Driver Annastasia Wilson enjoys the sport just like any other racer. She comes from a racing family and competes in the WISSOTA street stock class at Sheridan Speedway in Wyoming. Yet, some don’t understand her.
“Being openly gay is a challenge,” Wilson, 29, of Sheridan, Wyoming, said. “We have come a long way in racing. At first, some men didn’t realize I was female. Other men automatically assume I am married to a guy. Once we overcame that, and got over appearance being a big thing, everything has been fine. I’ve never encountered any animosity at or on the racetrack.”
However, Wilson added that being a woman creates another challenge.
“The big hurdle for all women is male dominance — in the world, in racing,” said Wilson. “We encounter mansplaining in racing. We have to reassure men that we are here, we understand, we are not children, and we are the same as you.”
Wilson is just like a typical racer. She grew up in the sport, watching her father, Mark Ridenhower, race. She’s married, and her wife, Amanda, helps with the race car.
“It’s a family sport,” Wilson said. “Fathers and daughters, wives, mothers, brothers and sisters, they all race here.”
During the day, she works at her family’s rental business. At night, you can find Wilson in the garage, prepping her street stock for action at Sheridan Speedway.
“I have experience repairing a little bit of everything,” said Wilson. “I’ve fixed electrical issues, straightened bent rims, changed transmissions, and more. On my race car, I can diagnose problems and fix it.”
Her crew includes her parents and friend Trevor Clark. However, Annastasia Wilson might add a new driver to the team for 2023.
“My wife wants to race, too,” Wilson said. “Next season, she may be joining us at the track.”
Mike Adaskaveg has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
