Drive to Survive with Guenther Steiner and Team USA Bobsled Aspirations with Karen Hubbard

Hey there, happy Friday. Today is September the 26th. We're really pumped for today's episode. We have two pretty pretty exclusive interviews for you. First, we're talking Team USA bobsled with Karen Hubard. Then we get into F1.

We have the legend famous from Drive to Survive on Netflix. Gunther Steiner joins us to talk about what we can expect from his upcoming show at uh Clouse Hall at Butler in November. It's a it's an awesome interview. We learned so much about racing, Formula 1, and if you stay tuned till the end, you're going to hear what the global perspective of Indianapolis, what the global perspective of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is, uh, how the US is looked at when it comes to all things racing. It was very, very cool. I'm really excited for today's episode.

Also, if you are up in South Bend 574 represent, we are going to be up there today, Friday, tomorrow, Saturday for Fusion Fest. So, if you see us out and about, uh, come say hi. Let us know. Shoot me a DM or an email. Let us know what we need to do while we're up in South Bend. We have a couple things on our itinerary.

We're golfing at Warren later today. Should be a good time. But if you have good Southbend Rex, hit us up. With that being said, let's talk Team USA bobsled. Hey everyone, before we get into today's episode, let's talk about an insurance company that I use and believe in, Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance. As someone who's experienced and shared all that our great state has to offer, I've learned that having an insurance carrier who truly understands Indiana makes all the difference.

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Now, let's get into this episode of Get In. Today, my guest is Karen Hubard. She is a rising rookie on team USA bobsled and she recently placed in the top 15 at the 2025 Bush Championships. We're going to get into what that all means in a little bit. She is a proud hooer. She's a Purdue trained engineer, longtime Westfield High School track coach.

Beyond athletics, Karen is an entrepreneur and founder of Cortex, bringing her experience as a former Mackenzian company consultant to help organizations shape the future of work and workforce development. Her journey blends grit on the ice with innovation in business, proving that Indiana roots can thrive on the world stage. I'm really, really excited for this episode. Karen, welcome to Get In.

Hello. Thank you for having me.

Someone had posted about your journey on social media. It might have been Ally Brent Knocker. Do you know Ally?

Oh my gosh.

She's really into running. She creates a ton of running content. Like what what was the first kind of piece of PR that that came out about you?

Me posting about it. Um, just lucky for me in Chicago when I did the uh, combine the news happened to be there and they did an interview while I was there. So I that I think that was the first piece of PR back in May, I want to say.

Okay. Yeah. And then the stories kind of like snowballed into this whole thing. So lay the lay the land out for everyone. When we're talking through Team USA, we're talking bobsled. Like I don't know I don't know any six-year-olds that are in their youth bobsled leagues, right? So, like take us through this this sport. We're going to talk about background and some of that stuff a little bit later in the show, but let's talk about like what's timely, which is Team USA bobsled.

Yeah. Oh my gosh. So, an incredible sport that I'm honestly new to, not only as an athlete, but just a new novice to the sport and just learning about it. Um, I think some of the stats I shared with you is that women weren't even allowed to compete until 2002 in the Olympics for bobsled. So, it's still a very new legacy for women in general and women athletes. And I think something that I've learned myself is that it's very attractive to power oriented athletes. Um, so with my background being in speed, a lot of the women that I met on the team have a background in something that's power related, whether it's Olympic lifting, whether it's track, and they were power sprinters, meaning you specialize in anything that is below 400. Okay. Um, anything that's below 400 is considered like a power sprint.

Yeah.

Now, of course, like as a coach, I will loop in the 800, but that's a different conversation. But from team USA bobsled, it's just an amazing sport of power and speed and I've learned so much about it. I'm excited to talk more about it, too.

Okay. Well, I guess before we get into it, we're going to make everyone wait and learn about the journey that takes to get to hopefully one day get into the Olympics. Like that's the end goal, correct? The goal is that hopefully this is like the first conversation that we have and we look back on today and are like, "Holy, she won a gold medal." Like, let's go. Like that's sick. But before we get there, you have to listen to the whole episode for that. Well, let's start with obviously track is a big part. Like sport, like has that always been like part of your identity?

Yeah, it's definitely been a really good chunk of it. Um I'd say that from a young age, um I was introduced to tennis as my first sport. Um

which I I don't consider that a powerful sport.

Are you h

Okay, you know what?

Okay. From like explosive uh like I would say like I don't see tennis translating to like the bobsled, but maybe I'm wrong. Prove me wrong. You know what? The reason why I reacted that way is because like immediately whenever I think of tennis, I think of Serena Williams who I looked up to and she is a powerful woman in the sense of

I'm wrong right there.

I'm like I can think of a power athlete but of course she's an anomaly in the sense of her frame and the the strength that she has and how she uses it.

Absolute beast. You're right. Powerful. I'm wrong. Hey, I'm not above saying that I'm wrong. I'm totally wrong. She's so powerful. That's so true. Okay, so tennis was your first exposure into sport. Tennis for school, tennis for summer camp, tennis like how what level did you start to branch out and getting involved in other sports?

Oh my gosh. Like below five years old. My parents got me into tennis and that was something that came from just my parents wanting me to play tennis. So I did like some summer camps. Um I never got as far as like playing it in school though.

What year? Like what when you were growing up like what was the time frame?

Yeah. Oh gosh. Uh maybe 3 to five. Okay.

3 to five. Yeah.

Sorry. What years? Like where were we at with Serena and Vina? Like where were we at in like women's tennis being like I feel like they were kind of like uh Caitlyn Clark before Caitlin Clark was this like you know what I'm saying for for like women in sport just like you know pushing this this forward and being an inspiration. I felt like that was like they kind of uh

joged so that Kaitlin can like sprint

2002 2003.

Yeah. Okay. I'm 197 so let's go.

Oh perfect. Okay. So in the sense of like that time frame like I don't remember what was happening. I just remember watching their games and getting so excited like oh their hair looks like mine. Like I'm gonna wear my hair like that. Yeah. So in the sense of just like you know stats

and you so put this all into perspective at that time you're watching

Serena, you're watching Venus, you're like the pinnacle of of tennis is going on right now. Like starting to go on right then. I don't know their entire like full like career length but I know they've been prominent for basically our entire lives.

Yes. But at the same time, women are just now allowed into bobsled in the Olympics.

Exactly.

So like put that on a perspective of like, oh wow, like certain things were like really pushing the envelope forward and other things were take a little bit longer to have brand new.

Yeah. Okay. So you get involved in tennis and then you start to shift into other sports as well. Yep.

And I'm assuming find a love for track somewhere along the way there.

It's a funny story because I kind of stumbled onto track. So, um, following my stint with tennis, um, like for some reason like we had like missed a deadline or something. I'll have to ask my parents what happened, but I got involved in ballet tap and jazz. My mother, um, is a is a dancer and she was like, I'm going to make sure that my little girl does ballet tap and jazz. So, I was doing that for a while and then, uh, something had come across my mom's purview for WSI sports in Westfield. And at the time, I think it was track, baseball, and one other sport. My mom was like, "Well, you're going to be doing something this summer." So, she signed me and my brother both up for WSI track. And I want to say that was maybe fourth or fifth grade. Um, I feel like I need to go and check my own stats. But, we figured out I was fast quickly. Um, they were just trying

quickly. She quickly realized that she was quick.

I was like, "Oh, I'm kind of Where's everybody else? Like, they're still running." And it was just so funny because I had never like thought about track, you know, at the time. Um, I was more interested in ballet. I was just having a fun time doing it, but I was really talented. So, naturally, you know, the coaches that were there were asking me like, "Hey, have you thought about like doing this in high school or middle school?" And it was funny because they had actually tried to put me in the 400. And like I had a little bit of talent there, which for anyone that knows me, um, don't put me in anything over 200. Just don't do it. And they were like, "Well, maybe you should consider cross cross country." And I was like, "How how long is that?" And they're like, "Well, you know, it can be a couple miles." And I was like, "You can count me out. Don't don't do that to me.

I'll pass.

That's not I don't that's not funny. I'll leave that to anybody else. But yeah, so then um cut my teeth in track and then just stuck with it all the way throughout high school.

So nowadays you're coaching track obviously that's kind of I mean being around sport and coaching is just I don't know. I think it's so incredible. I'm the head wrestling coach at Bishop High School. So I I love being around and it's just like always fun to you know learn about what is uh what's in the minds and hearts of high schoolers today in 2025. But you end up, you know, becoming a standout track athlete and and I feel like that's probably the base of like you talk about the power that comes into bob sled. Yes. So along that you end up going to Purdue. Where do these paths all kind of intersect into coaching your track career, bob sled, you know, going to Purdue and then you're also a consult like you like all these lifetimes that have happened and you're 28

27

27 year 27 years young. I go into Purdue actually being a member of the track team at this time. So, I'd walked on to the Purdue track team.

