Following the example of Ashley Force and others ... - NHRA.com

Following the example of Ashley Force and others,more young female racers are preparing forPro careers by competing in NHRA’salcohol classesby Steve WaldronDriving Tom Conway’s A/Fuel Dragster, 24-year-old Australian Kate Harker is hopingto make a splash in the U.S. during her firstseason of NHRA competition.Australian Kate Harker hasn’t takenAmerica by storm yet, but that’sher plan. The 24-year-old daughterof Top Alcohol Funny Car veteranSteve Harker has signed on to drive forTom Conway’s Skull Shine/Torco RacingFuels A/Fuel Dragster team in 2007,and that’s a pretty good place to start.“This is something I’ve wanted todo my whole life,” said Harker, who,along with her twin sister Diana, hasbeen racing since she was 13. “Dadalways told me that if I went to collegeand graduated that he’d bring me tothe U.S. and help me get started. Hetold my sister the same thing, andthat’s what we’ve always worked for.”Harker took over for Lee Callaway,who replaced 2005 Top Alcohol Dragsternational champion Steve Torrence afterhe and Conway parted ways early lastyear. In addition to winning the 2005title as a team owner and tuner, Conwaywon 18 national events, two nationalchampionships, and eight Division 4titles as a driver from 1987 to 1996.(Right) Harker was among the first generation ofAustralian Jr. Dragster racers and for three yearssuccessfully competed in the Australian NationalDrag Racing Association’s Modified Dragster class,the NHRA equivalent of Top Dragster. (Above) Harker,right, and her twin sister Diana hope to field a twocarTop Alcohol Dragster team in 2008 and eventuallymove up to Top Fuel or Funny Car.20 ✦ National DRAGSTER“Tom is one of the best there is, andit’s quite an honor that he has given methis opportunity,” said Harker, who metConway last year while working on herfather’s car. “There are a lot moreexperienced drivers out there, and hecould have put anyone in the car, but hechose me, so he must see something.”Originally from Brisbane, Australia,Harker spent last season servicing thebottom end on her father’s Top AlcoholFunny Car, which he campaigned inDivision 4, same as Conway.“That was one of the requirements,”she said. “I had to learn how thesecars work and what it takes to make itin NHRA. Drag racing here and dragracing in Australia are on totallydifferent levels.”No one knows that better than herfather, who began racing Top AlcoholFunny Car in Australia in 1990 and hadraced in the U.S. part time since 1999.After selling his trucking business in2005 and moving his family toGainesville, he finished seventh innational points and third in Division 4last year in his first full season in NHRAcompetition.“He worked his entire life to be ableto come to the U.S. and race full time,”said Harker. “We came herein 1999 and went to the firstthree races that he competedin, but we hadn’t been backuntil last year. Dad wanted usto stay focused on our studiesand get that outof the way sothat we’d alwayshave somethingto fall back on.”Harker, who hasa bachelor of commerce degree withmajors in management and marketingfrom Griffith University in Brisbane,and her sister were among the firstgeneration of Australian Jr. Dragsterracers and successfully competed in theAustralian National Drag RacingAssociation’s Modified Dragster class,the NHRA equivalent of Top Dragster.“The A/Fuel car is like my Modifiedcar on steroids,” said Harker. “It’s alot faster, and there’s a lot more to do.One thing Tom has told me is that ifyou listen to the car, it will tell youwhat it wants.”Harker began her Top AlcoholDragster licensing procedure at FrankHawley’s NHRA Drag Racing Schooland earned her license in Conway’s carlast September at Texas Motorplex.She made her NHRA debut just weekslater at the Division 7 Lucas Oil DragRacing Series finale in Las Vegasbefore competing in two postseasonevents in Florida.