Women in Racing News - Horsepower & Heels

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

Project Speed: Holbrook and Mueller attempt Land Speed Record

July 27, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Project Speed: Holbrook and Mueller attempt Land Speed Record

Motorsport hot shoe Shea Holbrook will join fifteen USA national Cycling champion Denise Mueller in attempt to be the first woman in cycling history to break the paced bicycle land speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Holbrook will pilot the pace car in which Mueller will draft, to bore a hole through the wind at very high speeds. In what they are calling Project Speed, the duo of Holbrook and Mueller will attempt Land Speed Record run this fall.

Project Speed is one woman’s story of athletic empowerment. The spirit of Project Speed began in 1899, when Charles “mile-minute” Murphy paced the world’s fastest train-the Long Island express- to 60 mph on a single speed track bicycle. Newspapers of the day reported “women fainted at the news!” In the 117 years since that feat, the ultimate bicycle speed record has changed hands eleven times, always by men.

That final bastion of male dominance ironically may fall at the hands of one of the most powerful cyclists in the world, who happens to be a woman who has never fainted. Denise Mueller owns fifteen USA Cycling national championships and is gunning for the ultimate paced speed record of 167 mph set nearly 20 years ago by world motor pacing champion Fred Rompelberg of the Netherlands.

To complete the powered by women theme, the Range Rover Sport SVR pace car will be driven by professional driver Shea Holbrook. The 26-year-old is a 6-time Pirelli World Challenge winner and has competed in the International Hot Rod Association driving a jet dragster at 278 mph.

“Denise has unbelievable athletic ability and willpower like none other I’ve seen. From the moment we spoke over the phone there was an unexplainable connection and I knew I wanted to be a part of what will be a historical moment. I’m ecstatic to take on the responsibility of being Denise’s pace car driver. Ultimately, I will drive the car that literally bores a hole through the wind and allows Denise to draft at very high speeds. Something I cannot wait to do,” a thrilled Holbrook said of the opportunity.

Denise Mueller, equally as thrilled to have Shea Holbrook as part of the female team explained Holbrook’s importance to Project Speed.

“Shea fills the gap we were searching for making what I believe, a dynamic duo. Her expertise behind the wheel, ability to engage and fully understand what it will be like for me behind the Hoehn Range Rover and overall charisma fuels us toward achieving this goal,” said Denise Mueller.

Since 1899, motor pacing records have had a long tradition in elite cycling. Fewer than a dozen people have tried, all have been exclusively men that have accomplished the feat. Some attempts have ended in near disaster. Fred Rompelberg set the current paced record of 167 mph behind a modified race car in Bonneville, UT. He nearly died in the attempt, and needed three years to recover after initially crashing on the salt at over 140 mph.

Mueller and Holbrook will be coached by 3-time Olympic racer and cycling Hall of Famer John Howard. Howard set the world record of 152 mph in 1985 at Bonneville. In addition to being Mueller’s coach, he’s also her biggest supporter.

“Denise has extraordinary power, the highest wattage I’ve seen from a female. She is also an amazing bike handler, having made the podium at the worlds in downhill mountain bike racing,” Howard said of his athlete.

The goal is to get Mueller to beat her coach John Howard’s record by reaching 153 mph and Fred Rompelberg’s paced record by reaching 168 mph. Passion, precision and persistence will all be required to set Denise up for a wildly successful ride across the salt flats. With a best in class team on her side, Denise and Shea are poised to take the salt by storm in September, 2016.

Follow along as Holbrook and Mueller attempt Land Speed Record and learn more on how to get involved at www.TheProjectSpeed.com and/or www.SheaRacing.com. Project Speed is a special program of Perimeter Bicycling, a nonprofit organization (501c3) 100% of your contributions will go to Project Speed & is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Successful Stadium SUPER Truck debut for Sara Price

July 27, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

A successful Stadium SUPER Truck debut for Sara Price at the Honda Indy Toronto event on July 15-17. The 23-year-old Price was the first female to start in the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS competition. The Canyon Lake, California resident made her debut behind the wheel of the 650 hp rated BitTorrent No. 78 after just a single practice session in Charlotte, NC in June.

