I first learned about grassroots racing while waitressing in Chicago, when a table mentioned they were prepping a car for an upcoming race. They invited me to learn stick shift and join their team, and I ended up helping turn a Volkswagen Jetta into a race car, complete with a roll cage, five‑point harness, fire extinguisher, roll bar, turbo, the works. Over five weeks I learned to drive stick, and during the 18‑hour race I took three driving shifts, each about two hours. I spun out once at the end of a straight and got bumped in a tight apex, but I finished every stint and loved every second of it.