Leilani Munter
Encyclopedia
Leilani Münter is an American race car driver and environmental activist. She drives in the ARCA Racing Series, and previously drove in the Firestone Indy Lights, the development league of IndyCar
. Prior to her debut in open wheel racing, she was a stock car driver in the NASCAR
Elite division. She was born and raised in Rochester, Minnesota
, earned a degree in Biology in San Diego, California
, and currently lives in Cornelius, North Carolina
.
. During her college years, Münter was also a volunteer at a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center.
and set a new record when she qualified fourth, the highest qualifying effort for a female driver at the track. It was also her first super late model race; she finished seventh. In 2006 she had her first full-time season in a race car. In just her fifth race of the season, she had one of the biggest races of her career when she finished fourth, setting a new record at Texas Motor Speedway for the highest finish for a female driver in the history of the 1.5 mile speedway. Later that year, Leilani became the first woman to qualify in the 45 year history of the Bettenhausen Classic at Illiana Speedway in Indiana. In 39 stock car starts, Münter scored 19 top tens and 9 top five finishes. She finished running 92% of the time. At the end of the 2006 racing season, she was set to make the move into the ARCA Series in 2007, a stepping stone series into NASCAR's top three series. In December 2006 she completed her ARCA rookie test at Daytona International Speedway
. She was 24th quick of 59 race cars testing that day in a race car prepared by Andy Hillenburg
, a retired driver who owns Fast Track Racing School, where Münter once worked at as an instructor. Shortly after her Daytona test Münter received a phone call from an Indy team to ask if she was interested in racing open wheel cars. By May 2007 she had completed her Indy Pro rookie test and made the move to open wheel racing. She got back in a stock car in December 2008, testing an ARCA car at Daytona International Speedway
for NASCAR Sprint Cup driver James Hylton
. In December 2009, she returned to ARCA testing at Daytona, driving the #59 NextEra Energy Resources
Dodge for Mark Gibson Racing. In the final practice, Münter posted the 7th quickest lap with a speed of 181.77 mph, just 69 one-thousandths of a second behind Danica Patrick
, who posted the 5th quickest time of the final practice. Patrick and Münter drafted with each other throughout the weekend. The two female drivers had previously worked together off the racetrack, in an ad campaign together in 2006 and 2007 for Hostess.
In 2007 Münter became the fourth woman in history to compete in the Indy Pro Series, the development league of IndyCar
. In May, Münter passed her Indy Pro Series
rookie test at Kentucky Speedway. In August she inked a deal with three time championship team Sam Schmidt Motorsports
. She qualified 5th for her debut at Kentucky Speedway
on August 11. She had trouble on a restart and dropped back to 13th but raced her way back to the front of the field. She passed five cars in a lap and a half and turned in the fifth-fastest lap of the race with a speed of 192.399 mph. She was about to pass for fourth place when she was involved in a multi-car accident. Four-time Indy 500 champion Rick Mears
, IndyCar driver Jaques Lazier
, and many others in the IndyCar community spoke very highly of Münter after her debut. Münter's current plans include both a return to the Indy Pro Series and the ARCA Re/Max Series, a development league in NASCAR
.
, New York Times, Italian Vogue, Esquire
, ESPN
, Men's Journal
, Newsweek
, Glamour
, Reader's Digest
, Vanity Fair
, Washington Post, and Sports Illustrated
named her one of the top ten female race car drivers in the world. Glamour Magazine
named her an "Eco Hero." In 2010 Discovery
's Planet Green named her the #1 Eco Athlete, beating out Lance Armstrong
for the top spot. She was profiled on Discovery Planet Green's new 2010 television series "Fast Forward." She has also been featured on DIY
, ESPN
, Fashion TV
, National Geographic
, NBC Sports
, and Spike TV
. Münter has also appeared as a model for Lucky Brand Jeans
and appeared in ads for the brand in Vogue
, Vanity Fair
, In Style
, and W Magazine as well as in Lucky Brand Stores across the country. Münter spent three years as a special correspondent for NASCAR.com and was one of three "Hostess Race Divas" to appear on boxes of Hostess Twinkies and Cupcakes - alongside IRL's Danica Patrick
and NHRA's Melanie Troxel. The ad campaign for Hostess was significant because it was the first time the bakery has featured athletes on their products since professional baseball players were featured in the 1980s.
