NHRA Archives – Page 5 of 17 – Horsepower & Heels

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!

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.

Enders partners with Dutch Boy Paints

June 24, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

NHRA Pro Stock World Champion Erica Enders partners with Dutch Boy Paints and Menards for the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series event this weekend at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park.

Enders will drive the Elite Motorsports prepared Dutch Boy/Menards Dodge Dart at the 10th annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.

“I’m honored to drive the Dodge Dart this weekend with such a recognizable brand on the door and the hood of our car,” Enders said. “I’m glad they’re giving us an opportunity to show them what we can do for them.”

To help kick off the partnership, Enders made an appearance at the Menards store in Sandusky, Ohio, on Wednesday. Menards has more than 280 home-improvement stores throughout the Midwest and is known as the low-price leader. The company has backed motorsports for many years, in the IndyCar Series, NASCAR, and ARCA.

Dutch Boy Paints, available at Menards stores, continues to be an industry leader in delivering innovative and high-quality products and packaging solutions.

Enders became the first woman to win the Pro Stock championship in 2014, earning the title in the final round of the final race. She repeated in 2015, winning nine times and setting NHRA records along the way. She is the only driver in NHRA history to win three consecutive final rounds on holeshots.

Enders and her Elite team partnered with Dodge to field the new Elite Motorsports/Mopar Dodge Dart for the 2016 season.

Parise joins forces with Aerospace Components

June 15, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Ladies supporting and working together is one of the most key elements of success for women’s advancement in automotive and motorsports. Recently, two very important women in drag racing have joined forces to align and support one another in the racing industry.

2015 IHRA Crower Pro Modified reigning World Champion, Dina Parise and Aerospace Component’s President, Kim Kussy have just announced a very special mutual partnership for the duration of the 2016 season. Parise joins forces with Aerospace Components on her award-winning Cadillac CTS-V Pro Modified, nicknamed “Stella”.

When Kim (Kussy) and I first met, we hit it off. Two hard working women in this amazing industry both loving every minute of it. What’s not to like, right?”, said Parise of her first meeting with Aerospace Component’s President, CMO and co-founder, Kim Kussy.

With the Dina Parise Racing team’s longstanding history of advocating and supporting our nation’s veteran population and active military, the two ladies shared a mutual passion for our United States Armed Forces. Aerospace Components began as a MIL-Spec certified contractor for government projects, and is proud to employ many veterans in their facility. Parise has campaigned several tribute racecars that help honor and celebrate the sacrifices made by our service men and women. They participate in many events in support of veterans – both publically and privately.

I have always said it’s not about getting to the stripe first,” Parise says. “But the journey you take to get there”.

Since their military roots, Aerospace Components has involved to become a very active supporter of the Drag Racing industry. They are a contingency supporter of the National Mustang Racer’s Association and the National Muscle Car Association, rewarding racers in contingency awards on 5 products (Brakes – Front and Rear); Vacuum Pump, Water Pump, Fuel Pump and Shifter) in all classes and series with Promedia for the past five years. They also sponsor the Aerospace Winner’s Circle for all the Promedia series and events. In addition, Kim works closely with the NHRA to award a very special “ Aerospace Component’s “Excellence in Engineering” Wally award at select national events.

Both Dina and Kim have built a very dedicated and engaged community of fans and customers through their social media outreach efforts, sharing success of their peers and customers.

Dina interacts regularly with fans through special live videos of her time on the road with the rest of the Dina Parise Racing team and other special messages, often touching on important topics she feels passionate about. Kim hosts a video series entitled “Kimmy’s Garage” that teaches and educates consumers about their products, how they are made and installation instructions.

The female racing powerhouse partnership between DPR and Aerospace Components is an exciting new development that both are looking forward to showcasing to the industry. Aerospace Components joins other key supporters of DPR in Eastwood, CRC Auto, NGK, Lucas Oil, Speedwire Systems, Hussey Performance, Hoosier, Motorsports Unlimited and Crank It Media.

Shirley Muldowney diagnosed with Lung Cancer

May 24, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Legendary NHRA three-time Top Fuel World Champion and Women in Racing pioneer, Shirley Muldowney has been diagnosed with Lung Cancer, reported today by NHRA.com. The 75 year-old has been diagnosed with Stage 2 lung cancer, and is scheduled to undergo surgery at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in downtown Charlotte, NC early tomorrow morning to remove the tumor from her right lung.

Renowned thoracic and cardiac surgeon Dr. Harold Howe will lead the team performing the five-hour-long procedure.

I urge everyone to keep up with their health and get chest X-rays as often as possible to make sure they are OK,” the 75-year-old Muldowney said. “I’m a fighter, always have been, and I’m going to fight this as best I can with everything I got. Dr. Howe is the No. 1 guy in the business, and he’s as ready as I am to get this thing out of me.”

