NHRA Archives – Page 8 of 17 – Horsepower & Heels

Megan Meyer debuts Racer Evolved A/Fuel

March 17, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Megan Meyer debuts Racer Evolved A/Fuel Dragster – Gainesville, Florida

It’s the first race of the 2016 season this weekend for second generation NHRA A/Fuel Dragster driver, Megan Meyer. The 47^th Annual NHRA Gatornationals marks the first of 18 events scheduled in her official rookie campaign. 22 year-old Megan Meyer is debuting a new Racer Evolved sponsored, nitro-injected dragster owned and tuned by her father, 2007 and 2015 Gatornationals event champion Randy Meyer.

I feel a little extra pressure and a little extra confidence,” Megan said. “We’re confident because we won it last year, but this is a new car and a new driver. This is my first national event so I’m a little nervous about that. It’s a bigger stage than a regional event. We had some great results with this car at Pomona, so I think we’re heading in the right direction.”

Megan Meyers is already familiar with Gainesville Raceway, having previously earned her Super Comp and Top Alcohol Dragster licenses there, even though she’s never actually raced in competition at the historic track.

I participated in Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School with my Super Comp dragster when I was 16 years old, and it was a great learning experience to transition from junior dragster to Super Comp. Two years later I was back on the track getting my feet wet with our Top Alcohol Dragster. I remember that day very well because a few of the Top Fuel teams stayed to test, and I felt very privileged to be able to run behind them for the very first time. This experience helped put everything into perspective as to where I could take myself in this sport. I grew better as a driver each time we returned to Gainesville, and last year I made a huge stepping stone of running a 5.29 ET pass and had the help of Dave Hirata to sign off on my TAD licensing pass. So it is very fitting to have my first NHRA National race at the Gatornationals.”

One aspect she looks forward to most is the opportunity to compete on a national level with drivers who she either grew up with, or grew up watching with her father’s Top Alcohol career since she was born.

There’s going to be lots of tough competition this weekend. I’m thrilled to be able to say that I’m ‘one of the guys’ now. I’m excited to be able to race against Mia (Tedesco). She won the Gainesville regional last weekend. We’ve grown to be really good friends over the last few years because we both come from a bracket racing background,” noted Meyer.

Megan Meyer debuts Racer Evolved A/Fuel Dragster

This is also a debut weekend for Meyer’s primary sponsor, Racers Evolved, an apparel company with designs for racers, by racers. The drag racing and motocross-themed line of apparel includes a “Megan Meyer Signature Series” designed to match the new livery on the car. In addition to gradually unveiling the Racers Evolved A/Fuel dragster on their Facebook page this week, the company also launched their website.

Megan Meyer and the Racers Evolved A/Fuel dragster will take to the Gainesville Raceway quarter-mile for Top Alcohol Dragster qualifying sessions at 10:45 AM and 2:30 PM on Friday, March 18. A third and final qualifying session is scheduled for Saturday at 10:15 AM, followed by first round of eliminations at 5:45 PM. Eliminations continue on Sunday afternoon. FOX Sports will air Lucas Oil Series coverage from the NHRA Gatornationals at 9 PM ET on Thursday, March 24, with four scheduled re-air dates in the following weeks

Angelle Sampey ready for the Gatornationals

March 15, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle veteran and the winningest female in all of motorsports, Angelle Sampey is fresh off a successful test session and ready for the 47th Annual Amalie Motor Oils Gatornationals.

The Gatornationals marks the season opener, and first of 16 events for the Pro Stock Motorcycle class. Angelle Sampey is no stranger to the Gainesville, Florida racetrack, having made her way to the finals four times in her career, taking the event win in 1999, 2003, and 2006. The 3x time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle World Champion returned from retirement briefly in 2014, before returning full-time in 2015 after her recovery from a pit-related accident in 2014 ended her return prematurely.

I’m very very excited,” said Sampey. “I can’t wait to get back on. I’m nervous but not a worried nervous. It’s more of an excited and anxious nervous.”

