Maddy Ryan Mulligan has faced adversity with confidence in her rookie season in Late Model Stock Car racing.

Mulligan, 17, from Chesapeake, Virginia moved up to Late Model Stock Car racing this season after running at Langley Speedway in the track’s Pro-Six division.  When Langley Speedway shut down prior to the start of the 2016 season, Mulligan decided to race at South Boston Speedway.

She quickly learned that South Boston was very different than Langley.

“I mean, definitely comparing Langley to here is nowhere close,” Mulligan told Short Track Scene about the transition.  “Especially with a Pro Six car.  A Pro Six car wasn’t my favorite car I’ve ever run.  These are definitely a lot more fun and a lot easier to run for me.  I’ve adapted to them a lot quicker than I thought I was going to.  It’s just leaning the new drivers and learning a whole new track has been a struggle.

“We’ve had struggles with mechanical issues and everything else at the beginning of the year but we’re finally getting the car right.  Once we get this monkey off our back, we’ll be good.”

Mulligan, a former Bandolero champion at Langley Speedway, has faced criticism from her competitors and from fans on social media as she’s progressed as a driver.  She faced the sharpest criticism earlier this year when multiple contenders were swept up in an accident trying to lap her

“I got a lot of criticism from that accident,” Mulligan said.  “I think I’ve learned from it and come off better from it.  I got a lot of advice from a lot of other drivers and I’m really learning where on the track I need to be in the sense of when other cars are passing me or when I’m passing other cars.  I think it’s really just a learning experience but, yes, I’ve got a ton of advice from a lot of different drivers.”

While Mulligan feels it may have been beneficial to run Limited Late Models before making the jump to Late Model Stock Cars, she feels she is exactly where she needs to be right now – learning from the best in Late Model Stock Car racing.

“Limiteds definitely would have been a good thing to start in but, you know, we bought the car and everything else,” Mulligan remarked.  “I think I’m coming off better for learning experience wise running against these guys and running at this track and this car.  Late Model Stock Car, this is really where I need to be right now learning.”

Along with racing at South Boston Speedway, Mulligan plans to compete some at other area tracks in the coming weeks and months – mainly at NASCAR sanctioned tracks as she continues to race for points.

“I think, in a few weeks, we’re probably going to run Southern National Motorsports Park as well as possibly East Carolina or Dominion towards the end of the year,” Mulligan stated.  “I would like to take a trip to Motor Mile.  I feel like that would be a really good race to run.  We’re looking to venture out some more.  We’re trying to master South Boston right now really.”

Racing is not just a hobby for Mulligan.  Mulligan takes it seriously in every way from her social media presence to her physical fitness.  She doesn’t want to be seen as just another girl at the track, but as an elite competitor.

“Three years ago, when I first got into the Pro Six car, my dad didn’t put power steering on the car just so I would learn to feel the car better,” Mulligan explained.  “That’s really when I started worrying about my health and getting physically fit for the racing and everything like that.  I definitely do take being one of the only females usually on this track very seriously.  I don’t see myself any different.  That car doesn’t know if I’m a guy or girl so I don’t see why I should treat the car any different.”

As she continues to progress, she has become a popular fan favorite driver.  She hopes her popularity, along with success and experience in Late Model Stock Car racing she is hoping to achieve, will propel her up the ranks in NASCAR racing.

“Within the next 2-3 years, I would like to at least run a full season in K&N and eventually move up from there.”

Mulligan will be back in action at South Boston Speedway on Saturday night, racing against the largest and most competitive field in Late Model Stock Car racing.