Seldom do we have the opportunity to meet an individual who, upon spending time with them, leaves an indelible impression. Rarer too, is that person who’s path to becoming a household name has just begun.
If Kat Redner isn’t someone you already associate with fast cars and television, mark this down, it will be.
“I’ve been around cars my whole life” Kat tells us. “The main reason I got into cars was because of my family. My dad has been restoring cars ever since I was born which is cool because my papa had a ‘66 Mustang convertible that my dad and he restored together.”
“I think that is why we are a Mustang family and probably the reason we all have Mustangs” says Kat. “One of my favorite and earliest memories was when I was about seven and my dad and I took a daddy-daughter trip to the Ford Nationals in Carlisle. It was my first ever plane trip and we made a whole vacation out of it.
Dad rented a Mustang and we went to Hershey Park and the Carlisle all Ford Nationals where I got my first Ford Mustang poster” Redner recalls with a giggle. “I put it on my wall as soon as I got home” and like her dad, she was hooked.
Today, Kat saddles up in her ’08 Mustang “which I call My Little Pony” she laughs. “But my dream car has always been a ’67 fastback. I've loved the ‘ 67 fastbacks and had been looking for one at a decent price for the longest time when my mom located one on line.
I was lucky enough to have saved up the money to purchase the car and we flew out on my mother’s birthday and brought home my night mist blue factory “S” code 390 fastback. I absolutely love it” and fittingly, with no shortage of helping family hands to correct some minor issues and tidy up the new addition to her stable, Kat regularly puts “Ellie” through her paces.
Blazing her own path
Wise beyond her years, Kat acknowledges the future of the automotive hobby depends on new generations sharing experience, telling the stories and driving it forward. Perhaps more than any other, Kat Redner eagerly accepts that challenge.
“I really like meeting people and speaking with them” Kat tells us. “I’d like to improve my skills working on the cars because I don’t think I’m where I should be in that area, but I am improving.
I love driving my car and attending events in the area but I believe ultimately, I would love to do something like Cristy Lee does. To have my own television show or work on a show with other talented women.”
To that end, the multi-platform journalism major and self-proclaimed car nut brings one of the most unique skill sets to her workbench. Whatever preconceived notion perpetuating women in the field is quickly shattered by Kat’s impressive list of accomplishments.
The already ridiculously talented Redner recently added journalist, video production and television host to her jaw dropping resume, and did we forget to mention, jet car racer?
That’s right friends, while this rising star appreciates the stance of a classic muscle car and the artistic lines of a sweet exotic, it will take more than talk to earn the respect of a woman who routinely launched herself, a quarter mile at a time, at speeds approaching 300mph!
“I consider myself super ambitious” she says almost shyly. “I want to do everything which is good and bad sometimes but there are so many things in life I feel like I have to get done right away.” I know my parents were probably terrified because their little girl had never raced anything before and was now jumping directly into a jet dragster which can reach speeds of 300 miles per hour but they always supported me."
“I'm not going to lie I was terrified when I first started” admits the 23 year old, “I mean who wouldn't be, but I think that nervousness is almost a good thing when you're racing because you're always on the edge, you're always concentrating and you're always focused.”
It’s with that same laser focus Kat has successfully transitioned from behind the wheel to in front of the camera. “I would say my experience in racing would definitely be a strength because I had the opportunity to meet and speak with people all over the country and build relationships.”
Kat adds “I believe women in motorsports are appreciated now more than ever because we have to know and understand every part of the car from top to bottom” which instantly earns Redner credibility and trust.
“Believe it or not” says Kat, “I was always pretty shy. It wasn’t until the last five years or so that I really saw myself coming out of my shell. If you can find something that you're really passionate about you’ll really start to open up and that's exactly what I did!
I have a love for cars and I think if you love what you're doing you can speak about it so much better. I’ve had some great mentors and people I look up to encourage me to follow mine and I hope one day I can be that person for the next little girl who has a dream.”
Currently, this amazing young woman is looking forward to sharing great stories on Discovery’s Destination America channel and reminding the next generation who will undoubtedly look up to her, to “be kind and always believe in yourself.”
Always a winning formula.
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