Female Spotlight: Morgan Jade

When I first met Morgan Jade during SEMA, I could just tell she was one tough biatch. When I found out she dominates the Drag strip in Little Red Riding Hood, I was just plain scared of her. What I admire most about Morgan is her strength as a woman, especially off the track. She is a wife and mother of 3 wonderful kids (sorry fellas) that are also race enthusiasts. Some how, she seems to have discovered the balancing act to truly have it all, something that seems impossible to achieve to little girls, not women.

Based in San Diego, Morgan is the Vice President of Sport Car Motion as well as a Turbo by Garrett sponsored driver. She entered the world of imports and racing at the tender age of 15 and has never looked back, not even with a few run ins with the good old law. After taking the racing to the strip from the streets at about 18, she pursued many adrenaline pumping activities into her college years, keeping drag racing as a hobby. After graduating, Morgan made the decision to make motorsports her career and life. 2006 she became partner of Sport Car Motion, a shop in Vista, San Diego that specializes in performance and racing related needs but also runs highly successful racecars. Deciding to run Time Attack in 2007, Morgan ran as a Time Attack driver for several years solidifying  her versatility as a competitive driver.

Unfortunately with racing, there is always the risk of something happening out on the track. I have heard some grassroot drivers tell me “when you first get your track car, crash into a wall or haybell so you aren’t scared the next time”. In 2010, that calculated risk met up with Morgan when she was in a severe car accident in her S2000 which slowed her down motorsport wise and physically. Like a true professional, she has bounced back and returned to the asphalt. Her Sport Car Motion partner Loi and her have been building her new dragster, returning to her roots. She owns her SFWD Drag car as well as an authentic Japanese Civic-Type-R that was featured in publication giants Honda Tuning and Super Street magazine in 2000 and 2011.

As if lightening couldn’t strike twice, the mighty Morgan suffered a stroke shortly after a video shoot for Honda Tuning. Between 2011 to SEMA 2013, Sport Car Motion was able to complete Red Riding Hood with a new Turbo by Garrett setup just in time for SEMA. There is literally nothing that can slow this woman down, and I guess that’s why I was afraid of her when I met her at SEMA!

 After all of the challenges presented to Morgan Jade, she lives by this: “Being a woman in this male dominated industry is not always a walk in the park. You have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously by some. And, some of the flack never seems to fade no matter how long I’ve been here or what I have accomplished. I have always chosen to just kill the haters with kindness and be the bigger person. Actions speak louder than words ever do.”

I have much respect for this woman as she blazes a trail for woman in any type of racing, as she proves, nothing is impossible, you just have to want it bad enough.