Muldowney began her racing career in the 1950s, becoming the first woman to earn a professional NHRA license in 1965. She raced gas dragsters before graduating to Funny Car, winning her first major race in 1971 at the IHRA Southern Nationals. She moved onto Top Fuel in 1973, and was the first woman to win an NHRA Professional class race in 1976 at the Columbus, OH Springnationals.

In 1974, she earned the NHRA Top Fuel championship after becoming the first driver in the class to win three consecutive national events. It was the first time a female driver had won a major motorsports title anywhere in the world. Muldowney earned the Top Fuel crown again in 1980 and 1982, and she earned the AHRA Top Fuel championship in 1981, her fourth major championship in a six-year period.

“The fans have always been what’s kept me going, and I’m sure people will be concerned about me now,” said Muldowney, who had a movie, Heart Like a Wheel, made about her life. “Well don’t be; I’ll be fine. There’s still a lot of things left I want to do.”

In lieu of flowers or cards, Muldowney is asking her friends and fans to donate to her charity, Shirley’s Kids. Muldowney has championed the charity this season, and already has helped four children in need with large cash donations at races in Gainesville, Charlotte, Houston, and Atlanta. Because of corporate support, Shirley’s Kids gives 100 percent of all donations to the children it helps.

The most joy I’ve had in years has come this season working with our little team at Shirley’s Kids,” Muldowney said. “Stan and Sheila Mae Holt have covered all our costs so all the money we raise goes to the kids, and Rob Geiger, Nicci Gustavus, and Frank Bellini have worked tirelessly to make this thing a success. If people can find it in their hearts to make a donation, that would brighten my spirits immensely because I know where all the money in this charity goes — right to the kids that need it. And believe me, we have changed some people’s lives for the better. “

Due to her current medical condition and the doctor-recommended recovery and rehabilitation time, Muldowney’s agent, Geiger, announced that scheduled appearances at the NHRA national events in Englishtown and Bristol will be canceled. Her future schedule will be largely dependent on her health moving forward, and other appearance dates will be announced on ShirleysKids.org.

Thank you in advance for all the love and prayers. It all helps. My sister [Linda Roque] and niece [Betty Peek] along with Stan and Sheila are here with me, so I’m in great hands.”

Runner up at Heartland Park Topeka for Megan Meyer

May 24, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

A fantastic hometown showing for NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster Rookie Megan Meyer, as she earns another runner up at Heartland Park Topeka for the 28th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals.

Megan would begin the weekend with a whirlwind PR schedule that included special apperances with her Racer’s Evolved A/Fuel Dragster at the NHRA Heartland Park Topeka Press event, and a special appearance in nearby Kansas City at the T-Bones Professional AA Baseball game, where she signed autographs with fellow female racers Brittany Force (Top Fuel) and Courtney Force (Funny Car).

The busy weekend also marked the first time that Megan would be racing alongside her father, veteran TAD racer Randy Meyer in NHRA TAD National competition. The Meyer Racing team would have their hands full sorting two cars, as Randy would struggle in early rounds of qualifying.

“Going into the Kansas Nationals we knew we would have our plate full. This was only the second time we’ve had both Top Alcohol Dragsters running at the same time this year, and it was a big mountain to climb for our team. The stress was high with the tire shake that we had in my Dad’s car for the first 2 qualifiers which once again, caused a lot of problems. But we faced them head on and fixed the damage and was able to get the car turned around to qualify 5th and win first round.”

In qualifying, Megan Meyer would start off strong, running a 5.287 second E.T. at 268.81 mph – moving her into the No. 2 qualified position at the end of round one. Second round, she would chatter the tires out of the gate, shutting off. But in the final attempt, Megan would grab the top qualifying position for the first time in her career, running a 5.250 at 270.54 mph in the Racer’s Evolved A/Fuel Dragster. Her father, Randy, would take the No. 5 position with his Meyer Racing Dragster, and would be on the same side of the ladder as Megan. Potentially, if both the Meyer dragsters advanced in the first two rounds of eliminations, they would be meeting in the semi-final round for the first time.

Saturday evening, Megan would face the number fourteen qualified Monroe Guest in the opening round of Top Alcohol Dragster eliminations. Guest would immediately smoke the tires, while Megan would run a great looking 5.258 second, 274.83 mph for the win into the second round.

We kept it very consistent with my car all weekend – same crew, same motor combination that we’ve been running all year that is proven to win races. We had an outstanding performance on Saturday as we ran a pair of 5.25s and set low ET all weekend. I claimed my first official number 1 qualifier, and I couldn’t have done it without my guys.”

Megan would have the competition bye in round 2 for an automatic advance to the semi final round, where she hoped she would face her father Randy, who did advanced over his round one competitor. Megan would begin the session with another strong showing, running a conservative 5.364 at 269.13 mph for her competition bye run. Unfortunately, her father was eliminated in round two by Lee Callaway, whose 5.353 at 267.22 mph run would grant him lane choice over Megan in the semi final round.