Sara Price, a Champion motocross and UTV racer, would make three appearances on the 1.755 mi (2.824 km) temporary street circuit throughout the race weekend. Her performance included feats hitting speeds upwards of 140 mph, and launching her BitTorrent No. 78 truck over 20 feet in the air off of the four course aluminum constructed ramps.

Successful Stadium SUPER Truck debut for Sara Price | Friday Practice

Price would take to the track for the first time on Friday afternoon for a 20 minute Practice/Qualifying session. She was careful and cautious, patiently feeling out the No. 78 truck, and avoiding damage. Price would constantly lay down lap after lap, learning the braking zone of each corner and what marks she needed to hit in Saturday’s first race. Feeling comfortable with her driving, Price was already posting competitive times to run toward the front of the pack.

“Practice I had 1 goal to just go out there and get as comfortable as I can with the truck and track and stay calm and collected, keeping the truck in 1 piece and have a good foundation to build speed off of, I did just that!” said Price.

Successful Stadium SUPER Truck debut for Sara Price | Saturday

A historic and successful Stadium SUPER Truck debut for Sara Price would begin Saturday with a start in the 4^th position. The qualification spot is based off a complete inversion from Friday Practice/Qualifying times. In the first lap, Sara experienced mechanical failure, with the truck dying on her. Having to restart it, Price would get passed by multiple competitors. But Sara would keep calm, and resume her own race, learning each time around the tricky circuit. The young California motocross standout would adapt quickly and keep her truck 100% without a scratch to the equally prepared 650 hp high flying trucks. She would finish her successful SUPER truck debut in a very respectable eighth position for her first SST race.

“I lost a lot of positions early on due to my truck turning off but I recovered quickly and stayed out of the carnage, gaining a lot of confidence in the truck, staying smooth and collected. Couldn’t of asked for a cleaner first race and now I know what to expect,” Price said.

Successful Stadium SUPER Truck debut for Sara Price | Sunday

Using the knowledge learned in Saturday’s first race, Price would make her second SST start on Sunday. Turning heads early, and capitalizing on a mistake by former CART/Champ Car Champion and Toronto native Paul Tracy, she would move from the fourth starting position to the lead on Lap-1. Able to hit all her marks, and catapult her truck off the 36 in. high ramps Price, would lead her first three-laps of competition in an impressive way.

A double team by SST standout Robby Gordon of Orange, Calif., and 2015 SST Champion Sheldon Creed of Alpine, Calif., would overtake the newcomer Price. The veteran pair would work their way thru traffic to apply heavy pressure to Price for the lead. A pass on the inside, and the tandem overtook the first two positions.

Sara would hold her ground, running with the lead pack until Lap-8. Her brakes would being fading considerably on her SST, forcing her to miss multiple braking zones. She would ultimately finish in a very respectable ninth place as a result.

Overall, a very successful Stadium SUPER Truck debut for Sara Price, who not only made history as the first woman to compete in the series, but also earned the respect of all her male counterparts by keeping the truck clean and running a good race.

“It was really cool to see Sara running up the front off the pack on Sunday. The way she approached the weekend was a credit to her and sponsors. As they say to finish first, first you must finish! Look out boys there is a new girl in town.” – Paul Morris, Fellow Stadium Super Truck competitor and podium regular, Australian Motorsport Legend.

Price is hungry to return back to the track to look lead more laps and capture her first SST podium finish.

“On the line of the second race I knew what I needed to do and where I could push it, and start being more aggressive, I wanted to show I belong up front and I did just that, leading those 3 lap was a feeling I can’t even describe – the adrenaline was intense, the crowd was going crazy, but I stayed calm and collected and proved I belong up front with the best,” said Price.

Sara’s break through and record setting weekend was supported and fully documented by BitTorrent Inc., a media company dedicated to empowering radical voices in sports, music, film, and more. Their global consumer media platform gives athletes and brands outside the mainstream exposure to over 200 million fans.

Improved performance for Erica Enders in Denver

July 25, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

It has been a difficult season thus far for the reigning NHRA Pro Stock World Champion. But this weekend saw improved performance for Erica Enders in Denver that keeps the Elite driver optimistic for a turn around. Qualifying second for the event is proof that her Dodge Dart is now a contender, despite a second round loss due to parts failure.

