Lindsay Brewer dreams of driving IndyCar and wants to show that bikinis can mix with racetracks

As a woman, if you play a male-dominated sport, such as racing, you expect some backlash.

Lindsay Brewer has heard the talk in the paddock, seen the dirty looks and knows that her endeavors as a model and influencer have resulted in some not taking her seriously.

But she didn’t expect negativity to come from female IndyCar drivers blazing her way.

“I’ve spoken to a few female drivers in the past who were older and I asked for advice… told Dailymail.com in an exclusive interview.

“If it’s really about feminism and women in the industry, you have to let them be who they want to be and not pigeonhole them. Like you don’t have to say, “Okay, you can’t wear makeup, you have to dress a certain way, you can’t post certain things.” I think that’s really anti-feminist.’

While she says some have seen her as an “influencer posing as a race car driver” in the USF Pro 2000 Championship — which is two tiers below IndyCar — her racing history dates far back from her massive social presence of 2.1 million Instagram followers .

Brewer started karting at the age of 11 and made a name for herself in the youth racing world when she eventually switched to driving.

Although the Colorado native would later take four years off from racing to attend college, the break still served her racing career. She returned from her hiatus in 2019 with a greater social presence and a better understanding of building her brand.

In the extremely expensive world of racing, Brewer’s lifestyle content – which also includes behind-the-scenes YouTube vlogs – helps. And now even some of its competitors are asking for sponsorship tips.

“I didn’t really think I was going to be some kind of influencer or model in the space. Racing is a very expensive sport,” she said.

“I posted swimwear pictures with my friends on the beach, and of course I love doing that, I love modeling. But it just wasn’t something I’m as passionate about as racing.”

Not everyone was convinced that a 112-pound bleach blonde influencer deserved a highly sought-after spot as a professional driver. Not even one of her current engineers, he admitted to her later.

And while Brewer hasn’t really dominated the track lately, she’s shown herself to be a worthy competitor.

In her first (partial) season of the USF Pro 2000 Championship, formerly known as the Indy Pro 2000 Championship, she finished 15th out of 20 driving for Exclusive Autosport.

This year the results have slipped as she is 19th out of 21. But the giggles and doubts of her competitors are gone.

“I think a lot of it disappeared when they saw how I could actually ride the track,” she said.

There isn’t exactly a blueprint to follow to be a driver, model, and influencer.

But when it comes to life on and off the track, there’s one name from the racing world she’s quick to cite as an inspiration: Danica Patrick.

Both the first woman to win an IndyCar Series race and a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Model, Patrick embraced the duality Brewer tries to maintain in her own career.

And the 26-year-old sees no reason why her femininity can’t coexist with pole finishes.

“I hate being pigeonholed,” she said.

“I will always have my hair bleached, I will have my fake nails, but I can still be a bada** driver. I don’t want to be placed in certain categories. I can still take care of myself and look ‘glamorous’ and girly, but still be fast on the track.”

Brewer is in small company as a female driver on the Indy ladder. She is the only woman in her division, while Jamie Chadwick became only the second woman to drive second-tier Indy NXT full-time in 13 years when she signed up in December.

But Brewer, who said she has participated in women-only athletic days to promote the sport among girls, enjoys her role as an ambassador of sorts.

“I feel a responsibility and a very big desire to be a role model for younger women,” she said.

‘I think that’s super important. Not just in racing, but just in various male-dominated industries in general, like in STEM, in business. Like I just care about being a role model for younger women.”

While she would love to see more women race alongside her, there are benefits to being a rarity in her sport.

Her strong social presence has helped her secure sponsorships with C4 Smart Energy and Surge Trader, while there have also been partnerships with Pirelli, Evian and RayBan.

Followers will also see her forays to places like Ibiza and Mykonos – though Brewer insists these sorts of excursions are about networking. “Everything I do is for my racing,” she said.

Either way, her status as a woman in a male-dominated field has presented obstacles as well as benefits.

And she makes no apologies for the benefits that have come her way.

“Some people have a chip on their shoulder because they’re not able — even guys in the racing industry — they’re not able to get money to support their racing careers, and a lot of them are very talented,” she said . .

“I try not to take it personally…some people might look at me and not like the way I got my sponsorship, and some people might look up to it.”