Exploring Life & Business with Maegan Bowers-Petway of Maegan Racing

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maegan Bowers-Petway.

Hi Maegan, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Maegan Bowers Petway. I’m a 28-year-old Nashville, Tennessee native. I have been riding motorcycles since I was 4. I started riding a 50cc Honda with training wheels. I progressed shortly after and took them off. I would go to the racetrack with my dad and pit for him. I would pull him back with a rope tied to our scooter. This taught me balance. I had to really focus or else we both would fall.

When I was 15, I asked for a “big bike.” I had to show my dad that I could handle switching gears. It only took me a month to get the hang of it. The 250 was too slow now and I needed more power. For my 16th birthday, my dad bought and customized me a 1989 GSXR 1100. After riding on the street for some time I wanted to drag race. I always dreamt of being a professional motorcycle drag racer.

When I was a little girl my dad and I would practice my launch. He would line me up on my Honda 50cc dirt bike. I would get into position and wait until he dropped his towel to take off. I kept making him practice with me until the sunset. Present-day, I drag race 08 Hayabusa, 2015 ZX-14 Kawasaki, and a Pro Ultra 4.60 drag bike. Drag racing is therapeutic to me. When I let my shield down and get into the staging beams, I know it’s “Go Time.”

My heart is on the track. If I could, I would race every weekend. I love inspiring other women to race or just ride on the street. I always tell them, “Don’t be afraid to start because we all started there once.” You don’t need a fast bike to race or have any special type of skills. Line up and make-believe you are at a stop light. When the light drops to green, GO.” Life is about taking chances and following your dreams.

Never stop aspiring to be your true best self. In my spare time, I ride a 05 Harley Softail on the street. I will always be grateful for my hometown racetrack Music City Raceway. That is where I met my husband/ racing teammate Jimmy “No Fear” Petway. I have faced many obstacles in life, one being diagnosed with Lupus.

My doctor advised that I shouldn’t ride or race anymore due to my disease. Since then, I have promised myself that I wouldn’t let anything get in my way of achieving my dreams/goals. My goal for 2022 is to win a championship from XDA or Mancup.

My advice for anyone in life is “FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS, BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN, AND NEVER GIVE UP.”

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The racing world, it’s a predominantly male sport.

Most men get intimidated when racing me so they try to do a scare tactic. They say “I’m gone beat you or I’m about to tree you.” When they lose they drop their head and don’t say anything.

When they do win they want to rub my face. Furthermore, you have some men who just feel like you don’t belong out there (on the track) with them. I always show up and do my very best win or lose.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My business is something I’ve always enjoyed doing and that is racing. I drag race, blog, and sell items with my brand “Maegan Racing!”

You should know that I enjoy going down the track, I enjoy meeting new people, and I enjoy knowing that people come to see and support me. The energy is amazing both giving and receiving. I’m known for being The Queen of the South!

What set me aside from others is my drive, my dedication, and my loyalty to the sport. I’m most proud of knowing that people look up to me for being a female drag racer and the respect I’ve earned from working hard to get to where I am today.

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is when my dad lined me up on the sidewalk at his auto detailing shop and pretended like we were at the drag strip.

I was about 6 than on my 50cc Honda dirt bike. My dad had just taken off my training wheels. He raised his hands in the air and dropped them so I could take off. I thought I was going so fast I couldn’t stop. I was headed into a brick wall.

My dad had a roped tied to my bike since he had just taken the training wheels off. That was one of the fondest moments of my childhood. I knew then that I was fearless and was one day going to be a drag racer.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.maeganracing.com
• Instagram: @maeganracing
• Facebook: maeganracing/facebook.com

Image Credits
Mark James Photography, N-Style Printing, Final Frame TV, Stock Motor Mafia, and Ducklens Photography