Each year, the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) recognizes a woman under the age of 30 who is making significant strides in the advancement of her automotive aftermarket career through its Jessi Combs Rising Star Award.
SBN recently interviewed Rachel Garrett, who received the prestigious honor in 2022.
SBN: What drew you to the automotive industry, and what does it mean to you to be pursuing a career in this field?
Rachel Garrett: Racing is what drew me to the automotive industry. The first time I ever spent a significant amount of time around cars was at a dirt track in 2020, and from there I was hooked. The passion, the adrenaline, the perfectionism of it—it’s a rush you can’t feel anywhere else.
This career gives me a unique opportunity to follow my passion and make a living at the same time. It has shown me that work does not have to be ‘work’ and ‘unknowns’ are not always scary. I took a chance jumping headfirst in and it paid off. If I can do it, others can too. ‘Scary’ is not always a bad thing, sometimes you just have to take that chance.
SBN: How did you first hear about the scholarship, and what inspired you to apply?
RG: I first heard about the scholarship from my department head at my university and he encouraged me to apply. The more I read into it, the more I felt as though it was a fit for what I wanted to be a part of and took the chance to apply.
SBN: What are some of your dreams and goals for the future, both in your career and personally?
RG: As far as career dreams go, I am a mechanic for Bryan Herta Autosport, and I am loving every second of it. Working in any kind of professional racing is the dream, otherwise I want to keep developing my skills as a mechanic and grow more fabrication skills.
In my personal life, I want to drive anything I can and keep developing my skills behind the wheel. Eventually I want to have my own garage and be able to keep and race my own cars.
SBN: Who has been a major influence or mentor in your life, and how have they helped shape your path?
RG: Joe Lusk of Joe Lusk Racing and his family have been some of the most influential people in my life. As a local dirt late model team, they were the first people to extend a hand when I started showing up to races. I was a stranger, and they took a chance letting me help around the track. Eventually, they invited me into their garage and helped teach me basics from the ground up. They helped me find one of my greatest passions in life and I took off running from there. I was originally pursing engineering at Penn State, and their generosity helped me have the confidence to transfer schools and take a chance on something new. I would have never imagined the life I live now growing up. I would have never traveled into the automotive world without them, let alone be working as a race mechanic at a professional level.
SBN: Tell us something about yourself that you think people would find inspiring or surprising.
RG: Before I decided I wanted to work on race cars full time, I got a degree in robotics and worked in that industry as a programmer and system integrator. I still love electronics and programming and will periodically go back and dabble in it.
SBN: With hundreds of students applying, what does it mean to you to be selected for this scholarship?
RG: Being selected for this scholarship has really shown me that I have what it takes to keep growing and moving forward. It has revamped my self-confidence and shown me that I really am in the right place. It is an honor to have the support and confidence of others behind the scholarship.
SBN: What are your next steps in pursuing your career, and how do you plan to continue growing in the industry?
RG: I see the team I am working for continuing to grow, and I would like to grow with them. We do many things in-house that I can learn to keep advancing. For example, we do our own carbon fiber repair, and I have started to take over part of that position, where I had never touched carbon fiber previously. Taking advantage of opportunities like these are where I like to thrive and learn.