Leilani Münter: Difference between revisions

'''Leilani Maaja Münter''' (born February 18, 1974) is an American former professional [[stock car racing]] driver and environmental activist. She last competed in the [[ARCA Menards Series]], and previously drove in the Firestone Indy Lights, the development league of [[IndyCar Series|IndyCar]]. She currently lives in [[Cornelius, North Carolina]].

Münter is the child of a Japanese-HawaiianAmerican mother from the Island of Hawaii and a German father, who was working at the Hawaii State Hospital in [[Kaneohe, Hawaii|Kāneʻohe]]. Her father relocated to [[Rochester, Minnesota]] for work at the [[Mayo Clinic]], where she was born on February 18, 1974.<ref name="MW1"/>

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 Diego]]. During her college years, Münter was also a volunteer at a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center. She is an almost lifelong vegetarian and became [[Veganism|vegan]] in 2011.<ref name="MW1" /><ref>{{cite news|last1=Cardwell|first1=Diane|title=From Tesla, a New Car Smell That Vegans Can Get Behind|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/15/automobiles/from-tesla-a-new-car-smell-that-vegans-can-get-behind.html?smid=tw-nytimesbusiness&smtyp=cur&_r=3|website=[[The New York Times]]|date=14 January 14, 2016|accessdateaccess-date=16 January 16, 2016}}</ref>

In 2007 Münter became the fourth woman in history to compete in the [[Indy Pro Series]],<ref name="SI1">{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1009/nascar.minority.drivers/content.10.html |title=Leilani Munter Interview |publisher=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> the development league of [[IndyCar Series|IndyCar]]. In May, Münter passed her Indy Pro Series rookie test at Kentucky Speedway. In August she signed a deal with three-time championship team Sam Schmidt Motorsports. She qualified fifth for her debut at Kentucky Speedway on August 11. She had trouble on a restart and dropped to thirteenth 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&nbsp;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 highly of Münter after her debut.<ref name="Testimonials">{{cite web |url=httphttps://www.carbonfreegirlleilani.comgreen/testimonials.htm |title=Leilani Munter Official Site Testimonials }}{{dead link|datewebsite=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes leilani.green}}</ref>

In 2012, Münter drove in the [[ARCA Racing Series]], driving for Tony Marks Racing in the season-opening 200 mile event at [[Daytona International Speedway]], driving a car sponsored by donations from fans and carrying an ocean awareness paint scheme, featuring ''[[The Cove (film)|The Cove]].'' <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arcaracing.com/news.php?contentid=12235|title=Münter, Tony Marks Racing Together for Daytona|date=February 8, 2012|publisher=Automobile Racing Club of America|accessdateaccess-date=February 9, 2012-02-09}}</ref>

In 2014, Münter began racing in ARCA with [[Venturini Motorsports]]. She ran Daytona in the No. 55 Go 100% Renewable Energy racecar, where she was wrecked by a spinning car on lap 28 and finished the race in 28th place. Her second race of 2014 was her first race at Talladega Superspeedway where she finished 14th in the No. 55 [[Blackfish (film)]] race car sponsored by activist and creator of [[The Simpsons]] TV show, [[Sam Simon]].<ref name="Blackfish">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxKKUUWx7PQ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/LxKKUUWx7PQ |archive-date=2021-12-December 19, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Blackfish at Talladega Superspeedway |work=Fox Sports}}{{cbignore}}</ref> She then finished 12th on the lead lap at Chicagoland Speedway in the No. 66 PrairieGold Solar/The Solutions Project racecar.

[[File:LeilaniMunter.jpg|thumb|left|Münter at [[Texas Motor Speedway]] in 2006]]