Enders earned the No. 2 qualified position for the 37th Annual NHRA Mopar Mile High Nationals with a 6.933 second pass at 198.03 mph. Though it was a less than ideal run, with Enders out of the groove for parts of the run, it was her best qualifying effort to date this season. The Elite team has struggled with their switch to Mopar this season, also contending with rule changes in the Pro Stock class and the drastic move to Fuel Induction.

“We’re certainly pleased with our performance gains this weekend,” Enders said. “It shows that our hard work is paying off. Having said that, we still have a long way to go.”

She beat Alan Prusiensky with one of the best passes in the first round, 6.970 seconds at 197.42 mph. That gave her lane choice against Allen Johnson for the second round, but Johnson’s good fortune in Denver continued.

The two friends and rivals got off the line almost identically, but Johnson sped to the win with a pass of 7.000 seconds at 196.53 mph while Enders lost elapsed time from her first pass and ended up with a run of 7.026 seconds at 195.62 mph.

“We had a parts failure that round,” Enders said. “We should have been able to go out there and run a .98 absolutely no problem because we took where the failure in the run happened and did a run completer from there. We were actually on a better run than Greg (Anderson) in that round and he went a .99.

Though she lost in the second round after an unfortunate parts failure slowed her pass, the improved performance for Erica Enders in Denver means her Dodge Dart is now a contender.

“I think we would have been a solid to low .98. Should have, would have, could have, but it would definitely have been enough to beat AJ. This is just his lucky track.”

Johnson ended up racing to his 10th consecutive final round here, beating Vincent Nobile in the final. Enders, meanwhile, looks forward to continuing the Western Swing next weekend in Sonoma, Calif.

“We’ll load up and go to Sonoma definitely with our heads held high because of the gains made here,” Enders said. “I’m looking forward to racing at sea level again, or closer to sea level, and kicking ass in Sonoma.”

Courtney Force finishes second in Denver

July 25, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

NHRA Funny Car driver Courtney Force finishes second in Denver at the 37th Annual NHRA Mopar Mile High Nationals. Force qualified No. 1 for the event, and advanced to her 16th career final round, before falling to her father, John Force in a close race. She leaves the event in the No. 2 position in NHRA Mello Yello Funny Car point standings.

Bandimere Dragway proved to be a successful event for Courtney Force and her Traxxas Funny Car team. The 28 year-old picked up eight key bonus points throughout qualifying, grabbing the No. 1 qualified position with a 3.917 second ET at 318.39 mph. The pole was her tenth career No. 1 start, and Courtney has converted those No. 1 qualified positions into wins in four of those attempts.

“We had a great weekend out here starting off the Western Swing at the Mile High NHRA Nationals in Denver. This is one of the most challenging race tracks and I’m so proud of my team because I definitely think that we turned things around in a huge way coming to this track. We did quite a bit better than we have in the past and it definitely goes to show the type of team that I have working on my car. My crew chiefs, Danny Hood and Ronnie Thompson, they’ve given me a consistent race car round by round,” said Force.

In the opening round of eliminations, the youngest racer in the John Force Racing stable was paired up with Jim Campbell, the first time the two racers had met in competition. Force easily dismissed Campbell, running a 3.972 second, 315.42 mph pass that was good for low of the round and lane choice as she advanced to the quarterfinals.

Her round 2 match-up with Tommy Johnson Jr. marked their fourth meeting this season. Both drivers left with nearly identical reaction times, but Force was able to pull away with an early lead. The Traxxas Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car raced straight down the groove to get the second round win with a 4.016 at 315.56 mph to Johnson Jr.’s 4.032 ET at 315.71 mph. It was an extremely close race with a margin of victory at .0154 seconds, approximately seven feet. Force is now 7-4 against Johnson Jr. in eliminations.

Unfortunately, she lost out on lane choice for the third round of eliminations against teammate and JFR President, Robert Hight. The teammates have met four times this season, with Courtney showing a match-up record of 7-10 against Hight. But a stellar performance by Force leading with an .052 second reaction time and race day low ET of 3.937 seconds at 322.04 mph took the immediate win after Hight red-lighted and fouled out on the starting line. She would take lane choice into the finals against her father, 16-time champion John Force.

The final round would prove to be a close one. John would take a slight advantage at the starting line, which would prove to be all that he needed by the finish. He would take the hole shot win, running 3.965 seconds at 319.45 mph to Courtney’s quicker, but losing 3.963 at 314.75 mph.