and is a long time vegetarian. She once worked as a photo double for Catherine Zeta-Jones
. In 1999 her sister Natascha married Bob Weir
, singer and guitarist of the rock band The Grateful Dead. On March 17, 2009 Münter married Craig Davidson in a seaside wedding on New Zealand's Cathedral Cove beach.
Münter is well known for speaking out about environmental issues. She blogs in the green section of the Huffington Post and is very active in the fight for environmental legislation.
In 2006, Münter started a section on her racing website dedicated to environmental news. She now hosts an eco-site called Carbon Free Girl, where she documents her efforts to become carbon neutral and discusses environmental issues and clean energy. She also has a blog where she is known to speak out about green issues. In 2007, Münter made the commitment to adopt an acre of endangered tropical rainforest for protection from World Land Trust to offset her carbon footprint from the race.
In March 2008 Münter went to Capitol Hill with the National Wildlife Federation
to speak with members of Congress on behalf of the Climate Security Act. During her visit Senator Elizabeth Dole
called Münter "a woman on a mission." That summer, Münter spoke at a rally in Capitol Hill alongside Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator John Kerry, and Senator Joe Lieberman in support of the Climate Security Act. When asked to comment on her environmental activities, Frank O'Donnell (President of the Clean Air Watch) told the Washington Post "I thing it's a fantastic thing."
The Indy Car
Series runs on 100% ethanol
and Münter has talked on her blog about the need for NASCAR
to make the switch to a renewable clean energy source. Münter graduated from the University of California San Diego where she earned a Bachelors Degree in Biology
specializing in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution. She is also a long time vegetarian.
In February 2009 Münter climbed to the top of a wind turbine at Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in Abilene, Texas and autographed one of the blades. The turbine was consequently nicknamed "Leilani" by its owner, NextEra Energy Resources
. Later that same year, Münter signed a solar panel at NextEra Energy's SEGS in the Mojave Desert, the largest solar thermal energy center in the world.
Also in February 2009 Münter met musician Jack Johnson
, who later that same year gave Münter permission to use his music with her slideshow about her mission to bring environmental awareness to the racing world. View Leilani's Eco Slideshow with music by Jack Johnson
Münter spoke on a panel discussion on creative activism with actress Daryl Hannah
at Powershift 2009 in Washington, D.C.
In May 2009 Münter went to Norway to participate in the zero emission Viking Rally, driving a hydrogen fuel cell Ford Focus which has only harmless emissions of water and heat. Münter finished second in the hill-climb, just behind World Rally driver Hennig Solberg. Münter drank the water from the exhaust of the vehicle at the 24th annual Electric, Fuel Cell and Hybrid Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition in Stavanger, Norway.
In 2010, Münter was named by Discovery Channel
's Planet Green Network as the #1 Eco Athlete; Lance Armstrong
was rated #5. She was also featured in the new TV series Fast Forward on Planet Green, which profiled her environmental efforts in racing.
Münter was one of the first celebrity activists to visit the BP Oil Spill; she arrived in Venice, Louisiana
on May 2, ten days after the Deepwater Horizon
sank to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, the same day President Barack Obama
arrived. She spent a week at the spill, documenting her experience there.
On July 13, 2010, Münter returned and toured the oil-stained areas of Louisiana
devastated by the BP Oil Spill as part of a Sierra Club
sponsored event involving 10 current and former athletes which included tennis star Chanda Rubin
, Olympic skier Stacey Cook
and NFL stars Ovie Mughelli
and Mike Alstott
.
