Female Disruptors: 16-Year Old MotoAmerica Road Racer Kayla Yaakov of Rahal Ducati Moto On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

An Interview With Vanessa Morcom

…I am breaking barriers for young girls across the country. I want to prove that women can race at the professional level just as everyone else does!

As a part of our series about women who are shaking things up in their industry, we had the pleasure of interviewing 16-Year Old MotoAmerica Road Racer Kayla Yaakov of Rahal Ducati Moto.

Kayla Yaakov, MotoAmerica’s youngest female racing in the SuperSport class! Kayla’s monumental growth rising from the Mini Cup ranks to now debuting in the 2024 SuperSport class is a testament to her grit and determination. At 15, Kayla was the first female to win a MotoAmerica race. Kayla races for Rahal Racing, teaming up with legendary Indy Car racer Bobby Rahal and his son Graham Rahal. Now 16, she continues to break barriers in the motorcycle community, and with her recent move into one of the top classes in MotoAmerica, Kayla is primed for another great year atop her Ducati SuperSport bike with the support of a top-notch racing team.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

My dad was a racer for 15 years, racing both cars and bikes. I saw a news article with my father and wanted to try racing! I started in go karts, but it never really stuck to me. I asked to try motorcycles, and at age 3 I started riding and racing flat track! From there I blossomed into racing motocross and road racing, eventually ending up where I am today, racing in North America’s premier road racing series, MotoAmerica.

Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?

I would say that what I’m doing is disruptive in that I am breaking barriers for young girls across the country. I want to prove that women can race at the professional level just as everyone else does!

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When I first started out I was riding three wheelers and tried to go too fast on the grassy hill by my house. I ended up flipping it over through the corner and learned how to better position myself on a bike!

We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?

I would say my biggest mentor has been Ben Spies, as he’s truly helped me in all aspects of racing. From training, to race craft, to even helping me make the best decisions for my future — he’s helped me so much.

In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?

I think disruptions in an industry can be positive when they inspire and influence a group of people in a very positive way. Disruptions not only attract attention to a sport or position, but they also give people a voice through certain people or movements. From female drivers paving the way for younger girls in series like IndyCar or Formula car racing, to different people and personalities showing that it is okay to be different in the sports world, disruptions have the ability to inspire and motivate others to follow the footsteps of the disrupter.

Can you share 3 of the best words of advice you’ve gotten along your journey? Please give a story or example for each.

1. “Trust the process” is something I’ve been told many times. I feel as though this is something all riders and racers can relate to, since we are often our own worst critics and tend to put lots of pressure on ourselves.
2. “Enjoy the moment” is another piece of advice that means a lot to me, as not many people get to race motorcycles for a living, and it is important to take advantage of every moment and opportunity you have!
3. “Remember to have fun” is advice that I recite every time before I go out. It’s easy for us as racers to get lost in the moment, but it’s always important to remember where we started, and that this was the sport that we have always loved and enjoyed.

We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?

I hope to be at the front of the pack leading races this season in MotoAmerica’s SuperSport class. Then, move up to the SuperBike class before racing in Europe at the highest level within the next few years!

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by ‘women disruptors’ that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

I think some of the biggest challenges are that we aren’t taken as seriously, or we are seen as less feminine than others because of our athleticism.

Do you have a book/podcast/talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us?

I would say the talks that I’ve had with my father really have influenced me. We’ve been racing and traveling together since day one, and he’s always been someone I’ve looked up to. Whether it’s talking about racing, or just ordinary life, his words have significantly influenced me.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

It may not be original, but I would like to start a movement where people are much less judgmental. Where people connect over motorcycles more as we are all just humans who enjoy Motorsport!

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Never give up” has always been a quote that’s stuck out to me. No matter what happens in life, you never give up, for you never know what will happen next!

How can our readers follow you online?

I have social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram under the handles “kayla_yaakov”!

I also have an official website: kaylayaakov.com

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

About The Interviewer: Vanessa Morcom is a millennial mom of three and founder of Morcom Media, a performance PR shop for thought leaders. She earned her degree in journalism and worked for Canada’s largest social enterprise. She can be reached at vanessa@morcom.media