Heather “The Heat” Hadley
Looks to Sizzle Her Way to IMSA
When Heather "The Heat” Hadley dreamed of competing in motorsports as a young girl, she didn’t have to look far for inspiration. Her hometown of Vallejo, California, located about 30 miles northeast of San Francisco, is renowned for its association with one of motorsports’ greatest icons.
“In Vellajo, there is so much love for Jeff Gordon,” Hadley said. “It was normal to see pictures and memorabilia associated with Jeff Gordon at all different types of restaurants and shops around the city. He was definitely a huge inspiration of mine.”
While the 21-year-old admires the four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, she has set her sights on a different form of motorsport. Her goal is to become a competitive IMSA driver. Hadley initially honed her skills in indoor karting, winning a staggering 503 races. She then progressed to outdoor kart and Legend Car races, competing at venues like Sonoma Raceway.
“Everything became more serious,” she said. “The speeds were much faster, the competition was stronger, and the tracks were much bigger. Instead of being fearful of this change, I embraced it and quickly came to love every second of it.”
Hadley’s passion was evident from the beginning, culminating in her victory at the Legends of the Pacific State Championship in 2017 and the U.S. Legend Cars Silver State Winter Series Championship in 2019 and 2022.
While those achievements were satisfying, she experienced a truly euphoric moment last year. “When I learned I won the Women’s Initiative Scholarship, I was standing in line with all of the MX-5 Cup Shootout scholarship candidates,” she said. “The feeling of anticipation was so overwhelming that my entire body was shaking. I had to remind myself to breathe.
“When they announced the good news, I was in utter shock and disbelief. I was so happy I shared that special moment with my mom.”
This year, Hadley competes in the No. 54 Spark Performance entry in the Idemitsu MX-5 Cup Series. Despite the challenges of her rookie season, she remains optimistic. “While it’s been far more challenging than anticipated, it’s forced me to grow more than I evercould have imagined,” she said. “I am very happy walking away from St. Petersburg with a top-10 finish in this extremely competitive series. I hope to keep improving as we get closer to the end of the season.”
Considering Hadley’s approach throughout her career, this young racer possesses the potential to become a successful IMSA competitor. As OneRepublic’s “I Lived” reminds her, it’s about perseverance and determination.
“My priority will always be to get to the finish line feeling I gave it my all with no regrets,” Hadley said. “I think that song describes that feeling perfectly.”
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Since 2003, ExoConsulting’s founder, Dr. Aaron Studwell, has been providing weather support to the NASCAR community, building his reputation as an effective communicator with a passion for the sport and the people in it. EC Sports Management currently represents clients in NASCAR, FIA Formula, IMSA, & the Road to Indy series. With business relationships that will help broaden your market & media exposure, we will bring your company to the next level!
Written by Rob Tiongson, June 30, 2023
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