The Next Generation

Since the beginning of drag racing, women have become more and more involved throughout the years. Wives, girlfriends, and daughters are all an important aspect of this unique sport. They are the support system of the men, they have been through good times and bad times. We all know the bad times are usually extremely bad from engine failures, DNQ, or just not having any satisfaction with their racing careers. One of the ways women show their respect to their significant others or fathers or brothers is to back them up. They are usually called Back Up Girls (BUG). It is a public display to show that they are involved in this sport with the men and usually they are the last person who the men see before storming down the track. Being a BUG is such an amazing experience and I hope that if you have the chance to do it, do it!! Although this is an awesome act of support, women are getting the feeling of doing more. Instead of backing up the guys, they want to race them ;)

In the many years of drag racing has welcomed more and more female drivers and crews. From Paula Murphy to Courtney Force, the number of women drivers are increasing. Most of these women come from legendary fathers who have dominated the sport in years past. I know from personal experience when I was little I knew that I wanted to clime into a 300+ mph dragster to race against my dad and grandpa. It is an adrenaline rush that I wanted to be apart of ever since I would sit in my car seat in the tow vehicle and tell my mom "Mommy, mommy! Daddy go fast!!" I am sure that each female driver has their own story of the moment when they realized that this is what they want to do. I think it is a fantastic revolution that fathers are putting their precious, baby girls in what could be called a "man's sport." There is still a majority of men out at the races, but that just makes it even more exciting. It makes you want to go out and conquer just to think "you were just beat by a girl." The men of the sport are just going to have to settle with the idea that the ladies are becoming more and more involved. I think that the future of drag racing will become equal of men and women and that the sport will progressively get younger with age BUT will still have the strong influences of the men who made the sport of what it is today. I hope that one day I will step into that Top Fuel Dragster and have my grandfather standing right behind me on the starting line watching me fulfill my dreams of following his footsteps. I know that every time I stand on that starting line watching my grandpa race, I get butterflies in my stomach thinking that this could be me someday and that me and my grandpa will be in the exact opposite spots from right now. I know that I have at least 3 more years before I can have the experience of the monstrous speed and acceleration because I made a promise to my family that I WILL have a college degree in hand before I step into the sport of drag racing professionally. Until then I will have some fun with my NE1 front engine dragster during the summer and watch my grandpa do what he does best!
-Krista Baldwin
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