Oh boy. So, okay, let's brag about yourself for a little bit. If you're going to walk onto a Big 10 track team, were do we have some state medals? Do we have some like state accolades?

Yes. Yes. Uh, so back in high school, I went to state every single year uh for a for an event.

Okay. So, you're fast.

Just just a little bit. I have a little bit in there. Um, and then let's see. I meddled twice in the 100 meter dash. Um, my I want to say my sophomore year, my junior year. Sorry, mom, if I'm wrong. She's got the stats more correct than me. But I medddal twice and then um for a few other events I did go for the 200 I think twice and then for the 4x1 as well. Um so lots of success when I was in high school.

Yeah. So we've got some high school state track medals which are it's one class. It's very like that's that's impressive. Congrats. Congratulations to you. Like I think one piece of individual sports is that I mean every single kid gets thrown like every single track athlete, every single wrestler, every single swimmer, they're all like thrown into this mix and say good luck. So um Okay. So it gave you enough confidence to walk on to the track team at Purdue.

Yeah. It gave me enough confidence. I was like I believe that I can do this. So I had enrolled at Purdue um at first. That'll be another sidebar for maybe another episode. But I had enrolled first under the college of agriculture

and then I was like actually I think I want to be an engineer because I had done engineering programs like throughout my high school career as well. So I switched to engineering and then was also on the track team to be a sprinter. Um just you know my body just could not handle the stress of both of them. And then that actually kind of revealed um an autoimmune disease that I was struggling with. So that caused me to have to uh uh quit the track team and then just focus on my health and getting my degree.

Was that hard? Like if

it was Yeah. Oh my gosh.

We talk about sport being part of your

fabric from the time you were like three, four, five years old. Talk about tennis

all the way through. I mean, great state medal accomplishments and you're going to do this at the one of the biggest levels, you know, in the Big 10, right? and to have to give that up like is that is that challenging to navigate that while also some health complications

and just like figuring out you know who you wanted to be?

It's it was almost like an identity crisis for me Nate because at the time I was like I came here to be an athlete and an engineer and I'm only getting getting one of them and I had to honestly just sit down with myself like in the midst of those that health crisis too and just be like okay when I get through this in some way shape or form God is going to bring this back to me. I don't know if it's back on the track team. I don't know if it's a different sport. Um, a lot of people don't know this, but like I was like, okay, like am I healthy enough to try another sport here? So, I considered doing tennis at Purdue.

And I was so I was just trying to figure out, okay, like are all these doors closed right now?

You have to be uh you either have to be the most confident person or or a freak athlete because I feel like a lot of people are like the fact of getting to walk on to one sport at a division one school would be insane to think like, you know, if I get like back on the like I'll try like that. That's awesome. I love it.

I was like, you never know. Like, I could be just hiding out. But, um, yeah, I I it did hurt my confidence for a while, but I was like, there's something that God wants me to do with this gift of athleticism, and if it's not right now, it's later. So, in the sense of just like staying healthy, I fought for about four years before I got to like a a solid state of just being healthy, like where I wasn't going to the hospital or going to a doctor's appointment. It got really rough for a minute. Um, but no, yeah, it was definitely an identity crisis for me. Um, so at some point I'm not sure what that story like looks like in terms of sharing it, but boy oh boy, what it was it was a ride to get back here.

Well, here we are and you're on the other side of that. Um, but at some point you go from athlete to I won't say mathlete, but I'll say like like you you big for consulting like you're at McKenzie, which is incredible. It's either equal or more demanding than like be being an athlete.

Absolutely. Like I mean you're whether you're traveling or you're just working late hours and you're getting compensated pretty well but like it's still a grind. Like anyone I anytime I talk to people like not a big four guy here but anytime I talk to them it's like

it's like those first few years are a grind. So talk to us about that experience.

Oh my gosh. I had no idea what I was getting into. Um when I was first introduced to just like the realm of consulting, I was like does my engineering background like translate? Like how can I use that? And essentially what I what I learned was my degree was how to solve problems in a systemized way and you can translate that over into business very well. So once I kind of like understood what that looked like, I feel like the first part of just like learning what big, you know, being a big three, big four consultant already means is like just the recruitment process itself, they give you a lot of training before you even do the interview.

So they're investing in you before you're even hired and before you're even selected. So that was like three months of prep of like case math, understanding how to like, you know, solve a problem and then like walk through it. Um, being able to do math without a calculator and that like sent me over the moon because as an engineer, as you get into these higher level maths, like you're mainly using a calculator. It's a matter if you can use a calculator or not. So I was like, you want me to do this by hand and walk you through it? So that that threw me for a loop.

So just like learning what it means to solve problems critically quickly and explain and walk another person through it that threw me for a loop. Now, after actually getting the offer and getting hired, that was where it got really interesting because I got to just become more aware of like what does it mean to solve a business problem and what's of value to somebody else. And I never really thought in that way prior to and I feel like you know my engineering background did help me from like a like a problem solving and like quantitative reasoning but being able to

talk to a leader and deduce like what to do like right now to solve this problem and then what to do down the line that was transformative but like oh my gosh Nate so many hours.

Oh I can only imagine. I had never worked so many hours in my life and it's just a matter of like you it just takes a high volume of time to solve these problems and figure out what to do first and I I will always value my time there but oh my gosh what is it was a culture shock oh my goodness

oh my goodness

between that like I feel like yeah big three big four or investment banking yeah

it's like holy smokes there like your time is just gone it's incredible uh But it's like the the thing is if you stick with it for I don't know however long and then it's like you rise up the ranks and

Yeah.

money, you know, seems to come in after that, right? Like Yeah. You don't do so bad.

Yeah. You're I was doing just fine.

Yeah.

Immediately. Yeah. I was fine.

Yeah. Yeah. I know. So, but then somewhere along this journey,

bobsled comes into play.

Catch us up on how you end up. Where does one start when it comes to bobsled?

Oh my gosh. So, are you more so asking like how did I start? Cuz I have just as you can see it's the theme of untraditional is just there.

Yeah. I mean like where was the first moment where you saw a bob sled or saw it on TV or something and you're like, you know what, I could do that.

Oo, let's see. So, the first thought of like when I saw it versus when I could do it, those happened at two separate times. So, the I've actually known um Jasmine Jones, who's a current athlete on the women's bobsled team, for a long time. Her and I had both done track in high school, and I believe where her and I met um was when we were both doing um USA track in high school together. So, I'd been following her for years, and she's been in the sport for a long time. I believe since 2018 or 2019. And so, I'd seen her for a while.

And for people who may not know or they needed to have their memory joged, uh what's a bob? Like a bobsled is this little con like the contraption that you guys like push. Yes. And then you jump in.

It's a very large contraption. Can weigh anywhere from about like three to 500 lb

and it's on ice.

And it's on ice. Yes.

What the Okay. So ju just so you have it in perspect there there's like is it Cool Running? That was like the movie that made Bob Sled famous, right? Where Yeah. Is that the Jamaican bobsled dude?

Jamaican bobsled.

Yeah. That's a great movie.

Who I met by the way.

Were they cool?

They were so cool. Oh, I love that.

She's like, "Oh my gosh, it's a big you guys from the movie." Uh, okay. So, you see your friend. Is she from Indiana?

No, she's not from Indiana.

Okay, so you see your friend that gets into bobsled somehow. We're still not quite sure how someone gets Well, we know how they get into it, but we don't know how they get into the sport. Uh, you see that she's a part of this and do you like watch her somehow like on social media or something?

Yeah. So, I had been following her for years, so I was like, "Oh, like this is so interesting." like I know that she's like going after the Olympics. I know that she's got a background in track. So, just kind of like keeping track of her over the years, supporting her here and there, and she's supporting me as well in my endeavors over the years. And so, I had always been aware of it, but in the sense of me going after it um as something that I can do, finally, let's see, about two years ago, I was starting to come out of the fog of the disease that I was struggling with.

And I was like, is there something I can do with this gift? like what do I still have? Am I able to move weight the same way? And as I was continuing to working out, I was putting up some pretty good numbers that were competitive. And like as with me being a high school track coach, I know what's competitive. I know what's good.

I know what's collegiate. I know what's professional.

Like what kind of numbers are we talking about here?

Okay, so

come on, brag about yourself. Let's hear it.

I was still able to do like a solid like three rep max of like 355 on squat. And I was like, that's solid. That's that's solid. Like I still have something there.

And I was like, okay, like I can do something with this. And I was playing around with my speed and I was like putting up okay numbers like on the 100 meter dashes. So I actually ended up doing a couple track meets. Um I signed up for a couple of like you know open masters track meets that you can do as an amateur athlete and I did a couple of races like having not trained in years. I was like let me just see where I'm at like get a baseline collect some evidence if you will

and I was doing pretty decent and I was like I could

I was like I could do something with this. So like with a lot of prayer and reflection I was like okay let me see what I can do in track. Like it's it's what I come from. let me see what I can do. So, I did a couple of meets. I'm competitive.

