She's been burning rubber since she was 5 years old, when her speed-crazy parents introduced her to go-karts. At 11 she became a national champion with dreams of going even faster...
By by Leanne Mos
Now, the 20-year-old Butler University sophomore has two Indianapolis 500s behind her - she's known for being the third-youngest driver and the third woman to compete in the event. Both her Indy races ended in disappointing crashes, but that hasn't deflated her spirit. She's back on track and proving she can hack it in the most macho of sports. We caught up with Fisher between races to find out what the woman behind the wheel is really like.
You started racing really young. Did you always love it? Or was it scary as a kid? It was a little scary at first, but practically my whole family was involved somehow in racing cars, so for me it was kind of a normal thing to do. To me, it felt traditional. Even my grandma and grandfather were into racing. They had a little go-kart track, which is where I got started.
Were you always one of a few girls among the boys?Yeah, oh yeah. But the thing about racing is it's like a fraternity. Everybody always looks out for each other. I had a lot of brothers out there - not real brothers - but guys who watched out for me and treated me like family.
I never really got any flak, but I think my dad did.
Why?For introducing his daughter to such a violent sport! He only had one kid, and he always wanted a little racecar driver. So he had to deal with it being a girl.
What was it like the day you got your regular driver's license? Was it no big deal? Did your high school friends beg you to drive fast? No, not really, it wasn't like that. But it was really cool because it had been so frustrating - I'd been racing cars on the track for so long, but I still wasn't allowed to drive on the street. So finally getting my license just took away all the frustration.
What does it feel like going around a track at 200 mph? It feels like being in a passenger jet. That first pull feels like that, but of course the difference is that you are piloting it. The speed feels like a constant pressure on your body.
Do you ever worry about getting hurt?No, never. I don't have to because my team does a good job of preparing the safest racecar by being cautious, and by checking everything twice. The danger aspect, I don't worry about that because I grew up racing cars. I have a certain comfort level that other people don't have. If you're worried about crashing and not making it, then you don't belong on a racetrack.
How do accidents like the ones at Indy affect you in later races?Well, they don't. You make an error, and the next time you have to learn from that error and apply what you learned to the next race. Next time I need to have more patience, and I need to and let off and let people get by. It's hard to do that sometimes because I have that racecar driver instinct to go for it. It's hard not to go after the punch - I did that at the Indy 500, and it bit me in the end.
What should girls do if they want to get into racing? They should get involved in some kind of series racing like go-karts. You have to start at that early level because it teaches you the basics to base your whole career on.
Do they have to have that racecar driver instinct you were talking about?Well, it helps to be born with the desire to win, which I definitely have. Even when I'm on the street, I want to get ahead of the next person. You have to be very result-driven. I'm a very competitive person. Even when I'm playing video games with my boyfriend, Josh, I always want to win.
A few more quick questions. First, if you weren't racing, what would you be doing instead?I'd be a veterinarian.
What's your favorite course in college? (Laughs.) Math, I guess.
our least favorite?History!
What's your favorite sport besides racing?Ice hockey. (She loves the Dallas Stars.)
Who's your biggest idol in racing?Juan Montoya. (A Formula1 driver from Colombia.)
Outside racing?Julia Roberts.
What do you do on Saturday nights?I'm normally racing. But if not, I hang out with Josh and my friends at Butler.
What's your favorite TV show?Friends.
What's your pet peeve?Lying!
What's your ultimate career goal?To race an F1 (Formula1, a more powerful car). But I have to master this series before I can consider going on to anything else.