In 2010, Münter became involved in the fight against the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan and became a volunteer for Save Japan Dolphins. She has said publicly that immediately after watching the Academy Award winning documentary The Cove, that the first words out of her mouth when the movie ended to her husband was, "We have to go to Taiji and help Ric end this." Within a year, on September 2, 2010 Münter stood in Tokyo, next to dolphin activist Ric O'Barry
who is featured in the movie, to deliver a petition signed by 1.7 million people from 151 countries asking for the dolphin slaughter to end. She returned to Taiji, Japan again for two weeks in October 2010 and documented two dolphin slaughters while she was there. She has stated she will continue to return to The Cove until the slaughter has ended. Münter recorded a video from Taiji for the project One Day on Earth on 10/10/10.
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
. Prior to her debut in open wheel racing, she was a stock car driver in the NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Elite division. She was born and raised in Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester, Minnesota
Rochester is a city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Olmsted County. Located on both banks of the Zumbro River, The city has a population of 106,769 according to the 2010 United States Census, making it Minnesota's third-largest city and the largest outside of the...
, earned a degree in Biology in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, and currently lives in Cornelius, North Carolina
Cornelius, North Carolina
Cornelius is a town located along Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 11,969 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cornelius is located along Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County...
.
Education
Prior to becoming a race car driver, Münter earned a bachelor's degree in biology, specializing in ecology, behavior, and evolution from the University of California, San DiegoUniversity of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
. During her college years, Münter was also a volunteer at a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center.
Stock car racing career
Münter began racing in California in 2001 in the Allison Legacy Series. She debuted with a seventh place finish. In 2002 Münter made the move to Mooresville, North Carolina, widely regarded as the center for NASCAR racing. In 2003 she had her first start in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series at South Boston Speedway, she finished ninth. She made her first speedway start in 2004 at Texas Motor SpeedwayTexas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway is a speedway located in the northernmost portion of the U.S. city of Fort Worth, Texas – the portion located in Denton County, Texas....
and set a new record when she qualified fourth, the highest qualifying effort for a female driver at the track. It was also her first super late model race; she finished seventh. In 2006 she had her first full-time season in a race car. In just her fifth race of the season, she had one of the biggest races of her career when she finished fourth, setting a new record at Texas Motor Speedway for the highest finish for a female driver in the history of the 1.5 mile speedway. Later that year, Leilani became the first woman to qualify in the 45 year history of the Bettenhausen Classic at Illiana Speedway in Indiana. In 39 stock car starts, Münter scored 19 top tens and 9 top five finishes. She finished running 92% of the time. At the end of the 2006 racing season, she was set to make the move into the ARCA Series in 2007, a stepping stone series into NASCAR's top three series. In December 2006 she completed her ARCA rookie test at Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
. She was 24th quick of 59 race cars testing that day in a race car prepared by Andy Hillenburg
Andy Hillenburg
Andy Hillenburg is an American race car driver, team owner and track owner. He began his racing career at age 11, when he competed in the Indianapolis soap box derby. He currently owns Fast Track Racing Enterprises, a racing team that competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and ARCA...
, a retired driver who owns Fast Track Racing School, where Münter once worked at as an instructor. Shortly after her Daytona test Münter received a phone call from an Indy team to ask if she was interested in racing open wheel cars. By May 2007 she had completed her Indy Pro rookie test and made the move to open wheel racing. She got back in a stock car in December 2008, testing an ARCA car at Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
for NASCAR Sprint Cup driver James Hylton
James Hylton
James Harvey Hylton is a part-time race car driver. He is a two-time winner in NASCAR and competes in the ARCA RE/MAX Series,finishing 16th in points in 2006. He made headlines while attempting to qualify for the 2007 Daytona 500 at age 72...
. In December 2009, she returned to ARCA testing at Daytona, driving the #59 NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources is an wholesale electricity supplier based in Juno Beach, Florida. It is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc. , a Fortune 200 company. Prior to 2009, NextEra Energy Resources was known as FPL Energy....
Dodge for Mark Gibson Racing. In the final practice, Münter posted the 7th quickest lap with a speed of 181.77 mph, just 69 one-thousandths of a second behind Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
, who posted the 5th quickest time of the final practice. Patrick and Münter drafted with each other throughout the weekend. The two female drivers had previously worked together off the racetrack, in an ad campaign together in 2006 and 2007 for Hostess.