For 2016, Angelle and teammate Cory Reed will debut new Precision Service Equipment/Star Racing Buells for competition. After not feeling 100% comfortable with her bike last season, the new bike was custom fitted to her, and the Star Racing team has worked hard during the off-season to prepare for a championship run in 2016.

The Americus, Georgia based Star Racing team took the new bikes to South Georgia Motorsports Park for some test passes.

I’ve been training hard and I’ve got a brand new motorcycle. I haven’t had a brand new motorcycle in a long time and they build this bike to fit me and nobody else.”

After a brief introduction by Star Racing owner, George Bryce, to her brand new motorcycle, Angelle was pleased and wasted no time in getting down to business putting the new bike through the paces. The veteran champ showed confidence on the motorcycle pulling into the waterbox, through the first burnout and in staging. The very first pass down the racetrack, Angelle posted a 6.86 second, followed by a career-best 6.826 @ 197.57 mph in just the second ever pass on the brand new motorcycle. The Star Racing team and Angelle Sampey are ready for the Gatornationals!

Angelle Sampey | Career-Best ET in Gatornational Testing [VIDEO]

Second run in the books and its low ET again!! 6.826 @ 197.57 mph!!!! And We still have room for improvement! #Angelle#StarRacing

Posted by Angelle Sampey on Monday, March 14, 2016

Shirley’s Kids

March 10, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

One of the pioneers for women in motorsports, Shirley “Cha Cha” Muldowney, will return to NHRA drag racing in 2016 at select stops on the schedule in support of the newly created Shirley’s Kids charity, which aims to help children in need.

“Drag racing has given me a wonderful life, and Shirley’s Kids will allow me to give something back,” Muldowney said. “With the tremendous support of Stan and Sheila Holt of Lupe Tortilla Mexican Restaurants and several corporate sponsors — that list keeps growing — I’ll be able to attend a bunch of races and visit with all of my friends and the great fans that have been with me for four-plus decades.”

Shirley’s Kids (www.ShirleysKids.org) aims to meet the goal of helping children in need at each of the races Muldowney attends in the coming year. The hope is to find children who are connected to drag racing in the various communities that have helped the sport prosper through the years.

“I wanted to be back out there more than I have been the last several years, but I wanted a purpose,” Muldowney said. “When my agent, Rob Geiger of Geiger Media Global, approached me with the idea to create a non-profit to benefit children, I probably had the quickest reaction time of my career in saying yes.”

Shirley Muldowney is slated to attend the NHRA national events Gainesville, Charlotte (both spring and fall), Houston, Atlanta, Englishtown, Bristol, Denver, Indy, Dallas, Las Vegas 2, and Pomona 2, as well as the Jr. Drag Racing Western Conference Finals in Tulsa, Okla. Other events may be added throughout the year.

“By starting our own 501(c)(3) charity, we will know exactly where all of the money goes, and that’s to the kids. Other charities become businesses and a lot of money ends up going to a lot of different areas, not the beneficiaries. We didn’t want that to happen, so we’ve taken all the legal steps to control everything. It’s the best way we know to make sure the kids are taken care of every time, and we will be fully transparent.”

A replica of Shirley Muldowney's 1977 dragster will be raffled for Shirley's Kids — Photo: Shirley Muldowney

Working in conjunction with NHRA, Muldowney will mingle with fans to spread the message about the Shirley’s Kids mission. The charity also has a race car in the works that will be raffled off to raise money – a replica of Muldowney’s 1977 championship-winning dragster. The car will be built to run in the Super Comp category and at bracket races. It will be on display in the Manufacturers Midway.

The three-time NHRA champ will present a big Shirley’s Kids check to a selected child benefactor at each race during driver introductions on Sunday morning.

“Many, many thanks to NHRA President Peter Clifford and his staff for their help in getting this started,” Muldowney said. “They have been so gracious and supportive and I thank them from my heart. I’m excited. You know, at 75 and with the injuries I sustained in my career really catching up with me, my driving days are over, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be a part of this wonderful world, and helping kids just makes it that much sweeter.”