I find some other sprinters like that are like my age or older that are faster than me and I follow them to different track meets. Um, so I continue to progress and I was like, you know what? I think there's something here. So, I'm still like, you know, in prayer and reflection, and then I actually ended up being at um one of my advisory meetings. I I serve on a board. We were having a a regional meeting and I was talking with one of my colleagues about five-year goals, just like general goals.

And I was like, you know what? This may sound crazy, but like I'm not sure how, but like I really want to still go after the Olympics. Like, it's still been a dream of mine. I just don't know what sport it's going to take. And my colleague had mentioned to me, he was like, "You know what? I just came from a combine for bobsled."

And I was like, "Bobsled?" And I was like looking at him, I was like, "What what do you what do you do? Like what does that mean?" And he's like, "Well, like you do like you do a combine style like similar to the NFL. like you just see like where you're at and like based on how you rank like they potentially invite you to like the next step of recruitment and I was like oh okay now Nate at the time I brushed it off because in about a month's time I was actually supposed to be moving to Dubai so I was like I'll just

what Dubai just like

I was supposed to be moving to Dubai yes so at the time I was also growing my business Cortex and we had done a really good job um uh merging this like talent AI workforce development program happening in Detroit that we helped them uh form a partnership with Dubai. So Dubai the people who we worked for out there was like hey like would you mind coming to do this and build out our program just stay here for about 6 to9 months like you can be here semi-permanmanently or permanently if you would like. I was like oh sure I'm happy to do that.

Yeah just why not I'm happy to do that you know I'm just I my business was going going in the right direction. And I was excited about what we were doing and I had the flexibility to do it. So I was like, "Okay, I'm going to move to Dubai." And just logistically it ended not it ended up not working out. Just like some things just like just were not in the cards. So I was like, "Oh, let me pick this Boba thing back up. Like maybe I could do something." And I was like, "Maybe is there a combine like near like is this a two-year thing?" And as I started to do my research in February, I found out there was going to be one in like spring. I believe it was May. It's everything is blurring together.

So I was like, "Okay, like I'll just train for this." So, I I hit up my one of my coaches from high school and I was like, "Hey, I have a crazy idea. Will you train me for this confine?" And he was like, "You know what? Sure. Let's let's see how you do."

You are at a philanthropic board meeting

and one of the other members says, "I just came from a bob." Why was Why were they at the bobsled combine?

Exactly. I was like, "What what do you Okay, cool." But he was like, "Yeah, like I have I still have, you know, a dream that I want to activate of being a professional athlete and I'm just trying different things like based on where my athleticism is at." And he was like, "You know, you look like you put up some good numbers. Like I I saw you working out in the gym this morning. Like why don't you try it?" And I was like,

"I'll think about it." Like I completely brushed it off at the time.

And like what does it take to be the best Bob? Like what are the characteristics? What are the movements that you're doing that are important?

Yeah. Oh my gosh. So from a coaching perspective, I definitely say of course speed. Like that's the obvious one. You need to be able to move. But something that different differentiates people who are fast versus people who are powerful is powerful people can move mass with their own mass.

So think of the Olympic lifts like power clean snatches. You can move mass very quickly. So if you have those skill sets, you're someone that could probably translate your skill set and your athleticism over into bobsled easily. Now, there is a coordination factor that I' I have seen like, you know, some athletes that are strong and powerful but like just are not coordinated. There is a coordination effort to this because you're running on ice and then jumping into the sled. So, if you're if your timing is off, this may not be something that you want to think about.

But, I definitely say number one are speed and power, your ability to move mass quickly.

Wow. Okay. So, let's dive into the combine. Yeah. What are they using to measure this?

Yep. So, the combine that I went to in Chicago, they had us do a 10 meter sprint, a 40 meter sprint, vertical jump, broad jump, and I believe that's all we ended up doing. There were some other combines that had like, you know, a a weighted toss. Um, I've heard that some other combines did have some like power lifts in there, but mine was just basic like how quickly can you move, how how fast and how high can you move your own mass because that's that's also a factor as well. Um, and then what's your just basic agility?

So, you train with your high school coach?

Yes.

For three or four months?

Maybe more of like a matter of weeks.

Oh, you train for a couple weeks.

Yeah. Yeah. Of course. Right. That checks out. You train for a couple of weeks.

Yeah. and you then hop in a car and zip up to Chicago

to do four lifts or four exercises, four take four measurements to see if you make it through to the next round of the process.

Take us through how you're feeling. You get out the morning of the combine, you wake up and it's like,

"All right, let's do this." On that day, I was just feeling a huge like moment of gratitude because like Nate, it took me a while to get back to a body that would just do what I asked it to. So, I was just having a moment of gratitude. I was just like I for the first time like in an athletic setting, I didn't care how I performed, which is like crazy for me to say with the background that I have. I was just excited to be able to be healthy and just go show what I got. You know, I had wrote out like what am I going to do for a warm-up?

Like, you know, like what are some common injuries that I can think about? Like I remember I have like an ankle problem. So, I was like, "Oh, I'll be mindful of that." And it was funny because I had to completely scrap that cuz they gave us a warm-up to do. And they watched us do their own warm-up. It was so funny cuz I was expecting like, oh, I'll just go off in a corner and like, you know, warm up and then show up.

They're like, "Nope, everybody on the line.

Do this is the warm up."

How many people?

At least 40 at that one. Yeah. So they had two heats going on and there was I want to say at least 40. There was a good amount of

Had anyone there ever been in a bobsled before?

No, no one there.

Isn't that crazy?

No one there had been in a bobsled before, but like all of them were the top of their sports in college. And that was just kind of another cool thing. Like I didn't really do anything. So I was just like, "Oh, this is cool." Like I'm just amongst other people who are curious.

Did you know what you had to do to advance?

I had no idea in terms of stats. So the research that I did like independently beforehand I was like oh like you know what do what do some of the girls do like what they do in college like what got some attention like some of the coaches to like you know gravitate towards them. So I had an idea as far as like 100 meter dashes. I had an idea as far as like 200s. I had some idea of like what push championship results look like because they also test you again in like the 30 and some other sprints. So I had a ballpark of some numbers

but I I was just like I'm just going to do my best. You go out there and you do your best. How did the day go?

Let's see. When we got there, like there were some athletes who were just like, "Hey, like are you here for this?" And it's like, "Okay." Like, so there's a little bit of camaraderie forming. And it was just so much fun because like everybody was so supportive of one another because you could tell that everyone had a shared vision of somehow representing their country for like with their athletic gifts. And it's just awesome being around those types of people.

Yeah. And it's not like based on the the outcome of this thing, no one's going to be a millionaire. Yeah. You know, like it's like, oh, we want to we want to push each other as far as we can. Uh, and yeah, may the best person get on to the next round.

Exactly. Yeah.

Okay. So, how how did your how did your combine go?

I did really well. I was actually surprised. So, like I I was just excited about like of course like what I was wearing because as you can tell, I'm a diva and I was just pumped about like, oh, I'm going to be fast in my red. And my mom came with me too. So, um, she's like, you know, filming and cheering and it was just so good to like I was like, "Oh my gosh, I forgot what it sounds like to have my mom in the background."

So, I was just like, "Oh, this is so nice." And, um, we ended up getting like two attempts at each, um, exercise. And for the 10 and the 30, I was like, "Okay, I'm solid." Like, I was like, "All right, that's not bad for like considering like where I was a year ago in terms of like my 60 meter dashes." And then for the vertical, I was actually shocked um that I ended up doing so well. I got the number one vertical. So, I was kind of shocked by that, but I knew I was explosive. I knew that coming in like I can move mass and I can jump.

I know I can do those two things very well.

Yeah, we move back.

So, I was like, I know I can do those well. So, I'm relying on those things. But, it ended up going really well for me. I got some good feedback from the coaches and um just, you know, something that I learned um in my engineering background is always have a question. So, like I kind of pulled the coach aside and I was like, "Hey, like where can I improve today?" Um like where where are some things like that I could like obviously improve?

like what are some things that look like my strengths? Here's what I'm thinking. And then I ended up asking him like, you know, what's what's something about being an Olympian? Because the coach who was there, he's a coach for Team USA bobsled and he's a former Olympian as well. And I asked him, I said, "Hey, like what's something about being an Olympian that like people don't really ask about?" And he told me like it's it takes a lot more than you ever can anticipate ever and you need to be willing to become the person that can give up those things.

I was like, "Oh, okay, cool." So, um, thank you for that. Um, but no, it ended up going really well for me. I was excited. I met some really cool people that I still talk to now that are keeping up with my journey. So, it all in all went well.

How how quickly did did you get a call about next steps?

Yeah. So, they had told us that um they wanted to finish doing the combines and then they would take all the results from all the combines around the nation in person as well as online and they would rank us and then they'll reach out to the top people about coming out to rookie camp. So, they said, "Okay, you'll hear from us by probably next Friday." That combine was on a Saturday, so you're waiting all week. But then on Tuesday, I get a text from one of the coaches and he asked me, "What's your height and weight?" And I was like, uh, whatever you need it to be. Like, yeah,

I can grow a few.

