Bioscientist Jackie Heinricher was drawn to racing as a way to shut out the world and refocus her mind during the pressure-packed days of building her biotech company.

Today, she has turned that hobby into a vehicle of change and is bringing diversity to the fast-paced world of pit lane. Jackie, an experienced sports car racer, has assembled an all-female team of drivers for an entire season, a first for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series.

'The car can't tell the difference between a female and a male driver, but the next generation of women can,' said Heinricher, founder and CEO of Booshoot Technology, a company specializing in the development of innovative forestry and ag plant sciences.

The Heinricher Racing Team, which fields the No. 57 Acura NSX GT3 Evo in the GT Daytona (GTD) class, has partnered with Mobil 1TM and includes racers from around the world - Katherine Legge, Simona de Silvestro, Bia Figueiredo and Christina Nielsen.

The Mobil 1 products, which include engine oil, gear oil and grease for the team's Acura NSX, are the same found in Acura models in showrooms across the country.

Heinricher, a scientist at heart, brings the same intensity and desire for change to the race track as she does mentoring young students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

'I want young girls to have a voice and believe in themselves,' Heinricher said. 'It's really for all young kids, too. Any time they can see people doing amazing things, it makes an impact on their lives.'

The women at Heinricher Racing are a tight-knit crew, supporting and placing the utmost trust in each other as they race to the finish line. Reaching the podium requires precise coordination and a number of moving parts working together at every step, from quick pit stops to driver changes.

'We believe in each other; there's amazing camaraderie,' Heinricher said. 'If you look, you'll see that. Something as little as a fist bump on our way in and out of the car can mean everything.'

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Exxon Mobil Corporation published this content on 23 April 2019 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 23 April 2019 15:48:07 UTC