Jessica Bennett
Jr. Dragster Racer
 
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.
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!"
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!"
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