''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' named Münter one of the top ten female race car drivers in the world.<ref name="SI2">{{cite news|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0805/top.women.drivers.new/content.7.html |title= Top Female Drivers |publisher=Sports Illustrated}}</ref> [[Glamour Magazine]] named her an "Eco Hero."<ref name="Glamour">{{cite web|url=http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2009/03/meet-your-70-eco-heroes?currentPage=4 |title= Meet Your 70 Eco Heroes |date= 11 March 11, 2009 |publisher=Glamour}}</ref> In 2012, Leilani was a recipient of [[ELLE Magazine]]'s Genius Award.<ref name="ELLE">{{cite web|url=http://www.elle.com/life-love/society-career/genius-awards-2012-6#slide-6 |title=ELLE Magazine 2012 Genius Award Recipient Leilani Munter |date=29 June 29, 2012 |publisher=ELLE Magazine}}</ref> She was profiled on Discovery Planet Green's new 2010 television series "Fast Forward."{{citation needed|date=July 2014}} Münter has also appeared as a model for [[Lucky Brand Jeans]].<ref name="WWD">{{cite web|url=http://leilanimunter.com/Images/clippings/wwd_sm.jpg |title=Lucky Brand Picks a Few Dreamers for Fall Campaign |publisher=Women's Wear Daily |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131210033733/http://leilanimunter.com/Images/clippings/wwd_sm.jpg |archivedate=2013-12archive-date=December 10, 2013 }}</ref> She was featured in the issue of L'Uomo Vogue (Italian Vogue), and Fashion TV filmed a behind the scenes look at the shoot in Toronto.<ref name="Vogue">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChCEksECfZg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/ChCEksECfZg |archive-date=2021-12-December 19, 2021 |url-status=live|title= L'Uomo Vogue Shoot Behind the Scenes Leilani Munter |publisher=Fashion TV}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 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 [[IndyCar]]'s [[Danica Patrick]] and [[National Hot Rod Association|drag racing's]] [[Melanie Troxel]].<ref name="SBD">{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2006/09/20060904/This-Weeks-News/Divas-Race-Onto-Hostess-Calendar.aspx |title= Divas Race Onto Hostess Calendar |publisher=Sports Business Daily}}</ref> In 2008, she did a live interview with [[NPR]] about her green efforts in racing.<ref name="NPR">{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98754579 |title= Driver Wants NASCAR to Go Green |newspaper= NPR.org |publisher=NPR}}</ref> Leilani did a live television interview from the [[BP Oil Spill]] in the Gulf of Mexico with [[MSNBC]].<ref name="MSNBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/21134540 |title= Video Leilani Munter Live with NBC News from Gulf Oil Spill |publisher=NBC News}}</ref> She was also featured on the front page of CNN.com in 2010.<ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/09/02/ost.racing.environmentalist/index.html |title= She's Racing to Save the Environment |publisher=CNN | date=September 2, 2010}}</ref> In 2012, she was featured in AOL's "You've Got" web series.<ref name="AOL">{{cite web|url=http://on.aol.com/video/youve-got-leilani-m-nter-517443382 |title= You've Got Leilani Münter |publisher=AOL}}</ref> In 2012, [[Oprah Winfrey]] ran a feature on Münter in both her magazine and her online blog.<ref name="Oprah">{{cite web|url=http://www.oprah.com/blogs/From-the-Speedway-to-Earth-Day_2 |title= From the Speedway to Earth Day |publisher=Oprah.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806014816/http://www.oprah.com/blogs/From-the-Speedway-to-Earth-Day_2 |archive-date=August 6, 2012}}</ref>

She once worked as a stand-in photo double for [[Catherine Zeta-Jones]].{{When|date=January 2020}}<ref>[[imdbnamehttps:1018560|Leilani//www.imdb.com/name/nm1018560/ Münter - IMDb]]</ref><ref name="AskMen">{{cite web|url=http://www.askmen.com/celebs/interview_100/126_leilani_munter_interview.html|title=Leilani Munter Interview|publisher=Ask Men|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211135304/http://www.askmen.com/celebs/interview_100/126_leilani_munter_interview.html|archive-date=2013-12-December 11, 2013|access-date=December 7, 2013-12-07}}</ref>

Münter is a volunteer for [[Ric O'Barry]] and his non-profit organization Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project. Ric O'Barry was featured in the Academy Award-winning film [[The Cove (film)]] and Münter began working for Ric after seeing the film. This led to Münter participating in the next [[Oceanic Preservation Society]] film, the 2015 documentary [[Racing Extinction]]<ref name="Racing Extinction">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwxyrLUdcss |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/MwxyrLUdcss |archive-date=2021-12-December 19, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Racing Extinction Trailer |publisher=Vimeo}}{{cbignore}}</ref> which made its debut at the [[Sundance Film Festival]] in January 2015 and was then picked up by [[The Discovery Channel]]. Münter drives a specialized version of the [[Tesla Model S]] in [[Racing Extinction]] which is equipped with a 15,000 lumen projector, a high definition FLIR camera (forward looking infra red) that comes out of the "frunk" of the car which has a special color filter on it that makes {{CO2}} and methane visible to the human eye. It is also the first car in the world with electro-luminescent paint. In September 2014 Oceanic Preservation Society did a public projection at the United Nations<ref name="Illuminations">{{cite web|url=https://vimeo.com/1068984202 |title= Illuimations |publisher=Vimeo}}</ref> in New York City to raise awareness about the "Anthropocene" or [[sixth mass extinction]].

