On the occasion of trailblazer for women in motorsport Pippa Mann's birthday, Shift Up Now is running the '40 for 40' campaign, which has now hit the $25,000 donations. Funds raised from donations are used to award opportunities to female racers believed to have the talent and aptitude to succeed in motorsports.
"Have you ever met a woman who talks about her age? But then again, I’ve never been one for following the rules" – here's how Pippa Mann opens her statement on the Shift Up Now campaign '40 for 40', which kicked off on August 1st and will run until September 9th. The world-renowned racing driver – a trailblazer for women in motorsport with seven starts at the Indianapolis 500, the last woman to have won a race in Indy Lights and a class winner ath the mighty 24 Hours of the Nürburgring – continues to pave the way for women at the highest levels of the sport, leading the revolutionary Shift Up Now organization since 2020. On the occasion of Pippa's 40th birthday on August 11th 2023, Shift Up Now has in fact launched a crowdfunding campaign named '40 for 40', which aims at raising $40,000 over 40 days. Race fans can donate $40, or in increments of $40, and then join the racers-led organization on social media to spread the word. Funds raised from donations are used to award opportunities to racers believed to have the talent and aptitude to succeed in motorsports. This allows these racers access to more competitive equipment, seat time for testing and practice, and resources to help grow their careers. “I’m thrilled to use my birthday as the kick-off for our first Shift Up Now Foundation fundraising campaign,” said Mann. “I spent years at the Indy 500 competing on small budgets, and the more women I connected with in the motorsports industry, the more I realized that it was time to step up and work to help drive change." "I’m passionate about our mission to fund talented female athletes in motorsport, and I’m thrilled that our first fundraising campaign should allow us to write our first sponsorship grants this fall." Not-for-profit Shift Up Now took its mission to the next level in 2023, with the addition of a 501c3 foundation that allows tax-deductible gifts, donations and grants. "Our goal is to be able to write out first sponsorship grants for Athlete’s whose seasons would otherwise be cut short due to lack of funding this fall", Mann added. At the launch of the campaign, Lucas Oil – a long-time supporter of female athletes in motorsport including Shift Up Now drivers Shea Holbrook and Michele Abbate – soon became the first corporate donor and offered to match the first $5,000 in donations to advance the campaign to its first $10,000. “We are delighted to be able to support talented female athletes in motorsport like Pippa Mann and the new generation of racers backed by the Shift Up Now Foundation,” said Katie Lucas, Chief Administrative Officer at Lucas Oil. “The campaign aligns with Lucas Oil’s deep-rooted commitment to supporting motorsports, which has been such an integral part of our company’s history, and Pippa’s remarkable journey in advancing gender equality in motorsports is truly inspiring." The fundraising has hit $25,000 on August 16th, just a few days after Mann's birthday. Donations can be made to the Shift Up Now Foundation Inc via the donation form at this link.