British Girls Dominate Drag Racing

Watch Out Boys The Girls Are In Town... Shelley Pearson, 28,  and Paige Wheeler, 12, both have something in common they are drag racers and the best in the UK.

Paige Wheeler is one of the UK top junior drag racers, at the age of 12 years old; Paige drives a car that goes 0-60mph in less than 3 seconds beating most of the cars on the road. When Paige’s parents moved to Wellingborough, they went on a family day out to local attraction Santa Pod Raceway, they never dreamt where it would lead.

Paige, then 9, liked what she saw, so much so that she badgered her parents to go back for more.  Despite having no previous interest or background in

motorsport, her parents gave in. Before they knew it, Paige was entreating them to buy her a tuition session in Santa Pod’s Junior Dragster and, soon enough, for Paige’s 10th birthday, the treat came her way.

In 2009, Paige’s dad, Andy Wheeler - who had never once imagined himself a race team boss - found himself proud owner of a Junior Dragster and all that accompanies it - a nervous father to a precious daughter risking life and limb at the controls.

Paige, has travelled around the World meeting some of the world’s greatest drag racing drivers & Teams - including American speed Queen Melanie Troxel  and R2B2 Racing, one of the most prestigious drag racing Teams based in Duluth, Georgia - which she is now part of and flying the flag for them on this side of the Atlantic.

Keeping it in the family Belle, Paige's younger sister is 8 years old on the 22nd September and she will drive Paige's current dragster at the UK national finals @ Santa Pod Raceway, the day after her birthday. Becoming the youngest Jr dragster driver in the UK and one of the fastest 8 year olds!

Shelley Pearson is flying the flag for female drag racers everywhere as Britain’s quickest driver! Racing in the Top Fuel class where the cars run on Nitro Methane and can reach speeds of up to 300mph accelerating from 0 - 100mph in under one second!

Motorsport has been a big influence on Shelley’s life, attending races at Santa Pod since she was just a baby, her Dad has always been passionate about drag racing hence why Shelley learnt how to drive an especially powerful car at a very young age.

28 years later she tears up the track in a way she could have only dreamed of. At 16 Shelley began racing banger cars on an oval track then progressed into stock rods when turning 18. 

Shelley attended Frank Hawleys drag racing school in May 2008 and successfully gained her NHRA Super Comp License.

In October 2010 Shelley took the top fuel license which is for the elite of drag racing, covering a quarter mile track in 4.98 sec at 278 mph qualifying her as he UK's quickest and fastest female racer!

Shelley and Paige will be competing at the FIA European Final at Santa Pod, 8th - 11th September www.Santapod.com