“I’m proud of my dad for getting that win. We were right there. He was right out my window the whole way down. I actually thought we had him. We had a little bit of trouble with the belt on the car. It kind of shredded up right at the finish line and he went by me for the win. He’s done a great job all weekend in his Realtree PEAK Camaro and he definitely snuck up on me with that camo, so great job to him and his team, but our Traxxas team is going to be ready for Sonoma,” said Force.

Courtney Force finishes second in Denver, not only for the event, but also in NHRA Mello Yello championship points. The team heads to the next stop of the western swing, the NHRA Toyota Sonoma Nationals, in Sonoma, CA on July 29-31.

“I’m so proud of my guys. We moved up to second in the points in this Traxxas Chevy Camaro. We were one of the fastest on the mountain for the Fastest Name in Radio Control cars. I’m really proud of all they did this weekend. I’m bummed we weren’t able to go home with the win against my dad in the final round, but excited that it was on the FOX network. I think that’s huge for our sport.”

Rachel Meyer moves up to TAD

July 21, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

She’s grown up all her life around the sport of Drag Racing, born into the very successful Meyer Racing family dynasty, traveling the country in support of multiple championships in the Top Alcohol Dragster category. But now, the twenty-one year-old Spring Hill, KS is ready to embark on the next stage in her racing career. Rachel Meyer moves up to TAD for the upcoming Kansas regional event. Meyer follows her sister, Megan Meyer, the rookie sensation currently sitting No. 2 in the national TAD points series, and her multiple championship veteran father Randy Meyer into the Top Alcohol Dragster Ranks.

Rachel Meyer | Starting Out

Rachel Meyer has grown up immersed in drag racing from birth. Her father, legendary TAD driver Randy Meyer, has been racing competitively for over 30 years. Her earliest memories included Friday and Saturday night family outings at their home track, Kansas City International Dragway.

When Rachel became old enough at age 8, she was given the opportunity to enter the Junior Dragster program, racing there until she turned 18. She finished in the top ten almost every year in the Junior Dragster program. Her best finish came in 2007, when she finished No. 5 in the KCIR points chase.

“I started in the Jr dragster level running 12.90 seconds at around 45 miles per hour. My dad explained what to do for the most part and I taught myself when the right time to leave the starting line was and how to wheel race.”

At 17 years old, she moved up to a Super Comp. She would drive a 1999 Undercover dragster with a 565 cubic inch, Stinnett built motor. There, she finished a best of No. 18 in the overall Division 5 points chase in 2014, and won her first Super Pro race in 2015 at MoKan.

“As soon as I turned 16, I knew I was ready to go faster. The rush of going 170 mph in 7.90 seconds is amazing and I am ready to go even faster.”

The young go-getter is ready to take the next step, adding that she is proud of the progress that she has made and looks forward to surprising more fans and competitors whom she adds are “shocked that I drive the cars especially because of how fast they go.”

“One time, at Topeka divisional my fist year racing the super comp, when I went to suit up, the guy I was racing just looked at me and chuckled then got in his car, but I ended up beating him anyways.”

Rachel Meyer Moves Up to TAD

This past weekend, Rachel Meyer made the jump up to her father’s Top Alcohol Dragster entry, making her required licensing passes to earn her NHRA competition endorsement for TAD. The move was a big jump for the busy college student, who in addition to taking summer classes also works full time. She had made two preliminary test passes two years ago, but a full schedule prevented her from completing the required testing until now.

“We have tried all year for me to get my license, and most of the nationals we went to this year did not test on Monday after the race, so this was the first and only chance we had for me to test all year.”

For Rachel to be eligible to complete in the upcoming event for the LODRS Regional series at Heartland Park Topeka, Meyer would have to first satisfy all of the NHRA licensing requirements in her father’s A/Fuel dragster. But Meyer took the added pressure in stride, completing 3 half-track passes on Friday, and one 1000ft pass Saturday, followed by 2 full-track runs. Her best time was 5.60 at 260 mph, the second best run was a 5.80.

