 Dedicated, motivated, hard working: those are just some of the words to describe dirt track racer Shannon Mudro. What started out a mother-daughter outing to the local track turned into a hobby that her whole family could enjoy. “A month from that first night at the dirt track I had my own racecar sitting in the garage,” Mudro said. “A month after that I was starting my first race at the age of 15. I don’t think I have ever begged so much for something!“ The begging worked and quickly turned into something her whole family could enjoy on the weekends. “Some families go on vacations, some families have weekly game nights, but my family chose to spend their weekends at the racetrack having fun together,” said Mudro. “Racing is our fun hobby!” Now, just a year and a half from completing her Bachelors Degree in the Science of Nursing from the University of St. Francis, Mudro looks back at her time on the track and back to her first top-10 finish, right before losing her uncle. “I had started 19th in a 20-car field, and I remember rolling my eyes at my uncle when he told me that I’d get my first top-10 that night,” Mudro recalls, “my first top-10 in the modified (was) just two weeks before losing my biggest fan.”
If it wasn’t for her family and their endless hours of work they have put into her career over the years, Mudro says she wouldn’t be racing. “My family has easily been the most important factors in my journey thus far. I can count on them to support me, reassure me, inspire me and even kick me in the rear when I need it.” All of that support has taught her to work hard for everything she wants, including her education. As a full time student athlete playing tennis at the University of St. Francis, Mudro is also a member of the Delta Epsilon Sigma national honor society. “In all reality,” she says, “I don’t have much of a so-called social life.” With what little free time she has, Mudro spends it doing service work. Currently fundraising for a mission trip to Bolivia in June, she hopes to raise enough money to take this once in a lifetime trip. “I felt a calling to engage in a unique experience…I will participating in the Diocese of Joliet's Annual Mission Trip to Sucre, Bolivia,” Mudro revealed. “During this trip to Bolivia, I hope to make an impact on the lives of those living in Sucre… working with individuals in daycare centers, hospitals and orphanages.”
Between racing, tennis, service work and school, Mudro has maintained a 3.8GPA, an outstanding feat in itself. But at the end of the day, racing is still in her blood.
So what does Mudro’s future in racing hold? She wants to continue to have fun out on the track. “My dream is to continue having fun racing with my family,” Mudro says, “regardless of what series, class or division we’re racing in because if we’re not having fun doing it, then what’s the point?!” If you want to help Shannon and her mission trip to Bolivia, check out her GoFundMe site at http://www.gofundme.com/5frh70
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 All it took was a glimpse of a bright orange car for four year old Stephen Taylor to find his love for NASCAR. Since that day, racing has been a part of his life and will hopefully be something he can call a career. Not long after he first saw that bright orange car, Taylor was begging his parents to let him watch the races on TV so he could cheer on his favorite driver, Ricky Rudd. “As someone who gets attached to something I didn't let it go easily and auto racing has been my passion ever since,” Taylor said. He started to learn all he could about racing and soon became a fan of all things with a motor and wheels. Even after Ricky Rudd retired, Taylor started cheering for Carl Edwards as his passion for the sport grew stronger. Around the age of eight, his parents bought him a go-kart and Taylor got to experience what it was like being behind the wheel for himself. He and his father went racing out of the back of their pick-up truck, spending a lot of time together working on the go-kart. With 17 career wins, a Championship in 1998 and two runner-ups Championship finishes, Taylor had shown that he had a knack for racing. “I was fortunate enough to achieve success and had a blast doing it,” Taylor said! In 2004, his personal racing career came to a halt when his family moved to Alaska, far from any form of racing other than the kind with four legs and fur. Although he was far away from auto racing, Taylor’s love for the sport continued to grow.  Keeping up with the motorsports world in Alaska was not ideal, but that didn’t stop his passion for the sport. TV, the internet and especially Twitter helped him keep up with all of the NASCAR action in Charlotte and around the country. After high school, Taylor attended college at the University of Alaska at Anchorage and recently graduated with a BA degree in history. His passion for racing is stronger than ever and his love for history has led him to pursue a career in the historical aspect of NASCAR. “I want my career path to be something from a historical perspective in racing or one that deals with the collectible aspect of the sport,” Taylor said. As a collector of NASCAR trading cards, the sports history has always fascinated him. Taylor has written multiple NASCAR history pieces for many non-professional websites as well as school papers; all have which solidified his dream of being a racing historian. His road to Charlotte hasn’t been without its ups and downs. In January 2012, he lost his mother to skin cancer and thanks to his family and friends, he worked even harder to make his dreams come true. In May of 2013, Taylor finally found himself on his way to Charlotte, North Carolina. “It was a very hard time but in a way I think it forced my hand even more to want to achieve my dreams sooner,” Taylor said. Since moving to Charlotte in May, Taylor has focused on making his dreams come true. “I have applied for jobs within the NASCAR Media Group and also applied to Press Pass, the manufacturer who makes NASCAR trading cards,” Taylor said. Although no positions have opened up yet, he is making many important connections within his desired field and is far from giving up hope. Stephen Taylor may still be chasing his dream of being a racing historian, but his journey is just beginning.  |
