Featured Female Drivers

Featured Female Drivers in all forms of Motorsports and Racing

Rachel Kullman: Shifting gears in SCCA Racing

February 9, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Most high school graduates are just venturing out to explore the possibilities of what the future can hold for them, but eighteen year-old Rachel Kullman has just shifted gears to a high-speed life on the fast- track of SCCA racing.

Rachel Kullman – the early years

Growing up, Rachel Kullman was no stranger to a track surface. Her father, Paul Kullman, owner of No Mo’ Money Race Engineering, began a career in sports car racing over 15 years ago. Rachel, her mom and sister would all accompany him to his racing events, cheering him on from the sidelines. When Rachel turned 11, her father treated her to a trip to DeSoto Speedway, a go-karting track in Bradenton, FL – an hour south of their Seminole, Florida home. Rachel was immediately hooked, and the family brought home her first kart that very same day.

Rachel was an active young lady, participating in soccer, karate, and dance throughout her elementary and middle school years. She balanced 7 years of karate, 4 years of soccer, 3 years of karting, and a year of dance with a busy academic workload. In high school, Rachel was dual-enrolled in both her regular curriculum and college coursework, getting a jump start on her college education. She now is enrolled at St. Petersburg Community College and plans to transfer to the University of Florida to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian. She also works at Vernon Photography during her time away from classes.

But despite her busy schedule, one thing has never left Rachel – a deep love for racing that fuels her passion to follow in her father’s footsteps. She competed in karts from 2009-2011, and says of the experience; “From there on, I was hooked on this addicting sport and have loved it ever since.”

Moving up: Rachel Kullman in SCCA

While racing in karts sparked her love for the sport, it was the time she spent in the team’s No Mo Money Racing shop that she began to learn more about the world of SCCA racing. Spending time at her father’s side, she was gaining valuable experience and knowledge about what it takes to compete in sports car racing. This hands-on experience would help her when it was time to get behind the wheel herself.

When we are at the track, my job is to grab whatever tool,equipment, etc. that he may need and run any errands that he may need to do like get fuel or go to the store to get more water or parts for the car. If we are doing an enduro race my duty is to be the fire bottle girl on pit stops. I also hand him any tools he needs on pit lane and help out with anything that I can. When we are not at the track, I try to come whenever I can to the shop and help him work on the cars.”

At 16 years-old, when many are just getting their driver’s license to drive for the first time, Rachel was attending her first SCCA driver schools: at Daytona International Speedway and Sebring International Speedway. These schools assign a teacher through SCCA to monitor students’ driving line and observe safety of new drivers. They test knowledge and reaction to flags (yellow, red, mechanical or “meatball”, black) and judge students’ understanding and response. Graduates of the school earn certificates, giving them the green light to compete in regional races. Once students complete two regional race weekends successfully, they are granted an official SCCA license. Rachel attended the schools in May and June 2014. She learned to improve her lines and cornering,and entered her first SCCA Majors race at Homestead Miami Speedway in January 2015 in her very own 1990 Mazda Miata prepped for the track. She moved on that month to the second race at Sebring, and the third event in February at NOLA Speedway in New Orleans.

In May 2015, she returned to the Daytona driver’s school to test a new transmission in her STU prepped Miata. All of the experience she had been gaining and her testing earned her a second place finish in a 90-minute enduro race at Daytona International Speedway that month, her first-ever enduro attempt. She would move on to compete at the 2015 SCCA Runoffs at Daytona International Speedway in September 2015, finishing 14^th overall. Rachel would finish out the 2015 season with a third place finish in the SCCA regional race, second place in the SCCA Regional Championship October race, and landing in the No. 3 position overall for the championship points trophy in the SCCA Regional Series.

Shifting gears – Rachel Kullman overcomes

In just her short year and a half in sports car racing, Rachel Kullman has exceeded all expectations, growing as a promising young driver in the STU ranks. She has been surprised at the attention and support she has received from her peers.

Being a girl doing a “guy sport”, people are actually very interested in what I do. I race with SCCA, and the people there are just absolutely amazing. They are always cheering for me and helping us with anything we may need, were just one big giant family.”

One memorable experience for Rachel came while at the Daytona school testing her new transmission.

I had only been racing for a year at this point and at the very end of the school there is a “mini race”. Being that this was a school there was a small number of experienced drivers like myself there. I believe there was four of us, and at the start of the race, us four pulled the rest of the pack by at least three seconds or so. There was one faster car, then there was me and this other Miata. Since we both have the same car the battle between us was pretty great. I was leading for most of it then I messed up in a corner and he passed me, but on the very last lap in the first horseshoe at Daytona International Speedway, I late braked him and passed him on the inside in front of all the instructors, workers and fans. When I came off the track I had a parade of people coming up to my car and clapping for me and telling me how awesome of a move that was. I had instructors come up to me that had seen me just a year before at my first driver school and tell me how impressed they were with how much my driving had improved. It definitely is a day I will never forget.”

Even with great support and encouragement, the learning curve of racing isn’t without its difficulties. Rachel said an early mistake on track hurt her confidence and created a roadblock she works hard to overcome.

One of the biggest roadblocks that I have had to overcome and still am over coming is to trust my car will do what it is supposed to do. When I first began racing, I was learning how to take the corners and when to enter and exit them. Due to entering the corner wrong I spun out on exit and someone who didn’t see me hit me. Ever since then I’ve had doubts in the car, thinking that it won’t stick even though it will.”

Rachel works to overcome this fear by studying her corners using iRacing, an online simulator software, where she is able to familiarize herself with the tracks and practice before she straps into the car to go out and race them. She also leans on her best friend, another more experienced racer, who helps her to analyze the corners, correcting them when they are wrong and offering solid advice that Rachel relates well to. With his assistance, Rachel has seen much improvement on the track, a fantastic boost to her confidence.

Miata’s are known for how they handle in corners, they don’t have very much speed but they handle corners so well that I have passed BMW’s and Mustangs going through corners. I am slowly but surely over coming this fear, and one day soon I will drive the car to its full potential and have 100% faith that it will hold out.”

With such a strong support system behind her, Rachel hasn’t ever felt any different being one of the few women racing. In fact, the only time her gender has ever been addressed was from one astonished man at the SCCA races.

While I was away helping the crew pack somethings into the trailer, a guy who knew me thru SCCA walked up to some of our crew mates and asked them, “does she really drive that good or is it just her car”. Our crew members replied that it really is my driving and not the car, and just walked away from the situation. When I found out about it, at first I took it as an insult because I knew he was just saying that because I’m a girl, but then I re-thought about what the guy said and realized that it actually was a compliment! Him asking that question, basically stated that he thought I was a good driver, and that’s all that matters to me.”