“My first time in the TAD, I was scared to hit the gas honestly. I did not know how the G’s would feel pushing me back in my seat. The first half track pass, I wanted to go the full track, but I started to get ‘time zoned’ (a type of tunnel vision drivers experience at times), so I did not have full control of the car and lifted. When I finally made my first full pass, it was a thrill. Everything was just a blur going down the track but it felt so fast and was so much fun. It truly is an addiction that I don’t think I will ever get over. I just wanted to keep getting in the car and making passes.”

With both her veteran father in her corner, as well as her sister, who can relate to the recent switch herself as a rookie in the class, Rachel has great support behind her move to TAD.

“I relate better to my dad when I have questions about stuff. We are practically the same person and have the same interests. I look up to him so much and learn all of my training from him, so when ever I have questions, he is the first person I go to.”

With her licensing runs completed, Rachel Meyer moves up to TAD for her debut at the LODRS Central Regional event July 30-31 at Heartland Park Topeka. She will be driving her father’s A/Fuel dragster in attempts to qualify for the field, joining her sister Megan, who last year made it to the semi-finals at the event.

Rachel Meyer | Behind the Wrench

She knew after her first pass way back in the Juniors, that drag racing was not only in her blood, but would become her passion. But it wasn’t just driving that captured Rachel’s attention – her interest was sparked behind the wrenches between races from a young age as well.

“Watching people work on my dad’s dragster, I had always found it interesting and had wanted to learn how to work on it. I went outside one night when my dad was working on his car and asked if he could teach me what he was doing, ever since I have loved helping work on his motors.”

Rachel spent countless hours in the shop with her father. He taught her the basics, and mentored her both on driving and working on the car. The hands-on experience would lead her to become versatile between rounds. Rachel fills in on duties where ever needed, from working on the engine, changing the clutch, helping her father with tuning, or packing the parachutes.

“When I am working on stuff (on the car), guys like to jump in and do my job because they think I can’t handle it or because they don’t trust me and it gets annoying. If my dad trusts me enough to work on his stuff, then other people should back off and let me do my thing.”

Adding to the hands-on knowledge taught to her by her father, Rachel also attends Pittsburg State University. She is pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, with an emphasis in design while minoring in Business Administration. Being a woman in a male dominated field (Engineering) can be challenging at times for Meyer, who says that “most people think you are a joke until you prove or show them that you are serious about this and you can handle it.” But 13 years of experience along side a multi-championship winning team, and her own driving prowess navigating the male-dominated world of Drag Racing makes her well-adapted to the challenge. She isn’t scared to get in and get dirty, turning wrenches and being hands-on with the racecars, believing it also helps her ultimately become a better driver.

“It has helped me learn about the car and why it might react the way it does sometimes and it will help prepare me as a driver, because if I feel something happen as I’m driving down the track, I will have a better understanding of what happened or why it happened.”

Rachel Meyer | The Future

Rachel plans on completing a full season in the Top Alcohol Dragster class next season, along side her sister Megan. The two sisters hope to take the class by storm, keeping up with the winning family legacy in TAD. But what kind of family rivalry does that create between the two young guns?

“Megan and I have been racing each other since we raced Juniors. We are used to friendly competition and I love getting the chance to race her, no feelings are ever hurt during the race. It is just fun to go out and race your friends or family and just have a good time, whether you win or lose.”

Eventually, Rachel hopes to combine her passion for driving and the experience she has working on the car, to become a utility driver – a double threat capable of wrenching and wheeling the car.

“My future plans include me hopefully tuning my own TAD and driving it. If it gets too much to handle with tuning and driving, then I would want my sister to drive the car while I tune it. For a life-long goal, I would love if I could become a crew chief from a top fuel team or drive a top fuel dragster, or possibly do both.”

For now, Rachel Meyer moves up to TAD filled with excitement and optimism for a bright future ahead. She admits that the toughest part of the entire process has been finding time to fit in all she wants to have accomplished.

“I have had to take a lot of time out of my schedule to make time for racing and doing car displays to get my name out there. Also, I have spent endless hours out in our shop getting the cars ready and putting the motors together.”

But those sacrifices will all be worth it come Thursday TAD debut at Heartland Park Topeka. The Meyers Sisters can be found in action at the Central Regional race with 1 qualifying run Thursday, 2 scheduled Friday, and all eliminations held Saturday.

From all of us here at Horsepower & Heels, we wish the best of luck to Rachel Meyer on what is sure to be the beginning of an exciting career in TAD!

