Racing to the Top

Natalie Fenaroli ’18 doesn’t mind a little speed. She’s been speeding most of her life. At the age of five, after learning the essentials—colors, numbers, and letters—Fenaroli moved on to learning what the gas pedal does, which helmet to use, and how to shift gears in a Go Kart.

With the encouragement of her father, she quickly learned how to expertly operate the small racing vehicle. And she was good, really good. She won her first national championship at the age of seven and she continued to race for many years after.

At 14 she graduated to a full-sized car—a Spec Miata. She continued her upward trajectory and finished as the top-ranked female in the history of Mazda’s Teen Racing series.

Upon graduating from high school she reached a crossroads—would she continue racing or focus on her education? She leaned toward the latter but has never abandoned her passion for racing. 

Today, the business major, and recipient of the Alan H. ’71 and Irene Lund Scholarship and James R. Parks Prize, spends her weekends as a technical official for Indy Lights, a developmental automobile racing series.

Fenaroli’s work involves enforcing IndyCar rules and regulations and acting as an intermediary between race control and the pit lane. Her vast experience as a driver gives her a definite edge. At the same time, lessons learned in the classroom have prepared her for the administrative side of the industry.

“As a technical official, I work in a very specialized role by examining the race cars for discrepancies, but I also have to be able to communicate and understand the people who are making management decisions, as well as the people who are promoting and marketing the series and the cars themselves,” she explains.

Although there aren’t many females in the male-dominated racecar industry, Fenaroli is confident that after graduating from Whittier she will rise up within a motorsports program at a major car company. 
Once established within the industry she aspires to be a beacon of access for low- and middle-class youth and women who want to be racers.

“I know that there are so many capable young women out there that have the tenacity and the smarts to accomplish this and I hope that I will be there to help them along the way,” said Fenaroli.