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News about female racers, women in the pits and other news stories from the motorsports and automotive world.

Chix Gear Fast 15 team announced

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Chix Gear Fast 15 team 2016Chix Gear Racewear just announced their Chix Gear Fast 15 team for the 2016 season.   The annual contest selects 15 female racers onto the Chix Gear backed Fast 15 team   A total of 242 applications were received for the 2016 contest.

It was a very hard decision and there were SO many great applicants. There is an amazing amount of professionalism and talent in this group of 15.” – Chix Gear Racewear

Follow the success of the Chix Gear Fast 15 team all season long on the new Chix Gear Fast 15 team Facebook page, so make sure to “LIKE” that page!

Chix Gear Fast 15 team

Jenna Johnson – Dirt Late Model, Iowa
McKenna Haase – Sprint Car, Iowa
Tara Longnecker – Bmod, Iowa
Megan Manshack – ATV, Ohio
Lexy VanZandt – BMod, Missouri
Kayli Barker – Asphalt Late Model, Nevada
Shayle Bade – Sprint Car, Nebraska
Brianna Mahon – Monster Truck, Illinois
Savannah Trantham – Sprint Car, Texas
Mandy Chick – Asphalt Late Model – Kansas
Ashley Strickland – Drag Racer, North Carolina
Ashley Capetta – Sprint Car, Pennsylvania
Bri Bandimere – Drag Racer, Colorado
Sarah Burgess – Off Road Truck, California
Skyler Allen – Micro Sprint Car, Kansas

NMRA Rookie of the Year Haley James

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NMRA 2015 Class Champions
Photo: NMRA Digital

Capping a monumental season that saw her first-ever heads-up drag racing competition, first event win, a trip to all 6 event finals and her first National Mustang Racers Association class championship, it is no surprise that drag racing upstart Haley James would be shoe-in for the NMRA’s Rookie of the Year honors.

It seems like just yesterday we flew to Bradenton where I’d let go of that trans-brake for the first time and feel that addicting adrenaline rush that we’re all too familiar with,” said James of her whirlwind season.

At the annual NMRA awards ceremony, held  in conjunction with the PRI show in Indianapolis, Haley James would take the stage to claim her Coyote Modified Class Championship recognition for a dominant season in the CM class.   James, who scored 3 event wins and appeared in all 6 event finals during the NMRA season, earned the top points total with her fox-bodied turbocharged, Coyote-powered coupe.

Haley James Class Champ ringShe would also receive the coveted special Nitto Class Championship ring, a jewel encrusted drag racing Christmas tree class ring traditionally bestowed onto each NMRA class champion at the close of the season to celebrate the honor.

NMRA Rookie of the Year Haley James

The Hellion B-Team would continue to rack up trophies in the special award categories.   Haley’s father and crew chief, Dwayne James, would receive the Crew Member of the Year award, beating out other nominees Susie Wiker and Bruce Hemminger.

None of this would have been possible without my team and their unequivocal dedication, my dad especially, for not only funding everything but also for being the most bad-ass tuner ever.”   

And it would be tough to argue with the selection of NMRA’s new Rookie of the Year Haley James, who claimed the award over nominees Steve Daniels and Ryan Jones.

I never thought I’d see myself in Race Pages, or Drag Illustrated, or standing here, not only with the title of 2015 Coyote Modified Champion, but also 2015 Rookie of the Year.”

Rookie of the Year Haley James2016 plans for #1 Coyote Modified Champ

What’s next for NMRA Rookie of the Year Haley James?   Will she return with the #1 on her window next season to defend her title in Coyote Modified?  Or perhaps take her shot at moving up the ranks into another NMRA class?

The future isn’t decided yet.  James stated that her and her Hellion teammates are awaiting the outcome and official announcement of 2016 NMRA rule changes before solidifying their 2016 race plans.    Could we see the new hot shoe champ return to defend her dominating championship run or perhaps take on a new challenge, moving up and seeking a rookie debut in another class?

One thing is for sure, we have only seen the beginning of Haley James’s drag racing career.

Leave a comment below to congratulate NMRA Rookie of the Year Haley James!

