Taylor Reimer, a student at the University of Oklahoma, dotted the South and the Midwest from April to June in her BuzzBallz race car to participate in professional midget car races.
This style of racing tests the speed and precision of 900-pound race cars with four-cylinder engines and 300-400 horsepower. Midget car racing is globally recognized, with many international competitions often taking place in the United Kingdom and Australia.
Since April, Carrollton, Texas-based BuzzBallz/Southern Champion LLC has sponsored Reimer. She wore a BuzzBallz-branded racing suit and drove a BuzzBallz-wrapped race car for most of her competitions.
“We’re super excited how the first half of the season went, and we look forward to continuing the rest of the year with BuzzBallz,” Reimer said.
This year, Reimer won six heat races and landed in the top 10 seven times and the top five once.
As a woman-owned company, the staff members at BuzzBallz have reveled in Reimer’s success, but many are just as impressed with what she’s able to juggle. Reimer is taking 17 hours this semester. In addition, she will race again despite one huge responsibility – she is a cheerleader for the University of Oklahoma, a Division 1 school in the Big 12.
From September to November, she will be traveling with the football team across the country between competing in nine races across Oklahoma and the Midwest.
“Her spirit and ingenuity mirrors that of another woman in an overwhelmingly male space,” said Merrilee Kick, CEO and founder of BuzzBallz/Southern Champion LLC.
Kick was faced with lots of men aiming to keep her out of the “boys’ club.” Nonetheless, she pushed through, eventually pushing her product to be one of the most popular, single-serve, ready-to-drink cocktails in the country.
Similarly, Reimer has used people’s doubts about her as the fuel to keep her going in this space.
“Whenever I was a little girl, I knew there weren’t many female race car drivers, but that didn’t stop me,” Reimer said. “It lit a fire underneath me to show everyone that anyone can be a race car driver, male or female. I was never insecure, rather determined to break female stereotypes in racing and prove people wrong.”
Reimer’s next appearance will be Sept. 4 and 5 at the Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Missouri, for the Sprint & Midget Nationals. She will close out the season Nov. 6 at Caney Valley Speedway in Caney, Kansas.
“We have already made so much progress over the last couple of months and believe we will collect a podium by the end of the year,” Reimer said, explaining that she believes she will place in the top three at the end of a grand prix before the season is over.
For more information, visit taylorreimerracing.com.