Sara Price – First Female in Stadium SUPER Trucks

July 13, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Twenty-three year-old Sara Price, a successful multi-championship Professional Motocross and UTV racer from Southern California will be the first female to compete in the SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Trucks Presented by TRAXXAS Series. Price’s debut is thanks to the support of BitTorrent Inc., who helped with the buildup to this event.

Sara Price – First Female in Stadium SUPER Trucks

Making her debut during the upcoming Honda Indy Toronto event, July 15-17 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Price will become the first female to compete in the series. With speeds hitting upwards of 140 mph, and launching over 20 feet in the air, the identically prepared 650 hp Stadium SUPER Trucks offer Price a unique opportunity to prove herself in a discipline dominated by men. Determined not only to be the first woman to start, Price is set on contending for a spot on the podium.

“I’m extremely excited to be transitioning into the SST Series. When Robby Gordon called me 2 years ago saying I need to get into one of his Stadium SUPER Trucks, I just put my head down and started getting to work. SST is where I want to be, and I’m very pumped to be competing in the same exact truck as the other competitors, it’s truly a dream come true.”

Robby Gordon; Series President; Former NASCAR and IndyCar Winner and Off-Road Champion commented on Sara’s involvement in the Stadium SUPER Trucks program:

“Sure there has been other women whom have competed in motorsports history, but it is not too often you are able find the complete package. Sara has the talent, beauty, and sense of drive, to continue writing Stadium SUPER Trucks history well into the future, including becoming the first female SST winner and push to become a Champion.”

Gordon created the SST series in response to the public’s overwhelming interest in trucks and off-road racing, influenced by the former Mickey Thompson Stadium Off-Road Racing Series. His plan to re-launch the SST has led to exciting racing on both asphalt and dirt, while producing one of the most extreme forms of action sports today.

Setting it apart from other series, all SST trucks are identically prepared and delivered to drivers in race-ready condition. Race winners are decided by driver skill rather than individual team engineering and budgets. Drivers and their personal mechanics are assigned specific SST mechanics who together tune and make minor adjustments to the 650-horsepower trucks.

Powered by BitTorrent

Sara Price – First Female in Stadium SUPER Trucks is a vision made possible by the support of BitTorrent Inc., a media company dedicated to empowering radical voices in sports, music, film, and more. Their global consumer media platform gives athletes such as Sara Price and brands outside the mainstream exposure to over 200 million fans.

“BitTorrent is incredibly excited to be supporting Sara,” says Jeremy Johnson, co-CEO of BitTorrent. “We’re dedicated to supporting the individuals in action sports who break the traditional mold and bringing their stories to the world.”

Price has continuously been breaking down barriers in motorsports. She won over 17 national championships in motocross and medaled in the X-Games before making the switch to four wheels, winning several Off-Road and Time Attack racing championships.

Video Teaser | Sara Price’s First day testing a Stadium SUPER Truck

Learn more about Sara Price at www.sarapricemx.com and follow her on Instagram, Facebook@sarapricemx and twitter @sarapricemxcom

Meyer captures another Runner Up

July 13, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster rookie sensation, Megan Meyer captures another Runner Up finish at the . Meyer was able to navigate her Racer’s Evolved A/Fuel dragster through a tough field, to secure another runner-up finish, her fifth final round appearance of the season.

With the Jeg’s All Star event activities being hosted in Chicago, Meyer and her Randy Meyer Racing team had their hands full with a double race extended schedule that included her father/mentor, Randy competing in the All Star Challenge.

“We had our hands full all weekend at the Route 66 Nationals with running two cars, and two races,” Meyer stated on the busy weekend. “Coming off of a 2nd round finish at my last National event in Norwalk, I was excited to get back in the car and go a few more rounds.”

In qualifying, Megan Meyer would post a 5.501 second at 263.87 mph pass, good enough for a spot in the top half of the field for the opening session. Round two, she would improve significantly, running a 5.288 second, 271.95 mph pass that would shoot her to the No. 2 spot at the close of the second session. In the third and final round, Megan would post her quickest qualifying pass of the weekend, with her 5.279 second, 274.61 mph performance earning the No. 5 final qualifying spot entering eliminations.