Victory Motorcycle driver Angie Smith eager to return

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Victory Motorcycle driver Angie Smith ready for 2016Victory Motorcycle driver Angie Smith is eager to return to NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle competition in 2016.   The husband-wife power team of Angie and Matt Smith introduced the Victory Motorcycle brand to the NHRA Mellow Yellow drag racing series competition this season, after Victory began looking for a way to get into the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class in late 2014.   They met with a handful of teams before settling on the championship-winning pair.

Tough transition for Victory Motorcycle driver Angie Smith

But pioneering a new build and combination isn’t without its difficulties and challenges, as the team worked hard to develop the new Victory Pro Stock Motorcycle program.    Angie struggled early in the season with the aerodynamics of the new smaller fairing on the Victory race-prototypes.   At one of the first test sessions with the new bike, the team discovered that the Victory’s smaller fairing proVictory Motorcycle Angie Smith duced much higher wind resistance, with Angie’s hand actually blowing off the handlebars on one of her early runs, overpowering her slight build.  She kept control and stayed on the bike, but her confidence suffered.

An NHRA-approved midseason adjustment to the bodywork alleviated some of the wind resistance that the team was fighting, also helping to put the Victory more on par to the other manufacturers in the class in performance and speed.

“It took a while to get my confidence back,” she said. “But toward the end of the season, I was doing a lot better. I think in 2016 we’re going to be really, really good.”

As the season progressed, so did the confidence of Angie Smith.    She began the season at the bottom of the Pro Stock Motorcycle ladder, with a DNQ at the 4-wide Nationals and 7 total #16 qualifying starts.    But midseason, during the Western swing, their tireless efforts would begin to turn around, netting her a #11 qualified position for the Bandimere event and a season-best #8 effort in Maple Grove.

We are 100 percent behind this deal,” Angie said. “There’s no 9-to-5, 40-hour work week. We’ve been putting in all of out time to make this program better because we want to make Victory happy and we want to be happy as racers. We want this partnership with Victory Motorcycles to last a lifetime. We want to get as many people as we can riding Victory Motorcycles. The best way to do that is win because that shows everyone how great these motorcycles are.”

Though she encountered a rocky start in 2015, Smith is no novice to the Pro Stock Motorcycle ranks.   Angie is one of just 15 women in NHRA’s 64-year history to claim a national event trophy, and her crew chief/husband Matt says she will be adding to her career total in 2016.

She’s come a long way over the last couple of years,” he said. “The 2015 season was kind of a setback for her, mainly because of how the wind affects her on the Victory. She’ll be a lot better in 2016. We’ve just got to get her some more laps. She’ll be good next year.”

MotoGirl GT race team at Progressive International Motorcycle Show

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MotoGirl GTThe talented ladies of the all-female MotoGirl GT race team will be attending the Progressive International Motorcycle Show December 11-13th at the Javitz Convention Center in New York, NY.   The team members will be present at the MotoGirl GT/ Evolve GT booth  signing autographs and speaking to fans.

MotoGirl GT has a full season planned for 2016 in both the AMA sanctioned ASRA National Team Challenge Endurance Race series and NJ Mini GP Supermoto Series.   They will be competing aboard a Honda CBR 600 for ASRA competition, while fielding a Honda CRF 150F for the Supermoto series.    This schedule marks the first all-female endurance road race and endurance Supermoto team.

MotorGirl GT’s racing roster is composed of five women Angela Izzo-Sink, Kristin Casey, SJ Harris, Ophelié Zayat and Jaime Byrne.

We are all very excited to join forces for the 2016 racing season. Each of us come from different backgrounds adding our individual strengths to the team. This year will surely be one full of growth and success for all of us racers and our sponsors.” says team member Kristin Casey.

MotoGirl GT has already hit the ground running competing in their first event together this past November at the NJ Mini GP 4 hour Supermoto Endurance Race. These ladies qualified 7th out of 30 teams with under an hour of practice time per racer.

Stop by and visit the MotoGirl GT team!

