10 questions with social superstar Emelia Hartford before she takes on the ultimate uphill battle.
Rising to the occasion
by: Emelia Hartford and Kyle Fountain
Kyle Fountain: You’re well known for your world-record builds—the C8 Corvette and Nissan Z—and for taking those vehicles to the track. Tell us about your transformation from builder to drifter to drag racer to full-on professional track driver: your mindset, how you approach each discipline differently, and what you’ve learned from each specialty.
Emelia Hartford: Each discipline forces you to think differently and yet very similarly. So much of it is just about diving in without fear, preparing as much as possible, and then ultimately letting it all go. Drag racing is about precision and a lot of patience in developing a complicated machine. Drifting is living in chaos while maintaining control, and road racing demands this flow state where every move is reactive and instinctive. But deeper than all of that, it’s about finding that zone where everything fades away.
I’ve been through a lot in life—loss, trauma, and mental health struggles, to name a few. Building and driving a car became an escape and has always been a way to reassemble myself, even if only temporarily. It’s where I find peace. And somehow, sharing that process with others—through storytelling or competition—turns the pain into something that can entertain or even inspire. There’s a quote from Jim Carrey that’s always stuck with me: “I act because I’m broken in a lot of pieces, and acting gives me the opportunity to reassemble those pieces into someone better.” I feel the same way about both acting and racing.
KF: You held the C8 Corvette quarter-mile world record at one point and currently hold the Nissan Z quarter-mile world record. Was setting a world record your initial goal with these builds, or how did that come to be? Has breaking a world record been a lifelong goal or childhood dream?
EH: Honestly, no, at least not in the beginning. The goal was always to push the limits of what was possible. Again, living in the moment, we just wanted to see what we, as a small team in my garage, could accomplish. The records came from an obsession with improving. They were never the finish line; in the beginning, they were just one of the checkpoints along a road that never really ends. Once we saw it was within reach, of course we set the goal, but I was really focused on my own targets: run 10s, then 9s. I’m still working on getting to 8s, then 7s. Why stop? It is nice to be the first to do something, but it was more about challenging myself.
KF: Any car, any year: what is your dream build and why?
EH: The Ferrari F40. It’s raw. It’s analog. It’s rebellious. It’s everything that car culture used to be and still should be—pure, raw, imperfectly perfect. There’s a kind of poetry in that car. I have many more, but anyone who has followed me along the way knows this is the one I am working toward.
KF: You’ve said that you like to challenge yourself with the builds you take on. After you were invited to race at Pikes Peak, have you thought about working on your own build for the event? Is that something you might want to do in the future?
EH: Absolutely. There’s something sacred about building the car you’re trusting your life with on a mountain like that. Funny enough, that was the plan for year one. I may or may not have already built the car, or at least the start of it. And I plan to in due time, but after doing some more research, I want to learn the mountain first. I can’t let the car or my team and sponsors down by not being fully prepared. Better to run a proven race car first year out. With that said, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it would mean to do it all—from wrench to wheel. It’ll happen when the time is right. Right now, I’m soaking in every lesson I can.
KF: The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is unlike any other race in the world. How are you preparing for your first run up the mountain?
EH: Mentally, I’ve had to reset everything I know. This isn’t just a race; it’s a conversation with a mountain. I’ve been told, “The mountain decides.” No run is ever the same. Conditions change by the second. There’s no runoff, no forgiveness. You’re driving into the clouds. I’ve been studying the course like it’s a script—visualizing every turn, every elevation change. But I think the biggest challenge is respecting that nature still calls the shots. Because you can’t practice like a normal race, a lot of my preparation involves sim time, watching footage, and getting focused.
KF: What unique challenges does Pikes Peak present that you didn’t expect?
EH: I won’t know until I get there, but my guess is that it’s a month-long ordeal, racing in all conditions, basically from the middle of the night to early dawn. Running oxygen, the wear and tear on your body. Everyone says there is nothing like it. I am so pumped!
KF: It feels like PPIHC is an infectious race: after a driver does it once, they want to do it again and again. Do you have plans to continue racing PPIHC in the future?
EH: Oh, we’re just getting started…
KF: Pikes Peak is known as one of the most dangerous and challenging tracks in the world. What is the most daunting or nerve-wracking race you’ve ever participated in?
EH: Pikes Peak is definitely up there, but the truth is, some of the most nerve-wracking races aren’t always the fastest; they’re the ones with the most at stake. For me the stakes aren’t just the race but also the behind-the-scenes challenges: being mentally and physically exhausted, being doubted and judged, not having unlimited resources like some racers out there and the belief that it couldn’t be done by someone like me. That weight makes the quietest moments feel the loudest. Ultimately, I live for this, so I don’t find it daunting. I look forward to proving the possible.
KF: Motorsports and car culture in general are very male dominated. Fortunately, there has been some progress, thanks to various programs and high-profile advocates such as yourself. Tell us about your journey as a role model for young women and what that responsibility means to you.
EH: It’s humbling. And sometimes heavy. I didn’t set out to be a role model—I just wanted to build cars and tell stories. But somewhere along the way, I realized how many girls were watching. It matters. So, I try to lead with action and authenticity. I want to be the person I needed when I was younger. Not perfect. Just real.
KF: You’re obviously very passionate about motorsports and are constantly taking on new challenges, from Formula E to new builds, and now Pikes Peak. What’s next for you?
EH: I have a few things cooking, mostly in the film and TV space—some I can’t talk about yet. But the vision is clear: more storytelling, more racing, and more breaking the mold. Whether it’s through film, a new build, or another crazy challenge, I want to keep creating things that make people feel something and see the world from a new lens. Here’s a limitless future!
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