In 2020, Julia Landauer crossed the Atlantic Ocean to continue her racing career as she competed in the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. Two years later, back home in America, she is getting a shot in NASCAR’s national series. On Tuesday, Alpha Prime Racing announced Landauer will make her Xfinity Series début at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on 16 July, driving the #45 Chevrolet Camaro.
A former NASCAR Next member and notably a contestant on Survivor in 2013, Landauer competed in the now-ARCA Menards Series West for Bill McAnally Racing in 2016, where she placed fourth in points with top tens in all but one race and a best finish of second. She moved to Sunrise Ford Racing in 2017 and was seventh in the standings before departing the series.
Between 2018 and 2020, her NASCAR racing came outside the United States as she raced in Canada’s Pinty’s Series and Europe. She ran the full 2020 Euro Series EuroNASCAR 2 season for PK Carsport, scoring a podium in Valencia and finishing fifth in points; Landauer was the first woman to place on an NWES podium since Carole Perrin in 2012. She took a sabbatical from racing in 2021.
“We’ve been trying to get Julia in our racecar all year long,” commented APR owner Tommy Joe Martins. “Ever since her days in a NASCAR West car, I felt like she deserved an opportunity at this level. I am really glad we were able to put it all together and give her a shot here at Alpha Prime.”
When not racing, Landauer works as an advisor, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur. A Stanford University science graduate, she is a champion for women’s participation in STEM fields.
Alpha Prime fields the #44 and #45 for multiple drivers, the former of which sits twenty-seventh in points while the latter is thirty-third. Drivers to race for the team during its maiden season include Martins, co-owner Caesar Bacarella, Josh Bilicki, Rajah Caruth, Howie DiSavino III, Ryan Ellis, Kaz Grala, Sage Karam, Andy Lally, and Stefan Parsons. Like Landauer, Caruth and DiSavino are newcomers to the Xfinity Series.