Fans interested in learning more about Shirley’s Kids can visit www.ShirleysKids.org. Donations can be made on the website, with thank-you gifts up for grabs. There will also be a line of Muldowney apparel and gear available at the PiranaZ souvenir trailer.

First win in Top Fuel for Leah Pritchett

February 29, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

NHRA racer Leah Pritchett earned her first career win in the Top Fuel class this weekend during the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona. The emotional win not only marked the first win in Top Fuel for Leah Pritchett, but the all-female final also had historical significance for women as well. Pritchett had previously campaigned limited schedules in Top Fuel during the 2014 & 2015 seasons with Dote Racing, before becoming a free-agent at the end of 2015.

First win in Top Fuel for Leah Pritchett

After qualifying in the No. 10 position with a 3.859 second, 314.31 mph effort, Leah Pritchett would begin Sunday’s eliminations facing JR Todd in round one. She would take the lead off the starting line and never look back, running 4.361 at 245.54 mph to Todd’s losing 4.612 at 168.05 mph.

In round two, she would face former NHRA Top Fuel champion, Antron Brown. However, this match was over before it began, as Brown left before the tree, handing Leah a rare red-light victory. Undeterred in the other lane, she ran 3.808 at 322.19 mph to earn lane choice entering the next round.

For the semi-finals, Leah would face Clay Millican, a competitor she had yet to beat in Top Fuel competition. Maintaining stealth-like reactions on the tree, she was able to defeat Millican with a 3.832 at 317.05 mph to his losing 3.878 at 299.86 mph. A clean pass, but not enough to secure lane choice. Pritchett would advance to her second career final in Top Fuel, where she would be facing fellow female racer, Brittany Force. Last season, Pritchett reached the final round in Atlanta, where she took the runner-up against Antron Brown.

Historic All-Female Top Fuel Final

Leah vs. Brittany in the final — Photo: NHRA

Much anticipation built for the all-female final round. Both racers were vying for their first career Top Fuel victory, and both had made big changes in the off-season that were making quite a difference in their on-track performances: Leah having joined the Quaker State/BVR team full-time for 2016, and Brittany’s Monster Energy team forming an alliance with reknowned tuning ace Alan Johnson. Statistically speaking, Leah had the advantage over Brittany in their previous meetings at 3-1, but Brittany had run consistently in the 3.70 range all day Sunday. It was anyone’s race to win.

When the tree dropped, Leah’s consistency at the tree would pay off, taking the advantage off the line with a 0.046 second reaction over Brittany’s 0.067. Both thundered down the track side-by-side, but Leah would hang on for the victory with a 3.775 second, 323.12 mph performance to Force’s faster, but losing 3.774 at 321.35 mph pass. Her quickest run of the weekend, the hole-shot marked the first win in Top Fuel for Leah Pritchett.

It is the happiest day of my life, besides getting married, of course,” said Pritchett. “This is what dreams are made of.”

The win pushes Leah Pritchett and her Quaker State/ BVR team to the No. 5 position in championship points so far this season, after she was eliminated in the first round at the season opener in Pomona.

I feel like I just won the Super Bowl, even though it’s only the second race and it’s not the U.S. Nationals. For me, it’s an incredible personal and Professional victory to be able to compete with the team that I’m with.”

The first win in Top Fuel for Leah Pritchett placed her name in the record books as the eighth female driver to win in the Top Fuel category, and the 16th woman to win a Mello Yello Series race. Leah and Brittany’s match-up marked the first all-female Top Fuel final since Shirley Muldowney defeated Lucille Lee in Columbus, Ohio back in 1982. It also marked only the forth all-female professional class final in the Mello-Yello series history, with the last coming when Angelle Sampey and Karen Stoffer battled it out in Pro Stock Motorcycle last season in Norwalk, Ohio.

