Despite a busy calendar filled with a newborn, work, racing events, training events, and daily life, Nickie Armstrong enthusiastically said “YES” when Start 1 Spark asked if she would lead a budding group of middle school car enthusiasts. “I couldn't help but wonder how my journey may have been impacted had I had a mentor earlier on that opened the automotive door for me,” said Nickie.

 

In 2021, Nickie founded Girls & Gasoline, an all-ladies automotive group that was featured in Richmond Magazine. Girls & Gasoline seeks to create a safe and inclusive space to increase women’s presence in the automotive sports and industry. With Salem Church Middle School starting a girls car club, partnering with Girls & Gasoline was a perfect fit to bring female car enthusiasts and business owners to inspire young women to pursue their passion for cars.  

 

“Getting to hear first-hand from the students what excites them about the group, what they want to learn and seeing their passion come to life with each session. I love getting to be a part of their journey and exploration,” said Nickie. 

 

And Nickie has done a tremendous job bringing the girls out of their shell to discover their interests and invite the right guests, including a female business owner who custom paints cars and a mechanical engineer who is learning how to race cars. Not to mention the Ferrari, Supra, and BMW that make eyes go wide and mouths drop!

 

Volunteers like Nickie expose students to new experiences and allow them to see themselves as future business owners, car racers, or dream car owners. For Nickie, “It's fulfilling to see each of the young ladies come into their own as they learn more about the automotive world. Hopefully, they will connect with more like-minded peers, as I have, and form long-lasting relationships that will serve them personally and professionally.”

 

We are grateful Nickie said yes and generously gives her time to mentor the next generation of car enthusiasts!