Drive for Diversity profile: Emily Sue Steck

Team Owner: DMT Motorsports
Track: La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway
Hometown: Holmen, Wis.
Years in Racing: 6
Date Of Birth: 3/17/86
Emily Sue Steck is a 22-year-old college student from Holmen, Wis. Steck is finishing out her classes at Winona State University, majoring in physical education teaching and will graduate in December. She has been racing stock cars since the age of 16, and started in the 4-cylinder women's division at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway in West Salem, Wis., Wisconsin's only NASCAR-sanctioned track.
In 2003, she moved into the Thunderstox division. These cars are formerly street-legal cars, normally from the 1970s and '80s, with modifications made only for safety. Steck drove a 1976 Chevrolet Malibu and finished 21st out of 66 drivers her first season.
She made the move to the big track (5/8-mile oval) in 2005 in the Sportsman Division. She raced her way to Victory Lane five times during the year, three times in dashes and twice in heat races, becoming the first female to win a Sportsman dash event. Steck had a solid year in 2006 in the Sportsman division. She started the year with her first ever fast time. This set a record at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, as she was the only female ever to register a fast time in any division. Before the year was over, she had seven fast times, three more than any other driver in the division.
In 2007, Steck won the Late Model Division Rookie of the Year at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway while driving for DMT Motorsports, as well as the Most Popular Driver Award. She was also awarded the Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award by NASCAR.
Last year, Steck competed in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway and earned five top-fives, 18 top-10s and won two poles. Her efforts earned her an invitation to the Drive for Diversity Testing & Evaluation Combine presented by Sunoco at South Boston Speedway.
