Susanne Kalema Takes Ugandan Motorsport to America on Historic IVLP Journey
Ugandan rally co-driver Susanne Nantale Kalema will return from a remarkable three-week professional exchange in the United States after representing Uganda in the historic International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) project, “Racing Forward: American Innovation in Motorsports.”
The programme, organised by the U.S. Department of State and administered by the American Councils for International Education, brought together 25 motorsport professionals from 25 countries across six continents. Kalema was nominated by the U.S. Embassy in Uganda in recognition of her work as a professional female rally co-driver, director at the Co-drivers Academy Uganda and advocate for greater opportunities for women and girls in motorsport.
The 2026 programme is the first IVLP project specifically dedicated to motorsport, giving participants an opportunity to explore how racing can contribute to technology, education, manufacturing, tourism, economic development and international cooperation.
The journey began in Washington, D.C., where Kalema and the delegation engaged with U.S. government representatives and explored motorsport’s role in economic diplomacy. They also visited landmarks including the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial before attending the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C.
From Washington, the delegation travelled to Indianapolis, where Kalema visited Purdue University, Chip Ganassi Racing, Dallara, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The experience exposed her to motorsport engineering, advanced manufacturing, data analytics, education and the business structures behind professional racing.
Charlotte, North Carolina, offered another perspective, focusing on major-event management, security, logistics, tourism and public-private partnerships. Visits to Hendrick Motorsports, the NASCAR Research and Development Center and the NASCAR Hall of Fame gave Kalema an inside look at one of America’s biggest motorsport industries.
The delegation also engaged Continental Tire of the Americas and Hoosier Racing Tire, learning how motorsport innovation contributes to tyre technology and wider automotive development.
The journey culminated in Daytona, Florida, where Kalema attended the 2026 Coke Zero Sugar 400 NASCAR Cup Series finale at Daytona International Speedway. Watching 40 cars battle at extraordinary speeds provided one of the most memorable moments of the entire programme.
For Kalema, however, the trip was about more than visiting famous racing facilities and watching spectacular events. It challenged her to think about how Uganda can use motorsport to create opportunities beyond competition.
The experience showed her how racing can support education, engineering, technology, tourism, employment, media, logistics and business. As a leader at the Co-drivers Academy Uganda, she now returns home with ideas on how young Ugandans, particularly girls, can find wider career opportunities within motorsport.
Kalema’s journey has therefore become more than a personal achievement. It is a significant international recognition of Ugandan motorsport and a reminder that the sport has the potential to become an important platform for youth development, innovation and economic opportunity. She went to America as a rally co-driver.She is coming back with a bigger roadbook one filled with ideas, connections and possibilities for the future of Ugandan motorsport.
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