In their only previous encounter, Lee Callaway took the win light over Megan Meyer. This time, Callaway would get the starting line advantage over Megan, with a 0.026 reaction, to Megan’s 0.065. But Megan’s Racer’s Evolved dragster was able to reel him back in by 1000 feet, taking the win with a 5.298 at 270.59 mph over his 5.360 at 267.59 mph.

This would place Megan in her fourth final round this season – with two runner-up finishes at the Gatornationals and LODRS Belle Rose regional event; as well as her first win at the Charlotte 4-Wide event. She would face the defending event champion, Joey Severance, for the first time in her career.

Megan would be out of the gate first, but ran a slightly off-paced 5.445 at 263.20 mph. Severance quickly bridged the gap and continued on for the win, running a 5.327 at 270.27 mph. Megan would earn the hometown runner-up at Heartland Park Topeka for the Kansas Nationals.

Despite the high-stress weekend, we had a great time as a family and team at Heartland Park. The facility looks incredible and hats off to the new owners for all that they did to put on the Kansas Nationals. I enjoyed the displays we did together to promote the race, and I greatly appreciate the recognition I received from the local community.”

Missed the live action? You can catch an encore presentation of the 28th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals FOX television coverage on FS2 Thursday, at 9:00PM EST

New Megan Meyer Racing Apparel

Megan Meyer and the Randy Meyer Racing team also introduced a new partnership with Denver Print House, a one stop facility specializing in award winning decorated apparel over the weekend. The Denver, CO based organization developed and printed the new Megan Meyer and Randy Meyer Racing team t-shirts in their state of the art production plant. Fans interested in getting one of the colorful new shirts can email shop@randymeyerracing.com with their t-shirt size to order.

Denver Print House also is a great match for my team since I am a freelance designer. We are working together with Racers Evolved to help bring great design and artwork to the Sportsman classes.”

Busy homecoming weekend for Megan Meyer

May 18, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

The fun is just beginning in what will be an exciting and busy homecoming weekend for Megan Meyer. The 28th Annual NHRA Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka will mark the Kansas native’s fourth event of the season in the Top Alcohol Dragster class, and her third national event start in the Racer’s Evolved A/Fuel Dragster.

Meyer began her 2016 rookie season with a string of final round appearances, en route to her first win in Charlotte’s 4 Wide National event. She earned two coveted Wally trophies that day – one for the Best Appearing Crew award, leading up to her very emotional first TAD class win.

“This weekend we are hoping to lay down some fast numbers and keep up our momentum. After a few weeks back at home I’m very excited to be back at the track and to be racing at my home track this weekend. I’m thrilled that the new ownership of Heartland Park Topeka has taken on the duties of updating the track surface, equipment, landscaping, and tower, and they have greatly improved the facility.”

Meyer and her Racer’s Evolved A/Fuel Dragster will be featured in the Heartland Park Topeka trackside press event on Thursday morning at 11:30AM. Megan will also join other NHRA drivers Thursday evening at the local Kansas City T-Bones Professional AA Baseball game, signing autographs for fans at Community America Ballpark on Thursday from 5:30PM-6:45PM. Megan, along with Brittany Force from Top Fuel and Courtney Force from the Funny Car category, will all take the field before the opening pitch to share information about the NHRA Kansas Nationals event with the T-Bones baseball crowd.

Trinity Performance Wear Sponsorship

This weekend, Megan Meyer will also debut a new partnership with Trinity Performance Wear, LLC, a Shawnee, KS based fitness apparel company founded by 12 year-old Abby Flickner. Flickner is a two-time USAW Youth National Olympic-Style Weightlifting Champion, has attended development camps for elite youth weightlifters at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO; and holds several American youth weightlifting records to her name.

“I’m really excited to partner with Megan Meyer for her race day workouts,” said Trinity Performance Wear founder Abby Flickner. “To meet the physical demands of racing, it’s important for drivers to maintain their fitness. Megan shows a tremendous amount of sportsmanship by helping her competitors stay fit!”

Meyer and Trinity will be combining efforts to offer a unique new fitness program for racers. The workout program will feature a Sunday Morning Fit Camp Workout session for drivers and crew members at Heartland Park Topeka, with special give-aways for participants courtesy of Trinity Performance Wear. Racers interested in taking part in the Fit Camp activities can meet Megan and Abby beneath the grandstands on Sunday morning beginning at 6:20AM. The workout session will last from 6:30AM – 7:15AM.

“I’m grateful for the new partners we have with our team; Trinity Performance Wear is a perfect fit for me because I focus on the benefits of a healthy active lifestyle, and having Herbalife Nutrition and Herbalife24 on board brings together the perfect trio,” said Megan. “We will be having Sunday morning workout sessions at all of our races for all drivers and crews to get in a quick workout to feel refreshed and energized to take on the race day duties.”