| Taylor Ferns | |
|---|---|
 Ferns atAngell Park Speedway in 2013 | |
| Born | Taylor Lynn Ferns (1995-12-12)December 12, 1995 (age 29) Shelby Township, Michigan, United States |
| Indy NXT career | |
| Debut season | 2024 |
| Current team | Abel Motorsports |
| Car number | 55 |
| Starts | 2 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| Best finish | TBD in2024 |
Taylor Lynn Ferns (born December 12, 1995[1]) is an Americanracing driver, team owner, lawyer, writer forSpeedSport, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She currently competes inIndy NXT driving forAbel Motorsports,[2][3] as well as in theUSAC Silver Crown Series driving for her own team, Taylor Ferns Racing.[3][4]
At 28 years old, she has made a significant impact in motorsports, particularly in the USAC Silver Crown series, where she became the first woman to achieve a podium finish. Her career includes numerous milestones, such as being the youngest female to win a sprint car race and the second female to win aUSAC championship.[1] Taylor has also competed in diverse racing formats, from midgets to sprint cars and Silver Crown vehicles. She also competed in selectARCA races throughout 2013 withVenturini Motorsports. Taylor also made history when she won the 65th running of the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial atSalem Speedway, leading wire to wire. She also madehistory by becoming the first female to win a500 Sprint Car Tour race.[5] Taylor made her officialINDY NXT debut antIowa Speedway on July 13, 2024 driving for Abel Motorsports’ INDY NXT Series team. This was also the same track she made her USAC Silver Crown debut at.[6]
Taylor was born and raised in Shelby Twp., MI.[1] Ferns grew up in a motorsports-oriented family, with her uncles racing late models and stock cars in Michigan during the 1980s and 1990s.[6] Her father played a significant role in encouraging her racing journey, introducing her to quarter midget racing when she was six years old. This marked the beginning of a lifelong passion for the sport.[7]
In addition to her racing pursuits, Taylor earned her undergraduate degree in finance and economics fromGrand Valley State University. She holds anMBA (Masters of Business Administration) fromWayne State University and earned herJD (Juris Doctor) fromWayne State University Law School in May 2024.[1]
Passionate about empowering women in motorsports, Taylor mentors younger girls in the field.
In 2023, Ferns launchedThe Safety Bank, a charitable initiative designed to make racing safety gear more accessible.[8] In 2024, she announced a partnership with the Shift Up Now Foundation.
Ferns recognized that many racers, particularly those at the grassroots level, often lack access to high-quality safety equipment due to cost constraints. To address this, she has leveraged her long-standing partnerships with manufacturers likeSimpson Race Products to collect and redistribute surplus safety gear such as gloves, suits, and helmets.
The initiative operates by setting up donation bins at racetracks and motorsport events. Racers and teams with excess or unused gear can contribute, and The Safety Bank distributes these items on a first-come, first-served basis. This project has also received significant support fromSabelt America, which donated $30,000 worth of equipment to launch the program.
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Ferns credits mentor and IndyCar legend,Lynn St. James, for making her the athlete she is today. Ferns caught the attention of St.James when she attended her Driver Development at the age of 13.[6]
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(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position) (Races initalics indicate fastest lap) (Races withL indicate a race lap led) (Races with * indicate most race laps led)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Abel Motorsports | STP | BAR | IMS | IMS | DET | ROA | LAG | LAG | MDO | IOW 16 | GTW 15 | POR | MIL 18 | NSH 18 | 24th | 53 |
(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
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| Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | ARSC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Venturini Motorsports | 55 | Toyota | DAY | MOB 9 | SLM | TAL | TOL 20 | ELK 12 | POC | MCH | ROA | WIN | CHI | NJM | POC 15 | BLN | ISF 9 | MAD | DSF 10 | IOW 13 | SLM | KEN 12 | KAN | 20th | 1340 | [9] | |||||||||||||||||
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