Rachel Kullman’s Plans for the Future

Rachel and her team are currently preparing a new racecar for the 2016 season, a 1999 Mazda Miata that will allow Kullman to be more competitive in the STU class. While she continues her studies and works towards her goal of becoming a veterinarian, she remains very dedicated to her racing program. Rachel plans to race in the Southeastern conference of the SCCA Majors this season, with aim at the SCCA Runoffs at Indianapolis Speedway. She is confident her team has what it takes, but needs sponsor support to make it happen. When not racing herself, she often works the corners at races, staying involved with the sport by waving the flags and making calls on the radio, something she takes great joy in doing.

To other young ladies entering the sport, she offers this advice:

Somethings that I have learned are to never give up on yourself. I personally had a hard time at first learning stick shift, but I practiced every day and now it’s like second nature to me. There is going to be lots of bumps in the road when it comes to racing and achieving your dreams, but don’t ever give up and don’t let anyone tell you that you won’t be able to do it.”

One thing is certain: she’s just taken off in what promises to be an exciting journey in sports car racing. We can’t wait to see where Rachel Kullman will take her SCCA career to next.

Best of luck this season, Rachel Kullman!

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Trucking along with Mackenzie La Rue

February 1, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Mackenzie La Rue | Child’s Play

Truck pulling has been in Mackenzie La Rue’s DNA since birth. The 22 year-old grew up traveling with her father in the family’s hauler, attending truck and tractor pulls in their native Canada and all across the United States. As a 30-year truck pulling veteran, Mackenzie’s dad was a competitive player in the sport, and Mackenzie took note from an early age, getting involved in the family passion from the time she was able to operate the tow-back vehicle. She served as crew chief for her father, aiding him in pursuit of his 2005 National Tractor Pullers Association points championship title. That experience is what she credits to inspiring her to get behind the wheel herself of her very own truck pulling machine.

In 2005 my dad was the points champion of the National Tractor Pullers Association, which involved us campaigning his truck called Poison Ivy all across the United States. It was then that I decided that I wanted to drive one day. When I turned 16, my dad built my first truck, which I named Child’s Play, out of the spare parts he had lying around the shop.”

The Uxbridge, Ontario native expanded her duties as crew chief, getting comfortable with the trucks initially through her work at the shop – starting them up and moving them around the pits. But tractor pulling doesn’t exactly offer a training course for driving these powerful machines, so getting behind the wheel of her own truck was a leap of faith, jumping in with both feet.

Before my first time driving I practiced backing up in the truck a few times and other than that I could not practice. I learned by listening to my dad and following his instructions. But I also learned by making a lot of mistakes!”

Child’s Play – Making it look easy

Tractor Pulling is known as “the world’s heaviest motorsport,” with the goal of determining the strongest machine and the best driver. Different to every other motorsport in the world, it is not about the speed, but distance pulled. The distance from start to finish is measured in thousandths of an inch and the tractor that pulls the sled the furthest distance is declared the winner.

Mackenzie competes in the Super Modified Two-wheel drive category of the Ontario Truck and Tractor Pullers Association in her ‘Child’s Play’ Chevrolet S-10 equipped with a 526 inch blown hemi power plant. These machines are modified into high torque, high horsepower monsters that are intimidating to average person. For Mackenzie, having to overcome the fear and nerves was the most difficult obstacle to overcome personally when getting behind the wheel of the 2,500 horsepower machine.

My biggest road block that I have had to overcome is the fear that comes with driving something so powerful. My entire first year driving I would get myself so worked up I would cry as soon as I finished pulling. Had it not been for my dad encouraging me to continue, I believe that I would have quit driving that year. It’s hard to develop confidence in something that happens so quickly you often cannot remember what you did!”

Driving these machines takes quick thinking and fast reactions, and Mackenzie focuses on keeping the truck straight with the front wheels in the air. Using hand brakes, she is able to correct and keep the truck from drifting out of bounds by applying pressure to the brake in the opposite direction of the pull’s drift. This takes finesse and quick judgement, because utilizing the brakes sacrifices distance, but waiting too long to correct can result in out-of-bounds disqualification. All of this takes place in seconds.

When I first started driving I actually could not tell you a single thing I did in the truck, it went by too quickly. With more experience and less nerves I’m now a lot more aware of my actions. Usually you try to wait as long as you can before hitting a brake, but sometimes it won’t respond if you wait too long. Before I pull I’m constantly running through my head what I should do. Depending on the track I usually know how I should be opening the throttle before I hook to the sled, so I often practice the speed that I should be moving my hand. I always try to remind myself what brake to hit before I pull also, if there is a more muddy side to the track I’ll know that I will likely get pulled that way. Since you have to hit the opposite side brake to correct it, I usually remind myself before I even get on the track!”

Growing up in the sport, many of Mackenzie La Rue’s competitors had known the young driver her entire life and considered her family, so she has always had plenty of support behind her as she developed her driving skills.

I have been very lucky in my 6 years of driving and I have never once received criticism from fellow competitors,” said Mackenzie. “I was welcomed with open arms into the sport and I have always been encouraged to continue.”

La Rue would go on to claim the 2010 Great Lakes Truck and Tractor Pullers Association Points Championship and the 2010 Central Ontario Tractor Pullers Association Points Championship her first year as a rookie in the two wheel drive class, one of the youngest and first women to win the championship. She defended her Ontario Tractor Pullers championship in 2011, earning a repeat title.

Mackenzie has now been competing for six years, and the college student, who is nearing her graduation with a teaching degree, truly enjoys the time she gets to spend alongside her father in the truck pulling circuit. They run a two-truck team, with both playing roles of driver and crew chief for the other’s truck.

We both campaign trucks in the same class, and although we are a team, it’s still fun to be competitive with one another. My dad is also our mechanic, chauffeur, and my driving instructor. He is amazing and works so hard to keep our team running, it would be impossible without him!”

Between pulls, Mackenzie and her dad run routine maintenance on the engines to prepare for the next hook. They service spark plugs to evaluate their engine tune, and make adjustments to the fuel settings based on how the plugs burned from the previous pull. Valve adjustments are made and oil filters are checked for any indicators of damage, sometimes requiring more in-depth tear down between pulls. Engine refreshes occur between events a few times throughout the season, and a complete overhaul is done during the offseason to ensure a fresh powerplant for the next season.

Truck Pulling into the future

Mackenzie’s grown as a driver in the past six years, and hopes to continue on in her local series, with the ultimate goal of racing in the National Tractor Pullers Association and following in the footsteps of her father to win a championship title. She is proud of her achievements in the sport, and enjoys surprising fans when she gets out of the truck at the pulls.

…Being a woman in pulling, it’s always funny to see the looks that you get when people realize you’re a driver. I have gotten a lot of people saying “YOU drive THAT?!” which always makes me laugh!”

Mackenzie says that building her confidence up has been key to her success. She learns from every pull and keeps nerves in-check.

The number one thing I have learned from tractor pulling is that you need to have confidence in everything you do! You need to be proud of your achievements and not let nerves and fear overshadow what you can truly do. It’s easy for me to get out on the track and let the nerves get to me, before I even pull I’m already beating myself! It’s much harder for me to go out there and be confident in my ability, I have to constantly remind myself ‘I can do this!’. Even when you lose you can always find things you’ve done well in a pull, even if it is the simplest thing, like backing into the sled really straight.”

