In this instalment of our Women in Sport series, Kelsey Kirby shares her sporting inspirations, goals and proudest achievements.
Kelsey Kirby is a 28-year-old racing driver from Carlow. In 2025, she will be racing in the Siltex Safety Fiesta Zetec Championship, and currently sits sixth overall out of 38 entrants. Kelsey wants girls to know that motorsport is also a sport for them. Her full time job now is to get more people involved in motorsport and she is so looking forward to reaching out to people during her time at the upcoming Supercar Weekend, returning to Dundrum Town Centre on August 30 and 31.
Here, Kelsey shares her sporting story so far.
Name: Kelsey Kirby
Profession: Sport Development Officer for Motorsport Ireland and part-time motorsport driving instructor for Mondello Park
Earliest sporting memory?
Driving out of the pit lane in Mondello Park for the first time ever in a BMW M2, and the feeling of excitement rushing through me!
How did you become involved?
I decided to treat myself to a driving experience in Mondello Park for my 24th birthday. Once I drove out on track, I knew I had found the sport for me! I saved like crazy and managed to buy my first race and all the gear I needed, and I haven’t looked back since!
What message would you like to share?
‘Gender is no barrier’. It takes hard work, but if you have the commitment, then there is nothing you can’t do. Talent doesn’t work unless you have the drive and dedication to back it up. And if you do pursue it, enjoy the process, because every day is a learning day.
Proudest moment so far was…
Qualifying third overall on a weekend of tricky driving conditions ahead of guys that I had never out-qualified before, or my first ever rookie podium in my first year of racing!
The female athlete I admire most is…
Simone Biles. Even though it is a completely different sport, the mentality of going “full send” is the same. The second we hesitate in the car, we know there is something wrong and that we aren’t driving our hardest. And sometimes driving on full commitment is the only way to get through a corner.
My favourite sporting memory is…
My first ever podium, even though it was a rookie podium. It was the first time I had ever won a trophy for anything before! Very rewarding!
Do you think there is still a stigma around women in sport?
I think there is less of a stigma now, but I still often have men not believe me when I say I race cars or teach people to drive racecars. I don’t let it get me down because I know that the second I get on track, my driving speaks for itself.
The biggest barrier to visibility is…
I think it starts with getting more girls involved from a young age and keeping them involved through their teenage years. Those are the years that girls who love their sports end up quitting, and it is so sad to see them give up something that they are good at and that they love! We need to highlight women in positions of power to show girls what they can aim for. We have Bernie Collins and Hannah Schmitz in Formula 1; they are role models young girls need to show them that motorsport is for girls too.
The biggest stigma/misconception is…
‘It is not as hard as the men’s sport’. I heard that a lot growing up playing football! In motorsport, we are all on a complete level playing field, which I love! (Of course, the guys don’t have to deal with the periods, though!) We are not split into men and women races; we are all equal competitors. I go out there and beat lots of the men all the time and prove that I deserve to be on track the same as they do.
If I wasn’t what I am now…
I would either be a make-up artist or a mechanic. I also have a qualification in music production too, so maybe an amalgamation of all three, who knows?!
Pre-race meal?
Fulfil white chocolate and cookie dough protein bar, RiverRock Mandarin Still Water, a can of Monster (Orange Dreamsicle or Rio Punch) and some salty snacks!
Pre-race playlist?
AC/DC’s ‘Thunderstruck’, Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’, Scooter’s ‘The Logical Song’ — anything upbeat and energetic!
My daily routine is…
6am: Wake up, skincare, do my hair, get dressed and eat breakfast before leaving the house for work.
7am: Leave the house and head to Dublin for work. Try to get to town with time to grab a coffee before 9am.
9am: Start work, emails, calls, event planning etc.
5pm: Time to head home!
7pm: I get home, get some dinner (sometimes end up answering more emails or on more calls!)
9pm: This is normally when I get to chill properly, skincare routine again, some Netflix or YouTube on the TV before it is time for sleep to do it all again the next day!
What’s your biggest sporting goal?
I would absolutely love some overall wins, but I just want to make sure I am enjoying every second of it. Motorsport is expensive, but it also tests you in so many ways. So many things out of your control can go wrong, so I just want to make sure I enjoy every minute of the good times.
Sports brands I love include…
FinalBend, I wear their sports bras for every race. 4TH ARQ, I have been a recent convert to loving their fleeces! I always love Nike for their runners and leggings.
Biggest splurge to celebrate a win?
I am yet to have the opportunity to splurge on a win, but probably new tyres because they are very important in racing.
How do you mind your mental health?
I struggle a lot with it, and I always try to remind myself that it is only one small moment in the grand scheme of your life. It is only a bad day, not a bad life, and it is okay to not be okay. Surround yourself with good people who are going to be there for you during the good and bad days. I love to read also; I find it is such a good way to get out of my own head!
My three desert island beauty products are…
Kash Beauty Miracle Tint with SPF (SPF is important!), Benefit Bad Gal Bang Waterproof Mascara, Kash Beauty Brow Precision Pencil.
I need 6 hours of sleep a night because…
Any less and I am still tired. It would be very rare for me to get any more than that!
Confidence to me is…
Doing what I want and not worrying about what other people think of me or what I am doing. It is my life, and it’s the only one I have, so I am not going to spend it worrying about what other people think of me.
How do you get over a bad performance?
Review the footage and the data, learn from my mistakes and put it in the past. Not every weekend is going to be amazing, and I am always learning, so mistakes will happen.
Sport is so important because…
Sport has a way of bringing people from all walks of life and backgrounds together. If it wasn’t for sport, I wouldn’t have met a lot of the amazing people in my life, and I also wouldn’t have my job! I think the motorsport community in Ireland is fantastic because everyone is always so willing and wanting to help each other. We are such a small nation, and we have some of the best athletes in the world in so many different sports, which we need to embrace and support. If it wasn’t for sport, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today. Sport has given me great opportunities that I never thought I would have, like speaking at the Dundrum Town Centre Supercar Weekend and attending different launches! It’s crazy to me.
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