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March is Women's History Month!

Young Racer Driven By Adele, Soulja Boy

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

And we'd like to end the program today with the occasional feature we call In Your Ear. That's where we ask some of our guests about the music that inspires them. Today we hear from a young woman who is on her way to making history on the racetrack. NASCAR prodigy Annabeth Barnes is a racing veteran at the ripe old age of 16. She was featured in the recent PBS documentary "Racing Dreams."

Annabeth Barnes joined us to talk about that film recently and she also let us know what songs get her engine started.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE WIND BLOWS")

ANNABETH BARNES: My name is Annabeth Barnes and I'm 16 years old. And my dream is to one day be the first woman to win the Daytona 500. I like to listen to "The Wind Blows" by All-American Rejects.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE WIND BLOWS")

THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS: (Singing) I got to breathe. You can't take that from me. 'Cause it's all that you left that's mine. You had to leave and that's all I can see. But you told me your love...

BARNES: I love this song because it's just really sitting to me and it really just makes me happy.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "THE WIND BLOWS")

REJECTS: (Singing) I know there are times you're so impossible that I should sign a waiver. And you will find someone worth walking on...

BARNES: The next song I like to listen to is "Set Fire to the Rain" by Adele.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SET FIRE TO THE RAIN")

ADELE: (Singing) I let it fall, my heart, and as it fell you rose to claim it. It was dark and I was over until you kissed my lips and you saved me. My hands, they're strong.

BARNES: And I love this song because Adele has such an amazing voice and the song really, I mean it's kind of a sad song but it pumps me up and it kind of gets me ready for the day. And I listen to it when I'm on my way to school or to wherever I'm going.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "SET FIRE TO THE RAIN")

ADELE: (Singing) But I set fire to the rain, watched it pour as I touched your face. Well, it burned while I cried, 'cause I heard it screaming...

BARNES: Also I like to listen to "Hopped Up Off Tha Bed" by Soulja Boy.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "TURN MY SWAG ON")

SOULJA BOY: Hopped up out tha bed turned ma swag on. Took a look in tha mirror, said wassup. Wassup. Wassup. Yeeeeea. I'm getting money, oh.

BARNES: This is a really, really pumps me up. And I know that me and some of my friends like to listen to it before we race because it really just pumps you up and gets you ready to do whatever.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "TURN MY SWAG ON")

BOY: (Rapping) Oh, turned ma swag on, and my time to turn it up.

MARTIN: That was 16-year-old racecar driver Annabeth Barnes telling us what's playing in her ear. To hear our previous conversation with Annabeth, please go to NPR.org and search for TELL ME MORE.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "TURN MY SWAG ON")

BOY: (Rapping) Now it's time to turn it up. Yeeeeea. Yeeeea. I got a question, why they hatin on me? I got a question, why they hatin on me? I ain't did nothin to em, but count... Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.