Lindsey Adams buys too many shoes, enjoys manicures and captains the cheerleading squad. Now, the new Hockaday School grad is trading her plaid skirt for a flame-retardant bodysuit.

Ms. Adams, 19, is delaying college to climb into the driver's seat. While her classmates at the elite girls prep school flock to top colleges this fall, Ms. Adams is putting Baylor University on hold to pursue a full-time career in race car driving.

She's achieved quick success in her relatively short four years on the track. She made a name for herself nationally in go-kart driving, a typical first step in the long road to the Indianapolis 500. She wants to win that premier race as a driver, and later as a team owner.

The National Football League has about 2,000 players, noted Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway. Fewer than two dozen people compete in Indy Racing League events, where Ms. Adams wants to race: "It's extremely difficult for anyone to make it," Mr. Gossage said.

Getting to the top requires several steps with progressively faster cars. Ms. Adams might be closer to the bottom rung than the top, but Mr. Gossage said that is no reason to give up.

"The only thing I would encourage is to do it with all your heart. Why shouldn't she be the next Danica Patrick? Too many people limit themselves."

Her grandfather, Chuck Adams, stopped racing when his first child was born, fulfilling a promise to his wife. Instead, he built and sold race cars from his Dallas shop for 30 years.

"I won my first race, and he [his father] sold the kart on Monday. He said: 'You're going to be a doctor. You're not going to be a racer,' " recalled Dr. Adams, an orthodontist who practices in Plano. The family lives in Richardson.

Ms. Adams said she started out feeling invincible and believed everyone would immediately love her. But from the start, the boys didn't enjoy losing to a girl. Some tried to run her off the track. After races, she faced their ridicule.

"I could let this affect me," she recalled thinking. "I could let this destroy me." Instead, she hid her long blond hair under her helmet before leaving the trailer and didn't flaunt her girliness.

She went on to win several regional and one national karting races. She recently moved up to Formula Mazda racing, another step toward her goal. She celebrated her first wins last month.

"She's definitely a very talented driver; she's proven that several times," said Marshall Martin, a national director of karting races who has seen Ms. Adams race. He also watched Ms. Patrick race karts before advancing, and he said that with the right breaks and training, Ms. Adams might make it.

"Even though we don't want to admit it, it's still a good old boys' network," Mr. Martin said. But racing takes lots of money - and sponsorships. A successful female racer like Ms. Adams might find more open doors than a man would.

At first she bristled at the sight of her new hot pink race car. But she realized capitalizing on her differences will help her move up and find sponsors. She'll need $100,000 for her next car.

"I have made their Barbie car life-size," Ms. Adams said. With her blond hair, she fits the part.Ms. Adams said some people find it contradictory that she attended a girls' school but loves race cars. To her it makes perfect sense. Since prekindergarten, teachers have drilled into her that she could do whatever she wanted in life if she worked hard enough.

"Hockaday is all about empowering young women," Kirsten Adams said. "That empowerment leads to them taking risks and making choices that will take them in great directions. That is exactly what Lindsey is doing. It may not be the traditional route, but what a great role model for women."

Lindsey Adams works out up to two hours a day to keep strong behind the wheel. She has crashed many times while go-karting and suffered a major knee injury that sidelined her cheerleading.

"You know, we don't have to do this," Dr. Adams recalled telling his daughter. "We can just race go-karts. We don't have to race at all. She looked over and she glared at me.

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