Indy Racing League career
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
. In May, Münter passed her Indy Pro Series
Indy Pro Series
Firestone Indy Lights is a developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar. Previously, another series named Indy Lights filled the same role for CART and ran from 1986 to 1993 as the American Racing Series and Dayton Indy Lights from 1991 to 2001...
rookie test at Kentucky Speedway. In August she inked a deal with three time championship team Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Sam Schmidt Motorsports is an auto racing team in the IndyCar IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights Series owned by quadriplegic former driver Sam Schmidt....
. She qualified 5th for her debut at Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway
Kentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. and Jerry Carroll, who, along with four other investors, owned...
on August 11. She had trouble on a restart and dropped back to 13th but raced her way back to the front of the field. She passed five cars in a lap and a half and turned in the fifth-fastest lap of the race with a speed of 192.399 mph. She was about to pass for fourth place when she was involved in a multi-car accident. Four-time Indy 500 champion Rick Mears
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears is a retired American race car driver. He is one of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six...
, IndyCar driver Jaques Lazier
Jaques Lazier
Jaques Lazier is an American racing driver born January 25, 1971 in Denver, Colorado and is the younger brother of 1996 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Lazier and son of former Indy racer Bob Lazier....
, and many others in the IndyCar community spoke very highly of Münter after her debut. Münter's current plans include both a return to the Indy Pro Series and the ARCA Re/Max Series, a development league in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
.
Media
Münter's accomplishments have landed her on the pages of USA TodayUSA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, New York Times, Italian Vogue, Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, Men's Journal
Men's Journal
Men's Journal is an American men's lifestyle magazine focused on outdoor recreation and comprising editorials on the outdoors, environmental issues, health and fitness, style and fashion, and "gear". It is owned by Jann Wenner of Wenner Media....
, Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, Glamour
Glamour (magazine)
Glamour is a women's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. Founded in 1939 in the United States, it was originally called Glamour of Hollywood....
, Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
, Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
, Washington Post, and Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
named her one of the top ten female race car drivers in the world. Glamour Magazine
Glamour magazine
Glamour magazine means:* Glamour magazine, a U.S. publication aimed at a predominantly female readership* a girlie magazine aimed at a male readership featuring photographs of women...
named her an "Eco Hero." In 2010 Discovery
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
's Planet Green named her the #1 Eco Athlete, beating out Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
for the top spot. She was profiled on Discovery Planet Green's new 2010 television series "Fast Forward." She has also been featured on DIY
DIY Network
DIY Network is a channel owned by Scripps Networks Interactive that focuses on do it yourself projects at home.Television stations air local versions with local hosts with segments produced by the network. Branded DIY Network programming is also broadcast in Japan and the Philippines...
, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, Fashion TV
Fashion TV
Fashion TV is an international fashion and lifestyle broadcasting television channel. It was founded in France in 1997 by its Polish-born president Michel Adam Lisowski, Fashion TV is the only 24/7 international TV network exclusively dedicated to fashion, beauty, glamour and style and has become...
, National Geographic
National Geographic Channel
National Geographic Channel, also commercially abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo, is a subscription television channel that airs non-fiction television programs produced by the National Geographic Society. Like History and the Discovery Channel, the channel features documentaries with factual...
, NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
, and Spike TV
Spike TV
Spike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
. Münter has also appeared as a model for Lucky Brand Jeans
Lucky Brand Jeans
Lucky Brand Jeans is a designer denim company founded in Vernon, California, United States in 1990 by Gene Montesano and Barry Perlman. Lucky Brand is a subsidiary of the Liz Claiborne fashion company. Lucky also produces sportswear, outerwear, T-shirts and active wear. Lucky Brand products are...
and appeared in ads for the brand in Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
, Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
, In Style
In Style
InStyle is a monthly women’s fashion magazine published in the United States by Time Inc. Along with advertising, the magazine offers articles about beauty, fashion, home, entertaining, charitable endeavors and celebrity lifestyles. Launched in 1993 , InStyle currently has a circulation of 1.7...