Meanwhile, Megan’s dad – racing teammate and mentor, Randy Meyer, was able to snag the No. 8 position in the Jeg’s All Star Challenge. He would advance to the the semi-finals before exiting.

Sunday Eliminations

Typically, the Top Alcohol Dragster opening round of eliminations takes place on Saturday evenings during the National events, but with the added All Star program, Race Day eliminations for the class would take place all on Sunday. This placed added stress on the Randy Meyer Racing team, who had 40 minutes between rounds to service both cars.

“Having first round on Sunday morning was a different schedule for us, but it proved to be a fun-filled day for our team. We were very limited on time between rounds with only 40 minutes, and we were fortunate to not have to do any major repairs. With the great group of guys that we have on our team, we were able to power through the tear-downs and make all necessary tuning adjustments, and still had a very consistent car to win.”

No. 5 qualified Megan Meyer paired against No. 12 Wayne Butler for the opening round of eliminations, marking the first time the two would meet in competition. Though Butler would post his quickest pass of the weekend, it was not enough to hold off Meyer, who left first and never trailed for the win, running 5.300 seconds, at 266.58 mph. She would earn lane choice entering round two against No. 4 qualified Rich McPhillips.

McPhillips would snag a slight starting line advantage over Meyer in round two, but the Racer’s Evolved dragster was able to make up the difference in the first 60’, charging onto the win with a 5.287/273.72 mph performance to McPhillip’s losing 5.380/271.84 mph effort.

Her deadly consistency would carry into round three as she faced No. 1 qualified, Mia Tedesco. The TAD Ladies match-up marked the first time the two would meet in eliminations, and it would be Tedesco who would take the starting line advantage. But Megan covered the distance quickly, and thundered on to take the win, 5.308/272.61 mph to Tedesco’s 5.407/276.41 mph effort.

Meyer Captures another Runner Up

Meyer would carry the advantage of lane choice entering her fifth final round of the year against No. 6 qualified Joey Severance. The two had only met once previously – in the finals of the NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka; where Meyer took home the runner-up trophy. She was ready to avenge that loss in this final, but would run an off-paced 5.397/ 272.34 mph pass, leaving Severance his 13th career National event win and Meyer captures another Runner Up finish to add to her impressive rookie season.

“This was the second time that I have faced Joey in the final round, and so far he has been the better car. Joey and the Severance family have a great record so far for the 2016 season and they have always been the one to beat. We tried our best in the final round, but had a hole out early and could not get enough speed to pass him for the win.”

Meyer leaves the event in second place for the Lucas Oil National points series, two points above Rich McPhillips and 116 below Joey Severance. She still retains her No. 2 position in the Regional series behind Gord Gingles.

Next Event: Sisterly Debut?

Megan Meyer and her Randy Meyer Racing team will return home for the Regional event at Heartland Park Topeka on July 28-30th. A rumored Top Alcohol Dragster debut by Megan’s sister, Rachel Meyer, is expected should she be able to earn her TAD license within the two weeks before the race. Rachel Meyer will drive the Randy Meyer Racing Dragster typically driven by her father, Randy, and the Regional event would be her first Top Alcohol Dragster event debut.

Alexis DeJoria’s appearance at Gino’s East

July 7, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

NHRA Drag Racing fans can take part in a special meet and greet opportunity with Funny Car driver Alexis Dejoria’s appearance at Gino’s East. The top ten-ranked Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car driver will join Jordan Himmel in the kitchen of the renowned Gino’s East establishment tonight to help make the world-famous Gino’s traditional Chicago-style deep dish pizzas. DeJoria will then jump behind the bar to teach Himmel how to make her version of a perfect Patrón margarita, and sign autographs for fans in attendance.

Alexis DeJoria’s appearance at Gino’s East

The Alexis DeJoria appearance at Gino’s East will kick off at 5:00 PM in the Chicago establishment, and serve as the unofficial opening activities for her weekend at the K&N Filters Route 66 NHRA Nationals in Joliet, IL. The fan-favorite event at Route 66 Raceway, located at Chicagoland Speedway south of Chicago, marks the official start to the second half of the 24-race 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season.

WHEN: Thursday, July 7
5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M.

