Leilani Munter. “Appreciate your body, even if it isn't perfect”:

“Mediamax Sport” continues “Sports Beauty of the Week” series.

Our hero of the week is one of the Top 10 female auto racers in the world.

Biologist by profession, auto racer by spirit and soul, eco activist by ideology. Having spent more then 10 years in the very heart of  burining tires, auto crashes and bright victories, Leilani Munter finally chose the motto of her life-“Life is short, race hard, live green”. Munter, who is living in two different realities, considers herself as a bridge between auto racing and eco activism.

Sports Illustrated named Munter one of the top ten female race car drivers in the world. She was also named the «The Sexiest Woman» of NASCAR, and has become the 4th woman in the history, who has participated in Indy Pro series.

Munter's interviews and photo shoots regularly appear in USA Today, Italian Vogue, Esquire, ESPN, Sports Illustrated.



-Leilani, what was the first car in your life?

-My first time driving was as a very little girl on an old dirt road in Minnesota. It was a yellow VW Thing, the kind you could take the doors off. I became a racer because I fell in love with the speed, and I seemed to have a natural ability to go fast. After that it was just a matter of raising the funds to get as much seat time in a race car as possible. To speak the truth, funding has always been the biggest hurdle for me.
- What it feels like to be a female professional racer?

- It always feels amazing to drive a race car. I don’t know that it feelsany different from being a male driver, I wouldn’t know!

-Did you pass your driving license on your first try?



-Yes I got my drivers license in Arizona and it was on my first try. Within a year of getting my license, I was in a bit of trouble with Arizona for getting so many speeding tickets.

-What was the first car you personally owned? Do you remember the color?

-I have only owned three cars in my life. My first was a maroon 1988 VW Fox. My second was a dark blue 1997 VW VR6 GTI, I just sold it last year. My third is the one I own now, and my favorite – my silver P85+ Tesla Model S. It’s 100% electric and just an amazing machine.

-Your first «big» crash.

-My first really big crash was in Indy Lights, the development league for IndyCar. I was running in the top five and with only 20 laps to go, a race car in front of me cut a tire and I got caught up in a wreck. I hit the wall so hard it broke my motor in half.



-What was the funniest thing that happened to you in a car or with a car ?

-I was giving some rides in a two seater race car to some VIP guests of  my racing sponsor at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2006. I would take each person around the track for three laps at about 165 mph and I would take them right up against the wall. One of the guests told me when the ride was over, with a big smile on his face, “I thought that every time you went into the corners that we were going to crash! I peed my pants!” and I thought he was joking but he actually did pee in his pants in the passenger seat of my car. The poor guy had to listen to jokes about that for months. It was pretty funny and he took the jokes quite well! (laughing)

-What is your dream car?



-My dream car for a personal ride is the one in my garage: the P85+ Tesla Model S. My dream race car would probably be a ride in the new electric racing series, Formula E.

-Generally, it is men who are attracted in cars and racing. I wonder what triggered this passion in you?

-I have always been a “tom boy.” Growing up I never really played with dolls, instead of it I played sports like soccer, or what you would call football. I also grew up skateboarding and riding horses. As I grew older I started snowboarding, scuba diving, and surfing. So I always had an affinity for things that were considered traditionally more for boys.

-Do you remember your “best” race ever?

-Up until the point where the person blew a tire in front of me, my first race in open wheel. It was the Indy Lights race at Kentucky Motor Speedway. I was running really well, my car was solid and I was going three wide on the outside next to the wall to pass people and my car was on rails. I would have had a top five finish if that tire had not blown on the car in front of me. It’s the race where my heart actually sinks into my stomach when I think about it. Because I went from the best feeling in the world, to the worst feeling in the world.

-What is your one and only dream in and outside sports?

-My dream in my sports career is to make a difference by using my race car to raise awareness about environmental issues we are facing. Of course, I want to win races in the process of doing that. Outside sports, I want to make a difference for our planet. I will be an environmental activist until the day I die. When I do pass away, I will be buried in a reef ball in the ocean to help rebuild coral reefs, so my activism will carry on even after I am gone.



-Do you follow F1 races? Which of the racers is your favorite one?

-I follow it a little bit, but not closely because I mainly pay attention to the racing series that I participate in. Because he was outspoken in standing up for orcas after watching the documentary film Blackfish last week, now Lewis Hamilton is my favorite. He stood up against marine mammals being in captivity and I really appreciate that. It’s one of the causes I spend a lot of time working on, so that meant a lot to me.

-Leilani, being an environmental activist, what makes you struggle for healthy food and lifestyle?

-I think it is very important for our species to learn to live in harmony with nature. Unfortunately, many of our actions are destroying it. We need to adapt and evolve the way we are living in order to live in a way that does not damage our land, our ocean, and the creatures we share this planet with. More greenhouse gas emissions come from raising animals for food than the entire transportation sector combined.  I am vegan and that is good for our planet, our bodies, and the animals we share Earth with.

-You have rather serious second profession- Bachelor of Science in Biology. Would you work in the field of science one day?



-I think my biology degree gives me some credibility when I talk about environmental issues and clean energy issues. I have gone to speak with members of Congress on environmental legislation and I think my having a science background helps. I hope to work full time on environmental issues and activism once I retire from racing.

-I know that besides cars, you have one other passion in sports.

-Yes!!! I love scuba diving and traveling to places where I can dive. I like warm ocean water, coral reefs, and sand between my toes. I love the ocean, I feel that it’s my home. I am at peace when I am in the sea. When I am at home in North Carolina and there is no ocean nearby, I do hot yoga to stay in shape.

-What clothing style do you prefer in everyday life?

-I usually wear jeans and a tshirt. In summer, I like to wear shorts or sundresses and flip flops and I often go barefoot. I am very casual. I like to dress up once in a while but on a daily basis, I am very laid back and natural. I don’t style my hair or wear very much make up unless I am attending a formal event, business meeting, or giving a speech.

-Do you know anything about Armenians in sports?

-The first sport that comes to mind when I think of Armenia is football, or soccer as we call it here in the states! Don't know why!!! (laughing).



-What about any racers you may know who are of Armenian descent?

-I do not personally know of any racers who are of Armenian descent but I imagine they are out there!

-Beauty tips from beautiful Leilani for our female readers.

-Be yourself. Appreciate your body, even if it isn't perfect. Society demands a lot with regards to what is considered beautiful. Don't believe it! Be happy with yourself, confidence is sexy! My last tip would bet on not eat dead animals, plant foods are better for your body and you don't have to kill any innocent beings to eat. I have been vegetarian since I was very young, but I went vegan 2.5 years ago and I haven't been sick a single day since. Be kind to the animals, they have no voice. Have compassion for them. Be kind to our Earth, she is our only home. Support renewable energy and the move away from fossil fuels. The future of humanity depends on this.

Narine Daneghyan talked to Leilani Munter