Though she vows to remain loyal to her roots in the supercharged/alcohol based powerplant ranks, Mackenzie has high hopes for something with even more power in the future.

I’ve grown up in the two wheel drive class and I love it, but in the future I’d love to step into something with a bit more power. Our trucks currently make between 2500-3000 horsepower. There is a class called the Light Unlimited Modified class which I would love to explore. It is a modified tractor class that allows for 2 supercharged alcohol engines. I think it would be interesting to double the horsepower I’m working with but it would also double the work!”

Whether its 2,500 horsepower, or 10,000 horsepower – inch by inch, Mackenzie La Rue is making the world of truck pulling look as effortless as Child’s Play. We can’t wait to see where her career will lead her next!

Best of luck, Makenzie La Rue!

Meet INDYCAR Driver Mianna Wick

January 12, 2016 // by Kelly Morris

She started out in karts, moved from Formula Ford to Formula Mazda, and now is taking on INDYCAR.

19 year old Mianna Wick, is just as busy off-track as she is on. A college degree in small business and majoring in marketing, she also is a part time owner with her parents business of LBF Motorsports known as Living by Faith Motorsports.

To have the skill to drive an INDYCAR is somewhat rare, let alone drive it well. It takes so much mental discipline, as well as physical, and it takes a sense of just being able to feel the car and understand it’s language which can’t always be taught. It is incredibly hard, but incredibly rewarding. You have to stay focused not only when your driving, but when your home working out, pursuing potential sponsors, or connecting with fans.”

Mianna Wick – Love For Racing

At just 6 years old, Mianna and her family moved many times, far away from her hometown. They struggled at finding family activities they could really get involved with. One day, Mianna’s father pitched a great idea that they would put together a family kart with his mechanic skills. Once they began playing around with it, they decided they needed faster karts. They began to pave themselves a small track, eventually used for LBF Motorsports rentals. Mianna started to become addicted to the thought of racing, spending more time in the seat. Her family saw how much she loved it, that they began taking her to the local track.

My current team Loophole Racing, picked me up and started training me in a FF, FM and now just moved me to an INDYCAR. Driving and INDYCAR is the most peaceful and amazing feel one can get from an activity. The very first time I drove an INDYCAR the only way I could describe how it felt to others, was that it felt like I was home.”

Being a Woman in Motorsports

Being around the guys, especially in Motorsports can prove to be challenging for a young lady. Some men have a hard time with women climbing the seat to compete against them, some are pretty comfortable with the idea. When asked, “How do the men treat you on and off the track?” Mianna stated, “This is a tough subject simply because it’s all about perspective. It’s one of those situations that I believe you can choose to look at the glass half full, or half empty. Racing is very much a male-dominated sport. But being a woman of motorsports is an honor and is worth withstanding the uphills! If it was easy, we’d all be doing it.“

Women, and people for that matter, need to be encouraged. Because I am a woman in racing, it points a lot of the eyes on me. Everyone is watching to see how I handle myself, how I handle the critics, the young children, the fame, it’s what happens when somebody makes a choice to take a stand in what they believe. I want women to be able to look at me when they do, and become encouraged and self confident, to feel that they can believe in what they love too, to feel the drive to be everything Christ has created them to be… to give them hope. Women want to watch and see that they can change lives too, and they do.”

Mianna Wick | Accomplishments

2015

Tested a 1996 Indy Car
Winner: SCCA Freedom Sprint race 2, Formula Mazda
2nd position: SCCA Freedom Sprint race 1, Formula Mazda

2014

Drove a 2003 Indy Car
The selected driver of David Hoffpauir to drive for his team, Loophole Racing
Winner: SCCA Labor-day Daze race 1, Formula Mazda
Winner: SCCA Labor-day Daze race 2, Formula Mazda
Winner: Expedition car/driver during a two day vintage race event, Formula Mazda
Neared the track record at High Planes International Raceway, Formula Mazda
Received my college diploma in Small Business, Majoring in Marketing

I saw a quote a while back that says good friends are like aerodynamics, you can’t always see them, but you know they are always there. The support of my friends and family is endless, and I don’t think anyone, even myself, truly understands what they sacrifice for me to succeed in racing. And for that, I will be forever grateful!”

With the many other accomplishments Mianna has made over the years, she is ready to create many more in the future. Mianna has been shown continued support from her friends and family. “Being so dedicated to a sport so demanding comes at a high cost for me. One that requires not a LOT of extra time.” Mianna said. The price? – Not being able to have a normal relationship due with her friends and family as she would like. Though she may not get to spend much time hanging out with them, they do respect her for what she loves.

Find more on Mianna Wick

http://miannawickracing.com

Shelby Ebert, Pro Eliminator Boat Racer

December 29, 2015 // by Kelly Morris

Twenty year old Shelby Ebert, lives in Manhattan Kansas. Attending in her Junior year at Kansas State University, majoring in Business. Recently, Shelby has started a marketing program, Marketing at Full Speed with Anna Marie in hopes of attracting more sponsors. Her parents own a machine shop E&R Machine, Inc. which is the one reason Shelby has been given the opportunity to race. Besides school, her life is all about racing.

Racing has basically been my entire life since I was very young. My dad has been racing for over 25 years and I went to my first race when I was only a few months old. When I was only 2 years old, I chased after a boat that we were selling as the new owner took it out of our driveway screaming “bring me my boat back!” That’s when my parents knew I was hooked.”

Shelby Ebert | Passion with Racing

Everyone has something they look forward too, especially at such a young age. At age 14, Shelby played sports in High School and began racing. She did them both for a while, but there came a time for her to choose whether to work on her athletic ability or continue to do what she was most passionate about, and that was racing. Shelby pretty much grew up at the track. She knew in her heart this is where she wanted to be. As she continued on, Shelby started racing a Jetski for three years in a Personal Watercraft 2 class.

My parents then bought me the MPH Hydro and I have been racing that for 4 years now. This past summer, we bought a Pro Modified boat that I will be moving into next year. This means that I will be a professional driver, and the only woman professional driver who will be running the whole National Series for the Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series.”

When asked by many people, “What hobbies do you have, besides racing?” Shelby just replies “I don’t have an answer, because my whole life revolves around racing. We race from April to November and during the winter months, we are constantly working on our boats to get them ready for the next season.”

My goal for the 2016 season is to do my best, and win one race. If things go even better than that, then I will be absolutely ecstatic. I have very high hopes for 2016 because my team and I are super excited to learn about this new boat and motor, and I have so much faith that my guys will give me something great to race every single weekend. My long term goal is to race Top Fuel Hydro someday. Top Fuel Hydro is the fastest class in drag boat racing and they run about 3.5 seconds in 1000 feet at about 250+ mph. I think that racing in that class would be the most extreme adrenaline rush that I could ever experience.”