Drag Illustrated – the HOTTEST Women of Drag Racing

February 26, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

One of the most popular issues for Drag Illustrated is their annual The 2016 Hottest List – a feature on the top women in the sport who are contributing by showing exceptional talent driving, in the pits and in the boardroom. They are currently accepting nominations – make sure you get in your votes!

Previous issues have featured many of our favorite drivers – Brittany Force, Leah Pritchett, Lizzy Musi, Alexis DeJoria and so many more! Who will be on the 2016 list?

There are hundreds of talented ladies we can think of right off the bat, but you’ve got to nominate your favorites!

Drag Illustrated – The Hottest Women of Drag Racing

The deadline is looming! THE HOTTEST 2016 is just around the cover. Drag Illustrated’s annual look at the best,…

Posted by Drag Illustrated on Thursday, February 25, 2016

Larsen Motorsports 2016 Schedule

February 23, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Jet Dragster super team, Larsen Motorsports has a busy year planned for 2016. The Horsepower & Heels Female Motorsports Team of the Year has some new venues and drivers on deck for the season. Check out some of the personnel changes on the team and the Larsen Motorsports 2016 schedule below.

Elaine Larsen | Florida Institute of Technology

Elaine Larsen will return off her 2015 Championship season to drive the Florida Institute of Technology jet dragster. She replaces Shea Holbrook, who has returned to touring car racing in 2016.

Kat Moller | Matrix Systems

Kat Moller returns as well in 2016 to resume driving duties in her Matrix Systems jet dragster. Kat is beginning her third professional year with the Larsen Motorsports team.

Allison West | Applied Racing Components

Allison West will take over driving duties on the ARC jet dragster for 2016, after Marisha Falk retired at the end of last season.

Dawn Perdue | LMS

Dawn Perdue joins Larsen Motorsports again in 2016 to drive the fourth Larsen Motorsports jet dragster for the 2016 season.

Jake Elliott | Floating Driver

Jake Elliott served as crew chief on the FIT dragster in 2015, is a fabricator in the Larsen shop, and completed his licensing requirements behind the wheel at the end of 2014. The first male driver for the team, he will be gunning for a full-time seat in the Larsen camp, jumping in for driving opportunities during the year.

Larsen Motorsports 2016 Schedule

Date	Event	Location
February 26	Florida Tech Exploration Day	Florida Tech Campus Melbourne, FL
March 4-6	IHRA Spring Nitro Nationals	Orlando Speed World Orlando, FL
March 17-20	47th Annual NHRA Gator Nationals	Gainesville Raceway Gainesville, FL
March 25	Florida Tech Exploration Day	Florida Tech Campus Melbourne, FL
March 26	Race for Autism Cure	Orlando Speed World Orlando, FL
April 1-3	Melbourne Airshow	Melbourne International Airport Melbourne, FL
April 9	Florida Tech Discovery Day	Florida Tech Campus Melbourne, FL
April 21-24	7th Annual NHRA 4-Wide Nationals	Z-Max Dragway Charlotte, NC
April 28- May 1	NMRA Ford Nationals	Maple Grove Raceway Reading, PA
June 3-5	Chevy Performance Nationals	Atlanta Dragway Atlanta, GA
June 9-12	NMRA Ford Super Nationals	National Trails Raceway Columbus, OH
June 25	Atlanta Night of Fire	Atlanta Dragway Atlanta, GA
July 22	Florida Tech Exploration Day	Florida Tech Campus Melbourne, FL
August 26	Florida Tech Exploration Day	Florida Tech Campus Melbourne, FL
October 29	Orlando Night of Fire	Orlando Speed World Orlando, FL
November 19	Florida Tech Exploration Day	Florida Tech Campus Melbourne, FL
November 25-27	Citrus Nationals	Palm Beach International Raceway West Palm Beach, FL
December 2-3	Snowbird Nationals	Bradenton Motorsports Park Bradenton, FL

Sara Slaughter new NHRA Media Relations Manager

February 23, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

The National Hot Rod Association announced Sara Slaughter as the new NHRA Media Relations Manager for the drag racing organization. Slaughter will bring her experience gained in the sports department of Riverside, California’s The Press-Enterprise newspaper and her previous internship at Health & Fitness Magazine in London, England to support outreach for the NHRA.