, and W Magazine as well as in Lucky Brand Stores across the country. Münter spent three years as a special correspondent for NASCAR.com and was one of three "Hostess Race Divas" to appear on boxes of Hostess Twinkies and Cupcakes - alongside IRL's Danica Patrick
Danica Patrick
Danica Sue Patrick is an American auto racing driver, model and advertising spokeswoman. She is the most successful woman in the history of American open-wheel racing, being the only woman to win in the IndyCar Series as well as holding the highest finish by a woman at the Indianapolis 500 of 3rd...
and NHRA's Melanie Troxel. The ad campaign for Hostess was significant because it was the first time the bakery has featured athletes on their products since professional baseball players were featured in the 1980s.
Personal
Münter holds a bachelor degree in biology from the University of California, San DiegoUniversity of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
and is a long time vegetarian. She once worked as a photo double for Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, is a British actress. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film The Mask of...
. In 1999 her sister Natascha married Bob Weir
Bob Weir
Bob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
, singer and guitarist of the rock band The Grateful Dead. On March 17, 2009 Münter married Craig Davidson in a seaside wedding on New Zealand's Cathedral Cove beach.
Environmental activism
In 2006, Münter started a section on her racing website dedicated to environmental news. She now hosts an eco-site called Carbon Free Girl, where she documents her efforts to become carbon neutral and discusses environmental issues and clean energy. She also has a blog where she is known to speak out about green issues. In 2007, Münter made the commitment to adopt an acre of endangered tropical rainforest for protection from World Land Trust to offset her carbon footprint from the race.
In March 2008 Münter went to Capitol Hill with the National Wildlife Federation
National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation is the United States' largest private, nonprofit conservation education and advocacy organization, with over four million members and supporters, and 48 state and territorial affiliated organizations...
to speak with members of Congress on behalf of the Climate Security Act. During her visit Senator Elizabeth Dole
Elizabeth Dole
Mary Elizabeth Alexander Hanford "Liddy" Dole is an American politician who served in both the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush presidential administrations, as well as a United States Senator....
called Münter "a woman on a mission." That summer, Münter spoke at a rally in Capitol Hill alongside Senator Barbara Boxer, Senator John Kerry, and Senator Joe Lieberman in support of the Climate Security Act. When asked to comment on her environmental activities, Frank O'Donnell (President of the Clean Air Watch) told the Washington Post "I thing it's a fantastic thing."
The Indy Car
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
Series runs on 100% ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
and Münter has talked on her blog about the need for NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
to make the switch to a renewable clean energy source. Münter graduated from the University of California San Diego where she earned a Bachelors Degree in Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
specializing in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution. She is also a long time vegetarian.
In February 2009 Münter climbed to the top of a wind turbine at Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in Abilene, Texas and autographed one of the blades. The turbine was consequently nicknamed "Leilani" by its owner, NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources
NextEra Energy Resources is an wholesale electricity supplier based in Juno Beach, Florida. It is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy, Inc. , a Fortune 200 company. Prior to 2009, NextEra Energy Resources was known as FPL Energy....
. Later that same year, Münter signed a solar panel at NextEra Energy's SEGS in the Mojave Desert, the largest solar thermal energy center in the world.
Also in February 2009 Münter met musician Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson (musician)
Jack Johnson was born May 18, 1975 is an American folk rock singer-songwriter, surfer and musician known for his work in the soft rock and acoustic genres. In 2001, he achieved commercial success after the release of his debut album, Brushfire Fairytales. He has since released four more albums, a...
, who later that same year gave Münter permission to use his music with her slideshow about her mission to bring environmental awareness to the racing world. View Leilani's Eco Slideshow with music by Jack Johnson
Münter spoke on a panel discussion on creative activism with actress Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Christine Hannah is an American film actress. After making her screen debut in 1978, Hannah starred in a number of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, notably Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street and Roxanne and Kill Bill.-Early life:Hannah was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Susan...
at Powershift 2009 in Washington, D.C.