As many women coming into motorsports know, there are many challenges in this sport. Tough decisions to be made, as anyone would have too. But being a woman in a man’s world is another thing. “At the beginning, I received a lot of back lash. At one race, I had many competitors try to get me disqualified in my very first year in my boat.” Shelby says. She believes that most of my competitors look at her differently, whether it’s good or bad, because she is female and so young. Now that she has achieved quite a bit of success, most people do respect her. Shelby believes that she is held at a higher standard because she is one of the only girls in drag boat racing. She says, “I do believe that people judge me more and that I am watched in everything I do on and off the track.”

I wish that they would just look at me as a competitor instead of a 20 year old girl. Some people believe that I have gotten everything handed to me or that I’ve just gotten lucky. I hope that I have proved most doubters wrong because I have worked extremely hard for where I am and I continue to work hard every day to strengthen my career.”

Accomplishments

Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series Personal Watercraft 2 Championship in 2010
Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series Division 2 Top Eliminator Runner-Up Championship
Southern Drag Boat Racing Series Top Eliminator Runner-Up Championship
Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series Division 2 Pro Eliminator Championship
Southern Drag Boat Association Pro Eliminator Championship
Lucas Oil Drag Boat Racing Series Division 2 Pro Eliminator Championship- 2015
Southern Drag Boat Association Pro Eliminator Championship – 2015

These past three years, I have also been nominated for the Southern Drag Boat Association ET Driver of the Year Award and last year, I received the prestigious Jimmy Tucker Memorial Award.”

Making A Difference

Taking on such a roll to help young girls out by starting a campaign on her Facebook page, “Fill My Boat with Barbies.” Shelby felt by collecting these barbies, she would donate them to the Barbie Care and Share to help young girl get the opportunity to experience a happy Christmas, Birthday, and other special occasions. Shelby has also been involved with the Junior Drag Boat Racing League as a mentor. She’s helped young kids learn how to drive a boat and have driven with them while they race competitively against other young kids. This means a lot to Shelby. She stated, “it is important that the sport of drag boat racing doesn’t die with my elders.”

We need to get kids involved so our sport continues to grow and prosper. My goal is to get people to follow their dreams, because if I would’ve listened to the people who told me I couldn’t make this happen, I wouldn’t be where I am today. No matter how big your dream seems, it is possible, and that’s what I want people to remember.”

Receiving Support From Family & Friends

Shelby is following the footsteps of her father, whom she has idolized since she was a little girl. She is creating lasting memories with her dad, while he puts his own boat on hold for her career. It surprised her because she knew how much this sport had meant to him. “It’s funny because he’s more worried about me being successful than himself and I’m more worried about him being successful than myself.” Shelby says. As she continues to become successful, her parents are very supportive of Shelby’s dreams, along with the rest of her family and crew chiefs.

I am extremely lucky that I have been blessed with people in my life that they’re dream is to see my dreams come true. As for my friends go, they have been supportive since day one. They think it’s pretty cool that they have a professional drag boat racer as a friend, and some of them come to the races when they can. I’ve also made many friends through racing, and they come and cheer for me all the time.”

Featured Racer: Tiana Berkeley

October 11, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Racing has always been a part of Tiana Berkeley’s family life. She spent her childhood years at the racetrack watching her father race, and he grew up much the same watching his father race before him. But when she grew a little older, she surprised her father by not only taking an interest in the sport, but jumping behind the wheel and getting down and dirty.

“I have not had any [formal] training, my dad has been my coach but I taught myself how to get around the track. It was a learning experience and basically trial and error for me.”

A Colville, Washington native, Tiana Berkeley has been racing for 5 years, starting in the four cylinder ranks in 2011. She earned Rookie of the Year at Northport Raceway in the class, and went on to become the first female to win a championship in the Four Cylinder class for 2012. In 2013, she again would win the championship in the Four Cylinder class, this time at Eagle Track Raceway in Republic, WA.

After 3 years dominating the four cylinder class, Tiana Berkeley would move up to the Modified ranks, competing under the No. 45 in purple IMCA a-mod she says is a tribute to her late grandfathers.

“My car number is 45, because that is the number my Grandpa Jerry used to run when he raced. Most of the car is purple because that is the color for pancreatic cancer awareness and my Grandpa Brad passed away from it. They both passed in 2006 and I wanted the car to be a tribute to them due to the fact that they both loved racing.”

She would place third in her first year at Eagle Track Raceway in 2014 and go on to win the championship this season, remaining the first and only female to have won the championship in track history.

For Tiana, her last 5 years have filled with great experiences with the family. She graduated high school one year early to work in the family owned business, Colville Printing as a Graphic Designer. With her dad handling all of the mechanical aspects of the car (‘he’s the best mechanic a girl could ask for’ she says), Tiana is able to focus on driving, learning the ropes quickly as she moves up the ranks. But she wasn’t as well received by all of her fellow racers, adding that she encountered some unexpected animosity.

“People I have known for my entire life have treated me differently since I have began racing with and against them, and beating them makes it even worse. That has been tough since I am a very caring person and I wouldn’t expect it from them.”

Tiana Berkeley says she’s dealt with lots of tough criticism from those who believe that women should be behind the wheel of a racecar. But Tiana doesn’t want to be viewed any differently than any other driver.

“I always treat everyone the same. I use sportsmanship and hope that they will eventually accept that I won’t be knocked down due to their criticism.”

Her toughest critic though has always been herself. Wanting to improve and do better, she tends to beat herself up a lot, and can be very hard on herself after a tough event. But for Tiana, she knows that no matter the situation, she has to persevere.

“I learned that someone is always going to have something negative to say, no matter what the situation. Don’t let it get to your head. Keep pushing through and strive to reach your goals. Let the negativity be your motivation to always be the best that you can be. Racing is not just a male dominate sport, women can be successful too.”

Tiana plans to travel with the car and learn from other great drivers around the northwest, and is looking forward to learning how to drive on different surfaces and track conditions with more cars.

On the Edge with Dina Parise

September 22, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Former Ice Capades and current IHRA Pro Mod Star Dina Parise sat down on camera for the first Horsepower & Heels VIDEO interview. She talks about her career, the switch from professional ice figure skater to the world of drag racing, her experience in the racing world, and MUCH more!

One of the most colorful female racers out on the drag racing circuit, Dina Parise is one of our favorites! She currently is the Crower Pro Mod class points leader in the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing series.

Learn about Dina and her beautiful 3,000 HP 2013 Cadillac CTSV Pro Mod ‘Stella’

Featured Racer: Ashley Strickland

September 4, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Dials, Digs and Dresses- Ashley Strickland, the 23-year old drag racer, former collegiate volleyball player and pageant queen from Concord, NC shows her diversity and success in a unique blend of experiences.

