Marathon Petroleum’s Kenai refinery is supporting the local racing community and a young driver who is tearing up the tracks. The refinery sponsored Stichal Racing amateur driver 17-year-old Madalyn “Mady” Stichal, from Nikiski for the 2021 season. The teen finished the season on top with first place wins in Sprint Car and B-Stock night races at Twin City Raceway.
Stichal told KSRM:
“Marathon was definitely a huge, big thing for me. I was so excited, very stoked when my dad was like, ‘Here, let’s email them.’ I was shaking a little bit. I was like, ‘I’m nervous. They’re probably just going to say no,’ because when I was a kid I actually went to this track, and I would see Marathon everywhere. My dad was like, ‘they’ll sponsor you’, and I was like, ‘really, are you sure?’ I would see them on those big cars and all of a sudden, they responded back, and I was just like, ‘no way!’ I was shook. I was just amazed. I was very honored to know. It was great.”
For the new season, Stichal will be talking to her sponsors and as well as getting her cars ready. She has been behind the wheel of a race car since the age of 13. The high school senior who is preparing to graduate with honors is hoping to become a professional race car driver someday.
In talking about the racing season, Stichal says:
“At Twin City, it usually starts at the beginning of June and ends the beginning of September. It’s really fun. We have a great time. Everyone comes down. For ARP up in Palmer, it starts at the end of May and ends early September as well. It’s pretty fun. They get super excited. It’s pretty good.”
Stichal said that her dream is to make to the World of Outlaws and pursue Sprint Cars.
Photo credits courtesy of Marathon Petroleum.