BusinessTN

With more than 40 million female NASCAR fans, a growing female audience clearly finds appeal in the fast-paced sport of auto racing. And, according to Andrew Giangola, NASCAR's director of business communications, women comprise approximately 40% of all NASCAR fans.

"NASCAR is the number two regular season sport on television among females," Giangola says, ranking second only to the NFL.

Despite the popularity of racing among women, fellow Greeneville natives and long-time friends Kristy Burns and Jessica Bitner spotted a void in the merchandising market for female motor sport enthusiasts like themselves.

That recognition prompted the pair to create Lap of Luxury Clothing, a line of trendy, stylish racing apparel and accessories designed specifically for women.

Though Bitner and Burns grew up near the Bristol Motor Speedway in Northeast Tennessee, they both relocated to Orlando, Florida, a few years ago, where Bitner went to work for Monster Media marketing racing products and Burns enrolled in the International Academy of Design & Technology.

Their shared interest in auto racing, along with Bitner's experience in marketing the sport and Burns' educated design eye resulted in Lap of Luxury coming to fruition.

"It was my senior project in design school," Burns says. "I did a mock company and with the support of my teachers, I decided to actually do it. The day after graduation, we got a business license."

Launching online in February 2008, the company offers women's designer race-wear and select NASCAR driver merchandise. Despite receiving most of its orders from Tennessee, Florida and California via online purchases, the duo also hits the various racing circuits to hawk their wares in person.

"We are at all kinds of racing events, including Dirt, Outlaw and Drag Racing Leagues," Burns says. "We also sell at boutique stores that sell racing apparel, and we hope to expand."

As part of that expansion, Burns says Lap of Luxury anticipates the launch of an infant line "for itty bitty race fans" in the very near future.

But Bitner and Burns aren't alone in their quest to satisfy the apparel needs of female race fans; a number of racing apparel lines for women have cropped up in recent years to serve the burgeoning market.

"Certainly 10 years ago, you would not have seen the level of selection or sizes available to female fans at and away from the track today," Giangola says. And although women were once forced to purchase men's items in smaller sizes to satisfy their apparel needs, Giangola says that today "there are a number of custom items for women from NASCAR licensees like VF and Motorsports Authentics, among others."

Regarding licensing, Burns says the Lap of Luxury initially wanted to pair up with NASCAR and other series drivers to sell official numbers and endorsers (in addition to the company's more generic racing fare). But, Burns says, the process proved "more difficult than expected." As a remedy, another company manufactures the driver-specific merchandise that Lap of Luxury currently designs and offers to the public. Lap of Luxury serves as a wholesaler for that company, which is one of the very few organizations that has obtained the rights to officially use the NASCAR logo and endorse drivers on apparel.

"I can only assume these licenses were granted long ago," Burns says. "We would like to be granted these licenses in order to create women's fan apparel for their favorite driver in regards to NASCAR with the Lap of Luxury approach. So becoming a licensee would allow us to design and produce a women's apparel line that is more cutting edge, stylish and comfortable that you could wear while supporting your favorite driver."

Despite some bumps in the road, Lap of Luxury's lifestyle brands for female race fans are getting traction in the marketplace one race and marketing effort at a time. And as the professional racing industry continues to cultivate and cater to its female racing followers, Lap of Luxury stands to grow too.