Family Racing Roots

As a small child, Ashley Strickland routinely frequented the local racing circuits with her father, an avid bracket racer who competed in the non-electronics classes. She remembers vividly her father’s Lenco-equipped Dodge Daytona, which he raced consistently throughout her childhood, upgrading to a short-wheelbased Anglia. Watching her father’s racing adventures, she was eager to enter the junior dragster ranks, begging her parents to allow her to compete in the Junior Drag Racing leagues.

During Christmas when I was seven years old, Santa Claus brought me my first junior dragster! I made my first pass when I was 8 years old, and started running regularly when I was the age of 10.”

With the help of her dad, she campaigned in the Junior Dragster series for several years before moving up into “big cars” of the Top Eliminator class in 2007 at the age of 15. She entered in a few bracket races at non-sanctioned tracks that would allow her to drive under the age of 16, and did some grudge racing on the east coast. Once her sixteenth birthday arrived, she was a staple in the highly competitive IHRA Top Eliminator Class, winning three races, two runner-up finishes and several semi-final showings in her first year in the class.

Her younger brother, who makes up the other half of her Strickland Racing team, joined in the Junior Ranks as well, and the pair have benefitted from lots of coaching from Dad, who sold his racecar to focus on his children’s racing careers.

My dad has constantly given me driving lessons over the years. I have gotten endless speeches about what to do and what not to do in any given situation. I have always tried to hold an open mind and learn as much as I possibly can.”

Volleyball Scholarship puts racing on hold

The young teenager balanced her high school workload, a part time job, school athletics career, and racing with precision and determination. But her busy schedule would come to a cross road nearing her graduation, and important decisions had to be made. Ashley accepted a volleyball scholarship at Averett University in Danville, Virginia.

When I was traveling and visiting colleges, I never knew about college sports being year-round… I had always drag raced in addition to playing volleyball, and decided to hang up my drag racing for the most part as I played volleyball in college. I moved to a different state and focused on my new passion of volleyball at the time.”

This put racing on the backburner while she attended college and focused on her volleyball schedule. When her schedule allowed, she would return home to race from the end of April until the first of August. Just in this limited schedule run, Ashley won two races and made several semi-final appearances in regional races around the North Carolina area. Despite the limited schedule, Ashley still finished in the top 15 of the area’s series championship points standings.

Trading in her helmet for a tiara

While in her freshman year of college, a flyer would catch Ashley’s eye while studying for her finals. The local Miss Danville-Pittsylvania County pageant was looking for contestants, and on a whim, Ashley decided to enter. She paid her $50 entry fee, wearing one of her high school prom dresses and recruiting the help of a family friend to do her hair.

My mom, Mrs. Tammy, and my brother and I traveled up to Virginia, where I went to college, and stayed in the dorm rooms while I competed in the pageant. I knew I wouldn’t win. I had no talent, didn’t go to the gym and workout a day in my life (for the swimsuit category), and had no idea how to walk in heels and a bathing suit on stage in public. I actually “youtubed” how to accurately walk in heels and do a “pageant bikini walk”, and other pageant items.”

But winning is exactly what Ashley ended up doing, taking the overall pageant win as well as the swimsuit and interview portions of the competition. She was named “Miss Danville-Pittsylvania County”, and then went on to compete for the title of Miss Virginia, for the chance to represent the state in the national “Miss America” pageant.

She has competed in a few more competitions since, recently winning the title of The Southeast Thresher’s Queen in June, representing the Southeast’s largest Antique Farm and Tractor event in the annual Independence Day celebration. Her experiences in the seemingly polar-opposite worlds of drag racing and pageantry proved to be very complimentary, as Ashley recounts that the quick-thinking interview portion of pageants were not unlike the quick reaction and lighting sharp reflexes and thinking needed in drag racing, helping her keep cool under pressure.

During the interview portion, you have to be able to think quickly. Drag racing gave me the ability to think quick and act in an appropriate manner in order to answer all questions that were given to me, not just skirt around an answer. Though drag racing definitely did not help the part of walking in heels, I would not have been as well-rounded in the pageant world if it were not for my drag racing background.”

Returning to her love of racing

In 2012, Ashley would return home, transferring to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She would also return to her first love of drag racing, running the full schedule in 2012. She won five races, had six final round appearances, and numerous semi-final finishes. She placed in the top eight at her local IHRA track, was crowned the NHRA 2012 zMAX NHRA Track Champion, and earned a spot in the NHRA Division 2 Race of Champions in her first year competing in the NHRA. Just one thousandths of a second separated her from being named the NHRA Division 2 Super Pro Champion at her first Race of Champions appearance.

In 2013, Ashley would again land in the top 10 in IHRA Track Championship points for the season, as well as a Top 10 finish in the IHRA finals. She would move onto running Super Comp in IHRA in 2014,capture two semi-final appearances in same weekend (21 rounds of eliminations won in two days), a NHRA LODRS Division 2 appearance as well as an NHRA national event appearance in Atlanta, also finishing in the top 10 for Rockngham Dragways yearly points championship.

Ashley recently graduated from UNCC, earning her degree in Psychology, and a double minor in Biology and Women’s and Gender Studies. She works as an Account Executive at ESPN Radio in Charlotte, and coaches Volleyball in her off-time.

I still coach, and coach on the national level. Coaching allows me to still be involved in the sport, yet give me the ability to affect young girls lives and support them in ways that I wished I had received while I was playing in college. “

Racing on

Her 14 year racing career continues to thrive as well, racing her Race Tech dragster, powered by a NASCAR Dodge R5 engine every opportunity she has.

Recently, we have teamed up with Joey Arrington at Race Engines Plus for our engine design and combination. Noah and I both run a R5 NASCAR engine that is designed and built by MOPAR. It is a street legal, and NASCAR legal engine that we have put into our drag cars. It is a high-winding RPM engine that is tons of fun to drive. “

Like many racers, she feels the most difficult part of the sport lies in finding the funds to compete. Ashley has worked hard with her family to put together a team able to be competitive an offer value. Her partnerships with companies like Speedwire which helped with electronics, AED with the engine carburetor that has allowed her consistency, and many other people along the way have been instrumental to her success staying on the track.

My parents help tremendously with our racing operation. …Without money, cars would not be able to be at their best, nor would drivers be able to attend the races. As a recent college graduate, I have struggled with finances as I have been on my parent’s skirt-tail for the past several years. Now with it time to be on my own, it is a struggle.”

She has had a plethora of positive experiences in the drag racing world, but added that there are a few incidents where being a female in the male-dominated sport of drag racing have resulted in some less than sportsmanlike comments from her competitors. She shakes them off quickly.

It is a given that men do not like to be beat by a girl. …I believe anytime someone is a minority, there will be criticism. In my experience, I have always tried to take criticism and learn from it. If it is negative, I try to make it a better driver and a stronger person in general.”