Münter is well known for speaking on environmental issues. She blogs in the green section of the [[Huffington Post]] and became the first Ambassador for the National Wildlife Federation in 2008 and went to Capitol Hill to lobby for environmental legislation.<ref name="WP">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/05/AR2008030503152.html |title= Race Car Driver Aims to Put Brakes on Global Warming |newspaper=Washington Post | first=Linton |last=Weeks |date=March 6, 2008}}</ref> In 2010, she was named by Discovery Channel's Planet Green Network as the #1 Eco Athlete in the world, beating out [[Lance Armstrong]] for the top spot.<ref name="Discovery">{{cite web|url=http://video.planetgreen.discovery.com/videos/planet-100-top-5-eco-athletes.html |title=Planet 100: Top Five Eco Athletes |publisher=Discovery Planet Green |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611064517/http://video.planetgreen.discovery.com/videos/planet-100-top-5-eco-athletes.html |archivedate=2010-06archive-date=June 11, 2010 }}</ref> She was also featured in a series called Fast Forward on Planet Green Network, which highlights environmental heroes.<ref name="PlanetGreen">{{cite web|url=http://vimeo.com/39805452 |title= Fast Forward |publisher=Discovery Planet Green}}</ref> [[Glamour Magazine]] named her one of their "Eco Heroes."<ref name="Glamour"/>

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.<ref name="UCSD">{{cite web |url=http://alumni.ucsd.edu/s/1170/PageB.aspx?sid=1170&gid=1&pgid=924 |title= UCSD Alumni On Track |publisher=University of California, San Diego |access-date=December 7, 2013 |archive-date=December 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212152557/http://alumni.ucsd.edu/s/1170/PageB.aspx?sid=1170&gid=1&pgid=924 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}

Münter graduated from the [[University of California, San Diego]] where she earned a bachelor's degree in [[Biology]] specializing in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution.<ref name="UCSD"/> She is also a long time [[vegetarian]].<ref name="MW1">{{cite web|url=http://www.midweek.com/content/story/theweekend_coverstory/leilani_munter/ |title=Leilani Munter - Environmentalist-Vegetarian Race Car Driver &#124; Weekend Cover Story |publisher=Midweek.com |date=December 5, 2008-12-05 |accessdate=2008-12access-date=December 11, 2008 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211081302/http://www.midweek.com/content/story/theweekend_coverstory/leilani_munter/ |archivedate=2008-12archive-date=December 11, 2008 }}</ref>

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]].<ref name="NextEra1">{{cite web|url=http://vegetarianstar.com/2009/06/30/leilani-munter-one-ups-stephen-colbert-with-wind-turbine/ |title= Leilani Munter One Ups Stephen Colbert |publisher=Vegetarian Star}}</ref> 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.<ref name="NextEra2">{{cite web|url=http://leilanimunter.com/09-11.06.htm |title=Leilani Munter One Ups Stephen Colbert |publisher=Leilani Munter Release, NextEra Energy Video Link |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306022129/http://leilanimunter.com/09-11.06.htm |archivedatearchive-date=March 6, 2012-03-06 }}</ref> Also in 2009 Münter met musician [[Jack Johnson (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.<ref>[http://www.leilanimunter.com/EcoDreamNeverKnow.html Leilani's Eco Slideshow with music by Jack Johnson] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202090735/http://leilanimunter.com/EcoDreamNeverKnow.html |date=February 2, 2009-02-02 }}</ref>

In May 2009 Münter went to Norway to participate in the zero-emission Viking Rally, driving a hydrogen fuel cell-powered Ford Focus.<ref name="VikingRally">{{cite web|url=http://green.autoblog.com/2009/05/12/evs-24-viking-rally-rolls-out-with-royalty-and-race-car-drivers/ |title= Viking Rally Rolls Out With Royalty and Race Car Drivers |publisher=AutoBlogGreen}}</ref> 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.<ref name="VikingRally2">{{cite web|url=http://leilanimunter.com/09-5.12.htm |title=Viking Rally Updates from Norway |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306022757/http://leilanimunter.com/09-5.12.htm |archivedatearchive-date=March 6, 2012-03-06 }}</ref> She was also featured in the new TV series Fast Forward on Planet Green, which profiled her environmental efforts in racing.<ref name="PlanetGreen"/>

