Terri Popielarz

Terri began her racing career in personal watercraft ("Jet-Skis") in 1990. She made history at the Hot Water Tour in Phoenix, Arizona in 1992, by becoming the first woman to ever win a national personal watercraft event in the Runabout Division.In 1997, she was offered her first opportunity to go auto racing. She competed in her first auto race, at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut, in May,1998. Competing in the Barber Formula Dodge Eastern Series, Terri raced to 38th in a championship chase that included 171 drivers. A season high finish of sixth at both New Hampshire and Lime Rock guaranteed that she would be the top finishing woman in the season-long standings. She has completed the grueling Michelin/Car and Driver One Lap of America twice. In her first run in 1999, she raced to 11th in-class driving the Team Johnson Controls/Michelin Ford Mustang Cobra SVT. In 2000, driving for the prestigious Michelin Tire team in a stock BMW M Coupe, Terri finished 14th in the One Lap's highest class running against much higher-horsepower competitors. In 1999, she made history running in the inaugural Women's Global GT Series' event at Road Atlanta. Terri ran up-front all day but would finish in eighth-place. She would return in 2000 for the complete series taking a top-ten points' finish with a season high fifth-place finish at Road Atlanta.In 2000, Terri drove to a class victory in her sophomore year of the grueling Longest Night of Moroso, a 24-hour event at Moroso Motorsports Park. In 1999, Terri organized a team of five other women to race in the event. The team competed in the Spec Racer Ford class. Terri arranged pledges for each lap the team completed. This gave her the opportunity to focus on two of her loves, auto racing and helping the Racing For Kids program.In 2003, Terri raced her way into 2 Championships at the Indianapolis Speedrome in the Hornet Division. In 2004, she brought home the Power Puff Stock Track Record, 8 Hornet Heat wins, 4 Hornet feature wins, and out of 66 races, had only 5 races out of the top 10. She ended up 2nd in the Spring/Summer Championship, 4th in the Summer/Fall Championship, 3rd in the Fall 125 Lap Championship Race out of 120 Cars.In 2005, Terri competed in the USA Modified Series finishing 12th out of 91 drivers and also won the USA Woman of the year. She was also 2nd in the Most Progressive Driver points (driver who passes the most cars).
Current Season: Terri will be again competing with the USA Modified Series. She will be racing an Ellis Asphalt Modified Chassis. The series races at Oval Tracks through out the Mid West at tracks like IRP, Mansfield, Winchester, Midvale, Flat Rock, Anderson, Kalamazoo, Angola, Ft Wayne, and Nashville.
Racing Goals: Terri looks forward to someday competing in the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans.

Personal: Terri enjoys racing her Honda 125cc Shifter Kart and is a Member of Chain Brakers Kart Club, Whiteland (IN) Raceway. Terri is married to IRL Andretti Green Chief mechanic David Popielarz and loves playing with her dog Trixie and working on their 150 year old Indianapolis farm house.
Special Thanks to: Terri would like to thank all of her friends and fans that have been so supportive during her career. She is especially appreciates the support of Cornerstone Auto Sales, Impact, Mechanix Wear, Michelin, KML, her parents and husband, Dave.