She credits her parents for raising her to be a strong woman and have a strong mind-set that is able to overcome adversity and succeed in high-pressure environments. She enjoys meeting young kids who look up to her for driving a racecar, and enjoys sharing her story in hopes that it may inspire some to live their dream regardless of obstacles they may encounter. Ashley offers this advice for young, up and comers:

As a female driver, I think that it is very important that you know who you are in order to experience success. By knowing yourself, you will be able to drive better and be an all around better driver. Furthermore, learn your car. Do not rely on other people to do everything for you. Be able to diagnose problems if something were to arise with the car. Pay attention to what your car does in different situations and how your car acts at various tracks. All of this is very important when it comes to being a successful driver. “

In the future, Ashley aspires to make racing a full-time profession, adding that Top Fuel would be her ultimate dream. While she says that it may not be always a realistic goal for her personally, she would love the opportunity if it presented itself.

It seems like such an incredible rush, and it would give me the opportunity to see the country in addition to meeting endless people. I love to meet new people everywhere I go, and I feel like I have a diverse background so I am able to relate to all kinds of people, no matter age or gender.”

For now, she says that she will continue racing, and plans to do so for many years to come.

Racing is in my blood, and it is impossible to keep a true racer away from the track. I am looking forward to running a variety of races, but always excited to be on the track no matter where it is!”

Horsepower & Heels wishes you the best of luck, Ashley Strickland!

Featured Driver: Ashley Huffman

July 31, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

At the young age of 26, Ashley Huffman has amassed the colorful resume of a seasoned veteran in Drag Racing. Her racing career spanning 18 years, she has driven everything from Junior Dragster up to Top Alcohol Dragster, and has her sight set on returning to the TAD class for that elusive Wally.

Starting on the Ice: A Family Passion

A third generation racer, Ashley comes from a long racing pedigree. Her grandmother Jackie and father Rick both accomplished snowmobile racers, Ashley’s first experience at competitive racing came at age 8 when she entered the kid’s class at the “Grass Drags” snowmobile race aboard a Ski Doo Mini Z. She took second place in her first race.

…the only reason I didn’t win was because the other kid had wheels on his sled. Competitive much? [she laughs] After that moment, I was hooked and have been racing ever since.”

Ashley continued racing snowmobiles that year, finishing 2nd overall. The following year, she improved and took 1st place overall in the class. Huffman’s family moved shortly after from her hometown of Saskatoon in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan to Calgary in Alberta. Her father continued racing snowmobiles on pavement for some years, and Ashley would get her introduction into drag racing’s Junior Dragster program. At the age of 10, her parents bought her very first Junior Dragster, which she would pilot to 16 second elapsed times in the 1/8th mile. She won her very first race out in the class, and spent all summer at the track with her family, enjoying the sport they all loved together.

Junior Dragster to Super Pro

The family passion continued on for Ashley well into her teen years in the Junior Dragster class. At 13, she would represent Canada in the 2002 World Finals, placing 3rd overall. She would pick up the Division 6 National Open event win in Ashcroft, B.C. in 2003, and the Medicine Hat, AB event win in 2004. In 2005, she would finish as the series champion in the Junior Dragster points chase. Turning 16 that year, Ashley would make the move to Super Pro for the following season, the rookie year for her in an adult class. She would finish 2nd in overall points for Super Pro.

I will never forget one race in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, I was 16 and I was racing in S/P for the Wally! I made it all the way to the final round, I was so pumped my first Wally final in an “Adult Car” and not a Junior Dragster. I was in the staging lanes all belted in and my opponent came up beside me and his crew guy came over, looked at me, then looked at the name on the side of the car and yelled at his driver “YOU’RE RACING A GIRL, YOU GOT THIS IN THE BAG”! I remember my dad was pacing because he was so nervous that I heard this guy, and I did but I blocked it out and showed him that even A GIRL can win the big races and sure enough the Wally was handed to me at the end of the day! It was a very proud moment for me!”

Licensing in Top Alcohol Dragster

With such success throughout her teen years, the culminating highlight came in the form of a very special high school graduation gift from her parents. 17 year-old Huffman would fly down to Gainesville, Florida to attend Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School in hopes of completing the Top Alcohol Dragster Program and earning her TAD license. The 3-day school consisted of classroom instruction, cockpit orientation and 2 days of on-track performance review. Florida weather condensed her track time significantly, forcing Ashley to make 6 runs in the dragster in one day. The process was mentally and physically demanding on young Huffman, who was overwhelmed by a combination of excitement, nerves and adrenaline. Less than 10% of drivers complete the requirements to satisfy the tough TAD Licensing test during the 3-day course, but Ashley defied those odds, becoming the first and only Canadian female to license in Top Alcohol Dragster.

I actually ended up doing the school with Diana Harker and her sister Kate was there for support. Kate already had her license at that time. It was really neat to do the school with another female racer! Frank Hawley puts on an incredible school, I learned so much from him and his team and the classroom time that I had with Frank was immeasurable! That man knows Drag Racing inside and out and taught me how to be a better driver!”

Ashley began her Top Alcohol Dragster career as a driver in 2008. She was named the Most Improved/Up & Coming driver in 2009, and took her first win at the 2010 IHRA Nitro Jam Rocky Mountain Nationals in Edmonton, AB, becoming the first female to ever win in the class, the first event winner from Canada, and the first blower car in the class to record a win.

I was so pumped to be racing there since it was one of my hometown tracks, the stands were full and I was ready! I ended up winning the race and became the first blown dragster to win, the first Canadian and the first female to ever win in that class and I did it all at home! I was so proud of not only myself but my entire team! It was definitely a great moment.”

Being just 21 years old, Ashley found she really had to work hard to earn the respect of racers in the series, adding that she dealt with her fair share of rumors and critics. She didn’t let it get to her, choosing instead to let her performances on the track speak for her, earning their respect.

I definitely had to prove myself to all the racers and show that I deserved to be there just like them. There were always RUMORS going around and some people just did not have nice things to say about me, and that’s fine. I proved myself when I was on that track. I proved that I loved drag racing and that I could compete with them and that I earned my stripes.”

2011 would be the last in TAD for Huffman, as she would step down as driver and returned to her own racing program.

Return to Family-based Racing

Now 26, Ashley has returned to racing in the Top Dragster class, driving the family-owned 2006 TnT Dragster with a 565”BBC in Edmonton’s Top Eliminator Club series. The car runs consistent 7.18 second E.T.s at 190 mph. The entire family has a hand in the race day activities, a fact that makes Ashley proud “…we either all do this together or not at all!”

I honestly could not continue in this sport without the help from my Father, Rick, Mother, Barb and Husband, Chad. They are my rock and they all play very crucial roles in our racing operations! My mom is my biggest supporter and fan and has always been there for me through the good weekends and the bad weekends. My Dad was my first crew chief and I have so much respect for him and his love of drag racing. I can guarantee you have never met a man as passionate about drag racing as my father. He has taught me how to be a driver, and I can only hope that one day I am as good as he is. My Husband, Chad grew up at a race track so he is no stranger to the drag strip. He would always be at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton watching his Uncle race every weekend and now with me I have brought him behind the scenes and he is on the line right there beside me for every run! He supports me in every single way and has made every effort to learn every possible thing about drag racing”!

