20. The Interview: Lanie Buice
Driver, ARCA Menards Series
Editor’s Note: People Who Race tells the stories behind the faces in motorsports and are told by veteran award-winning television broadcaster Kaitlyn Vincie.
So far this season, Lanie Buice has finished in the top five in every ARCA Menards Series race she has entered, most recently earning a runner-up finish at Chicagoland Speedway. Before competing at this level, Buice discovered racing alongside her father, a shared passion that forged a lasting bond from a young age. Nine years later, she has emerged as part of a growing wave of talented women making their mark at NASCAR's highest levels.
KAITLYN VINCIE: You began racing go-karts at 10 years old, but I read that you didn’t actually come from a racing family. Why motorsports?
LANIE BUICE: It’s always crazy to me to think about where I am now, considering I didn’t come from a racing family at all. I grew up 10 minutes from Atlanta Motor Speedway [now EchoPark]. I didn’t know much about it — I would just always see the track out my window while driving. When you’re young like that, you don’t think racing is actually a possible future for you. I grew up on a lot of land, and we had lawn go-karts and four-wheelers. I used to love riding all of those things. One day the lawn go-kart broke, and I remember my dad saying it was getting fixed at the shop. Then I never really saw it again, but it was always in the back of my mind.
One day during the summer, I was riding with my dad on the way to work when I saw a sign outside the window that said “go-kart racing.” It was for a business in Lovejoy, Georgia, called Razor Chassis, owned by a local guy who builds go-karts. I immediately connected that to my old go-kart, so I started begging my dad to take me there. He was very against the idea at first, but I was super relentless. The owner’s name was Steve Roberts, and I give him a lot of credit for helping me find my passion for racing. My dad ended up buying a go-kart from him, and we both fell in love with it. We raced at Lamar County Speedway in Barnesville, Georgia, and all around the Southeast.
KAITLYN VINCIE: When you started racing, did you feel an instant connection to it?
It’s funny — the first day I started racing, my dad was taking a video of me, and I was going super slow. I was so young, and the kart sat so low to the ground that it felt incredibly fast to me. In the video, you can hear my dad saying, “I don’t think this is for you.” But I found a passion for it really early. My dad and I would go every single week to practice, and we really enjoyed the time we got to spend together. He learned how to work on the karts, and I learned how to race them. It was something we could do together. I never expected it to go as far as it has. The only reason I moved into the next thing, which was Legends cars, was because I flipped my go-kart and broke my collarbone. My mom said, “No more.” She didn’t want me racing anything that didn’t have some type of roll cage. So my dad and I decided I would move into Legends cars instead.
KAITLYN VINCIE: What is your dad’s reaction now to everything you’re achieving?
He can’t believe it. I can tell how proud he is. I have the most incredible support system around me that’s helped make all of this possible. It’s taken a lot of sacrifice. I can always read my dad’s stress at the race track. If he’s standing by the car, you can immediately sense it. But he loves it. He always says he wishes we could go back to when it was just the two of us working on the cars. It’s a sweet memory that I’ll never forget.
KAITLYN VINCIE: That is really special. Since then, you’ve risen through the short-track ranks, and now you’re competing in the ARCA Menards Series with impressive results. I think about your recent runner-up finish at Chicago. How validating is it for you and your team to have those kinds of results?
It’s incredible. I work really hard, and the group around me works really hard as well. Being surrounded by people who want this just as badly as I do — competing up front and continuing to climb the ladder — is a huge part of it. It’s good to have the good days, but it’s also good to have the bad days. I think we can all say those tough days make us even stronger as a team. I’m just grateful for the process and the opportunity to continue learning and growing.
KAITLYN VINCIE: I talked to your crew chief, Kevin Reed Jr., a few days ago, and he said you have such a pleasant personality, but when that helmet goes on, it’s another level of focus. Do you know where that drive and motivation come from?
He’s incredible. I really enjoy working with him. That focus comes from how much I want this. This is what I love. I wouldn’t want to do anything else. I want to compete at the highest level, win races, and I really enjoy the process of trying to win races.
Developing my race craft is fun to me, and being able to work with Josh Wise and Scott Speed has been amazing. Honestly, this has also been one of the hardest points in my career in terms of development. But I’m so driven, and I’m seeing results every single week that show I’m growing and becoming better. I think that’s what continues to drive me. Like you said, when I put that helmet on, I feel like a completely different person. I’m equal to the guys in the field. I’m strictly a race car driver. It’s fun to compete on an equal playing field.
KAITLYN VINCIE: Kevin said that too — that he looks at you like any other driver. Gender isn’t a factor. There is a very talented group of women in the series this year, and it feels like a bit of a historic moment. Why do you think it’s important to continue highlighting that?
I think it’s hugely important. We should be proud of this moment and come together in a way that’s beneficial for all of us. It’s amazing to be part of this wave of women in the industry. We all work really hard. Toni Breidinger recently got a win at Hickory, which was incredible to see. We see ourselves as equal to the men, and with this group of women contending with them, I think it should be celebrated. In general, there are just a lot more women in the sport now, and I think we should be here. We deserve to be here. I hope there are many more women coming behind us.
KAITLYN VINCIE: You mentioned winning races. You made history by becoming the first woman to win at Sonoma in a TA2 Series Western Championship race. What stands out to you about that victory?
It really kick-started our momentum over the next few months. Team SLR gave me a really fast car, and it was incredibly encouraging to get that win. It builds momentum, and that was something I really needed before the long stretch of back-to-back race weekends that followed. That victory gave me the extra push to become even better. Wins don’t come easy, and you can’t take them for granted.
KAITLYN VINCIE: You mentioned Josh Wise and Scott Speed, but I’m curious if there’s someone else who has played a mentorship role for you?
Katherine Legge is on speed dial. She's been incredible and has offered so much guidance while helping me navigate everything. I couldn’t be more grateful for her support, and it’s also inspiring to watch her compete at the front and make statements in this industry. She’s provided insight into so many different areas of the sport. Rajah Caruth, who’s also part of the Wise program, has always been willing to lend a helping hand. Honestly, there are so many names I could mention. A lot of people have played a role in helping make all of this possible.
KAITLYN VINCIE: When you think about your humble beginnings and how you discovered this sport on your own, is it ever surreal to think about how everything has turned out?
Every day I’m grateful. I’m grateful for the process, the hard work I’ve put in, the wins, and the people around me. One of the biggest moments for me was after Chicago, I sat there after that runner-up finish and thought, This is exactly why I do this. This is why I work so hard every day. I know it was only second place, and everybody wants to win those races, but it still represented real progress. I’m grateful for those small moments and for the progression. Not everyone gets to do what I do every single day, and I never would have imagined I’d be in the position I’m in today.
I just had listened to Claire B. Lang's interview with Lanie and when I went and checked the results of the Chicagoland race, I was so proud she had finished runner up. Now here is a second interview. Awesome job, Kaitlyn. Loving seeing, hearing and learning about the progress of the ladies coming up through the NASCAR ranks.
Love these insider stories. Helps build connections with up and coming drivers. Not sure about the lede that this was a shared passion with her father. Definitely sounds like she literally drove the career growth.