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Charese Fruge’ (@MCMediaonline) Talks To Alex Weaver
March 14, 2023
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Alex Weaver has to have one of the best jobs ever. And talk about “breaking the glass ceiling!” She’s a Host and Reporter for NASCAR and the Motor Racing Network (MRN). She wears many hats. Her studio shows include recaps of the events from previous races, previews of the upcoming races and interviews with the sports’ biggest stars. Her weekends are spent traveling across the country to racetracks and being a firsthand liaison between the competition on the track and the family of NASCAR fans. She just recently added MRN to her resume and serves as a pit-road reporter for one of NASCAR’s most prestigious networks.
It all started for Weaver with her lifelong love of sports. “I grew up in the Charlotte area. I loved sports and was a part of a very athletic family,” she says. “I then attended Clemson University and experienced my first job in sports reporting and producing for the Clemson Athletics video team and Clemson football. From that point on, I continued to grow my skills alongside the program. I took a job with Raycom Media right after college and worked in Georgia for a little over a year. Now, I’m kicking off my sixth full-time season for NASCAR.”
“My entire family was into sports. Both of my parents played several different sports growing up and in college. I originally planned to go into medicine, I wanted to be a pediatrician and save kids’ lives. But while attending Clemson during the rise of the football program, my path appeared unexpectedly, and I decided to run with it. It was at the time of Samantha Ponder and Erin Andrews and females who I looked up to carving their way in their companies.”
“I’m lucky! Every single weekend for me is exciting and a sensory overload (in the best way) at the racetrack,” explains Weaver. “Some of the bigger highlights so far have been interviewing Jimmie Johnson when he announced his retirement, interviewing the Daytona 500 Champion every year, being up on the flag stand for the start of the 2019 Daytona 500 and several Women's History Month pieces I've hosted or been a part of.”
It wasn’t always easy for Weaver. “NASCAR was a challenge for me in the beginning,” she says. “I had no knowledge of the sport when I got started. I knew big time names that were shown on SportsCenter but didn't know much else. The learning curve was huge but with the help of great people, studying the sport and lots of notes/questions, I now am a fan for life and continue to learn alongside everyone else in the sport.”
Weaver has great advice for women who want to get into the racing side of the business. “Never stop being yourself. Comparison is the thief of joy,” she says. “No opportunity is too small. Never stop being a student. Find your circle and support them fully.”
As with every industry, the future relies on engaging and creating loyalty among younger audiences. Speaking from experience, Weaver has a handle on how to accomplish that. “Millennials and Gen Z both follow and remain loyal to authenticity,” she says. “I feel like the best thing is to truly be yourself and allow others to see your true personality shine. For brands, they care about what you're doing for the good of people, the world and the environment. NASCAR does an incredible job of getting involved in our race markets and helping out the community and I feel that speaks more to those generations and shows how the sport gives back.”
“As far as diversity, equity and inclusion, there is always more to be done,” says Weaver. “But since I started working at NASCAR, I have watched them make it a priority to create a space where everyone can be comfortable, welcomed and heard. At the end of the day, we all love the sport and want to find our own little corner of it. I now look around at meetings and the faces all look different and we are representing all different genders, orientations, races, beliefs and backgrounds. That is a place I like to call home. I can only speak for the female space in my personal field. I look around the sport and females are driving race cars, reporting on the sport, changing tires, working in public relations, in executive positions, serving as heads of content and president of tracks. That’s progress! More is better and all should be welcomed.”
Like everyone else in the business, Weaver’s cell phone and “to-do list” are what keep her up at night. But she does make time to find balance. “I love to work out, Pilates and yoga are my favorite,” she says. “I travel a ton with work, but I love to find local coffee shops while on the road and explore/sightsee as much as I have time for. My mom is also the best escape for me. She keeps it real, supports me and is a huge outlet for me to stay sane. I also have a Siamese cat named Bennet. He's the best for the soul.”
With the season now kicking off, I’ll be traveling a lot more. I will be out on the road with the race fans more too. I’m, looking forward to connecting with them and exploring new cities and opportunities. You can follow me on my adventures on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok @al_weave.
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