In her new role, Slaughter will provide media outreach for the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, as well as support other NHRA communications programs and NHRA racing series. In addition, she will maintain and develop relationships with national media members, assist with research and statistical projects and contribute to all NHRA communications department publications.

We’re pleased to have someone with Sara’s abilities join our communications team,” Anthony Vestal, NHRA Director of Media Relations said. “She has the work ethic, personality, attitude and desire to have an immediate impact with the media relations programs we have developed to promote and publicize the sport of NHRA Drag Racing.”

Slaughter graduated with her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Riverside in June 2014 with a major in Political Science. She is a native of Southern California.

It is a fantastic feeling to be chosen to join the NHRA team,” Slaughter said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to be able to be a part of this growing sport and continue my career in the sports world.”

Slow start for Erica Enders in Pomona

February 15, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

Slow start for Erica Enders in Pomona

After a slow start for Erica Enders in Pomona, the two-time Pro Stock World Champion didn’t love her 2016 Valentine’s Day so much. Enders lost in the first round of the 56th Annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals, the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season opener. The champ shook the tires at the hit and almost immediately had to abort the run in her Elite Motorsports/Mopar Dodge Dart.

Enders could only watch as Elite teammate Jeg Coughlin Jr. sailed on to the victory, but she is far from distraught. Class-revolutionizing changes in the off-season by the NHRA including a manufacturer switch to Dodge and an NHRA-mandated change to fuel-injected engines limited to 10,500 rpm — completely changed the Pro Stock program for 2016. The Elite team is starting from scratch on their program, and Enders knows this is just the beginning for the World Championship team.

We’ve got to keep a positive attitude and keep the mindset that this is only a beginning for us,” Enders said. “We just finished putting our motors together on Wednesday in Phoenix. We can only go up from here, and I know that with all my heart. It is a very tough pill to swallow. I hate losing, I hate losing first round. If there’s any consolation to it, at least it was to my teammate.”

Enders qualified No. 9 in Pomona, the first time since the Sonoma, Calif., event last August that she qualified outside of the top half of the field.

We’ve got to do some work with these race cars,” Enders said. “That run marks run No. 15 under our belts, and that’s nothing, considering I had over 300 runs on my other car. We’ll learn it, we’ll get it, and we’ll be back to the top — you bet your butt.”

Enders had tempered her expectations for Pomona, knowing the new Dart and Mopar engine is early in its development by Elite Performance, but she didn’t expect such tire shake against Coughlin.

The track was way different today than it was the whole weekend,” Enders said. “We run behind the fuel cars, and they did zero track prep, which is pretty detrimental to our class. Of course, being first out doesn’t help, but that was our own fault. All things considered, coming here we figured we’d be a middle-of-the-pack car, and that’s exactly what we were. We’re going to go home and go to work on this stuff. We’ve got a couple weeks until Phoenix, and in between Phoenix and Gainesville there’s another couple of weeks. I fully expect by the Gatornationals to be a lot more competitive. We’ll keep moving in the right direction.”

Courtney Force is ready to start fresh in 2016

February 10, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

The off season was incredibly long and Courtney Force is ready to start fresh, putting a tough 2015 season behind her. After wrapping up her toughest season since her 2012 Funny Car debut, her Traxxas team weathered a win-less season, with 15 first-round losses that left her outside the top 10 for the Countdown to the Championship. Though they struggled, Force did qualify on the pole at two events (Pomona and Charlotte) and had a runner-up finish in Norwalk, Ohio. She posted a new career-best ET of 3.933 seconds in qualifying at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway at the end of the year. She was able to maintain a firm hold on the record for most Funny Car wins in a season by a female (four) and most Funny Car wins overall for a female Funny Car driver with seven career tour victories.

