Sarah Montgomery is on track, working toward a marketing degree and a career as a professional race car driver.
About 30 times a year, she suits up and gets behind the wheel of Captain Nemo, a modified 1995 Mazda Miata, to compete in road races across the country.
“The car was underwater for three weeks after Hurricane Katrina. Surprisingly, it started right up. So, that’s where it got the name,” she said in a recent interview.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette sophomore shows the same kind of tenacity.
In addition to racing, the Kappa Delta sorority member maintains a 3.125 GPA, plays clarinet in the UL Lafayette Woodwind Ensemble and works part-time as a veterinarian’s assistant.
Montgomery, 19, began road racing four years ago. She competes in the Spec Miata class, which is recognized by the Sports Car Club of America and the National Auto Sport Association.
In 2012, Montgomery completed 12 top-five finishes and a gripping, 1st place finish in the 1-Hour Charity Challenge Enduro Race at Circuit Grand Bayou Raceway.
This year, Montgomery has four wins and eight top-five finishes in 23 races.
Her devotion to the sport began when she was 9. Her family attended an Indy race at Texas Motor Speedway in College Station.
“I thought it was the coolest thing. I loved the smell of fuel and burned rubber. I loved how fast the cars were going and the sound of the engines screaming. I was totally hooked,” she said.
At 13, she became a “karter,” racing go-karts on dirt tracks. At 16, she was the first female competitor to win two championships in one year.
That same year, she made the transition from karter to race car driver when she took part in the Skip Barber Racing School Karting Scholarship Shootout. Participants get coaching and feedback on their driving, as well as business aspects of the sport.
A few weeks later, Montgomery was one of seven drivers to attend Lyn St. James’ Women of the Winners Circle Driver Development Academy. More than 230 female drivers have attended the annual, invitation-only event, including Danica Patrick.
The program emphasized staying in top physical shape. “It may not seem like it to the spectator, but this sport is incredibly demanding. It’s like being a jet fighter pilot,” she said.
During a race, which lasts 45 minutes, her heart beats as fast as a marathon runner’s, reaching 85 to 95 percent of its capacity. While navigating a curve, she experiences g-force — a feeling of added weight caused by acceleration. “It’s as much as 3 g in some corners,” she said. That’s similar to what astronauts in the Space Shuttle felt leaving and reentering the earth’s atmosphere.
“I love it. The adrenaline, for me, is so cool. It’s kind of like my escape from the world and school,” Montgomery said. “But it’s also my life. I can’t imagine a life where I’m not involved with racing.”