You want me to even be taller, shorter? Like, I'll chop off a couple pinky toes.

What do you need it to be? So, that kind of gave me some hope. I got a glimmer of hope. And then, um, that next week, I did get the invite to the rookie camp. So, I was pumped about that. And that was like the f that's the first kind of step as in like you're get like you're getting brought into the pipeline.

How many rookies got invited to camp? At the time there were six women and I want to say 25 men. So about 30 31 people.

So there's only six spots for women. How big is a bobsled team? Four.

Um so a bobsled team for women. Um it can fluctuate. So like for the World Cup team they take anywhere from like six to eight athletes. Um that that encompasses the pilots.

I was say but it's not six to eight that get to run.

No. No.

How many get to run? Four.

Depends on how many sleds there are for a season. So, for example, we're going to have three this season. Um, so we'll have three pilots that are driving and then there's uh three uh brake athletes in the back that are pushing with them. So, that's three. Then they have an alternate that's another three. So, in total that's like what? Nine.

Nine per sled.

Yes. Nine. No, nine total.

Oh, nine. Wait, how many

total?

How many people like if you do a run, how many people are in the bob sled?

Two.

Oh, it's only two.

For women?

For women?

For women, is it four?

For men, it's four. Yes.

Okay. So, for women, it's a pilot and a pusher. Yes.

So, you gotta move mass.

Yes.

Because you're the you're the engine.

Yes.

Wow. Okay. So, six rookie women get invited out to camp and you just got back from this, correct?

Yes. Well, no. So, I just got back from the second half of that. So, the rookie camp was back in July. Okay.

And then based on how you did in the rookie camp, you got invited to participate more.

Oh,

yeah.

So, from the six So, there was 31 total athletes that went out to rookie camp, how many of them got invited to the next round? Uh, for the women that got invited to the next round, two and then for the men, oh gosh, the men ended up actually performing really well in the rookie camp. Um, from what I was told at the rookie camp, it was one of our best performing rookie classes. So, quite a few men got invited back. I would at least say eight. At least eight. Wow. The the men did such a great job.

Just two. You and another woman.

Yes.

For rookies, they get invited out. And then do they bring in the current team? Yes. For this last one that you went to. Okay. So, you get to show up with people who And at this point, when did you get into a bob sled for the first time?

So, I still haven't gone down.

This is crazy. What? Like, you're you're advanced down the path of being on team USA bobsled, but you've never been in a bob sled. What the

So, any any photos that you've seen on social media of the practice sled, like the one that just looks like a wireframe, that's what we use throughout the season to practice with. Um, to my understanding, in the sense of like going down the full track, that's not something that you want to practice because Bob said is essentially F1 on ice. You don't want to continue to risk your life doing too many runs down the hill.

What?

Yeah. So,

so you just get in this thing and send it?

Yes, you just send it. Yes.

What?

Yes. The the speed is crazy. The G-forces you experience are are just off the charts. And that's kind of like another selection criteria in the sense of like, okay, you make it through all of this. You can move the mass. You're fast. Okay, we get that. Now, we're going to send you down the hill

and you got to trust someone you someone else to drive this sucker.

Yes.

What?

I know

that. My mind is blown. Okay. So, so you go out to the second half of camp, which is where they bring in the current pros.

Yes.

How many women total are there? Um, so the total amount of women that participated in the push championships this year was 21 women.

Push championships. Yes. This is rookies and seasoned people that have been around. Yes.

And how big does that play into who they select for the team?

Team selection is coming out soon,

correct? Yep. That's coming out on Friday. Uh, the World Cup selection is going to come out Friday. Push championships, um, to my understanding in years past is a majority of what they used for their decision-m. The other piece of that is selection races like where they actually send you down the hill this year just due to construction and like some other weather conditions. Selection races were cancelled. So So they're relying on the post championship results.

The tariffs at the bob sleds. What the come on. What is going

dude? Okay. So, so what so we're going to pick our World Cup bobsled team, but there's a large majority there. There's a high probability that members of that team will have never gone down a bobsled hill.

Never gone down a bob sled. Yes.

You call it bobsled hill. What do you call that? Like they've never made a run.

Hill run.

Yeah. Of course. Yeah. It's industry terms, right? Right.

Okay. So, push championship happens. You do very well at that.

Top 15.

Yeah. Do they know what place do what place did you get?

I got 14th.

Hey, there we go. Top top 15. Let's go. Uh, and that's what are you doing there? You're pushing the wireframe.

Yep. You're pushing that wireframe for time. And that weighs about um 170 kg. And that's what about 300 lb.

What are you pushing it on?

You're pushing it on ice.

What kind of shoes do you wear? You wear these incredibly sharp ice spikes that on the balls of your feet and on your toes, there's like over a hundred of these little itty bitty spikes on your shoes so that you can stay on top of the ice. So with track, you have spikes that dig into the track. With ice spikes for like running on ice, you want to stay on top of the ice. You never want to get into the ice. So these there's like a a whole bunch of spikes like on like the ball of your foot so that you can stay on top of the ice. For anyone at home, 170 kg is 375 lbs.

Thanks for the conversion.

Yeah. So, there's this sled that weighs 375 lbs. It's on like little skis.

Yep. They're on what's called runners.

They're on runners and you have ice spikes

and it's at a dead standill and they just say go and you just start moving mass.

Yes.

Head up, head down.

Um, my head is down. Most people's head is down. It's like whenever you see a lot of like bobled pictures, you'll see like the their helmets right there. Yeah. So your head's typically down

and you're just head down churn

going

just like move. And how far do you have to move it?

You will run that typically about 50 m down a hill.

50 m down a hill.

Down a hill.

And you have to be able to keep the speed because

because that that's getting you the speed that's going to carry you all the way. How long how long is the run? Um, they can be anywhere from like 50 seconds to a minute, favorably shorter.

Holy smokes. What? And then with this push championship, do you have to jump in too?

Yes.

You had to jump in with spikes on your feet. Where do you How

what the Okay, so how many chances did you get?

You get three chances.

So you and 20 other women are competing for a few spots.

Uh, where was this at?

This was in Lake Placid, New York. the IBSF World Championships also in Lake Placid.

There you go.

I just need to get my mind fixated on what this what's going on here.

Uh that's the World Sliding Championships.

This is solo. Holy

So, what you're looking at is currently skeleton.

What does skeleton mean?

Skeleton is where you have a sled and you can see that you're on your stomach sliding down. And they do have a different like track and route than us, but that's also considering considered a sliding sport. What the

the environment of push championships is insane. It's It's like being in a club. It's It's insane.

Okay. Are you on the side or are you behind it?

I'm behind it. So, I'm pushing from the back where break women are and you're p you we're pushing from the back because we're break now. You can move up to being a pilot to where you'd push from the front bar on the left or the right.

You have to jump over the bar.

Yes.

What the?

Which is what I'm aiming for, by the way.

Oh, really?

Yes. I want to be a pilot someday. So, you go out to the Bush Championships, you you placed 14th,

so you're feeling optimistic. Yes. Uh, how long was the camp?

Um, the camp itself was about three weeks. I was there for three weeks and like placed at the Olympic training center.

Three weeks.

Yes. Week one is development camp, like where you're focused on the technicalities of just pushing the sled, not running with it, just pushing it off the line. And then the second week is performance camp. That's when we were integrated with everybody who's currently on the team. um than other rookies who've been invited out from other sports. So, they recruit in different ways. I was recruited in like a traditional way like where I went to a combine, came to a came to um was invited to rookie camp and then metriculated that way. But there's like other, you know, really amazing athletes across the country to where it's like, hey, like you've already been on Team USA, you want to come try out bobsled or you're a power sprinter.

What kind of other sports would they pull people from for bobsled?

Yeah, I'd still say like there's a big vein of track. Um, so there's heft athletes, pentathletes that come into this. Um, football. There were a couple football players. Um, yeah. Yeah.

Anyone that you know?

Um, not that I can think of, but these are definitely guys who have like been through the recruitment of the NFL and they know that they have a skill set, so they've come over here as well. So, that was really cool to see.

Like going from like sacking the quarterback to like, yeah, I'm I'm about the sled. Like TBD on if I'll ever get in an actual sled and go down and do a full run. We're not sure where that part happens, but this is sick. It's pretty sick. No, it's pretty incredible.

Three weeks you're out in Lake Placid. Yep.

You get 14th. Yep.

And then like what do they when you're wrapping up camp, what do they say?

Yeah. So, this season is very special because we're in an Olympic year. And in an Olympic year, the the focus is the Olympics. So, there's women who've been on the team for years that have been training for this moment. Um there are women that like are planning to retire that have gone to Olympics that are like that that are training for this and focusing on that. So, the team atmosphere is very much so oriented around this being an Olympic game.

