Now a junior at the University of Oklahoma and member of the Oklahoma cheerleading squad, Reimer found her schedule open in a big way after the COVID-19 pandemic forced all sports to shut down last March.
Quickly, she realized that getting back in a race car might be a way for her to fill that void.
“If it wasn’t for the COVID deal, I wouldn’t even be able to race at the Chili Bowl, or have had the time this last year to get ready for it. Usually, I’m getting ready for (cheerleading) nationals at that time and I go and compete in Florida with OU,” Reimer explained. So this is honestly the only year until after I graduate that I would be able to race at the Chili Bowl, and we just kind of decided, ‘Why not?’
“I’ve got some practice in the car and I think it’ll definitely help me as a driver to run there.”
Reimer attempted three POWRi events at the end of last season to get acclimated to racing again, as well as to get used to the bigger midgets compared to the micro sprints she raced previously.
However, it was a recent test session with Dave Mac Motorsports at Port City where Reimer shined.
“She was so smooth, one of the smoothest drivers we brought to that test,” noted Dave McIntosh of Reimer. “I was blown away by what she did out there and really excited for her. I think she’s going to be just fine when we get her in the building; I feel like she can hold her own once she gets comfortable.”
“It’s crazy how different the midget and the micro are; I think the biggest difference was horsepower for me, but just having a practice to get used to the higher horsepower and to get the hang of things and get comfortable in the car again I think really helped me a lot,” Reimer added. “That’s a big deal and you have to be comfortable in the race car to be successful. If you’re not comfortable, it’s just not going to work.
“I’ve been practicing as much as possible. And each time I practice, I can tell that I’ve definitely been improving,” she added. “Cannon came out to that one practice and gave me some pointers. I think I just need more seat time and it’ll definitely pay off in the long run.”
As for her goals as a Chili Bowl rookie, Reimer is realistic. She knows that the big picture doesn’t revolve solely around her performance next week, that future racing is on the horizon.
That doesn’t mean, however, that she isn’t motivated to perform at her best.
“I set high expectations for myself in everything I do, whether it’s racing, cheering or academically, and with this being my first year at the Chili Bowl … I think it’s just going to be a great learning experience for me,” she said. “My main goal is just to get some good, solid laps in and, most importantly, to have fun and be comfortable in the car again.
“I’ve taken a break from racing for multiple years, so I have a lot of catching up to do, but I have no doubt in my mind that I can do it,” Reimer added. “I just need the time to get there again.”
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