At Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Alli Owens will make her return to the ARCA Menards Series after a 16-year absence, driving the No. 68 Bighorn Outdoors Ford for Kimmel Racing. Since her last race at Chicagoland Speedway in 2010, Owens has pursued a corporate career while raising three children as a single mother, but a deep desire to reopen her racing chapter and inspire other women led her back to the track for the General Tire 200.
The Journey from Racing to Corporate Life and Back
Owens’ shift away from racing was marked by a need to balance life’s demands. Supporting her family as a single mom and developing a professional career became priorities. Despite this, an enduring itch to race remained, especially as she witnessed the motorsports industry evolving in the 2020s, encouraging inclusion and grassroots involvement. These changes motivated Owens to chase her dreams once more.
“Sometimes when people chase their dreams and they meet failure after failure after failure. They pretty much give up and try to find a different path in life,”
Owens reflected.
“I did that for a while, but every time this time of year rolls around, there was always that itch I had to scratch. I’ve tried to do it a few times, but life just didn’t add up.”
“I need to do this now [because] there’s so much shifting in our sport. NASCAR’s doing so many great things trying to get young girls involved, young people involved and going back to the grassroots.”
A Passion Born Outside the Family Tradition
Owens stands out as a first-generation racing driver, with no familial motorsports background. Her competitive spirit was shaped early on by racing BMX bicycles against neighborhood boys and later competing at a local dirt track. This fierce independence extended into asphalt racing, where Owens created her own path by learning how to market herself effectively. At just 16, she developed a sponsorship pitch with her high school English teacher, boosting her confidence to pursue racing professionally.
Her ARCA Menards Series debut came a couple of years later at Daytona, backed by sponsorship from ElectrifyingCareers.com. Although her first race ended early due to multiple spins, breaking into the series remained a significant achievement for Owens.
Early Racing Highlights and Sponsorship Hurdles
In the following seasons, Owens regularly competed in ARCA, achieving three top-10 finishes and securing an outside pole position in her 2009 Daytona run. However, financial challenges emerged as a major obstacle, forcing Owens to halt her full-time racing efforts when sustainable sponsorships became scarce. Her last race before stepping away was a 2016 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event at Richmond Raceway.
“You always have to have a plan B and a plan C when it comes to sponsorship,”
Owens admitted.
“[I did not have] that and [had] all my eggs in one basket. I loved my sponsor IBEW, but things were changing in their industry too. We just got behind the eight ball and when that happened, we got in a position where we were too far behind.”
“I either had to figure it out quick or go get a normal job to sustain life and unfortunately [the latter was the way] that cookie crumbled.”
Life Beyond the Track: Motherhood and New Priorities
Since stepping away from racing, Owens’ life has been full and often hectic, particularly with raising her two teenage daughters and more recently, a young son born 18 months ago. Despite the competing demands of parenthood, Owens opted to return to racing, driven by a desire to honor mothers who have shaped NASCAR’s history and to inspire women balancing family and sport.
She draws inspiration from trailblazers such as Shawna Robinson, who achieved success in motorsports while embracing motherhood, aiming to show that women can flourish despite demanding circumstances.
“Sometimes we’re so quick to move forward in the future that we forget our past,”
Owens said.
“[For] the people who built this sport like myself who had to go through a lot of trials and tribulations that have haunted us after racing ended, I want to make sure those people know their stories matter and they are all part of the grand scheme of things.”
“I really wanted to give back and say loud and proud that the little guy is still here.”
Seizing a New Chance with Kimmel Racing
The opportunity for Owens’ comeback began with a Facebook post from Kimmel Racing’s owner, Will Kimmel, seeking interest for a second car at Daytona’s General Tire 200. Owens responded almost immediately, reigniting a partnership with a man she grew up racing alongside.
During pre-race practice, Owens’ 19th fastest time signaled promise, though Kimmel recognizes that Saturday’s conditions will be more demanding, with over 30 cars on the track and newer, more powerful vehicles to handle. Their shared goal is for Owens to complete a clean 80-lap race.
“[Owens] is used to the steel-body stuff, which didn’t have as much motor as we do now,”
Kimmel noted.
“What she’s going to run into in the race, and we’ve gone over it a little bit, is that the closing rate, the runs we get and the side draft is a little different, along with the visibility. We’ve got a little bit of homework to do, but I think she’ll be fine.”
Adjusting to Modern Racing Challenges
Owens faced unexpected challenges adapting to today’s ARCA cars, particularly the reduced visibility within the modern chassis compared to the older designs she raced. She remembers having better sightlines over the quarter panels in previous vehicles, which encouraged a more deliberate driving style. Despite the changes in car design and heightened race variables like drafting, Owens plans to leverage her previous experience and knowledge of pack racing to compete effectively.
She views drafting as an equalizer and believes her understanding of race dynamics and strategy provides a real shot at running near the front during the General Tire 200.
“I would be silly [to say] I’m not a contender to run up front, because I am,”
Owens declared.
“Me and Will [Kimmel] grew up together in this sport and there is a lot of trust in this team. We’re veterans all the way around, so my expectation is to bring this car back in one piece because that means an opportunity for Talladega.”
“There’s a lot of experience I’m bringing to the table here, so hopefully it pays off.”
A Partnership Rooted in Respect and Shared Experience
Kimmel admires Owens’ enduring passion, noting its resemblance to when they first competed together years ago. Though he regrets she didn’t find sustainable success previously, he is eager to support her return. As a father of three, Kimmel feels a strong connection to Owens’ journey as a mother and driver making a comeback in a demanding sport.
“I’ve got three kids myself,”
Kimmel shared.
“I’m on [one] side of it being a father and she is on the other side of it being a mother. It’s always good to have the working class in here trying to make a name for [themselves] and [for Alli] to get back going again. It’s cool to see and we’re here to make sure we get to the end of this race and have a good finish.”
Closing a Long-Standing Chapter at Daytona
Regardless of the race outcome, Owens cherishes the chance to race again, viewing it as a way to conclude a story that never had a clear ending. She entered the ARCA Menards Series at Daytona in 2008 and hopes to bring that journey full circle where it started. Saturday’s race won’t be a nostalgic look backward but rather a celebration of the present moment, especially with her children supporting her at the event.
“Martin Truex Jr. and Tony Stewart [knew] at the end of the season they were done, I didn’t get that,”
Owens said.
“I wasn’t prepared to take it all in, to smell it, to see it, to taste it, to live it. Being able to be here as a driver with my whole family and friends being involved knowing this could be the last time we could be here by choice is a different feeling all around.”
Looking to the Future and Inspiring the Next Generation
While Owens’ teenage daughters have not shown a strong interest in motorsports, her young son clearly enjoys the environment around racing, evidenced by his fascination during their visit to Kimmel’s shop. Should he develop a passion for the sport, Owens is ready to support him as both a parent and mentor, continuing the legacy she is reigniting for herself and others.
