12-15 races and was super-competitive from that point on. I was always very smart so it was almost as if I had to test the waters a little bit before I went all out. But after I gained experience in a lot of different race cars, I became aware of my tendencies and hit a certain level of maturity. In my opinion, that made me a strong competitor in most of the cars I raced from the age of 13 and beyond - from Focus Midgets, to full-size Midgets, Sprint Cars, Silver Crown, Late Models, Stock Cars, etc. Those early years gave me a foundation of being patient and learning to let things play out. I also worked my attrition - both physically and mentally, and really tested my love for the sport. Hard work pays off, and after chipping away at it during the hard times, it always worked out. That sentiment remained true with each step I climbed on the racing ladder.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced?
I'm sure many other drivers can relate to this, but finding sponsorship and the proper monetary backing to keep racing is tough. Without money, we can't race. I always try to come up with innovative ways to find funding but once you get the money, you also have to work to keep sponsors happy, so that's all part of it. Another challenge is finding good people to work with that you can trust, and that have the best intentions. There are so many other things that come up as a driver, and especially as an owner, so you just have to deal with them as they come. You have to be gritty in this business and willing to dig deep to get to where you want to go.
What are some of your greatest achievements so far, or the things you’re most proud of?
A few things I am most proud of include my USAC Regional Midget Championship in 2011, winning my first-ever Sprint Car start at 14 years old, podiuming in my first USAC Silver Crown race right after taking five-ish years off from racing, and winning the Joe James/Pat O'Connor Memorial Sprint Car race at Salem Speedway last fall (September 2024). The latter was super special to me, not only as a driver, but because that was my first official win as a team owner. It was a tough road to get there, even during the race itself. We overcame a lot of adversity with the car, so it was a huge relief, and just a super-proud moment overall.
What are you most looking forward to this upcoming year?
This year, I'm looking forward to:
What’s your favorite hobby, or way to spend your free time, outside of racing?
I love going for walks/runs or some form of exercise, and listening to music.
What’s your “cheat meal” of choice?
Pizza!
Where are you racing next?
TBD!
Taylor is one of our Athlete's taking part in the upcoming Fan Forum presented by Callies on February 26th at 7:30pm Eastern, so if you want to meet Taylor via zoom, and learn more about her make sure you Sign up here!
If you can't make the Fan Forum, but still want to support Taylor and the other Athletes of Shift Up Now, Click here to become a member of The Inside Track today!
