Not every win comes with a trophy. Some victories come in the form of resilience, long drives, and weekends that don’t go as planned.
Jordan Cline didn’t start racing because she chased a dream. She started because she was already there. At six years old, she was trackside every week watching her older brother race. One weekend, she decided to give it a shot.
It wasn’t instant love. Her passion and racecraft came slowly. But as the laps added up, so did her drive to compete. Once her family began traveling across regions for events, that’s when she started to truly develop as a driver. The deeper she got into karting, the more competitive she became.
Now, at 17, Jordan is stepping into her rookie season in the senior classes. She’s representing Coyote Motorsports and PPK across CKNA North, East, South, and the Pitt Race Karting Series. She’s not looking for shortcuts. She’s looking to build on everything she’s earned lap by lap.
“Every weekend, every crash, every race has been part of my journey. That’s what made me persistent, motivated, and determined.”
Pre-Race Focus, No Gimmicks
There’s no superstition or dramatic routine on race day. Jordan throws on her AirPods and listens to whatever she’s feeling. Sometimes it’s hype, sometimes it’s mellow. Nutrition matters just as much. Her mental prep is simple: protect the body, protect the focus. When she gets on track, the pressure fades. “I have high expectations for myself, but that pushes me to get better. Once I’m racing, it disappears.”
Lessons From the Road
Traveling for karting meant facing better fields, tougher weekends, and the grind of becoming a contender. For Jordan, it wasn’t about one breakthrough race—it was about showing up every time, especially after weekends that didn’t go to plan.
“The closer you get to the top, the harder it is to compete. We kept showing up, even when we had bad weekends.”
Racing in the rain? Still working on it. Asking for help? That became part of the growth. And long drives home after bad races? That’s where the processing happens. “The first few hours, we think about what went wrong. But after three or four hours, we’re already focused on the next one.”
Family, Competition, and the Culture of Karting
The best memories aren’t about winning. They’re about the battles with her brother in the early days. At their local track, they were always the race to watch. Tight finishes. Real stakes. And a family that made karting a priority. Her grandfather came to every local race for nine years straight. Even when they started traveling too far for him to attend, he’d still call and ask how the weekend went.
Beyond the results, what keeps her in karting is the community. “The people at the track are different. Everyone cares. It’s competitive, but there’s real support. I don’t see that in daily life the way I do in motorsports.”
Who She Races For
Jordan was inspired by Danica Patrick early on—watching her race in NASCAR, knowing she came from karting and even raced for Coyote. That spark turned into something more as she grew. These days, Kyle Larson is the one she looks up to. “He’s talented at every type of racing. That’s the kind of versatility I respect.”
But Jordan’s not just following anyone’s path. She’s carving her own.
Off-Track, Still Competitive
When she’s not racing, she’s still moving. Skiing. Four-wheeling. Hitting the gym. Hanging with friends. And yes, she spent eight years in competitive dance. One race weekend, another mom caught her tap dancing on the grid. Jordan shrugged it off. That’s just who she is—focused but still herself.
Looking Ahead
With her rookie senior season underway, Jordan’s not just trying to match what she did in juniors. She’s trying to build something more. For herself. For the next generation. And for every young female racer still figuring out if they belong here.
“Be patient. Focus. Work hard. Karting has a huge learning curve, but good things take time. Don’t quit before you level up.”
This is karting, the way it actually looks: raw, real, and relentless.
Jordan Cline is racing forward, one frame at a time.