Future Racer expected at RamonaRX

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RamonaRX is expecting a future little racer in May 2016Race Booties and Bell Bonnets coming for RamonaRX

Ramona Karlsson, Supercardriver and owner of rallycross team RamonaRX, just announced that she is expecting a future little racer in May 2016.     Her pregnancy announcement means a break from the competing in 2016, and also gives some explanation of why she had to bow out of the last competitions in 2015.

It feels really great to finally announce this. I’m so happy, feel very well, and look very much forward to become a mum” Ramona says, with her boyfriend Glenn Matning. “Now we just keep our fingers crossed that everything will go well – after all, it’s quite early yet.”

The future racer has already made his/her first Supercar laps, as Ramona competed in Euro RX Barcelona pregnant, but had to retire due to health issues.

I got surprised an really fascinated of what big physical effort it is to compete in Supercar. I was 100% set to complete the season, but my body wanted something else. I almost laugh when I look back. I’m quite sure that I’m the first driver to take the joker lap  three times in a heat, while vomiting and almost fainting in between. On the other hand, there has not been any other pregnant Supercar driver before me either. After this, I immediately retired the competition, and also decided to retire Italy after the doctor’s advice. I think the baby wanted a more calm and adrenaline free environment, because now we feel great” Ramona laughs.

Ramona KarlssonRa­mo­na Karlsson has been active in motorsports since the age of four.  She began in rally around 2001, after a career in mo­tocross, crosskart and ral­lycross. She has won the Swedish Crosskart Championship two times, and has also two Swedish Championship medals in Junior Rallycross.

Ramona has become one of Sweden’s most successful female Rally drivers, winning several World Rally stages.  In 2013, she became the first Swedish woman ever to secure an outright victory in the Swedish Championship final together with her co-driver Miriam Walfridsson in their Skoda Fabia WRC.    She was voted to “Rallydriver of the year” in Sweden that year.    Ramona became the world’s first female driver in Supercar in 2014, and soon she carved out a reputation around the paddock as a tough racer; making her World RX debut in Portugal reaching the semi finals, and took heat victory at Höljes.  In 2015, Ramona becomes the world’s first female driver to run her own Supercar team in FIA European Rallycross Championships.

Ramona aims to return to the track again in 2017, and during 2016 she will work with other motorsport projects that she will reveal soon.

It’s very much exciting and fun things happening right now, and I keep my fingers crossed that I will continue to feel well and healthy during the rest of the pregnancy” Ramona says.

New ride: Leah Pritchett joins Bob Vandergriff Racing

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Leah Pritchett joins Bob Vandergriff Racing
Photo: NHRA.com

NHRA Top Fuel driver, Leah Pritchett just announced that she will be joining the Bob Vandergriff Racing team in 2016 to field a second Top Fuel dragster with the support of Quaker State.     Pritchett, who became a free agent last month when her Dote Racing team lost the Gumout sponsorship, pairs with teammate Dave Connolly, who returns driving the C&J Energy Services dragster for the full 2016 Mello Yello Drag Racing Series schedule.

This will be Pritchett’s first full season since joining the Top Fuel ranks in 2013.  Leah began her racing career in the Junior Dragster ranks at the age of eight before moving on to a successful Nostalgia Funny Car and Pro Mod driving career.

The opportunity to run a complete NHRA Top Fuel season has been a goal that I have worked towards for a very long time,” said Pritchett. “I am beyond excited for the opportunity to focus on making the countdown next season, competing for a Championship, working alongside Bob Vandergriff Jr., and re-introduce the Quaker State brand back into the NHRA.  This dream is now a reality, thanks in large part to the vision of Bob Vandergriff Jr., as well as the support of great companies and people along my way to this personal and professional milestone, and of course my fans.”

Leah Pritchett joins Bob Vandergriff RacingQuaker State will be the primary sponsor of five NHRA races with associate sponsorships on both BVR Top Fuel Dragsters. Vandergriff is working hard in the off-season to secure more sponsors for the remaining races on the schedule. Quaker State has a long history with NHRA dating back to the ‘80s. The last car they sponsored was Tony Pedregon’s Nitro Funny Car which won the 2007 NHRA Funny Car Championship.