“It has all come together so fast,”said Harker. “I’ve followed NHRA ontelevision and through NationalDRAGSTER my whole life, and tocome over here and meet some of thepeople I’ve seen on TV and in thepaper is quite overwhelming. I’m justreally proud to be driving for Tom, andI want to do the best I can for him.”Driving a car originally built for thelate Shelly Howard, Harker lost inround one in her two starts this year,at the Division 4 events in Houstonand Belle Rose, La.“It’s really neat for me just toqualify,” she said. “We’re still learningthis car. It has a new enginecombination, and the chassis has anew back half. It hadn’t been downthe racetrack in two years, and Tomis still trying to work the bugs out.”In addition to the remaining fiveDivision 4 LODRS races, Harker willcompete at 10 national events thisyear, beginning with the O’ReillyNHRA Spring Nationals in Houston.“I’d really like to see us finish in thetop 10,” said Harker. “I think we candefinitely go some rounds and win someraces. Another thing we’re looking at isto maybe begin licensing in Top Fuel ornitro Funny Car later in the year, but ifnot this year, definitely next year.”Harker also hopes to be racing withher sister soon. Diana, an awardwinningphotographer who operated herown studio in Brisbane, is scheduled toattend Hawley’s school next month andplans to join her sister as a licensed TopAlcohol Dragster driver later this year.“My sister and I hope to competeas a two-car team,” said Harker. “Wehave some deals in the works, but Ijust want to take it one step at atime and make a good showing forSkull Shine and Torco Racing Fuels.A lot of the companies we’re workingwith are interested in seeing us goPro, but we want to be grounded inA/Fuel first. We want to get used tothe cars, the speed, and learn aboutNHRA.” ND

Over the years, many aspiring drag racers have used NHRA’s alcoholclasses as a springboard to the Pros. Ashley Force, Melanie Troxel,and Hillary Will competed in Top Alcohol Dragster before turningPro, and it’s their success that has spurred other female drivers to seekthe same career path. In this multipart series, we’ll introduce you tothis year’s crop of rookies as well as other women who are makingnoise in NHRA’s premier Sportsman categories. This week: Top AlcoholDragster rookies Kate Harker and Lindsey Wood.Except for driving her brother’s TopSportsman car at a couple of eventslast season, 22-year-old LindseyWood has spent the last 11 yearsracing dragsters. But instead of somedaycompeting in NHRA’s ultimate dragsterclass, Top Fuel, this small-town girlhopes to make it big in Pro Stock.“I want to drive a Pro Stock car morethan anything,” said Wood, who inJanuary had the opportunity to driveone at Roy Hill’s Drag Racing School.“It’s my favorite class.”So why is she competing in TopAlcohol Dragster?“Everyone asks me that, and I knowthat it really doesn’t make any sense,”said Wood, who replaced Ashley Forceas driver of Jerry Darien and KenMeadows’ A/Fuel Dragster. “I justthought that it might help me getmore exposure. Pro Stock is where Iwant to be, but I want to keep all ofmy options open.”Wood, who grew up just an hourdrive from Gainesville Raceway inMcAlpin, Fla., received a Jr. Dragsteras a Christmas present from hermother and father in 1995 and hasbeen racing ever since.“It’s all I’ve known,” said Wood,whose father Rowland won the 1984Division 2 Super Comp championshipand in 1989 co-founded CSRPerformance Products. “I was so youngwhen he raced that I really don’tremember too much, but when I sawmy first Jr. Dragster, I had to haveone. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”Woods was just 10 years old whenshe began racing in the NHRA O’ReillyAuto Parts Jr. Drag Racing League.With her father and older brotherJason handling the mechanicalside, she raced there for sevenyears before moving up to SuperComp in 2003.“I bracket raced a little but prettymuch went right into Super Comp,”said Wood, who reached the semifinalsat the first divisional event of hercareer, in Reynolds, Ga. “I really likeracing on a Pro Tree, and that’s the mainreason I wanted to race Super Comp.”Woods scored her first big victorytwo years ago at the ACDelco NHRAGatornationals in Gainesville. Shefinished 10th in national points andsecond in Division 2 that year, herbest season to date.