In May, Indianapolis buzzes with Indy 500 excitement. Some residents choose to avoid the crowds while others eagerly plan for the event weeks in advance. Indiana University School of Nursing senior Maxine Cosat falls firmly in the latter group. This year, she’s celebrating as a 500 Festival Princess, complete with a sash, tiara, and a booked calendar.
“My calendar and I are best friends,” Cosat joked. “With work and school, and these outreach events I have coming up, everything is color coded and put into my calendar and planner.”
Cosat is stepping onto the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track as one of 33 Indiana women chosen as this year’s 500 Festival Princesses. The program began in 1959 and over the years has evolved into an opportunity to celebrate the members’ community outreach and academic achievements. The princesses, all college students, receive scholarships to assist with educational expenses and attend numerous events as ambassadors for the 500 Festival—from volunteering at Gleaners Food Bank to reading to children at libraries and visiting schools to share the history and significance of the Indy 500.
On a school visit in early spring, Cosat shared her experience as a woman in racing with the students. She was particularly excited to connect with the young girls in the room and open their eyes to a new opportunity.
Legacy in Racing
Cosat’s affinity for racing stretches back generations. Her great-grandfather, grandfather, and father all raced go-karts, dirt cars, and sprinter cars. Cosat joined the family tradition and started racing go-karts when she was about 8 years old. As one of the few girls on the track during her 10 years of racing, she enjoyed the competition and making a space for herself in a primarily male-dominated sport.
Cosat has been similarly inspired working with women in racing like Sarah Fisher, who holds the record for most Indy 500 starts by a woman. Fisher bought Whiteland Raceway Park, where Cosat worked for about five years.
Working alongside Fisher, first as a track marshal then as a manager, Cosat had the opportunity to develop a relationship with someone who was a pioneer for women in motorsports.
“Sarah taught me to be persistent,” Cosat said. “She helped push barriers, and she’s a huge inspiration to me and for all women in motorsports.”
While she stepped away from racing at the beginning of college to save money and focus on classes, Cosat still keeps her helmet in her car. During the Indy 500 ticket unveiling at K1 Speed in Fishers, she had the chance to bring the helmet out for the night.
“One of the other princesses and I actually did a rental race there,” she said. “I was able to get my helmet out of retirement for a little bit, and it was a really fun night getting to experience that with all of the princesses there.”
Legacy in Nursing
Cosat carries another family legacy in nursing, following in her mother’s footsteps. She watched her mother, who now works as a nurse practitioner, put herself through school and work while raising five children. She’s also inspired by her boyfriend’s mother who works at the VA Hospital as a nurse practitioner.
“Getting to see what she does and getting to hear the stories about how appreciative the veterans are was really inspiring as well, alongside my mother,” Cosat said. “That really inspired me to go into healthcare, and I hope to further my education.”
Her ultimate goal is to complete a doctorate nursing program.
As a seventh-semester student, Cosat had the chance to work in the same Cardiac ICU where her mother previously worked. After her experience, she hopes to work in the Cardiac ICU after graduation.
“I instantly fell in love with it, and as soon as I stepped onto that unit, I knew that’s what I wanted to do.”
Combining Legacy and Future
Now, as a 500 Festival Princess, Cosat represents both her love and family history in racing as well as her current pursuits as a nursing student. She hopes she will be able to encourage and inspire young girls to pursue their dreams while giving back to the sport that she loves.
"I get to represent the Indy 500 and the 500 Festival and what they stand for and give back to the community that not only raised me as a woman, but shaped me into who I am today,” she said.