Just who is the woman wearing the unicorn helmet in the driver’s seat of the 540 horsepower McLaren GT4 race car named Sparkle Glitter Hooves?

It’s Sarah Stasney, the only female race car driver in the TrackRats group, where its exclusive 80-member drivers are considered the best in their field.

In addition to working as a wealth advisor by day, Stasney sits on the Board of Habitat for Humanity, the Corporate Council for the Long Center of the Performing Arts, Leadership Austin, and she is a candidate for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Honorary Woman of the Year for 2019.

Austinite Stasney developed her love for speed and adrenalin at an early age by becoming a competitive equestrian hunter jumper. By her twenties, Stasney had discovered motocross bikes went much faster than horses and turned in her equestrian reins for the speed of motocross.

“It wasn’t until Formula 1 came to Austin in 2012 that my true passion was born. I loved the scene, the smells, the sounds, everything. The racetrack is intoxicating,” says Stasney.

As a beginner, Stasney noticed she was treated differently on the track than her male counterparts, which only fueled her desire to succeed in the male-dominated sport. Then she met two instructors who were not scared of yelling and pushing her to become one of the most capable drivers on the track.

For many years, Stasney wore a man’s race suit, which never fit quite right, until she searched for a female suit and was disappointed that her only choices had pink accents.

Eventually, she embraced her inner pinkness. These days, Stasney is easily recognizable in her McLaren GT4 which is unashamedly affectionately accentuated with neon pink trims and a unicorn sprinkled in glitter on the hood. Her two daughters aptly named the McLaren ‘Sparkle Glitter Hooves’.  After all, what other name could you possibly give a race car sporting a unicorn on its hood?

“I felt like I was put “in a box” to find my only option was pink among the many different colors and options offered to men, so I was less than thrilled about taking on the woman’s pink accents,” explains Stasney.

Today, Stasney is a certified level 2 instructor and spends much of her free time on the racetrack instructing other drivers at the Circuit of the Americas. Stasney’s toughest challenge isn’t keeping pace with other drivers but keeping her mascara from running into her eyes on the track!

We wanted to know what this amazing speedster never leaves home without – also known as her Texas Essentials.

Super Glue

I’ve had high heels break on me before. Super glue fixes a shoeless situation quickly!

Mints

Because everyone should have mints on them all of the time. The people that don’t carry them are the people that need them. My mints are for THOSE people.

Business Cards

Even though it makes more sense to connect electronically via a LinkedIn mobile app.

A Whistle

Just because you never know when you’ll need it, and my whistle skills without one need improvement.

A Sparkle Glitter Hooves T-Shirt

Because I like to represent! #sparkleglitterhooves

My Helmet

You never know when you’ll get the invitation to drive.

Cover: Sarah Stasney, courtesy photo

Austinite Lisa Davis is the Editorial Assistant for Texas Lifestyle Magazine and an honors graduate from Concordia University Texas with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Public Relations.