Women in Motorsports North America (WIMNA), an organization dedicated to promoting opportunities for women across all disciplines of motorsports, officially kicked off planning for its Women with Drive IV summit at the PRI offices in Speedway, Indiana, earlier this month.

Joined by a cast of local industry members, WIMNA Co-Founder Lyn St. James and WIMNA Executive Director Cindy Sisson led the luncheon to begin the early stages of programming development and to establish a "host committee" for the event.

Scheduled for December 9-11, 2024, in Indianapolis, WIMNA's event will precede the 2024 PRI Show, and aims to build on momentum from its 2023 Women with Drive III event at Phoenix Raceway, which drew a capacity crowd of more than 450 attendees.

A first for Women with Drive, the host committee--made up of local industry leaders representing all corners of the motorsports community--will assist WIMNA in building out its schedule of panels, speakers, breakout sessions, site visits, and activities.  

"We've never had a host committee for any one of our summits. And in our fourth year to have Indy, PRI, and all these amazing men and women come together as a team, this is going to be the best summit ever," said Sisson. "We asked the locals, what do you want? How can you participate? What can you bring to the table? There was a lot of enthusiasm and I think the fruits of our labor will bear out."

St. James, the 1992 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, is hopeful that the committee will play an important role in making Women with Drive IV the organization's best summit yet.

"We know how to do this, but to be able to engage the community is so important, and not just the motorsports community, but the women who work in the business," she said. "I also have a theory that the people of Indiana show up. They don't just write checks. They actually show up. That's what we saw today, and I know that they will continue to show up as we develop the program so that it is relevant and effective."

As development continues, PRI will be a key partner in the process. By teaming up with the organization and the PRI Show, WIMNA is hoping to continue its rapid growth and make Women with Drive a can't-miss event at the world's largest gathering of motorsports professionals.

"Aligning with the PRI Show could not be more perfect," St. James said. "We're on the same platform, at the same place, at the same time. It's just a great merging of resources."

"What's so exciting is that PRI has been around forever and it's the industry standard," Sisson said. "Now, as more and more women are getting into motorsports, it's a perfect opportunity to marry our summit with PRI and shine a light on the men and women working in this industry."

More importantly, the partnership will further WIMNA's ultimate goal: securing opportunities for women and creating a diverse and inclusive environment within the industry. 

"Nothing pleases me more than to hear that somebody got a job, or an internship, or a mentorship out of our efforts to help promote Women in Motorsports within the industry," Sisson continued. "I pinch myself every day."

"This is a way to show that men and women in the motorsports industry are inviting women to be in this industry," St. James added. "When you pull the industry together, that's how you make a change."

For more information on Women in Motorsports North America, visit womeninmotorsportsna.com.