Interstate Batteries Backing First and Only Female Race Winner in Knoxville Raceway History for 12 Sprint Car Races in 2024
FORT WORTH, Texas (April 13, 2024) – As a 15-year-old in her hometown of Carlisle, Iowa, McKenna Haase sold Interstate Batteries door-to-door in an effort to raise enough money to buy her first sprint car. Now 27, Haase will carry the familiar bright green colors of Interstate Batteries on the 410 winged sprint car she owns and races at some of the most prominent sprint car events in the United States.
The 12-year link between a teenage Haase (pronounced Hah-see) and the Haase of today is LinkedIn. In March 2023, not long after Lain Hancock was named President and CEO of Interstate Batteries, Haase used LinkedIn to message Hancock with her marketing deck. She wasn’t asking for money, but rather a critique of her pitch. It resonated with Hancock enough that Haase’s proposal began making the rounds within Interstate Batteries’ Dallas headquarters. Today, Haase’s relationship with Interstate Batteries comes full circle with the “Outrageously Dependable” battery brand sponsoring her for 12 sprint car races beginning with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series #LetsRaceTwo event May 3-4 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio.
“I appreciated McKenna’s drive, determination and confidence, and the more we looked at her, the more commonalities we found between her and Interstate Batteries,” Hancock said. “She takes a faith-based approach to life with a purpose that aligns with our own, and how she’s gotten to where she is today definitely resonates. Interstate Batteries started small, distributing batteries to customers in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, and today we sell nearly 20 million batteries a year across North and South America. McKenna is just beginning her journey of being a professional racecar driver, and we’re proud to support her efforts.”
The partnership with Interstate Batteries enables Haase to embark on her most ambitious racing schedule yet – 40 races across both the World of Outlaws and High Limit Racing series that includes such signature events as the 41st King’s Royal July 20 at Eldora and the 63rd Knoxville Nationals Aug. 7-10 in Iowa, along with other regional sprint car series.
“The more you race, the better you become,” said Haase, whose previous race schedules comprised of approximately 25 races. “The support from Interstate Batteries goes beyond just dollars. It gives me the seat time I need to compete at the highest levels of sprint car racing, and it provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the power of Interstate Batteries to the grassroots racing community.”
The investment from Interstate Batteries, along with existing partner Hy-Vee, has enabled Haase to invest in her race team, specifically by hiring a crew chief. Believe it or not, that essential component of any race team has not always been available to Haase.
“For the last two years, I’ve been the driver, owner and crew chief,” Haase said. “I enjoy being a driver/owner, but being my own crew chief happened by default. I’d have someone lined up, and then they’d get a job with another team. Quitting wasn’t an option, so I just did it. It was never easy and the multitasking did take away from the preparation I needed to put in as a driver, but I just made it work. I wanted it too much to quit.”
Haase competed in 25 national events in 2022, including the prestigious Knoxville Nationals in Iowa, the Kings Royal and 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora, and the Tuscarora 50 at Pennsylvania’s Port Royal Speedway. She finished every race, recorded zero mechanical failures, and made it to either the A- or B-main in every event she entered.
“I had a choice to make when I ended up without a crew chief – quit or figure out a way to make it work. I opted to just find a way. It was hard, really hard, but I genuinely feel I’m better because of it,” said Haase, who made history in 2015 when she became the first and only woman in the history of Knoxville Raceway to win a sprint car race.
“I know what adversity is and I know how to handle it. Preparation is the best way to minimize how adversity impacts you. With support from Interstate Batteries and all of my partners, I’m starting 2024 as prepared as I’ve ever been.”
When Haase won that 2015 race at Knoxville, she did it the day after giving the valedictorian address at nearby Carlisle High School. Haase went on to attend Drake University where she studied business and finance, experience that helps her run Team Haase Racing and her non-racing business, Stop 11 Coffee in Indianapolis.
“I like numbers and I understand their importance and how you make numbers work for a business,” Haase said. “I know my partnerships with brands like Interstate Batteries need to go beyond the decals on my racecar. It’s about delivering value even when we’re not turning laps on the track. That was the mindset I had when I was selling Interstate Batteries as a kid in high school and it’s the same mindset I have today”
As if being the driver/owner of her race team and a young entrepreneur weren’t enough for Haase, she still finds time to give back. Haase is the founder, executive director and chairwoman of the board for Youth Racers of America, a national 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing educational and career opportunities for young people who want to pursue a career in motorsports. Haase leads by example, with the upcoming racing season set to be her most prolific yet.
About Interstate Batteries
For more than 70 years, Interstate Batteries® has powered people down roads, trails and waterways and businesses to succeed. Best known for its starting, lighting and ignition (SLI) batteries, this product has been under car hoods since 1952, each one backed by the company’s service, quality and value. Interstate All Battery Center® provides portable power in both retail and commercial markets. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Interstate Batteries is an industry leader in recycling efforts, as well as a global leader in safe lead handling practices. Guided by a set of common values, the company’s purpose is to glorify God and enrich lives while delivering the most trustworthy source of power to the world. For more information, visit www.InterstateBatteries.com.
