Regina Sirvent, the first Mexican to debut in the ARCA Menards Series

▲ The Mexican finished 14th out of 27 riders. Photo @reginasirvent

Karla Torrijos

La Jornada Newspaper, Saturday, June 7, 2025, p. a11

Regina Sirvent added another milestone to her successful career in motorsports, as she made history yesterday by becoming the first Mexican driver to participate in the ARCA Menards Series, a competition that paves the way for the NASCAR Cup Series and which took place in Michigan, United States.

In an interview with La Jornada , the young driver, only 22 years old, commented that this feat is not only a great step in her career, but also for Mexican motorsports, as it is a demonstration of the talent we have in our country, as well as for women who want to be drivers .

Regina, who was already racing professionally in Trucks Mexico at 14, where she was the first woman to win in the category, said that she had longed to compete on the big tracks in the United States ever since she was little, and today it's a dream come true. I believe my participation will allow children, especially girls, to see that being a racing driver isn't impossible, and it may also be an incentive for them to get into this sport .

He also indicated that in the race called the Henry Ford Health 200, held at the Michigan International Speedway, and in which he finished in 14th position out of 27 drivers aboard the number 68 Ford car of the Kimmel Racing team, it was of great help towards one of his main objectives: to do well next weekend in the first date of the NASCAR Cup Series that will be held in Mexico, at the Hermanos Rodríguez racetrack.

Sirvent, who last year achieved another historic feat by becoming the first woman to climb onto the podium in the NASCAR Challenge after finishing second at the event held in San Luis Potosí, explained that although the cars and circuits are completely different, having several minutes in the seat will be essential to achieve optimal performance .

He also noted that the competition, which will take place in the country, will represent "a great commitment, because in addition to competing at home and in front of my fans, it also represents an opportunity to advance to the NASCAR Mexico playoffs and stand out against the American teams that will be doing the scouting."

On the other hand, Regina applauded the increasing number of women in motorsports, noting that in addition to drivers, there are also female mechanics and engineers occupying important positions within the various teams.

It's very nice to see that women are now making inroads in all areas. In motorsports, especially in my category, it's no longer about men and women, but about drivers. We all compete in the same cars and under the same conditions. Here, your development depends more on your skills than your gender, and I think that's starting to happen in other areas as well.

She commented that, in her case, she was introduced to a male-dominated sport thanks to her grandfather, José Sirvent, an accomplished racer who won the Mexican Rally Championship in 1974 and who gave her her first kart at age nine.

In this regard, she emphasized that gender inequality must begin to be eradicated within the family itself. Women and men must have the same opportunities and achieve their goals, regardless of their field of work .