Bob Vandergriff Racing has presented Quaker State with an opportunity to get back into the NHRA, and we couldn’t be more excited for the 2016 season,” said Gita Gidwani, Quaker State Global Brand Manager. “Quaker State is a hardworking motor oil that has great synergies for working with a hardworking and dedicated driver like Leah Pritchett and we look forward to backing her as she continues her impressive NHRA career.”

We have two young drivers with extensive racing backgrounds, so 2016 should be an exciting year for BVR,” added Vandergriff. “Our goal is to put both Dave and Leah in the top 10 and take home the championship this year.” 

 

Megan Meyer in Top Alcohol Dragster

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Megan MeyerNHRA rising upstart Megan Meyer is following in her father’s big footsteps.   Randy Meyers, driver and tuner of some of the quickest and most successful A/Fuel dragsters in the NHRA’s Top Alcohol Dragster class history, has been grooming his 22 year-old daughter to follow in the family TAD legacy.   After two years of training and a successful regional event debut earlier this year, the NHRA Central Region Rookie of the Year nominee will join her father on the NHRA circuit in 2016 as teammate and driver for a full national campaign.

Meyer drove to her first final-round finish in her Top Alcohol Dragster debut at the St. Louis regional event in August.    Pleased with the promising performance, she is now poised for the 18-race schedule in 2016, with 10 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series (LODRS) national events and eight LODRS regional races.

Entering the Lucas Oil national points series is such a dream come true for me. I’ve been looking forward to this my entire life and now that it’s almost here, it seems surreal. After watching my dad take home a national points championship back in 2003 with Alan Bradshaw driving, and getting a first-hand look at what it takes to become a national points leader, I have complete faith our team will be a front-runner in 2016. My dad has instilled the skills of dedication, determination, sacrifice, and hard work in my upbringing, and I believe having him as crew chief of our amazing crew, consisting of my mother and little sister, is going to be the best combination in 2016,” Meyer said assuredly.

Megan Meyer TADMegan Meyer graduates from Kansas’ Pittsburg State University this month, and will hit the road in 2016 across the country.  The Herbalife 24 team will compete at NHRA national events in Gainesville, Charlotte, Houston, Norwalk, Chicago, Brainerd, Indianapolis, Reading, and Dallas.   In addition, Megan will run the full NHRA Central Region schedule, with races in Belle Rose, Tulsa, Topeka, Earlville, and Noble – and the North Central Region events in Chicago, St. Louis and Bowling Green.

I am determined to end up number one or two in the Central Region points series, and would like to win my very first NHRA national event. Also, I cannot wait for the chance to finally race my dad – hopefully in a final round! I still plan on bracket racing my Super Comp dragster next year at a few local E.T. Races with my sister to stay sharp between NHRA races. Finally, I will be launching my own freelance design business offering my services to other race teams,” added Meyer, a graphic design student.

Though Meyer and her father are still finalizing 2016 sponsorship partners, a new apparel company called Racers Evolved has come on board with Megan that will focus on the needs of racers in all types of motorsports.

I am excited to partner with Racers Evolved because it’s created by racers, for racers. As a female racer, I think there is a big demand for certain ladies textiles that aren’t available for drag racing, because it’s a male dominant sport. With Racers Evolved, we will have all sorts of clothing options that are handpicked by me and available to anyone in 2016 to provide the female racers with proper form-fitted garments,” said Meyer.

 

Erica Enders MOPAR backed in 2016

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Erica Enders/Elite Motorsports Dodge Dart GT

Erica Enders Mopar switch in 2016Two-time NHRA Pro Stock World Champion, Erica Enders announced today (via NHRA.com) that her Elite team will be carrying the MOPAR banner in 2016.   Enders and her Elite Motorsports teammate, Jeg Coughlin Jr. will be leading the factory backed MOPAR team in the Pro Stock ranks, campaigning a new fuel-injected Elite Motorsports Hemi-powered Dodge Dart GT.

The Mopar brand is excited to announce that two proven champions, Erica Enders and Jeg Coughlin Jr. will fly the Mopar colors in the NHRA Pro Stock class next season,” said Pietro Gorlier, Head of Parts and Service for Mopar.  “We couldn’t ask for greater competitors or brand ambassadors to represent us at the drag strip.”