How many women were there at this camp?

Let's see. Uh, there were 21 women.

21. And how many make the final cut?

The final cut, I think, is going to be about eight plus a couple of alternates depending on what they do because like the season is so long, they've still got, you know, five months of competing to get through as well.

How big will Team USA be? Team USA is going to be having three sleds for for the Olympic year or for the season because there's still a whole season too.

What does your future look like in the sport of bobsled?

I'd say with how I performed, um the coaches were definitely communicating that I was impressive like being someone that is a former athlete like years ago, like not like fresh off college. I didn't compete in college. So, they were really just celebrating that for me as well. But something that I do did do um was meet standards which qualifies me for you know potential growth down the line. Um but also something that they saw in my future was being a pilot. So I am going to pursue that pathway of becoming someone who can learn how to drive the sled. Um so that's

so at some point you're going to have to go down.

So at some point I'm going have to go down and preferably for me like that's where I want my future to go. Um with this year being an Olympic year it's going to be really tough to just get women in general on some of the other circuits that happen. So there's the World Cup, there's the European circuit where you tour in Europe for four months, and then there's the North American circuit where you stay in North America and do races in America as well as Canada.

Where are the nearest bobsled races to

the nearest bobsled races? So in America, the nearest tracks are going to be, let's see, Park City, Utah, and then Lake Pla, New York.

Yeah,

my mind is blown. Yeah,

it's looking positive that you will be on a bobsled team.

Absolutely.

Because they have to they have to fuel teams for the Olympics that fuel teams for the World Cup and the European Tour and the American Tour.

Yeah.

So, there's lots of options.

There's lots of options.

21 women that are kind of like our finalists for this.

The thing is too, like with the standards that they have and how quickly you meet them, that accelerates your progression pathway into the sport. So, with me hitting them so early on, like that accelerates my pathway. So, everyone's journey looks a little bit different, but I think I'm in a a really blessed spot to be healthy, to be able to be somebody's replacement. Um, anything could really happen. Like, what's interesting about this sport is like it's not that like the injuries are unique, but they could just be common. So, like everyone has to be at their prime to be able to do this and do it well.

What are the chances like I mean in your internally,

right? What are the chances that you're on our Olympic team?

Oh my gosh. Like ever. Or this upcoming one?

This upcoming one.

This upcoming one. When I tell you I met some super women

at this camp

for real

who have been training for years.

What's the average age of

the average age? And that's interesting. The youngest that I met there on the women's side is 23. And then I'd say like our our more seasoned athletes like who are amazing.

What a great 40.

42. Oh, so something cool was for the push championships. They like randomize our order for the order that we go in. Guess who I was behind?

Who?

Lolo Jones.

Oh,

Lolo Jones is a phenomenal track athlete and bobsled athlete. And so after push championships, I'm just like going behind her. Like so we go three times and she's in front of me each time. And so I'm still getting used to like being around her cuz I used to watch her on TV which was incredible.

Oh damn. She's a hurdler, too, right?

Yes.

Hurdle slash bobsled.

Yes.

Huh.

Those are some of the incredible women that like I was competing against. And she's been on the team uh a couple times before.

That's so cool.

Yes.

And so an interesting piece for people out there that don't know,

the US women's bobsled team has meddled in every Olympics since 2002.

Yes.

So it's like it's not like this is we're not good. It's not like they're just like picking anyone out. Yeah. just come and be part of US women's bob. Look, we're good.

There's talent there.

There's a ton of talent. Um, so whether or not it's this Olympic cycle, but also knowing that you could potentially do this well into your 30s, like you're not you're you're like kind of hitting the sweet spot. Like you're you're getting it and you're hitting your standards at the right time.

That's wild.

It's insane. It is literally insane. to like like I said like meeting the standards like that that definitely place you in the running for World Cup selection but with it being an Olympic year there's some women that are in front of me and who are holding the line on that spot. Amen.

And I'm cheering so loud for them.

Yeah. And it's like you just got to keep working. Exactly.

Especially it's like I don't know like you haven't been

necessarily for the last since high school like training at a peak level. It's like you're still like making those strides. Yep. But if you just keep, you know, focused and keep going, it's like it someday the time will come, right?

100%.

And I I am very eager to hear about the experience of like going down a full run for the first time.

I'm so excited for it.

Like I think that's going to be equally amazing and also terrifying. So here's the thing. Here's here's what is going to come to shock people or I mean enlighten people. You make Team USA for bobsled, you automatically sign in deals with Nike and make millions of dollars and like get to do this whole thing.

Honestly, the the shocking reality of being an Olympic athlete, being a team USA athlete is that your journey is majority self-funded when you're on Team USA bobs bobsled. When I say majority, I actually mean entirely in the sense of like covering your gear, covering your travel.

Like they're like, "Congrats, you made team USA." Like, "Here's an invoice.

Here's an invoice." Yeah. It's it's and that's not that's the reality for a lot of Olympic sports in general. And I I think that you know there's strides being made in track and field for example with Athos. Um with me being a startup nerd like I can see like you know the the excitement heading towards that.

Yeah. Is were those the ones that did the like 5ks like I just watched one where they hosted like a 5K and they made it like a a spectacle and there was prize money and stuff like it was in New York City and it looked fire.

That sound that sounds about right.

Yeah. Like they're doing cool running events. Yeah.

And like making it cool so that there's like, you know, it's more glamorous to be

Exactly.

these It is really cool. Like Cole Hawker wins the Olympics and it's freaking phenomenal. Like so cool.

Honestly, like maybe I'm just a bad fan. I have not watched him run anything. I don't know if he has run any like I'm sure he has, but I don't like But if he's competing for America then I mean and if it's easy like it was like I just flipped on the TV and it was there.

Exactly. versus like some of these things can be hard to track down.

They are hard to track down. You're right. Yeah. So, even from a fan standpoint, like just you talking about your experience of like I don't see them like unless it's the Olympics, right? In the sense of just like how do you bridge those gaps and like that's kind of like where my business mind comes in. Like how do we bring more exposure to the sport? Because like it is incredible. Like I didn't know that I could not only just use my my skills as a power athlete like this, but just being behind something like that. I think that there are a lot of brands who are excited about power and science and seeing speed used this way.

Yeah. Oh my gosh. So, what does it look like then to like like what is the most successful bobsled athlete doing to help fund their trips?

Yeah. Um, some of the most successful athletes are joining the military and being funded that way.

What?

Yes. So something that I learned about was uh the WCAP program, the world-class athlete program where you can join a branch of the military and of course like you either have to serve or you have to um you know do a specific job but like if you are meeting standards that's something that you can go in the direction of. So that's something that was brought across my purview. Um, and then of course like there's getting sponsorships, but with this being such a small sport, people aren't super excited to get behind it, you know, for a number of years. And it takes at least like four years of training to like get to the Olympics. So, um, some of the top athletes, I'd say like 90% of the athletes that I met military. Um, and then

wait, what? 90% like are you going to join the military?

I do. You know what? I admire people that take that path. I do. that is just not something that I want to do.

Yeah.

And I I I think with my business acumen, I can create a different path for myself. It's going to be hard, but I'm open to it.

The fact that you're like the the alternatives are sponsorship or the military is kind of crazy to me.

Yes. Yeah. Or working a full-time job. There are a lot of athletes there who still work full-time, but I was just talking to a lot of them and the reality is like they feel like they can't focus on either because if you have a full-time job and you want to just at least be good, like decent at it to not get fired, there's that. But then with sports, it's an all or nothing reality, especially if you want to go after greatness. So there, that's just the reality.

That's wild. It is.

Okay. So, how can we as the Indiana community help you? I mean, go represent our country and and fulfill this incredible dream that you're chasing down of becoming an Olympic athlete.

Thank you. Well, I mean, if you know anybody who's open to sponsoring athletes like myself, um I'm amateur, but on a fast track to not only making Team USA bobsled, but being a performing member and bringing home medals, um sponsorship is something that I have available. And I actually yesterday got the letter in the mail to certify my 501c3 status for my uh nonprofit, Karen Slays. Um,

yes, that's fire.

So, that's something exciting. Um, an incentive that I wanted to offer to people who um, want to go the sponsorship route. Um, I have been fundraising on GoFundMe. Um, I'm over halfway to my goal, which is really exciting to be able to cover the season. Um, and then also just creating awareness. I think in general, there are a lot of female athletes who are curious about, you know, what gifts that they have and how they can continue to use them in a professional sport.

Um because for me my only my only option in my head was to run track and truthfully even though I was like you know bred in that sport I was just like I don't see that future for myself. Is there something else I can do with you know how I can move weight for example had it not been introduced to me like by my colleague and had I not been following Jasmine Jones I wouldn't have known about it and I just would have you know done something else and probably have been great at it. But the fact that I can entertain this route now that I know about it is so exciting and I'm just so pumped to take people along the journey with me.