In May 2009 Münter went to Norway to participate in the zero emission Viking Rally, driving a hydrogen fuel cell Ford Focus which has only harmless emissions of water and heat. Münter finished second in the hill-climb, just behind World Rally driver Hennig Solberg. Münter drank the water from the exhaust of the vehicle at the 24th annual Electric, Fuel Cell and Hybrid Vehicle Symposium and Exhibition in Stavanger, Norway.
In 2010, Münter was named by Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
's Planet Green Network as the #1 Eco Athlete; Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
was rated #5. She was also featured in the new TV series Fast Forward on Planet Green, which profiled her environmental efforts in racing.
Münter was one of the first celebrity activists to visit the BP Oil Spill; she arrived in Venice, Louisiana
Venice, Louisiana
Venice is an unincorporated community in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is 130 km south of New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi River at . It is the last community down the Mississippi accessible by automobile, and is the southern terminus of the Great River Road...
on May 2, ten days after the Deepwater Horizon
Deepwater Horizon
Deepwater Horizon was an ultra-deepwater, dynamically positioned, semi-submersible offshore oil drilling rig owned by Transocean. Built in 2001 in South Korea by Hyundai Heavy Industries, the rig was commissioned by R&B Falcon, which later became part of Transocean, registered in Majuro, Marshall...
sank to the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, the same day President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
arrived. She spent a week at the spill, documenting her experience there.
On July 13, 2010, Münter returned and toured the oil-stained areas of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
devastated by the BP Oil Spill as part of a Sierra Club
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
sponsored event involving 10 current and former athletes which included tennis star Chanda Rubin
Chanda Rubin
Chanda Rubin is an American tennis player. Winning seven WTA Tour singles titles, she reached her highest ranking World No. 6 on April 8, 1996, after reaching semifinals at the 1996 Australian Open. Rubin is also former World No...
, Olympic skier Stacey Cook
Stacey Cook
Stacey Janelle Cook is an elite member of the U.S. Ski Team's alpine skiing program. Cook started skiing at 4 with her father at various Lake Tahoe ski areas and raced in the learn-to-race Buddy Werner League events run by the Truckee-Donner Recreation and Park District. She was a member of the...
and NFL stars Ovie Mughelli
Ovie Mughelli
Ovie Phillip Mughelli is an American football fullback for the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL. He signed a 6-year, $18 million contract with a $5 million signing bonus on March 2, 2007 with the Falcons...
and Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
.
In 2010, Münter became involved in the fight against the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan and became a volunteer for Save Japan Dolphins. She has said publicly that immediately after watching the Academy Award winning documentary The Cove, that the first words out of her mouth when the movie ended to her husband was, "We have to go to Taiji and help Ric end this." Within a year, on September 2, 2010 Münter stood in Tokyo, next to dolphin activist Ric O'Barry
Ric O'Barry
Richard "Ric" O'Barry is an American first recognized in the 1960s for capturing and training the five dolphins that were used in the well-known TV series Flipper. O'Barry made a radical transition from training dolphins in captivity to assertively combating the captivity industry soon after...
who is featured in the movie, to deliver a petition signed by 1.7 million people from 151 countries asking for the dolphin slaughter to end. She returned to Taiji, Japan again for two weeks in October 2010 and documented two dolphin slaughters while she was there. She has stated she will continue to return to The Cove until the slaughter has ended. Münter recorded a video from Taiji for the project One Day on Earth on 10/10/10.
News links
- Insider Racing News: Leilani Münter More Than Ready for Success
- Washington Post: Race Car Driver Aims to Put Brakes on Global Warming
- NASCAR.com: Münter Sets New Female Mark
External links
- Discovery's Planet Green Names Leilani #1 Eco Athlete
- Discovery's Planet Green TV Series "Fast Forward" episode on Leilani
- Leilani Live on MSNBC from the BP Oil Spill
- Leilani's Eco Slideshow with music by Jack Johnson
- Slideshow of Leilani's Journey in Motorsports
- Leilani in Esquire Magazine's Women We Love Gallery
- Official Website