Shea Holbrook is a retired American racing driver, entrepreneur and spokeswoman. Currently, she is in retirement starting a family and concentrating on women's issues. Drafting with Denise Mueller-Korenek, Holbrook drove a dragster supporting world record for paced bicycle land speed at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 2018. The two traveled an average of 183.932 mph. Denise Mueller -Korenek set the world record.
Early life
Holbrook was raised in Groveland, Florida. She graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2012, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in communication with a minor in marketing. She grew up a nationally ranked competitive water skier. At a young age, she saw much success on the water and also learned how to fly her father's plane however never officially took any lessons or required training or obtain a Private Pilots license. An adrenaline seeker, Holbrook wasn't quite satisfied until she was introduced in motor racing.
Racing
Holbrook began her professional racing career with the Sports Car Club of America in 2010. She became the first woman to win the Grand Prix of Long Beach in a touring car during the 2011 Pirelli World Challenge season, and is one of only four women to ever win at the track. Holbrook says that she became interested in racing after attending Richard Petty’s Driving Experience. After several years of struggle and turmoil with the Pirelli World Challenge officials and other teams along with limited success and difficulty in obtaining outside sponsorship the last ditch effort was made to attempt to salvage her career by applying for the W series. Holbrook received her first taste of international motorsport having qualified for the 2019 W Series, a Formula 3 championship for women. One of two Americans in a European-based series, she struggled heavily for pace and often found herself at the back of the field with inexperienced Canadian Megan Gilkes – highlighted by qualifying 8 seconds away from the pole time in the opening round at the Hockenheimring. She finished the championship 18th and as the only driver to have contested all races to not score points, with 12th place in Zolder her best result. After a very tough 2019 season of finishing last or back of the pack it was clear she was no longer competitive so Shea Holbrook made the choice to enter retirement in 2020 with no further plans to enter professional motorsports and concentrate on woman's issues and raising a family.
Other
In 2016 Holbrook was the part of the crew and the pace vehicle driver when Denise Mueller-Korenek set a women's world record for the fastest speed on a paced bicycle with an official speed of 147.75 mph on Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats; no woman had ever attempted the mark before. Mueller-Korenek is the official record holder, with Holbrook only listed in articles a support driver. Holbrook again paired with Mueller-Korenek in 2018 to break the world record for paced cycling, reaching a speed of.
Business
Holbrook is involved in many aspects of the motorsport and automotive industries including, keynote and panel public speaking, television, automotive experiential and marketing programs, professional driver coaching, hospitality and marketing management. Companies she's helped develop programs and have worked alongside include, Cadillac, Jaguar, Mercedes AMG, Performance Racing Industry, SEMA, Women in Automotive, Sports Car Club of America’s Track Night in America, CBS Sports Network, and the Wall Street Journal among others.
2017 – Top Ten in Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car Championship
2016 – Top Five in Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car Championship
2015 – Top Three in IHRA Jet Dragster Championship
2014 – 2nd Place in the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car A Championship
2014 – Recipient of the Women’s Sports Foundations Project Podium Grant
2013 – 7th place in the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car B Championships
2012 – 4th place in the Pirelli World Challenge Touring Car Championships
2012 – Shea received the “Living Legend Honoree Award” for her on and off track efforts, and was honored in the “Women in Motorsports”, SuperCars Super Show Exhibit and was featured in Teen Vogue and Jalopnik
2012 – Shea became a member of the all-female TRUECar Racing Women Empowered Initiative
