CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- 17-year-old Gracie Trotter has been racing since she was 9 years old. Her dad and grandfather were both racers, so she asked her dad to take her go-kart racing when she was 8.

• She became the first female to win the Young Lions division at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2017.
• Trotter won two races this past summer in the Bojangles' Summer Shootout.
• She is part of NASCAR's 2019 Drive for Diversity class and will drive for Rev Racing.

"One time he (her dad, Tracy) actually spun me out," said Trotter. "And he ran over to check if I was OK and all I said was, 'Oh let's do it again, that was fun.'"

After becoming the first female to win the Young Lions division at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2017, Trotter won two races this past summer in the Bojangles' Summer Shootout, finishing second in points. But just barely.

"I actually led the points for most the season. I thought I was going to win it there but the last race the points were so close," Trotter said. "Me and Connor Mozak were going for it and I actually finished two points behind. But it was still an awesome season."

A native of Denver, North Carolina, Trotter is a high school junior and takes online classes to accommodate her race schedule. She is part of NASCAR's 2019 Drive for Diversity class and will drive for Rev Racing. However, her ultimate goal is to follow in the footsteps of fellow Drive for Diversity graduates Kyle Larson and Bubba Wallace.

"My ultimate goal is to make it to the NASCAR Cup Series and not only be there, but win it and be a champion in it," Trotter stated. "It's really hard and stressful, especially as a female. I mean, it's very physically demanding. So, we as females have to work extra hard in the gym to get that strength."

Perhaps a name to keep an eye on in the future.