Is is Jasmine Jones still a part of the Bob?

Oh yes, absolutely. And she's killing it. She got first at Push Championships by like a huge margin. And when you start to learn more about the time like you'll understand like what the difference is between like in track for example with like you know an 119 versus you know a 129. Like she is just incredible. So shout out to Jasmine.

Shout out Jasmine. I love it. This is incredible. I learned so much. The final question that's resonating in my head is just like Jasmine. Yeah. So, number one at Push Championships. How many times a year is she getting fully suited up

and doing a full-blown bobsled run

outside of the sliding season, which is November to February. My estimate for her would be under six. And of course, like that's just my guess. I have no idea what her training regimen is, but just with my understanding of the sport,

you are risking your life every time you go down these tracks because you're going so fast and there's no point in doing a slow run. Um, and then even with the pilots, for example, cuz uh Jasmine's a break woman, even with the pilots, like how they learn the track is by doing track walks and studying the track and memorizing the turns because you need to be able to drive them.

So, so

this is crazy. I know. It's It's It's amazing, honestly. Like, I'm never going to let this go. It is 100% F1 on ice. And I'm a huge I'm a huge racing fan. Like, of course, I'm a Hoosier. I'm a racing fan.

Major F1 fan, too. So, I'm just like I can't help but see the parallels and it's so exciting.

Yeah, absolutely. F1 on Ice. Uh we just interviewed Gunther Steiner from Drive to Survive.

Stop.

Yeah. He's coming to do a show at CLA at Butler.

Oh, that's awesome.

Yeah, he was awesome. Super good, dude. Very cool. But we have F we have F1 and we have F1 on ice.

There you go.

So so so spectacular, Karen. This has been an incredible I I just like I'm blown away. I learned so much about women's bob. So the fact that it's only been an Olympic sport since 2002, kudos to you. I think a lot of times people grow up and they stop having dreams that don't involve a bank account. You're told to, you know, go to work, be I mean, you were working in big consulting. you could have made a million dollars, bought a lakehouse, and chilled, you know, like

Yeah. Right. But I think to like still pursue something that feeds your soul and to go out and compete, like that just says a lot about you and your character. And I do hope listeners and everyone like helps at least follows along on this journey. I think that it's so cool. I hope it encourages people to like whether your dream is to be an Olympic athlete or your dream is to run a 5K, like

right,

get your ass off the couch and go do it. Like, let's make it happen.

Just do it.

Yeah. Oh my gosh, this is awesome. We do have four questions left for you.

Let's do it.

Okay, so this question is brought to you by our friends at JC Hart. They're a leader in creating enjoyable living experiences at apartment communities all across Indiana and beyond. Check them out at home isjart.com. My question for you, Karen, why do you call Indiana home?

I'd say home is where the heart is. And I think that just throughout the years I've been so supported in no matter what I do from from academics to engineering dreams to, you know, agricultural dreams, there's always been someone in the Indiana business academic ecosystem that will point me in the right direction. And I I credit all those people to arriving to this point right now. And so that's why I love Indiana and why I won't stop talking about it. I'm so happy to be home.

Heck yeah. I love that. Okay, next question. Uh these are the same three questions we ask every guest who comes on the show. Cool.

First one is what's something the world needs to know about Indiana?

Well, outside of being the racing capital, that's one. I'd say also that I am a sincere believer of us becoming the innovation capital of the world as well. 100% from an entrepreneurship and workforce development standpoint.

Hey, I love it. Uh, this next question helps you uh helps all of us uncover some new pieces of the state that we might not have heard of. What is a hidden gem in Indiana? I'm a huge fan of coffee and coming home from Lake Placid. Just so sorry to Lake Placid. The coffee there was just not as good as it gets in Westfield, Indiana. And there's a coffee shop in Westfield called Rivet. I love them so much. That's the first place I came when I got

to Rivet.

To Rivet,

the little house coffee shop.

Yes. And I was so excited to see their fall selection. I was like, I right there. I need that Cobra right there.

Hey, there it is. Rivet. That is a good little hidden gem. I love that. Uh, finally, this helps us identify new guests or other people that we just need to know about who's a hooer we need to keep on our radar. Someone who's doing big things.

Is it cheating to give you two?

No.

Okay, cool. Okay, so one of them um I'd say is Freddy Huard. He is a famous trumpeter that unfortunately has passed, but he is known as being someone who was a monster on the trumpet. And

is this a relation?

Yes, it is. He is my great uncle. And

great uncle Freddy.

Yes. Oh, that's so cool.

And every year, I want to say like late summer, maybe early fall, the Jazz Kitchen does a tribute to him. And I just came from one and it was just amazing to hear them celebrate his memory and what he did for the jazz community. So, that's one.

Uh, listen to this. Ready? Freddy Huard. In 1958, at the age of 20, he moved to New York and began playing with some of the best jazz players of the era, including Philly Joe Jones, Sunny Roland, Clyde Hampton, Eric Dolphie, JJ Johnson, and Quincy Jones.

That's incredible. Uncle, Uncle Freddy,

heck yeah. Who's number two?

Number two is Lena Herby. She is a track athlete, and she's just a phenom that I've just had the privilege of, you know, staying in contact with over the years via social media. She's currently running in the world championships at Tokyo. She just meddled in the 4x4 mix relay. And then up next, she's got the 4x4 women's relay. So that's uh Lena Herby. She went to Pike High School.

Lena Herby Jackson.

Yes, there she is.

Okay, wait. Here we go. Let's just take a peek here. Gatorade player of the year for the state of Indiana in 2015 and then she did it again in 2016. She was also awarded the 2016 Indiana Sports Award presented by the Indianapolis Star and she earned Pike High School's MVP three years straight.

There you have it. Well deserved.

Let's go. What is she? And she's now running at the

Yeah, she's on team USA uh currently running in the Tokyo World Championships. She's got that 4x4 women's relay next, I believe.

Yeah, she was in the 21 Olympics. Yep.

She's got I mean, this is all by the IG bio. Uh, according to the IG bio, uh, a bronze medal and a gold medal. So, heck yeah. Oh, yeah. No, she's an Olympian. Heck yeah.

Good for her. Shout out Pike High School. Go Red Devils. Karen, this was spectacular. Thank you so much for sharing the mic with us. Thank you so much for one, just the passion that you bring to going out there and competing.

I think that there's just a true art in being willing to push yourself, being accepting of the results and of your journey and of your time, but also being willing to get back out there. I I was kind of hitting on it earlier, like a lot of times you grow up, you get to be north of 25 and you're like, h, you know what? I'm I'm just meant to work or I'm just meant to do this. And and I don't know, I think that a lot of times having this having something else that's fueling you, a reason to wake up and go push yourself to be the best possible uh can create more meaning like like when you get to the end at the end of it like have like meaningful stories to talk about of like how you chased your dreams. Like it's so inspiring. I love it.

Thank you. It's been a pleasure. If people want to connect with you, where can they do that?

Instagram, Karenhubard on social media.

Heck yeah. I love it. Uh, and I'm assuming there's a link somewhere on there for the GoFundMe and all that jazz

in the bio.

In the link in the bio. Check the link in the bio. Uh, Karen, it's been a pleasure. Best of luck. We're We'll be watching for the news when it comes out uh on what? Team selection for Team USA bobs. Let's go.

I know, right?

So fun. Uh, keep up the good work. All right.

Thank you so much for having me.

That was a crazy interview. It's wild that they're just ripping the bob sled only a couple times a year, not all the time. We just learned about F1 on ice. Now we're going to transition and learn a little bit about F1. Uh this is an exclusive interview with Gther Steiner leading up to his show he has coming up at Clus Hall at Berlin. Today I'm joined by Guther Steiner, an American motorsport engineer who was team principal of HS F1 team from its launch in 2016 until early 2024.

Previously he held technical leadership roles at Jaguar Racing, Red Bull Racing. He rose to global recognition via Netflix drive to survive and is now a commenter, author, and a public speaker. and he's going to be hosting a live show at Clu Hall on November 14th. We're super excited to welcome Grip to the show. Gotta say you're calling in from Italy. This might be the furthest distance we've ever had a guest join us on Get In.

We're uh we're really excited about it. Welcome to Get In, man.

Going back to the States on Sunday. In two days I'm back in the states in North Carolina, but then I'm going before before coming to Indianapolis, I'm going a few times back and forward all around the world because I'm I'm I'm going to do the uh Zanford F1 race GP for the German TV. So I need to come back to Europe for a week or so,

man. Okay, so F1 obviously very very popular today in 2025 and has been I feel like popular overseas for a long time but really the rise to prominence in the US happened with Drive to Survive. Correct.

It looks like yeah that there was a lot of it gained popularity. I think F1 was known but basically nobody was really interested that in it you know because I think that the United States had like Marian Reddi he's a legend in F1 you know is American but then once he went away there was no team anymore American there was no driver so it lost a lot of popularity people remembered that but nobody could do anything with it and then drive to survive comes along people start to watch that in co you know and then here we go it gets very popular

yeah uh how long have you been around F1 as a sport

too long

like long enough to remember when the when F1 raced in Indianapolis.

