Across the NASCAR Canada paddock, many women help keep teams moving forward week after week. Among them are Lynda Fellows, team owner of Fellows McGraw Racing, and Fannie Brouillette, team manager at Camirand Performance. Their journeys into racing are different, but both have built meaningful roles through passion and a strong sense of teamwork.
A Family Tradition in Racing
For Lynda Fellows, motorsport became part of her life after meeting Canadian racing legend Ron Fellows. What began as helping manage off-track responsibilities gradually turned into decades of involvement in racing operations, sponsorship relations and team coordination.
“Things would arise that needed to be handled and I just figured it out along the way,” Fellows says of those early years supporting Ron’s career.
Racing quickly became a family journey. The Fellows children grew up around racetracks, and today that tradition continues with their son Sam Fellows competing in the NASCAR Canada Series often joined at the track by his two-year-old daughter, Rey.
As team owner of Fellows McGraw Racing, Fellows oversees much of the organization surrounding the team, from logistics to sponsor relationships. Her role is about ensuring the entire operation runs smoothly so the driver and crew can focus on performance.
“I like to call it driving the bus,” she says. “Making sure everything around the team is coordinated.”
For Fellows, relationships remain at the heart of the sport from family members to crew members and long-time partners such as AER Manufacturing.
Keeping the Team on Track
While Fellows’ story is rooted in family racing history, Fannie Brouillette’s connection to the sport began in childhood, following her father to dirt track races across Quebec.
That early exposure turned into a lifelong passion. Today, Brouillette works as team manager at Camirand Performance, overseeing the administrative, logistical and financial operations of the team.
Over time, her responsibilities have expanded beyond logistics. During races, she also tracks timing and scoring data to assist the team with strategic decisions.
“I enjoy the strategic side of racing,” Brouillette says. “It’s something that has become a bigger part of my role over the last few years.”
Despite the responsibilities attached to her title, Brouillette is quick to emphasize that racing is always a collective effort.
“It takes a full team to succeed,” she says. “There are many people working behind the scenes to make everything happen.”
One of the most memorable moments of her career came at the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières in 2023, when Camirand Performance captured a NASCAR Canada victory with driver Marc-Antoine Camirand.
Growing up in the region, the event had always been special to her.
“When I was younger, I used to read about those drivers in the local newspaper,” Brouillette says. “To be there years later and win the race as part of the team was something I never imagined.”
Preparing for the Season Ahead
With the 2026 NASCAR Canada season approaching, both women are already preparing for the months ahead.
At Fellows McGraw Racing, the plan is to continue building momentum and focus primarily on the road course events.
“Our intention is to run all the road courses,” Fellows says. “The goal is really to pick up where we left off and continue to improve.”
She is particularly looking forward to events such as Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, which she believes offer important opportunities to showcase the series.
At Camirand Performance, preparation is already well underway. Brouillette is especially curious to see how the new Markham street circuit will unfold on the 2026 schedule.
“It’s a bit of an unknown for everyone,” she says. “The last time we raced in the streets of Toronto it didn’t go as planned, so we’re looking forward to going back and seeing what we can do there.”
Looking Forward
Both Fellows and Brouillette believe opportunities in motorsport continue to grow for women interested in the industry.
“There’s nothing in this sport that women can’t do,” she says. “Whether it’s PR, engineering, team ownership or driving, the opportunities are there.”
Brouillette echoes that sentiment, encouraging young women to focus on building their skills and seizing opportunities as they arise. The key is building skills and taking opportunities as they come.
“In motorsport, like in any field, you have to develop your competencies,” she explains. “You might start small but those experiences lead to bigger opportunities.”
On International Women’s Day, stories like those of Lynda Fellows and Fannie Brouillette highlight the many ways women contribute to motorsport. From building teams to managing race strategy and nurturing relationships across the paddock, their work helps drive NASCAR Canada forward.