From business suits to fire suits, McKenna Haase is succeeding on and off the track.This weekend, she will be looking for one more taste of success as Knoxville Raceway kicks off its sprint car season in Knoxville, IA.

The 20-year-old finance student at Drake University spends her time flying between class and the track.

"I have days when I'm literally going from school to the race shop to the race track back to school, I mean just crazy, crazy days," she said.



Her packed schedule is not enough to pull her away from a growing fanbase, however. Haase has been known to go above and beyond to meet her supporters, making hospital visits, joining them at their homes for children's birthdays, and even hanging out at the local Dairy Queen.

On Saturday, Haase will be racing at the PellaMotors.com/Kraig Ford 64th annual Season Opener at Knoxville Raceway, a track on which she made history in 2015. In the spring of that year, she recorded the first win by a female driver in Knoxville. Since then, she has added two more wins at the track, including a trip to Victory Lane this past fall.



"The first win (at Knoxville) was mostly a relief. I was reading the other day that people who work really hard for a certain goal that takes a lot of time actually typically feel more relief than happiness when they reach their goal, and I would definitely say that's how I felt," Haase said. "The third win was by far my favorite. It was just an awesome race, and I don't think I've ever been happier after a win."

This weekend she will begin her rookie season in her new 360 sprint car. She raced it three times at the end of last season with minimal media coverage.

"My goals are definitely to finish, to learn and improve every week, and to be consistent," Haase said. "I really think we have the resources in place to be successful and to finish high, but I keep forgetting that the competition at that class in Knoxville is so good that it will be tough."



That competition includes last year's champion, Clint Garner, who has 28 victories at Knoxville in a 360, as well as Matt Moro with nine wins and Joe Beaver with seven feature wins. Haase will also be racing against last year's 305 champion, Christian Bowman, who is starting his rookie year in the 360 class as well.

Haase's step up to the 360 division comes with high expectations from not only her fans but also from herself.

"I really want to finish so I can get the laps in and learn," she said. "It's kind of weird being a rookie in a 360, because it's a higher level of racing and it's not the same as when I was like a rookie in Outlaw karts. I've been racing, and I have this history. A lot of people have really high expectations, but nobody out there puts more pressure on me than me. I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform at my highest."

Haase has no delusions about the demographics of racing. Regarding whether she ever felt intimidated being in a male-dominated sport, she explained that it's as much of a problem as you choose to make it.

"My biggest thing with the gender thing is that I didn't sign up for ballet, and I know that," she said. "I knew that going in."



Haase recognized from the first time she strapped herself into a kart that it was where she belonged. She said, "Once I got behind the wheel for the first time, I just felt like there was never any doubt that this was my purpose in life."

That is the same insight she would give to any young woman interested in driving.

"If you feel like it's your purpose to drive, then drive," Haase said. "If you love the sport and you don't want to drive… be a part of the sport no matter what. I would say be yourself. You don't have to look like someone you're not to gain attention.

Fans and competitors will be paying close attention to the hot pink No. 55 car, as Haase battles for feature wins and the Rookie of the Year title at Knoxville Raceway this weekend.