I Was Terrified Every Race. Here's Why I Kept Getting in the Car. episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 18, 2026 · 29 MIN

I Was Terrified Every Race. Here's Why I Kept Getting in the Car.

from In The Driver's Seat · host Lisa French

What if the thing that terrified you most was also the thing that made you unstoppable?In this episode, I'm taking you through my years in racing from a scared 11-year-old buckling into a quarter midget, all the way to sprint cars at Knoxville, Iowa and what it taught me about self-doubt, fear, and the difference between bad equipment and a bad driver.⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 — The question everyone kept asking me 2:15 — My dad's near-fatal crash and the fear it planted in me 7:30 — Why I finally got in the car (borrowing someone else's belief) 11:08 — The "parking brake" breakthrough with Ken Rice 16:15 — Moving up: why Jim's belief mattered more than my own 21:40 — Sprint cars at Knoxville: terrified and doing it anyway 26:50 — The three lessons racing taught me about life💡 Key Takeaways • Bad equipment ≠ lack of ability. When things aren't working, check the tools, the support, and the environment before blaming yourself. • Borrow someone's belief until you build your own. Confidence often arrives AFTER the doing, not before. • Fear doesn't need to be gone. It just needs to get out of the driver's seat.🎧 In The Driver's Seat is a podcast about fueling your journey to a life of purpose and passion with practical mindset tips, inspiring stories, and the courage to live on your own terms.📬 Want more encouragement in your inbox? Subscribe to my newsletter, Hello Possibility, atlisafrench.rocks/newsletter📲 Follow Lisa Instagram: @lisafrench111 Facebook: @lisafrench111

What if the thing that terrified you most was also the thing that made you unstoppable?In this episode, I'm taking you through my years in racing from a scared 11-year-old buckling into a quarter midget, all the way to sprint cars at Knoxville, Iowa and what it taught me about self-doubt, fear, and the difference between bad equipment and a bad driver.⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 — The question everyone kept asking me 2:15 — My dad's near-fatal crash and the fear it planted in me 7:30 — Why I finally got in the car (borrowing someone else's belief) 11:08 — The "parking brake" breakthrough with Ken Rice 16:15 — Moving up: why Jim's belief mattered more than my own 21:40 — Sprint cars at Knoxville: terrified and doing it anyway 26:50 — The three lessons racing taught me about life💡 Key Takeaways • Bad equipment ≠ lack of ability. When things aren't working, check the tools, the support, and the environment before blaming yourself. • Borrow someone's belief until you build your own. Confidence often arrives AFTER the doing, not before. • Fear doesn't need to be gone. It just needs to get out of the driver's seat.🎧 In The Driver's Seat is a podcast about fueling your journey to a life of purpose and passion with practical mindset tips, inspiring stories, and the courage to live on your own terms.📬 Want more encouragement in your inbox? Subscribe to my newsletter, Hello Possibility, atlisafrench.rocks/newsletter📲 Follow Lisa Instagram: @lisafrench111 Facebook: @lisafrench111

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I Was Terrified Every Race. Here's Why I Kept Getting in the Car.

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This episode was published on June 18, 2026.

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What if the thing that terrified you most was also the thing that made you unstoppable?In this episode, I'm taking you through my years in racing from a scared 11-year-old buckling into a quarter midget, all the way to sprint cars at Knoxville, Iowa...

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