Spotlight: 5 Questions with Kelly Conroy, Speaker and Author of Your Mom Races Rally

Her Claim to Fame:

Your Mom Races Rally! Wait—maybe not your mom, but Kelly Conroy does. The mother of two went from wrangling nap schedules to ripping through rally stages in a 40-year-old BMW named “Nessie.” What started as a break from the chaos of motherhood turned into a full-throttle adventure and, eventually, a memoir that’s already sparking conversation in both literary and motorsport circles. Your Mom Races Rally isn’t just about cars; it’s about control, identity, and joy.

When Kelly Conroy first stepped into rally school, she wasn’t a racer. She hadn’t even driven a manual. Through sheer curiosity and a touch of rebellion, she discovered something powerful behind the wheel: herself. The result is a book that rewrites old expectations about motherhood, ambition, and what it looks like to start over. Honest, funny, and grounded, Kelly reminds readers that we don’t have to ask permission to chase what moves us.

As she prepares for the March 16 release of her debut book, Kelly continues to inspire a growing community of women drivers and enthusiasts. At a 2026 International Women’s Day event that celebrated women in motorsports and the automotive industry, while also serving as a book signing for her new book, she shared the philosophy that drives her: “My advice to anybody, no matter what your age, is to take your intuition seriously.”

Reflecting on her decision to start racing, she admitted there was “no logical train of thought” behind it, just a “little voice” in her head asking “what if you did?” Despite initially feeling like she didn’t know anything about the sport, trusting that intuition has taken her to “so many amazing places.” As she told the crowd, “I think there’s no telling what girls could turn into if we really trusted ourselves.”

5 Questions We Asked and She Answered:

1. How did you develop a passion for cars and/or motorsports?
I did not start out as a car person. Cars always seemed to me like an annoyingly necessary expense. But once I got behind the wheel of a rally car at DirtFish and slid around my first muddy corner, I was hooked. It was the first time I realized cars could actually be fun. And even more than fun, they could help me build confidence, skills, presence, and community.

2. What advice do you have for people who want to break into the motorsports and auto industry?
Start wherever you are. Motorsports are prohibitively expensive for most people to jump right into, so just take the first step that works for you. Volunteer or spectate at a local event, chat with people at car shows, and learn everything you can. Each step moves you closer to the goal.

3. If you could drive any car, what would it be and why?
I saw the flying trucks at the Long Beach Grand Prix in 2025, and I can’t get them out of my head. I would love to know how it feels to jump one of those Stadium Super Trucks off a ramp and fly through the air.

4. If you could attend any car/motorsports event in the world, which one would you choose? Why?
I would love to go to any WRC race, but if I could only pick one, I think it would either be Rally Sweden because of the snow and ice or Safari Rally Kenya.

5. What’s the most exciting car event/race you’ve ever attended?
I was lucky enough to ride along with Zee Kennedy in her drift car at an open track day, and it blew my mind. I had never even seen drifting before, and I absolutely loved it. The smoke, dance, and intensity of drifting are just so fun and intoxicating.

A Glance at Her Behind The Wheel

Check Her Out on the Gram

 
Your Mom Races Rally, a Rally Racing Memoir by Kelly Conroy is available now at carrarabooks.com. Make sure to pick up your copy right now.