Hyundai’s young Texan racing driver makes history in TCR history

While Shirley Muldowney led the way by winning multiple NHRA Top Fuel championships on the drag strip in the 1970s and 1980s (a tradition more recently maintained in Pro Stock by Erica Enders-Stevens), it took off until Dane Christina Nielsen was crowned IMSA GTD winner 2016 and ’17 in her Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 – while British Katherine Legge came very close to the female hat trick in 2018, finishing second in her Acura NSX.

And to prove that this level of performance can inspire future generations, 25-year-old Taylor Hagler – from Bulverde, Texas – points to these female sports car racers as her motivation to switch from equestrian show jumping to racing cars.

This year Hagler became the first female racing driver to win a race in the TCR class of the Michelin Pilot Challenge with her Hyundai Veloster N in Lime Rock Park. Now she too is about to claim an IMSA title.

“I saw Christina and Katherine in particular, they were both my inspirations,” says Hagler. “I was pretty young when I started watching Katherine at DeltaWing, and I’ve watched her ever since – she’s like an idol to me.

“These riders paved the way and made it easier for me, and I would like to do the same for future generations, to continue to pave the way for the next.

“I’ve made horses before, my father was always on the racing side and my mother is the horse man. I started with horses when we moved to San Antonio but then my dad took me to a go-kart track and I really enjoyed that so I did horses for a while and then moved into cars.

“My dad gave my older sister a skip barber school ticket and she never used it, so I took it and drove the Mazda MX5 Cup cars and really enjoyed it. I had really good feedback from the instructors so I started racing and really enjoyed it. So everything came from there. “

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Hyundai’s racing team boss Bryan Herta explains the reasons for giving Hagler her chance, which she has since grabbed with both hands.

“Hyundai has wanted to have a driver on the racing team for a number of years, but the criteria we always set is that we only want someone who can be successful,” he says. “Adding a female driver just for the sake of a woman didn’t make much sense to us.

“Taylor caught our attention a year earlier when she drove a competing car, and what set her apart was pole position in Mid-Ohio. That showed that she had the pace. When we started talking it was clear that she was very new to racing but was serious about becoming a top racer. She quickly checked all the boxes for us. “

# 77: Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Hyundai Veloster N TCR, TCR: Michael Lewis, Taylor Hagler

Photo by: Art Fleischmann

Hagler explains that Herta’s expertise, along with co-driver Michael Lewis – who once tested a Ferrari F1 car – made her progress faster than she had ever imagined.

“The trip so far has been kind of crazy,” she says. “It was a great learning experience to be with Bryan Herta Autosport, to have Michael as my co-driver this season and to switch to the Veloster N TCR. Everything was really, really good, Michael was just great and the car was phenomenal and everyone was very helpful in getting me on my way quickly.

“Before each race, we go through everything with Michael for an hour or two, we analyze every single corner on the track and he gives me all of his notes, we go through the data. He always gives me three points to work on and we look at the data in the middle of practice and he gives me tips and tricks for each route. He’s such a positive guy, that’s really helpful for my motivation. “

Lewis won the 2019 championship with BHA’s Hyundai team and says this year’s experience in developing Hagler’s raw talent has been hugely rewarding.

“Driving with Taylor is pretty incredible, she really gets going in motorsport and proves that she can go forward,” he says. “It’s really cool to race with someone who is so dedicated and willing to listen. When we see something that she needs to improve, she says, “Okay, tell me what to do”. I love that about her; She is all-in and committed to this Hyundai program. “

Hagler and Lewis lead the TCR class by 170 points, two laps remaining in VIR and Road Atlanta, their closest rival being another Hyundai driver, Parker Chase.

Herta adds on his decision to pair them: “When Taylor got together with Michael, who has won a lot and has been one of our most experienced drivers since day 1, we knew she would have a great teammate who would shorten her learning curve, answer her questions , help her work better with the team. That was so valuable and their pairing worked extremely well and it’s so satisfying when that happens!

“They put themselves in a really strong position, way ahead of their rivals, but our policy is to pit our cars and drivers against each other – we don’t use team assignments like you saw at Laguna Seca when we had a team. “Forget the last lap!

# 98: Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR, TCR: Ryan Norman, Parker Chase, # 33: Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Hyundai Elantra N TCR, TCR: Mark Wilkins, Harry Gottsacker

Photo by: Art Fleischmann

“They know the other Hyundai drivers are just as hungry to win it, and they will capitalize on making mistakes. I think for them they only have to look at the bigger picture for the last two weekends and continue to collect solid points to protect their car and their series lead. “