Münter was one of the first celebrity activists to visit the [[BP Oil Spill]];<ref name="FoxNews">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tnp41Zofeyo |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/Tnp41Zofeyo |archive-date=2021-12-December 19, 2021 |url-status=live|title= Fox News BP Oil Spill |publisher=Fox News}}{{cbignore}}</ref> 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 areas of [[Louisiana]] affected 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]].<ref>AP{{cite Sports.web "|title=Athletes onOn Gulf tourTour lamentLament scaleScale ofOf oilOil spillSpill - Sports- nbcsports.msnbc.com." MSNBC.com. N.p., 13 July 2010. Web. 23 July 2010. <http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38234925/ns/sports/ {{Webarchive|url=https://webwww.archivewbur.org/webnews/201007170327592010/http:07/14/nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38234925/ns/sportsoil-spill-athletes |website=WBUR |access-date=6 February 2024 |date=2010-07-17 14}}>.</ref>

In 2013, she purchased an electric [[Tesla Model S]] car, became an advocate for [[electric car]]s, and wrote a blog post for the ''[[Huffington Post]]'' titled "Why We Need to Fight for Tesla" in response to state legislators introducing a bill to ban Tesla sales in North Carolina.<ref name="HuffPo Tesla">{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/leilani-munter/tesla-north-carolina_b_3327721.html |title=Why We Need to Fight for Tesla |publisher=Huffington Post | first=Leilani |last=Münter |date=May 23, 2013}}</ref> She also wrote an article in 2014 about the media attention around [[Plug-in electric vehicle fire incidents#Tesla Model S, 3, X, and Y|Tesla fires]].<ref name="Oil vs Electric">{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/leilani-munter/its-on-oil-vs-electric_b_4423011.html |title=It's On: Oil vs. Electric |date=14 December 14, 2013 |publisher=HuffingtonPost.com}}</ref> Münter delivered a speech at the first annual TESLIVE gathering of Tesla owners in [[Milpitas, California]], receiving a standing ovation from the audience, including [[Tesla Motors]] CEO [[Elon Musk]].<ref name="Teslive">{{cite web|url=http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/entry.php/112-Teslive-2013 |title=Live Stream: Elon Musk, Leilani Munter, Jerome Guillen General Session Teslive 2013 |publisher=TeslaMotorsClub.com}}</ref>

In 2010, Münter became involved in protests against the hunting of dolphins in Taiji, Japan and became a volunteer for [[Save Japan Dolphins]]. On September 2, 2010, Münter visited Tokyo with dolphin activist [[Ric O'Barry]] to deliver a petition asking for the hunting of dolphins to be stopped. She returned to Taiji, Japan again for two weeks in October 2010 and documented two dolphin hunts while she was there.<ref name="Treehugger">{{cite web|url=http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/leilani-munters-shocking-footage-from-the-taiji-dolphin-slaughter.html |title= Leilani Munter's Shocking Footage from the Taiji Dolphin Slaughter |publisher=Discovery Treehugger}}</ref> Münter recorded a video from Taiji for the project [[One Day on Earth]] on October 10, 2010.<ref name="TenTenTen">{{cite web|url=http://vimeo.com/16725592#at=0 |title= Save Japan Dolphins 10-10-10 |publisher=10-10-10 Global Film Project}}</ref> She returned to Taiji in September 2011 with O'Barry; the effects of [[Typhoon Talas (2011)|Typhoon Talas]] led her to report on Huffington Post that she understood [[water stress]] issues around the world in a much deeper way than before.<ref name="CoveContinues">{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/leilani-munter/dolphin-taiji-cove_b_963274.html |title= The Cove Continues |publisher=Huffington Post | first=Leilani |last=Münter |date=September 14, 2011}}</ref> She recorded the first dolphin hunt of the 2011/2012 hunting season on September 7, 2011.<ref name="SJD">{{cite web |url=http://savejapandolphins.org/blog/post/dolphin-slaughter-begins-again-in-taiji |title= Dolphin Slaughter Begins Again in Taiji |publisher=Save Japan Dolphins, Earth Island Institute |access-date=December 7, 2013 |archive-date=December 13, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213023156/http://savejapandolphins.org/blog/post/dolphin-slaughter-begins-again-in-taiji |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On January 3, 2012, Münter announced that she was raising funds to drive a "[[The Cove (film)|The Cove]]" themed race car at Daytona International Speedway on February 18 to draw attention to dolphin captivity and killings. Her left rear tire blew early in the race and she wrote about the event on the Huffington Post.<ref name="Daytona2012">{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/leilani-munter/leilani-munter-race-car-the-cove_b_1340167.html |title= Like Taiji's Cove, Daytona Breaks My Heart, Again |publisher=Huffington Post | first=Leilani |last=Münter |date=March 15, 2012}}</ref> In April 2012, she spoke on the National Mall in Washington DC on Earth Day.<ref name="EarthDay1">{{cite web|url=http://www.arcaracing.com/news.php?contentid=12681 |title= Leilani to Speak on National Mall |publisher=ARCA Racing}}</ref> She was also featured on MSN Causes on Earth Day 2012.<ref name="EarthDay2">{{cite web|url=http://archive.causes.msn.com/earth_day/ |title=Leilani Munter: Saving My Corner of the Planet |publisher=MSN |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213003626/http://archive.causes.msn.com/earth_day/ |archivedate=2013-12archive-date=December 13, 2013 }}</ref>