WHERE: Gino’s East
162 E. Superior St.
Chicago, Ill. 60611

Tough weekend in Norwalk for Megan Meyer

July 1, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

A tough weekend in Norwalk for Megan Meyer, Top Alcohol Dragster rookie and driver of the Racer’s Evolved/Randy Meyer Racing A/Fuel Dragster. The young driver had her hands full at the 10th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, OH as she fought her way into the field after a tough start in qualifying.

Mechanical Issues in Qualifying

In the first two rounds of qualifying, Meyer’s Racer’s Evolved Dragster was up in smoke right at the hit, resulting in aborted runs, leaving her outside the field from the bottom of the ladder. To make matters worse, scary incidents plagued both runs. In the first qualifying session, the throttle stuck open on Megan’s dragster as the tires went up in smoke, doing extensive engine damage to her A/Fuel powertrain. The Randy Meyer Racing team had their hands full swapping engines to their spare back up engine between rounds to prepare for the second qualifying session. With the spare in place, Megan again went up in smoke on the hit, and narrowly avoided a down track incident when her competitor’s rear tire came apart.

Lots of unnecessary damage done in Q1 due to the throttle stuck open while smoking the tires. We put the spare in for Q2, only to smoke the tires again. Fortunately, I didn’t get hit by the exploding tire in the lane next to me. Today was not our day, but tomorrow will be a different story,” Meyer said after a disappointing Friday in qualifying.

This gave Megan only one shot on Saturday to break into the field and qualify for eliminations. In a last ditch effort, Meyer was able to catapult her Racer’s Evolved Dragster from the No. 21 spot all the way to the No. 4 position, running a 5.373 second E.T. at 270.75 mph.

It wasn’t the best, but we made it. A tire shaking 5.37 at 270 mph put us in the top half of the field. I was so nervous to qualify, I almost left before the tree activated,” said Meyer of her stressful qualifying experience in Norwalk.

Eliminations – Norwalk, OH

During the opening round of eliminations Saturday evening, Megan Meyer would face No. 12 qualified John Finke. She would take the early advantage at the tree and never looked back, running a 5.346 second, 271.52 mph pass, her fastest of the weekend, to defeat John Finke for the first round win.

This would place her into round two against the other Finke car driven by Jackie. This time, Jackie would avenge the first round loss, as a distracted Meyer left late with an uncharacteristic 0.238 reaction time, giving Finke the holeshot – a 5.406 second, 274.11 mph pass to Meyer’s losing 5.367 second, 270.59 mph performance.

Though the weekend wasn’t what they expected, she ends the weekend still No. 2 in the 2016 NHRA Lucas Oil Championship Point Standings, trailing the leader Joey Severance by less than 100 points.

Meyer also enjoyed another special race weekend FitCamp provided by Megan Meyer Racing partner, Trinity Performance Wear. They kicked off Sunday morning with a great workout session, offering fans and other racers a chance to train with Megan and Trinity Performance Wear, and even extending some special offers on clothing and accessories.

Undeterred, Megan Meyer and her Racer’s Evolved/Randy Meyer Racing team are already looking forward to their next events: in Chicago for the Route 66 NHRA Nationals July 7-10; the Jegs All Star event th Meyer and her father, Randy will be racing.

Larsen to appear on Jay Leno’s Garage

June 24, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Florida Institute of Technology Jet Dragster driver, Elaine Larsen to appear on Jay Leno’s Garage in July with a special episode that sees the popular television host join the Larsen Motorsports Jet team in Florida.

Jay Leno, the popular celebrity host and avid car collector, is set to take on Elaine and the Larsen Motorsports Jet operation in an upcoming episode of the CNBC television show, Jay Leno’s Garage.

Former late night show host Jay Leno, has created a new reality TV show to showcase his automotive passion, called Jay Leno’s Garage. The show follows Jay and his colleagues as they explore a wide variety of different cars, motorcycles and anything that moves all while meeting new people and making new acquaintances along the way.

The episode will air Wednesday, July 13th at 10pm ET/PT.

Visit LMSJETS.com for more updates on the show, exclusive, behind the scenes footage, and contests to win prizes!!!

Watch Jay Leno vs. Elaine Larsen – Jet Dragster

Elaine Larsen is the thrusting force behind the Jet Dragster superteam, Larsen Motorsport, home of the fastest girls in town. Can Jay Leno handle the heat in a drag race against Elaine? Tune in to the next episode of Jay Leno’s Garage to find out who wins.