Ashley Huffman beyond the track

Away from the track, Ashley works as a marketing analyst for a large global oil and gas service provider. She fills her spare time practicing yoga, adding that it helps keep her focused at the races as well. She has the mantra “Breathe” tattooed on her clutch foot as a lasting reminder.

I do a ton of yoga, and I find that being able to find that calmness and allowing yourself to just breathe really helps when you are racing, plus you get a killer workout ;). Regardless of what class you are racing in or how fast your car goes, drag racing is all about being FOCUSED! If you’re not focused and in the zone you are not going to be all that successful!”

Looking to the Future

Huffman plans to continue racing her T/D program. She and her husband Chad are in the process of purchasing the dragster operation from her parents, allowing them retire in their beautiful home in Huatulco, Mexico.

She hopes to be able to save enough for a return to the Top Alcohol Dragster class. Ashley would love a TAD return for a chance to claim her first Wally.

I think the biggest road block for any racer is sponsorship and financials to continue travelling to all the races, entrance fees, fuel, parts etc. One of our biggest road blocks was living in Canada and racing in the United States. Every race was at least a 12-24 hour tow. That gets expensive really quickly. Without the help of all of my sponsors, I would have never been able to follow my dream!”

Although sponsorship can be tough to find, especially for the costs associated to running a Top Alcohol Dragster program, Ashley remains focused and optimistic. She adds that this is one of the most important keys to finding success as a woman in the sport.

DO NOT LET PEOPLE DISCOURAGE YOU! You can do anything that you want to do, male or female. There are always going to be people who don’t have anything nice to say, but at the same time, there will be so many more people who stand by behind you, root for you and support you. Keep those people close because at the end of a long hard race day when you lose a race by 0.0007 and give the stripe back, you need those people there!”

Ashley loves entertaining questions from other ladies wanting to try racing on her social media accounts. She adds that talking to other racers and teams can really help newcomers learn the ropes and make friends in the pits.

We are all pretty friendly and love talking to other people about our race cars! I love seeing women getting into this sport and there are definitely a lot more women now than when I first started racing.”

After all, Ashley Huffman said it best herself (on the back of her Alcohol Dragster Hero Card): “It’s all fun and games, ’til you get beat by a girl”

Featured Racer: McKenna Haase

July 8, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

McKenna Haase isn’t your average teenager. The 18 year-old Des Moines, Iowa native shows poise and savvy beyond her years. On the eve of her high school graduation, where she would walk at the head of her Carlisle High School class with prestigious valedictorian honors, McKenna Haase would add a historic win at century-old Knoxville Speedway to her already impressive career. Drive, passion and razor-sharp talent can all but guarantee the name McKenna etched just the first of a long list of memorable highlights for the record books.

Mall Encounter inspires Racing Career

For most young girls, a trip to the mall may inspire her growing fashion sense, but for McKenna, a chance encounter at a mall in Tennessee would serve as the spark that would ignite her racing passion.

I became interested in racing when I met Kasey Kahne in a shopping mall in Tennessee and began following racing. I also watched one of my cousins race in Oklahoma and continued to follow the sport.”

Haase’s encounter with NASCAR star Kasey Kahne so deeply impacted her that she began the difficult task of convincing her parents – who had no racing ties – to allow their daughter to participate in a sport they disliked. No easy task, McKenna names this as one of the toughest hurdles in her young career. But, after much prodding, they finally conceded and allowed McKenna to begin racing at the Karting level.

I raced at Slideways Karting Center for two years before getting my own racecar after many years of trying to talk my parents into it. I think early on my biggest roadblock was talking my parents into allowing me to be a part of a sport they weren’t very fond of. I felt like we were always arguing over whether or not I could go to the races, and then later on, get a racecar.”

Without family racing knowledge, McKenna and her father would rely on driving techniques she would pick up studying in-car camera videos and other live racing events they attended. She put these techniques to practice at public karting facilities, honing her early skills behind the wheel.

Moving up for McKenna Haase

From there, she began her trek up the ranks. Beginning in 2010, she would make quick work to the top of the Box Stock Outlaw Karts category at English Creek Speedway (Knoxville, IA). Haase would finish in the Top 3 of all the A-Main points races there, securing a top 5 A-Main finish, a B-Main win at the Got Milk? Nationals in Hartville, MO, and a 7^th place finish at the Outlaw Dirt Kart Nationals (Knoxville, IA).

In 2011, she would return to the Box Stock Outlaw Kart class, besting her performances all-around with a 3^rd place finish at the Got Milk? Nationals in Hartville, another 3^rd place finish at the Outlaw Dirt Kart Nationals, and 15 wins & 22 second place combined heat & feature finishes throughout the season. All of this resulted in a runner-up finish for the 2011 English Creek Speedway points championship.

After quick success in the Box Stock Outlaw Kart ranks, McKenna would make the move in 2012 to Restrictor/Open Micro Sprints. She would travel to a variety of tracks to compete, claiming two feature wins and 16 top ten finishes out of the 20 race schedule. She even claimed a 2nd place finish at the Warren County Speedway Nationals in 2012.

2013 would see McKenna in the running for the A-Class/Open/Outlaw Micro Sprints. Of the 16 races she entered, 14 of them were top ten finishes, with a 1^st place finish in the Tulsa Shootout heat race.

By 2014, she had graduated 305 Sprint Cars, competing in the Knoxville Championship Cup Series at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa. She claimed 3 heat wins, 5 top ten finishes in her first 7 feature starts and finished 2^nd overall, which was the highest finish from a female in the raceway’s 100+ year history at the time.

That record wouldn’t stand long, because on the eve of her high school graduation, McKenna captured her first 305 Sprint win at Knoxville Raceway, and sealed her name permanently into the record books with her historic win.

Balancing Life and Racing

With such success and dedication, it is easy to forget that Haase accomplished all of this while enrolled full-time in high school, participating in a variety of athletic sports, and maintaining a flawless 4.0 G.P.A.

Athletically, I’ve participated in a variety of other sports other than racing that has helped to keep me in shape for racing. I’ve always been a believer in having a good education and trying hard in school, and as I head to college to study finance, I’ve found that my business background has really helped me with sponsorships, marketing, and merchandise.”

The seemingly tireless McKenna spends much of her free time in the office working on the business side of her racing career, handling the marketing promotions, merchandise sales, and accounting for the team. When needed, she would also jump back into the shop to handle work on the racecar in preparation for upcoming race weekends. Yet still, she set aside time in her bustling schedule for the gym to make sure she was physically on top of her game.

Racing is a full time job both on and off the track, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

With all the attention and dedication that McKenna places on her career, it’s easy to see why the young racer has attained such early success. Her biggest obstacles have come with the increasing costs in moving her way up the ranks. But she hasn’t let anything slow her down, attributing her ability to overcome these hurdles to hard work, and a good support system. Her focus on achieving her goals is paramount, something that has helped her avoid the occasional critic.

