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Jessica Bennett
Jr. Dragster Racer

Jessica Bennett

At 14, Jessica Bennett is already a woman on the go.

"My dad races a motorcycle and I went to the races with him every weekend. When I was 9, we saw jr.dragsters race at our local track and I told my parents that I would like to do that. I saved money for a year and was still interested in racing so we bought a car from Mike Bos Chassis Craft in Buffalo, NY, and started racing.

My first year was a great chance to learn about the car and racing. We met lot of new people that we are still friends with today. The following year, my dad built a faster motor for the car, not only because I wanted to go faster but also to be more consistent.

a lot of math...
Drag racing is a lot of mathematical equations and a lot of common sense. My dad and I spend a lot of time preparing to race and are quite successful at it."

Jessica won the Jr. Nationals at Indy in 1998 and won several local big races in New York. She also won the Best Engineered Jr. Dragster award at Norwalk Raceway Park in Ohio, and has finished in the top 3 in points at New York International Raceway Park (her local track) for the last three years. She typically races at 1/8-mile tracks, and reaches approximately 75 MPH in 8.9 seconds.

She intends to race a Top Fuel Dragster at some point in her racing career and wants to go to college in Mechanical Engineering. Currently she is a member of the National Honor Society and is also on the high honor roll at school. She likes to play volleyball and softball, and likes animals, especially dogs, cats, and horses.

Jessica's parents support everything that she wants to do, and "we get a lot of help from the sponsors that we do have. Right now I am trying to find a job so I can help with some of cost of racing or just to have a little spending money! At 14 there isn't much you can do but I will keep trying!"

Shirley Muldowney...
The racer that Jessica looks up to the most is Shirley Muldowney whom she has always admired for going after what she believes in. "I met her at the Empire Nationals held at NYIRP a few years ago and she signed my fire jacket!!"

Jessica's favorite racing story is about when she won the National event in 1998: "My dad was so proud of me-There were 114 cars in my age group and we raced until 2 in the morning to finish the race! When I won my dad cried and hugged me so hard that I couldn't breathe. This year he won the motorcycle class at the Bracket Finals in Norwalk, Ohio and when we went to the end of the track to tow him back he hugged me the same way and we cried because we were so happy! It was just a role reversal of two years ago when I won a National Event! "

Plans for the 2001 season are to use the jr. dragster that the Bennetts bought in1997, freshen the motor, and run mostly at the local track. Her goal is to win her class for 2001. Her dad will be racing a new Worthy dragster in the Super Pro class, and Jessica will campaign with him as his crew chief to help him work the bugs out. The current plan is for her to move into that dragster in 2 years.

"I feel really lucky to be able to have so many of my dreams actually come true-my parents support everything I do. I wish that everyone had the opportunities that I do, but people should always remember to try to do the best that they can-even if it's hard work!

If nothing else, I hope to inspire young kids to go after what they want and have fun doing it!"