“My first big win at the Gators wasso exciting,” said Wood, whose previousbestfinish at a national event was aquarterfinal showing in Memphis in2004. “When the win light came on, Ithought, ‘That can’t be right.’ ”After a 2006 season that she calledthe worst of her racing career, Wooddecided to switch gears.“We were at our last Division 2 racein [Reynolds] Georgia, and Jerry’s wifeDebbie came over asked me if I wasinterested,” said Wood. “I told her nobecause I really want to race a Pro Stockcar. We exchanged phone numbers andleft it at that. Then at the [PerformanceRacing Industry Show in Orlando, Fla.,last December], Jerry talked to my dad,and I decided to give it a shot.”In addition to Force and Troxel,Darien has been instrumental in thedevelopment of drivers BrandonBernstein, Morgan Lucas, FrankPedregon, and Gary Scelzi.“Jerry’s had some reallygood drivers, and that’swhat I looked at,” she said.“You never know where itmight lead.”Wood completed herlicensing procedure in LasVegas in early Februaryand two weeks later madeher Top Alcohol Dragster debut atthe Division 2 Lucas Oil Seriesopener in Bradenton, Fla. She failedto qualify there and a week later lostin the first round at the divisionalevent in Gainesville before scoringher first victory at the Division 4event in Belle Rose, La.“It surprised me a little becausewe’d had so many problems at the firsttwo races,” said Wood, who knocked offreigning Division 4 champion SpencerMassey in the final round with acareer-best 5.291. “And it was weird towin going just three rounds. I’m usedto going at least six rounds, so it wasdifferent.”Wood, currently second in Division 2points, will compete at five moredivisional races and eight national eventsthis season. Crewmember Chris Perl,who drove the car at the season-openingCARQUEST Auto Parts in Pomona, willdrive at select West Coast events.“I’d like to finish in the top 10,” saidWood. “To win the division would beawesome, but I don’t want to set mygoals too high.”Though Wood’s Super Comp dragsterwas one of the faster cars in the class,reaching speeds in excess of 180 mph,her new ride is nearly 100 mph faster,but that hasn’t fazed her.“When I went from the Jr. Dragsterto the Super Comp car, it took me awhile to adjust, but thisreally hasn’t bothered me,”she said. “I was morenervous driving my brother’sTop Sportsman car.”That’s not to say thatWood hasn’t had to adjust.“The first time I pulled theTaking the seat vacated by Ashley Force,22-year-old Lindsey Wood drove the Darien& Meadows A/Fuel Dragster to victory atthe Division 4 event in Belle Rose, La., injust her third race in Top Alcohol Dragster.chutes, it was like, ‘Oh my gosh. What’sgoing on?’ ” she said. “That took somegetting used to; that, and using the handbrake to stage the car. Because I’ve useda transbrake all of these years, as soonas the Tree comes on, I want to let go ofthe brake and hit the gas. You’resupposed to do it all at once, but myhand wants to go first, so that’s themain thing I’ve had to work on.”It has also been a differentexperience for Wood outside the car.“Driving the car that Ashley [Force]just got out of has made it a littletougher,” she said. “In Super Comp, Inever had to sign autographs and dealwith fans. People ask me questionsabout her all of the time, and I’venever even met her.”One of only five female national eventwinners whose father also won anational event, Wood isn’t sure what hernext move will be. She may return for asecond season in the car that Force successfullypiloted for three seasons beforemaking the jump to Funny Car — or not.“We haven’t really talked about anyof that,” she said. “I’m just going to takeit a year at a time.” ND(Above) Wood competed in Super Comp forthe last four seasons, scoring her first bigwin in 2005 at the ACDelco NHRAGatornationals, where she defeated GregKamplain in the final. (Left) Wood, whobegan racing when she was 10, competedin NHRA’s Jr. Dragster league for eight yearsbefore moving up to Super Comp in 2003.April 6, 2007 ✦ 21