Taylor Myers, a Dowagiac Union High School freshman, was among 12 female racers honored at the annual Women in the Winner’s Circle Celebration Dec. 7 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

The 10th annual celebration is the foundation’s major fundraiser, as well as celebrating the success of women in racing, helping them build strong ties with each other and the motorsports community.

Founded in 1994 by Lyn St. James, the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that focuses on worldwide activities and programs for driver development, advocacy, diversity and education — particularly for women who aspire to become race care drivers.

This was Taylor’s second year in a row. She has been racing since she was 8 years old in a junior dragster capable of running 7.9 in the eighth mile at more than 85 mph.

Taylor has won 18 races and drives for Myers Motorsports.

“Taylor is extremely focused in the race car. When her helmet goes on, she is all business. I have seen her go from signing autographs to jumping in her car and winning rounds. It’s hard to do that, but Taylor has always been able to do it like she flips a switch,” her dad and crew chief, Tony Myers, said.

Myers Motorsports made the move to drag racing in 2007. Tony Myers raced motocross on and off for about 20 years before switching to four wheels.

Myers’ father was a successful boat racer, finishing as high as third in the world, but he was also a drag racer.

Myers Motorsports won its first championship in 2008, the year Taylor got into a junior dragster, and repeated the feat in 2010.

Taylor will compete in her dragster in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) in 2013 and continue to take steps to take over driving duties in her father’s top dragster that runs more than 200 mph in the quarter-mile.

“Our plan is to get Taylor in the big car towards the end of the 2013 season and begin the licensing process,” Myers said. “There is no doubt in my mind that Taylor will catch on quickly to driving my car at more than 200 mph. The big adjustment will be how hard the car accelerates, zero to 100 in 1.4 seconds, and staying ahead of the car as it travels at more than 400 feet per second.”

Taylor would like to thank her marketing partners, the U.S. Army, Lucas Oil and Monster energy drink, for their support, past and present, and team owners Brad and Pam Myers for giving her opportunities to compete in a sport she loves.

For more information, visit myersmotorsports.us.

St. James’ foundation is dedicated to making a difference and reaching the point in time when “opportunity” and “diversity” are no longer concerns, but are taken for granted.

St. James, from Ohio, lives in Phoenix, Ariz. She earned a piano-teaching certificate from the St. Louis Institute of Music and first drove in the Indianapolis 500 in 1992, when she was the first woman to win Rookie of the Year.

She made seven Indianapolis 500 starts in nine years, including six consecutive from 1992 to 1997. St. James’ highest qualifying time was sixth in 1994. Her highest finish was 11th her first year.

St. James set a world record on closed-course for women, reaching 225.722 mph during the 1995 Indy 500 qualification weekend.

She was the oldest river in the field at 53 at the 2000 Indy 500.