I think I’ve become mentally stronger as a driver going into my 5th year of racing and have learned through all the ups and downs. I think any mistake you make as a driver is only for the better and you can take some much away from that if you choose to look at it with a positive attitude, and that’s what I’m doing this season,” said Force.

Force is ready to start fresh with her Traxxas team for the 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing series tour, and already is showing optimistic improvements. During the Nitro Spring Training pre-season test sessions at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, the team worked through some issues on the car in the first few days, leading Courtney to impressive full pulls which led to a career-best 3.890 seconds at 323.89 mph.

This season we are pushing hard to get our car back in that top 10 since we missed that opportunity last year. We are going to fight hard at every race with that as our primary focus. Obviously we have high hopes of having a race car to chase that championship, but we are going to take this one race at a time. We have a couple new guys on my team and have Dan Hood and Ronnie Thompson as co-crew Chiefs this year so I am eager to get started!”

The season opener will be the first event for new Traxxas Chevy Camaro SS Funny Car co-crew chiefs Dan Hood and Ronnie Thompson at the Force Family’s home track in Pomona. Both Hood and Thompson were assistant Crew Chiefs until this year.

I think our team made some huge progress this past week during testing in Phoenix. I think we have a better handle on this car than we did last year going into Pomona so that is giving us some confidence. When we ran my career best during testing and the car showed some consistency on the runs, it made me really excited for the upcoming season,” said Force.

Courtney Force and the Traxxas team hope to defend their 2015 pole with a strong start at the 56th Annual Circle K Winternationals in front of their home crowd and fans at Auto Club Raceway. This year also marks the 50th Anniversary for the Funny Car class. Qualifying will begin Thursday, February 11th, with sessions on Friday and Saturday. Eliminations will begin Sunday, February 14th.

Event Information:
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
2780 Fairplex Drive
Pomona, CA 91768
NHRA.com
Elevation: 1,100 feet

Tickets: nhra.com/tickets; 800-884-NHRA (6472)
Radio Frequency: 105.3 FM

100th race for Alexis DeJoria

February 8, 2016 // by Horsepower & Heels

NHRA Funny Car driver Alexis DeJoria will be breaking into the triple digits this weekend at the 56th annual Circle K NHRA WinterNationals in Pomona, California. The event will mark her 100th race in NHRA professional Funny Car competition, the most events in the class for a female driver.

Along the road to 100, DeJoria has picked up three national event wins to her credit, including the prestigious 60^th annual U.S. National in Indianapolis, IN. She became the first female to break the three-second Funny Car barrier, and earned three No. 1 qualifiers in the class, finishing in the Top Ten in Funny Car championship series points for the past two seasons.

The season opener in Pomona will begin her fifth season at the controls of the Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car. Previous to her professional debut in the Funny Car class, Alexis DeJoria spent nearly six years behind the wheel of a Top Alcohol Funny Car (TAFC), even owning her own team at one point.

As she gears up for this weekend’s 2016 NHRA season-opener, DeJoria reflects on her journey to this milestone. She joins Shirley Muldowney, Erica Enders, Angelle Sampey among other women in NHRA’s ‘100 race club’.

When I found out that Pomona would be my 100^th race, it kind of took me back. I just can’t believe I’ve already competed 99 times in a Funny Car. It went by pretty fast,” said DeJoria. “I’ve learned so much over these first 99 races and I think it really does take about 100 races before you feel settled in that race car. When there are things that come up- and there always will be- I feel much more acclimated to my race car, to my team, and to my series. It’s been a short but long journey, and I’m really proud to be in this position and say that after this weekend, I’ve been able to compete in 100 NHRA Funny Car events.”

Alexis DeJoria’s history making weekend kicks off on Friday, February 12^th as she and the Kalitta Motorsports Tequila Patrón Toyota Camry Funny Car team begin qualifying for the 56^th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California.