I have received criticism in the past but have always tried to steer clear of any drama or anything that might distract me from staying focused on my goals. I’ve found it’s best to look at these situations as a way of making myself stronger and believe it’s best just to stay out of any negative conversations.”

Leading Young Women in Racing

McKenna was also recognized by the Women’s Sports Foundation, partnering with their Project Podium program.

Last year I was partnered with the Women’s Sports Foundation and Project Podium which was a really neat organization to be a part of and is filled with many women that are really inspirational. It’s always neat to see younger girls look up to me (I wish we had more in the sport), and I love hearing when I’ve inspired someone else. I like to see a female’s eyes light up when you talk about racing with them because they watched me race or something I did caught their attention.”

With experience well beyond what her 18 years might lead you to believe, she is able to offer solid advice for young women wanting to enter the sport:

I have so many tips I could share that I’ve learned along the way, but I’ll share a couple that I feel are most important.

#1- Be social- If you’re truly passionate about motorsports, be involved in as much as possible in the sport. Don’t be afraid to talk to new people, no matter their age or background, as you never know who you might meet. There are a lot of amazing people in the racing community, and I believe life’s too short to pass up the opportunity to meet a great friend or connection. Get out there and experience everything motorsports has to offer and enjoy every single second of the ride.

#2- Be genuine- No matter what level you find yourself at in motorsports, be grateful to anyone who helped you get there and never pass up the opportunity to thank them. If you are genuinely humble and grateful in motorsports, people will respect you, and it makes them feel good knowing they support someone who truly appreciates what they’ve done for them.

As McKenna Haase continues into her next life chapter, her long term goal is to drive a World of Outlaws sprint car and ultimately sees a career as a professional racecar driver for herself, wherever that may lead her. One thing is certain, we have only seen the beginning of the McKenna Haase legacy.

We look forward to seeing many more historic firsts for this young fearless female, good luck to you, McKenna Haase!

Female Racer: Sondra Leslie

June 22, 2015 // by Horsepower & Heels

Dating back to when she was just a teenager, 28 year-old Sondra Leslie has followed in the family drag racing tradition. The sister of NMRA Factory Stock racer John Leslie Jr and Street Outlaw Crew Chief Melissa Urist, the Munster, IN native began her racing experiences over 15 years ago, learning the family racing habits. Since then, she’s graduated to her own NMRA Factory Stock race operation, adding another accomplished driver to the family tree.

Racing in the Blood

I was almost inevitable that Sondra would follow in the family footsteps. Much like her other siblings, Sondra would spend her teenage years at NMRA events across the country, helping and learning from her brother. Before she was even old enough to drive, Sondra knew that she wanted to race herself. She was dedicated to learning everything it took to be successful- from the upkeep and mechanical aspect, to the responsibilities of being a team owner and driver.

Breaking into the sport wasn’t always the easiest for Sondra, who despite years of experience at the races, still had to overcome some skeptics within the community.

It’s very hard to get your start in this sport as a women because you are not taken very seriously at first. It’s been a unique experience showing everyone I’m just as dedicated as the next person,” she said of the early critics.

Her big break would come in 2009, when best friend and current crew chief, Ken Bjonnes handed over the keys to his supercharged 2005 Mustang GT and offered her a dream-opportunity: a chance to compete in the NMRA Super Stang class for the entire 2010 season.

Ken Bjonnes has been my teacher since day one. He knew I was a fast learner and with his years of experience behind this sport he was eager to teach me the ins and outs of drag racing,” said Sondra of the valuable coaching he provided.

Sondra wouldn’t let him down, indeed proving to be a fast study that would end her rookie season in the No. 5 position overall in the class. She spent 2011 in the Super Stang class as well, finishing just outside the top ten.

Moving Up- Factory Stock

At the end of her sophomore season, Sondra had the urge to move away from the index racing format of Super Stang and into a heads-up category. With so much family experience in the Factory Stock class, she felt it would be a fitting match. Together with her team and family’s input, the car was completely rebuilt for the 2012 season meeting the Factory Stock rule requirements.

Not all competitors were as supportive of her move into heads-up racing. She was met with vocal critics that unfairly questioned her abilities, and as a result had to learn how best to manage these antagonists.

Several people would give me a hard time because I was a female entering ‘their’ class and would always try to discourage me and question my ability to race, say things like ‘I will never be competitive – I should not even try and come run with them.’ It was difficult at first to handle but you develop some tough skin being in this industry and you learn to just keep at it and always strive to do your best to prove the non-believers you are just as capable as them.”

She has been a staple of the class for the past four seasons, finishing in the top ten every year since her 2012 debut. Her rookie Factory stock season, Sondra would finish No. 7 for the year, improving every year with a 6th place finish in 2013, and up to the No. 4 position at the end of 2014. Much of this she attributes to her family.

So many times my family has stepped up to help me when I needed it the most. My parents for trailering my car to the events, my dad for cooking for us and making sure we ate throughout the day and making sure the car was always clean, my mom for video recording every pass I have ever made, my sister for filling in as crew chief when Ken was not able to make the event and always cheering me on, my brother for all his assistance and advise.”

This season, Sondra and her team upgraded her Factory Stock Mustang with a MPR Racing Engines built Coyote powerplant and C4 transmission. Crew chief Ken and Lund Racing provide all the tuning, and Power by the Hour helped to assemble the car for its season opening debut in Bradenton, Florida for the NMRA Spring Break Shootout. Strange Engineering, her largest sponsor, has been on-board with the program for the past 5 years, and Pappa Shine provides all the cleaning and detailing supplies to ensure the car is always photo-ready. She is currently in the No. 2 position for points in the 2015 season, with 2 events remaining.

Future Goals for Sondra Leslie

Sondra plans to continue working on improving her Factory Stock program, fine-tuning the combination and improving her race day results. Her goal is to put the car into the winner’s circle this season, and is constantly working on ways to improve as a driver.

Most challenging thing about racing for me: Not being so hard on myself. I am always looking for ways to become a better driver and even after having an awesome season opener weekend, there is always that ‘if I didn’t do this…’ or ‘I could have done this better…’ that plays over and over in my mind. My ultimate goal in racing is to be as successful as my brother-in-law, John Urist, and my brother, John Leslie Jr. I have some pretty big shoes to fill, but with their guidance I know I can achieve that goal.”

One of the most important aspects she has learned being a female driver in the sport is to work with people you can trust and always staying humble. There are always people out there who don’t have the best intentions in mind, and this can put a racer in a compromising situation.

Work with people you trust. That’s good advice for anyone, but being a woman in this sport opens you up to certain issues that I’m sure you can imagine.”

For Sondra, continuing the family tradition of drag racing has been a rewarding adventure she cherishes with her family. Not only has she added another branch to the Leslie family racing tree, but she also gets the pleasure of teaching the next generation of racer the ropes, involving her two nieces as much as possible at the racetrack.

Many people dream of following a race circuit and competing in it, I actually live that dream and I’m very grateful for this opportunity.”