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Two Young Females
Battle For PDRA Top
Junior Dragster
Championship
PITTSBORO, N.C.
(October 22, 2015):
Automotive racing is
one of the few
sports in which male
and female compete
directly against one
another. In the
Junior Dragster
ranks, female
competitors are as
common as male
competitors, marking
an increase in
female participation
in the sport. PDRA
drivers such as
Lizzy Musi and
Melani Salemi
continue to pave the
way in the
professional ranks,
but this year only
in Junior Dragster
will you find
females vying for a
championship. In Top
Junior Dragster (TJD)
the championship has
been narrowed down
to two
ultra-competitive,
incredibly talented
racers, who both
happen to be female.
Alexis ‘Lexi’ Tanner
is currently sitting
atop the points
after winning the
PDRA’s most recent
event, Dragstock XII
in Rockingham, N.C.
Sitting in second is
Mia Schultz, who has
two runner up
finishes to her
credit this year.
With less than two
rounds of
competition
separating the two,
the TJD Championship
is far from over.
“It’s been an
amazing year,” told
Lexi. “Last year I
had a good start and
a not great finish.
This year I had a
rough start, but
hopefully I’ll have
a good finish. Every
time I get in the
car I think of the
things that [God
Speed Ministry
Chaplain] Renee said
at church on
Saturday. Somehow it
just calms me and
then I get really
focused.”
Lexi’s brother,
Preston, has already
sewn up the
championship in Pro
Junior Dragster and
Lexi would love
nothing more than to
win a championship
alongside him. The
siblings have never
won championships in
the same year
before, but right
now the odds are in
their favor.
Lexi and Mia have
been competing
against each other
for years already,
though they are only
12 and 13 years old
respectively.
They’ve vied against
each other for
championships in the
past, but through it
all have developed a
great friendship.
When the helmets go
on, though,
friendship has no
bearing. Each wants
to win as bad as the
other.
“We’ve been friends
since we were
eight,” Mia began,
“but it’s not really
hard to race against
people I’m friends
with. I just forget
that I’m friends
with them and just
focus.”
Lexi agreed that it
no longer bothers
her to race against
a good friend,
“Every time I’ve
ever been in a
points championship
normally Mia was
right up next to me.
So I’ve kind of
gotten used to it.”
Mia already has nine
championships to her
credit. This level
of success early in
her racing career
has given her big
dreams and she hopes
to one day compete
in Pro Stock. Mia
has had a great deal
of support in
reaching those nine
championships
including sponsors
Huddleston
Performance, Spark
Plugs.com, Simpson,
Lucas Oil, Jegs,
Nasty Boyz
Fabrication, Pit
Posse, Interstate
Specialties,
Sandblast America,
Patriot Electric,
Thornton
Construction, Bolt
Construction, Axcel
Sports, Baumbach
Plumbing. “I say a
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special thank you to my family,
especially my uncle, my parents,
sister, and Jimmy the Chef,” added
Mia. “Thanks to the PDRA owners and
staff for such a great series, and to
God for keeping me safe.”
She says she goes into each race
trying to win. At the PDRA Brian Olson
Memorial World Finals presented by Mel
Bush Motorsports, she’ll be trying to
win it all and round her championships
out to an even 10. If Lexi has
anything to say about it, however,
she’ll be hoisting a trophy up next to
her brother when the PDRA Banquet
rolls around. Win or lose, however,
Lexi says, “I’m very proud of my whole
family, of what they’ve accomplished
this year. I’m really excited and kind
of nervous [for the race], but I just
try to stay focused. To win a
championship with my brother would be
really cool.”
Watch Lexi and Mia battle it out live
via the PDRA Live Feed. Also visit
www.pdra660.com for discount tickets
to the Brian Olson Memorial World
Finals presented by Mel Bush
Motorsports.
ABOUT THE PDRA
Based in Pittsboro, North Carolina,
the Professional Drag Racers
Association is the top sanctioning
body in the United States for the
sport of eighth-mile drag racing. The
PDRA’s professional categories include
Pro Extreme, Pro Nitrous, Pro Boost,
and Pro Extreme Motorcycle along with
Top Sportsman, Top Dragster, Pro Jr.
Dragster, and Top Jr. Dragster. The
2015 PDRA schedule consists of ten
national events. For more on the
world’s premier eighth mile drag
racing organization visit
www.pdra660.com.
Follow the PDRA:
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram,
YouTube.
Photos: Gary Rowe / RaceWorks.com
/ PDRA660.com
PRESS CONTACT: Lisa Collier
Professional Drag Racers Association
lisa@pdra660.com |
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