I was there. I was there when the six car debacle happened, you know, which was not helpful for a fun in the US, you know, that debacle. I was there for that race. Yeah. I I I had Doug BS, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the podcast uh maybe like 10 10 or 11 months ago and I asked him what would Indianapolis have to do to bring F1 to Indianapolis and he talked about maybe it was like 2006 five somewhere in there and like the tire issue like there was just this whole line of things that just like did not go well. So like F1 fans it feels like have a a very bleak perspective on Indianapolis when it comes to the F1 scene. I don't know. Would you would you agree?

Because that I mean it was it was not Indianapolis's fault. Just the loads on the tires they were too high. I mean the tire manufacturer, one of the tire manufacturer obviously hadn't done their uh uh homework right and then they got to Indianapolis and the tires didn't stand up and obviously you know going around you know in a banking in Indianapolis at full speed and the tire blows up. That's that's pretty dangerous, you know. And so they decided they would not allow uh to their tires to be used. And what can you do if you have no tires, no race, you know, so but no, nobody can blame Indianapolis for that. Indianapolis was just a racetrack. I mean, the racetrack was there. So the tire manufacturer could have taken some data to make sure that the tire that the tire withstands the the loads, but obviously they didn't do their homework,

which is it's crazy. Like, yeah, the more I learned about indie car, the more I learned about F1 and NASCAR, just like the engineering and the science that goes into all of it is nuts. And you actually before, was it before you got into F1? You spent time in NASCAR or No,

I was in F1 and I worked for uh uh I worked for Jaguar in F1. I worked for Red Bull in F1 and then Red Bull opened up a NASCAR team and that is when I moved to to the United States. That is how I got how I ended up in North Carolina. So you did you move to Charlotte like the Charlotte area to like work with NASCAR and Red Bull? What uh what years did does Red Bull still have a NASCAR team?

They closed it down. I think it was about 2010 to 11. I was there from 200 I think it was 2006 to 2008. Yeah. 2006 to 2008. I was setting it up there uh uh in Charlotte. And like I feel like those early early to mid 2000s like NASCAR was super popular, the US, you know, like this this was probably like what like Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, like all these dudes uh that I just remember growing up with Dale Earnhard Jr. You know, like all the fun time. What was um when you think let's let's talk a little compare and contrast NASCAR to F1 like super popular and prominent in America and like obviously super popular and prominent worldwide. What were some of your favorite parts of like each of those as you compare and contrast NASCAR to F1?

I don't think I can compare it. I tell you my favorite things was when I moved to the states. For me, NASCAR was something completely new. I worked I worked in motor sport since 1986. You know, I was in rallying. I did DTM which are German touring cars quite a lot in motorsport.

And then I was asked to go to the states to do Nazca. I know I mean obviously I knew about Nazca but I you know I didn't know any detail you know I I knew it existed but uh coming over there for me it opened up uh a complete new world you know it was motorsport it's but but is how it is handled in the states motorsport to uh let's let's call it Europe you know the European style racing it was completely different but for me it was good to learn and to be there because as you well know F1 was taken over by an American comp company live of the media which Liberty Media made it as big as it is now. Formula 1. Formula 1 was big before, very well managed, very well built up by a guy called Bernie Ecklestone in the good old days. Liberty Media buys it and just makes it boom exploding all over the world and especially in the United States. And for me and and at that time I was back in Formula 1 with F1 when Liberty Media bolted.

And for me, I understood the American way of promoting sports of of moving. And so I had a big advantage to my peers in Formula 1 because I I knew the thinking and what needed to be done. And I sometimes was used a little bit because in Europe I'm well known in motorsport because I'm in there so long, not because I'm good. Just like because I'm there so long, you know. So I was a little bit translator for some of these people what Liberty Media wanted to do because I understood it because I lived in the United States. So if you know the culture, it's a big advantage.

So for me, it was it was very good that I actually went to the United States just to learn another dimension of sports marketing.

How would you describe the average Formula 1 fan across the world? Like if you had to describe like what they look like, what they do, what's their job? How would you describe that?

I call it with the boom of Formula 1. A lot of young people came in and a lot of female. Before I could describe it very well, middle-aged,

white male.

Now it's demographic. It's all over the place. It's it's for everyone. Yeah. Now, you know, and

when it grew, it didn't grow with the people which had there before. It took on complete new demographics, you know, which is the cool thing. Young people maybe like you, you know, before they were not interested in motorsport and that what it did. So that is very very very cool. Well, it' be interesting because your two years in NASCAR like I like the NASCAR fan in especially in the late 2000s is like you know Budweiser drinking like probably cut off jeans. So when you go and look around like or is it I mean a lot of people in Indiana like unless you're a diehard race fan they probably haven't gotten the opportunity to go to an F1 race yet but they have probably been to the Indy500 or they've been to the Brickyard 400.

talk to us about like the atmosphere at a Formula 1 race. Uh whether it's on the Vegas strip or in Austin, right, or down in Miami or maybe even one of the ones across the like across the Atlantic Ocean over in Europe. Talk to us about the vibe of an F1 race versus your time in NASCAR.

People want entertainment. You know, I would say the racing it's different, but in the end is motor racing. I mean what an event is not made only out of the motor race. It's it's it's it's made out of events around it. Then a NASCAR fan or an Indar fan would enjoy an F1 race. Obviously in the beginning there would be sometimes a little bit of a a conflict of do I really want to touch this sport because I don't know anything about that you know but once you get into it is quite entertaining and it's not more complex or anything.

It's motor sport. When you go to a race what F1 does very well now it's the whole entertainment part around it. If you if you go to Miami, which is I think United States, Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas, these are the three races you can go, but Miami, they put so much on and if somebody wants to experience F1 and everyone says, "Oh, F1 is so expensive." In F in Miami, you can get a a a general admission ticket is not so expensive, but it's worthwhile to try. You know what I always say also to people which go F1 and they, you know, say, "Oh, Nazcar is these big cars, you know, these big elephants going in a circle." I say go there and experience it.

It's pretty cool. When I got there, obviously I was told, "Oh, this is they go in a circle. It's boring." But going in a circle is not as easy as it looks like. And it's not boring if you know what you're watching for. It's not better or worse.

It's just different.

Like one thing the Indianapolis 500 is really well known for is like the tailgate, the environment, the party going on in the center of the race while the Indie cars are going off at 225 milesPH around the edge. Are there tailgates at F1 races? Like do people have like their infield party type thing?

Not like I've been in Indianapolis quite a few times and I went in there once, never again, you know. I got scared. I'm for that stuff, you know. So, no, there is tailgating on. It's it's different, you know, it's at a different level. But for example, in F1 there is concerts in the evening. There is something similar going on, you know. It's it's like people are just farting. You know, obviously Indiana the the snake bit that that is quite something particular. You don't have a snake bit in F1 or I have not seen it like like I don't think F1 hasn't got the Tallaladega infield parties you know because they are very famous as well you know so F1 has got their own parties as well but there is tailgating you know and it's maybe a little bit different but it's going on obviously yeah

what is the Indie 500 of F1 what is the Tallaladega of F1 what race is that

I would say the Talladega I would call it Mons the Tallaladega of F1 because it's in in in Italy in the park in a park you know

what what's it called

Monza in Italy Monza that is for me Talladega a lot of Ferrari oh 90% are Ferrari fans you know it's it's all there you know so Monte Carlo is iconic

in from being an Indiana guy like spending a lot of time over here it's like we know what's in our backyard we know NASCAR but we've heard like I've heard Monte Carlo or I don't even know is like the is like lemons like is that an F1 race

that is as well there there is big entertainment but that's a 24-hour race which IMSA cars are racing Ford vers Ferrari did me wrong. I I watched the movie and I was like, "Oh, this must be what F1 is like." Um, well, they just dropped the F1 movie. So, before we get into talking about your live show that's coming to Butler, I would love to know a kind of final question about your experience in F1. It does feel like the last, let's say, decade, like Formula 1 has just been a snowball when it comes to popularity globally. obviously very big in Europe but like continue to have a huge footprint for you personally.