In 2014, Münter began driving a race car modeled after an orca whale at the Talladega Speedway with a ''[[Blackfish (film)|Blackfish]]'' theme to raise awareness about the controversial 2013 documentary criticizing [[Seaworld]] for placing orca whales in captivity. She raised $7,500 for the car through crowd-funding and had the remaining $107,500 given to her by ''[[The Simpsons]]'' co-creator [[Sam Simon]], who was also an [[animal rights]] activist.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jensen|first=Tom|title=Leilani Munter brings star power to Talladega Superspeedway|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/shake-and-bake/leilani-munter-brings-star-power-to-talladega-superspeedway-050314|work=Fox Sports|access-date=May 7, 2014-05-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140712214435/http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/shake-and-bake/leilani-munter-brings-star-power-to-talladega-superspeedway-050314|archive-date=July 12, 2014-07-12|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the autograph signing at the race, Münter passed out more than 100 copies of ''Blackfish'' DVDs.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gluck|first=Jeff|title=ARCA driver has Blackfish on her car for Talladega race|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/05/02/arca-driver-leilani-munter-promotes-documentary-blackfish-on-her-car-talladega-superspeedway/8632747/|publisher=USA Today}}</ref>

On March 17, 2009, Münter married Craig Davidson, an engineer, in a seaside wedding on New Zealand's Cathedral Cove beach.{{Citation needed|date=January 2020}} Her personal car is an electric [[Tesla Model S]], which she charges with solar panels on the roof of her home.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://electrek.co/2016/10/05/experienced-race-car-driver-and-tesla-owner-leilani-munter-joins-the-all-tesla-championship-electric-gt/|title=Experienced race car driver and Tesla owner Leilani Münter joins the all-Tesla championship: Electric GT|last=Lambert|first=Fred|date=October 5, 2016-10-05|website=Electrek|accessdateaccess-date=February 19, 2017-02-19}}</ref>

Münter identifies herself as being [[childfree]]: a position she largely owes to helping greatly reduce her ecological impact on the planet. She further believes that the decision to refrain from having any children must be normalized in order to deal with [[human overpopulation]]. She is also a patron of [[Population Matters]] in order to spread awareness regarding the issue.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-population-woman/woman-motor-sports-star-takes-a-lead-in-race-against-population-growth-idUSKCN1IH2HI/|title=Woman motor sports star takes a lead in race against population growth|last=Honigsberger|first=James|date=October 5, 2018-10-05|website=Reuters|accessdateaccess-date=May 23, 2018-05-23}}</ref>

Münter is the sister-in-law of musician [[Bob Weir]], one of the founding members of the [[Grateful Dead]].<ref name="MinnPost-Munter-Apr2016">{{cite news|url=https://www.minnpost.com/sports/2016/04/fast-and-curious-meet-nascar-driving-anti-carbon-crusading-vegetarian-rochester|title=Fast and curious: meet the NASCAR-driving, anti-carbon crusading vegetarian from Rochester|last1=Gihring|first1=Tim|date=April 5, 2016|work=[[MinnPost]]|accessdateaccess-date=18 February 18, 2017}}</ref>

! colspan=4546| [[ARCA Menards Series]] results

| style="background-color:#DFFFDF"| [[General Tire 150 (Charlotte)|CLT]]<br>{{small|20}}

| [[General Tire 150 (Charlotte)|CLT]]