Enders is fresh off a dominating season that saw nine event wins, 11 final-round appearances, and six No. 1 qualifying spots en route to her Back to Back Championship in 2015.   She bested Angelle Sampey for the most wins by a female in one season with her nine victories.   Erica last competed in a Dodge during her 2006-2007 season, and is excited to chase her third consecutive World Pro Stock title in 2016.

“We’re entering a new era of Pro Stock and it’s going to be awesome to take a new Mopar-powered Dodge Dart into 2016 and beyond,” said Enders.  “We won the last two championships with carburetors and now the goal is to win the first one with fuel injection.  The Dart Pro Stock cars look awesome and I’m already very familiar with Mopar because I’ve driven for them in the past.  It’s an honor and a privilege to represent them moving forward.”  

Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 List

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Drag Illustrated 30 under 30Drag Illustrated Announces 1st Annual 30 under 30 List

Drag Illustrated magazine announced its inaugural ‘30 under 30’ Who Make a Difference list celebrating drag racing’s young talent.   The 30 honorees will be featured in Drag Illustrated’s ‘Tomorrow’ Issue, released at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) tradeshow on Thursday, December 10.

A special press conference to honor the 30 members will be held on Thursday at 1:30PM EST in the PRI media center.   The Tommorrow Issue will be available in the Drag Illustrated booth #3449 while supplies last.

“This has been one of the most exciting projects we’ve ever tackled, “ Drag Illustrated Editor-in-Chief Wes Buck said.  “We set out to reward and celebrate the most talented young people the sport of drag racing has to offer, and I could not possibly be more proud of this first-ever Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 class.”

Ladies of Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30

Seven talented women of drag racing made the inaugural Drag Illustrated 30 Under 30 list out of nearly 5,000 nominations received.

  • Brittany Force, NHRA Top Fuel Driver
  • Leah Pritchett, NHRA Top Fuel Driver
  • Megan Fessel-Schumacher, NHRA Blogger/Social Media, DSR
  • Ashley Sanford, NHRA A Fuel Driver
  • Mia Tedesco, NHRA A Fuel Driver
  • Lizzy Musi, PDRA Pro Modified Driver
  • Tera Wendland-Graves, Nostalgia Driver
  • Audrey Worm, Nostalgia NFC Driver, Business professional

Congratulations to all of these hard-working, talented young ladies!

Melanie Salemi’s rookie Pro Mod season

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Melanie Salemi Pro BoostPDRA Pro Boost racer Melanie Salemi will celebrate the end of her rookie Pro Mod season at the PRI Show this week in Indianapolis, IN.    Melanie and her beautiful G-Force Racing 1968 Pro Boost Firebird will be on display in the Ross Pistons Booth #1801 December 10-12, 2o15 at the racing industry’s largest tradeshow.

Melanie Salemi’s Rookie Pro Mod Season

Melanie Salemi wins Dragstock XII in Pro BoostMelanie took on the tough competition all season long in the PDRA’s Pro Boost class, earning her first win in just her second start in the class at the Dragstock XII event in Rockingham, North Carolina.   Salemi qualified #3 at the event, before running consistent 3.86 second elapsed times through the eliminations rounds, taking out Anthony Disomma in the final to become the first woman to earn a professional victory in the PDRA’s Pro Boost class.

It’s been an awesome experience to say the least. I know it’s cliché but my team is so great. I don’t really feel that there is another team as versatile as ours. Every aspect of this car is built and maintained under our own roof. Engine, chassis, tuning, maintenance and management, It really is a one stop shop.  Without the effort from my entire team this just wouldn’t be possible. I feel it’s huge advantage and has all of us very excited for 2016 and beyond”, stated Salemi.

Melanie Salemi G-Force 68 Pro Boost FirebirdSalemi plans for 2016 season

The Melanie Salemi Racing team isn’t sitting idle during the off-season.   They plan to switch their combination to an electronic fuel injection system with the support of Fueltech USA to maximize engine efficiency and allow them better tuning control and management on the track.   They plan to begin on-track testing in January with the new combination after they conclude extensive dyno testing on their in-house engine dyno.