How Gracie Came to Be Teesside's Queen of Motorsport

Gracie is quickly becoming known as a hot commodity in her homeland. Teesside does not produce many young racing prodigies: and Gracie is thankful for her roots in a down-to-earth – and underrated – part of the UK.

For most racing drivers, the journey to the track begins with a family steeped in motorsport heritage. For Gracie, however, it started in a shopping centre in Spain.

“My dad did a bit of rallying when he was younger, but it wasn’t anything serious, and none of my family came from a motorsport background,” Gracie explains. “When we went to Spain on holiday, I’d go karting at a shopping centre. I wanted to go on the big ones, so my dad took me on a twin-seater kart. I loved it and wanted to go again, so he said he’d take me to a local track when we got home.”

That local track was Teesside Karting, and it would prove to be the launchpad for Gracie’s motorsport career. Weekends at the karting track quickly became a family tradition, and her natural talent behind the wheel became evident. Before long, her dad Mark decided it would be more practical to buy her a kart of her own.

“We went to PFI Karting in Grantham, and I got my first kart—a cadet,” Gracie recalls. “At first, I didn’t think I’d race. But then my dad surprised me and said, ‘You’re racing this weekend.’ I said, ‘No, I’m not!’ But I did—and I came third.”

From that moment on, Gracie was hooked. She spent two years competing in the cadet class, steadily building her skills and confidence.

In 2021, she earned her full racing licence and stepped up to the national level. It was here that her dedication began to pay off, as she competed in the Ultimate Karting Championship and the British Karting Championship.

“2021 was a big year for me,” she says. “I got in touch with Sam Pollett from SPR and started racing in the British Karting Championship. By 2022, I was getting top 10 finishes, especially towards the end of the year. We decided that 2023 would be my final big year in karting, as I had my GCSEs to focus on. Once they were done, I started testing cars.”

Gracie’s transition from karting to car racing was both seamless and exciting. Her first car test was in a GB4 with Kevin Mills, and she recalls the experience with a smile. “It was pretty cool,” she says. “I did a couple of test days with him at Donington and then had my first-ever car race at the end of the year in the Fun Cup.”

Gracie got her first taste of racing at a karting track in a Spanish shopping centre while on a family holiday

She quickly became a regular at her home track, Teesside Karting

Since then, Gracie has embraced a diverse racing schedule, including stints in the Ginetta GTP with McKenna Driving Development, C1 endurance racing with Dragon Sport, and further testing in cars like the Clio Cup and GB4. Despite the variety, she has remained laser-focused on her goal of moving up the motorsport ladder.

“This year, we’ve jumped in where we can. It’s been all about gaining experience in different cars and formats. Next year, the plan is to compete in the Ginetta GTP, which I’m really excited about,” she says.

Gracie’s journey from a twin-seater kart in Spain to becoming one of Teesside’s brightest motorsport talents is a testament to her determination and natural ability. Without a traditional motorsport background, she has forged her own path, balancing her education with her racing ambitions and building a career that promises even greater success in the future.