How is the last decade and the rise of popularity of F1 like impacted your life and changed your life? you know people in the industry you are known by them in the industry but the general public doesn't know you really you know some people obviously they the the the die half fans know you but now uh because it has become so popular also in drive to survive you mentioned the movie you know people just it's a you know wherever I go I'm always conscious that somebody knows me you know not knows me knows who I am obviously doesn't know me but knows who I am and but I I I don't change you know but why should I change because of that because people know me or I'm I'm popular you know so but it's a little bit different but and you know uh a lot of people stop you especially in airports when you're sitting down for a selfie and things like this but it's a I always say there's a lot of worse things in life to do than that one you know than to take selfies with people because uh people got to know you because of the TV and and what is strange in the US a lot of people know me from drive to survive but they actually don't know really F1 they're not they they watch they think it's a show you know they they don't re realize there is actually a real sport behind it you know where I got my popularity so people maybe think I'm an actor almost you know in this show I'm not I'm just doing my my job in the show and somebody filmed it and put it on in a documentary

that is wild because it's like you're I think you had 22 years in total through F1 is that correct

yeah that's correct in F1 but I but I'm almost 40 years in motorsport you know

you've been doing this for a minute and it does feel yeah it's They're almost like, "Oh, this is like a dramatization. This is like actors doing their thing." And it's like, "No, this is just life.

It's just that's my life." I mean, you know, that is what I do. I didn't watch it.

You didn't watch it?

No.

Wow. So, you have no idea why. Like, I mean, people just gravitated,

but I didn't watch it. And I don't know how they positioned it and things like this, you know.

Okay. So, obviously F1 is known for being, let's say, high-end, you know, like the celebrities, the Los Angeles, the Miami, the Austin, Texas, the like the stars come out for F1, particularly in the US. Has there ever been a moment when you were like working within F1 or now in like the media where you like where like a moment has just like blown you away where you look around and you're kind of like, what the heck? I started in motorsports almost 40 years ago and I look around and like you're hanging out with Brad Pitt as he's filming or whatever. Has there been a crazy moment

for me that my whole life is a little bit crazy because you know it's not like this is not something I started off to be. I like racing cars. I wanted to work in racing and there I got to you know it's it's it's much simpler than people think it is. You know I never started out to be the the a person which everybody knows that was never my intent you know. So and if you don't intend to do this then and it doesn't come from one day to the next it grows you know you get there and and after a while you get used to it and you meet these people which are which I feel privileged to meet all these people you know able to meet them because of what I have done in my life. It's pretty cool to do but I'm I'm not like yeah sometimes you think where did I end up without wanting to end up here you know without trying it just happened to me.

So somehow in this 40-year career in motorsports, you ended up getting to a point where you're an author, you're famous on Netflix, you're like, you mean doing public speaking, and you have this tour where you're doing live shows, and one of those live shows is going to be here on November 14th at CL Hall, at Butler here in Indianapolis, the racing capital of the world. talk to us about what we can expect at at your show Guerthersteiner uh unfiltered live.

I want to make a show. So I wrote a book with a with a ghost writer, you know, and then obviously you write a book, you do a book tour. We do this first book tour and in England we do 20 10 shows. They sell so quick. So the organizer said, "Let's do another 15." So we do 25 shows.

They sell very quick. the second book comes out you know and then they say oh let's go to Australia with with the tour we do nine events in Australia be very happy selling very much then they say oh let's do another 45 shows in the UK and then they said hey maybe American uh uh America wants as well some show let's try to do some there and therefore we ended up to do the show to to do the shows because it in England uh uh you know we sold out almost every theater we went into it in Australia we had one to be 2,600 people in there, which is pretty big, you know, for a for a for a book tour show. Yeah. So anyway, what you can expect is basically I talk about to my career where where how I got into motorsport because it's very interesting. I come from a place my family had nothing to do with racing cars. I had nothing to do but as a kid I just love racing cars and ended up to work in the racing car starting off as a mechanic.

I tell that story, you know, the story how I came up with the idea to uh uh uh to set up the an American F1 team after more than 20 years that there was none, you know, it was very I tell all that stories because again they are very simplistic. I came up with some ideas and then I go and do them, you know, and then I make them happen. So I tell all that stories and then obviously we talk a little bit about also the current uh things which are happening in F1 and then we we also give uh uh the people in the audience the chance to ask questions.

Show starts at 7:30. you're going to give this this background of like how a young boy from Italy family not into motorsports but you just like see these cars like where was the moment in your life where you were like hey I want to make this my career

to be honest I never thought there is a career for me motorsport that's the thing I did my national service and I just finished my national service I was in the army I had to do that one at the time and I I just found a a job hard at work and I I sent a letter to them and they and I got the job there, you know, and that is how I started. But when I was a kid, I didn't know that there was a a a career in motorsport actually possible. For me, it was just a hobby. I just loved racing cars.

How many dates are you doing in the US?

Uh, we are doing three. We're doing Chicago, Indie, and Philadelphia.

So, we're we can expect November 14th at Clus Hall at Butler. Um, we're going to talk through your journey from, oh my gosh, from Italy through motorsports to F1 and then NASCAR and back to F1, like all this crazy. And what I I do believe, and you can you can correct me if I'm wrong, you'll also talk like the unfiltered piece of uh after your 22y year career ended, like I know you have some quotes out there about like your the wrap-up of your time in F1. And what what I have to mention as well because I I forgot to tell you Nate is I'm doing it with with the ghost writer of my book because when it came up I said I need somebody there which keeps me always challenged you know which puts me on the spot and he knows me in and out because he wrote my book with me you know so he's there with with me as well James Hawk you know and and he it's like a Q&A and h session it's not a monotone talk you know it's quite entertaining as well we crack also some jokes you know uh we are pretty good that one.

So there's a lot of entertainment factor in there as well. Tell the story how how Har happened and how HF want unh happened for me anyway because it's still there. You know,

I'm super excited. November 14th, 7:30. The final question that we're we're going to leave you with today. Actually, I have two. One about Indiana, one about Indianapolis, and one just in general. You've done a lot of these tours so far.

There's a portion of the audience where they do Q&A. Are there any memorable questions that someone's asked you that stand out or like weird wacky like someone asked you like the craziest question that you did not expect? always a question you're not prepar you haven't before that what amazes me and I always let people know you know I need to think now because this is not a question but I I don't remember one now in particular but I I'm hoping because we we are in the states the first time we have been in England so you can imagine the questions are also there from territory very similar but I hope that in in in the states you know in one of the places especially like Indianapolis because it's you know there's a lot of racing going on there somebody will come up with a question which puts me on the spot.

Absolutely. Well, my final question for you, obviously, this is the Get In podcast. We highlight all cool stuff happening in Indiana, what's going on here. Obviously, when a a previous uh Formula 1 principal is coming to town and putting on a show talking about racing, like we're going to be excited about that. From your perspective, like from Italy growing up, what did what when you heard Indianapolis or the Indianapolis 500 or just thought of Indiana in general, like what were your thoughts? India 500 was uh always one of the races I wanted to go when I was I was already working motorsport because with the most people there it's it's a big race it's it's huge and when I was in NASCAR I couldn't go because in parallel there was the the Charlotte 600 you know it's always the same day so I couldn't go but the first year I was not in Nazcar anymore I went to India 500 because it was one of my dreams to go there to watch it and you know and and when you get there that I've seen a lot of things I've been in Monte Carlo I've been I've not been on the uh Lemon 24 because I didn't have time yet, but I've been all around the world to races.

When you get the first time into the uh to the speedway, it blows you away. I can tell you even if you have seen a lot of stuff in your life, you know, in racing, uh it's like the amount of people, you know, it's just like the the the size, the passion, you know, what is going on, it's something amazing. I mean, the 500 I was there also. I wasn't there this year because I was on tour in uh with my show but last year I went there with my family. I was there and you know when I can I go there because obviously you can imagine I know a lot of people even in Indie car you know there I've got some friends and it's always a good time. I always go I try to go to the Daytona 24 hours and to the Indy500 just to meet people and the spectacle you know and as you say it is one if not the biggest race in the world.

the more I get to talk to people, whether they're from Indiana or when they're from around the world, like the Indy500 is just a spectacle and and uh one you have to see to fully embrace and understand. Uh good. We're really excited to have you in town on November 14th at Clu Hall at Butler, 7:30 p. m. That's when the show starts. They have a whole I mean the the Clues Event Center is awesome.

People can go there early, grab a drink, hang out, get ready. Uh, it's going to be your ghost rider, you on stage doing Q&A, talking about your wild career from, oh my gosh, from mechanic all the way through to principal of an F1 team to author to all these to Netflix superstar even though you've never seen the show. Uh, we appreciate you giving us the time today, man. Hope you enjoy. It's a it's a Friday afternoon uh in Italy. A glass of veno, you know, hanging out.

Thank you very much.

Take it easy, man. Talk soon.

Thank you, man.

That's a wrap on this Friday. I hope you have the greatest day, the greatest weekend ever. We're in South Bend today. We're in South Bend tomorrow for Fusion Fest. Then we're coming straight back. We're going to October Fest with the Indie 11. It's going to be a great time. We'll see you all downtown. Don't forget if you like the show, if you like these styles where we have a few different interviews, let us know. shoot us an email, a DM. Uh, and always, as always, please, if you could leave us a fair and honest, maybe five star review, uh, on Apple, on Spotify, wherever you listen to your podcast, subscribe on YouTube, do all the things. Help us keep telling stories of what makes the Hooer State so inspiring. And we will see y'all on