RacingNation.com
Home / Motorsports News / Ashley Freiberg’s Career Spirals Upward

Ashley Freiberg’s Career Spirals Upward

Ashley Freiberg has joined the dozens of females that are succeeding in racing. After excelling in the Skip Barber Series, the 21-year old Vermont resident has transitioned to sports cars, competing in the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge by Yokohama Series. In a recent pair of races at Watkins Glen, her stock took a giant leap upward as she garnered a second place in the first round and captured the second event, leading from flag to flag.

    Ashley Freiberg aboard her Effort Racing Porsche. [Joe Jennings Photo]

    Ashley Freiberg (No. 51) races into turn one with runner-up finisher Madison Snow (No. 62) on outside. [Joe Jennings Photo]

“I am really happy (to win) and am just trying to take it in,” Freiberg said in victory lane. “I have worked really hard for this, and my Effort Racing team has also worked hard for it. And this is my first-ever sports-car win.”

Sporting a winning smile, Freiberg summarized her accomplishments with the Skip Barber Series where she won 25 races and a championship. “I won a couple of championships with Skip Barber and last year, I ran in Star Mazda,” she stated. “This year I am focused on the GT3 Cup and winning the championship — my ultimate goal. And from here, I would definitely like to race in the new United SportsCar Racing Series. I am totally open-minded and wherever opportunities take me, I am going to go.”

In short order, Freiberg’s world changed when she took a lesson from the “Thrill of Victory, Agony of Defeat” adage. Leaving Watkins Glen wearing a winning smile and the GT3 Cup point lead, her mood changed dramatically during the next round of racing at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. She crashed in qualifying and the car was too damaged to continue, giving her zero points for the weekend and a drop to fourth in the standings. Having a positive outlook on life, she quickly focused on the challenges ahead at the next round of races at Road America.

Freiberg relishes uphill battles and is looking forward to a marked turn-around while at the iconic Road America facility. As an example of her determination to succeed, she addressed her fear of heights by taking up rock climbing and hiring an experienced coach to assist with her endeavor.

She’s also a fitness buff and a true outdoors person. And to feed her interest in the outdoors, she moved from the outlying Chicago suburbs to rural Vermont, to provide ample opportunities for climbing mountains, skiing and hiking.

“I love the outdoors. I cycle, I ski, I rock-climb and do lots of other things outside,” she commented. “I used to live in cornfields (of rural Illinois) and now I have moved to the mountains, so I can do more things outside.”

Her positive attitude is expressed well on her website — “I live for racing. It is my dream. It is my passion. Nobody can tell me that I’m not good enough or that I’m not strong enough . . .I can promise you that you will see me in victory lane at the top of motorsports someday. . . The greatest thing one can discover is that nothing is impossible.”

As evidenced by her intense determination, Freiberg may well realize her dreams, keeping in mind that not every race will be perfect. Look for her to rebound from her unfortunate experience in Canada and be even more driven to do well in the upcoming pair of GT3 Cup races at Road America on August 10 and 11.

Share Button