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Siblings
Share the Spotlight in PDRA Junior Dragster
PITTSBORO, N.C. (February 10, 2015): People often say drag
racing is in the blood. Perhaps it’s also in the genes.
Racing - and winning - would appear to be a part of the
Tanner family genetic makeup. Siblings Preston and Alexis
‘Lexi’ Tanner have been bringing home Junior Dragster
trophies since they began competing in the ranks. And
while no one was surprised to see them in the hunt for the
Pro and Top Junior Dragster PDRA Championships this
season, no one expected them to pull off the feat they
did.
Preston secured his Huddleston Performance Pro Junior
Dragster Championship at Dragstock XII, putting enough
distance between himself and fellow competitor Tia
Tutterow to ensure that she would not catch him with just
one race to go. Lexi took over the points lead of
Huddleston Performance Top Junior Dragster by winning
Dragstock XII, but was less than two rounds ahead of Mia
Schultz, not enough breathing room to celebrate a
Championship yet.
Heading into the PDRA Finals, Preston told his parents to
focus on Lexi. With his championship in the bag, he wanted
his little sister to have the best possible chance at
winning her championship as well. The strategy seemed to
be working as Lexi started going rounds. “Everything just
fell into place,” Preston remembered. “We came into the
weekend really focusing on my sister since I had already
sewn up my championship and hers was still on the line.
But then I started going rounds, too.”
Incredibly, both Preston and Lexi won their classes at the
PDRA Finals, solidly staking claims to the Pro and Top
Junior Dragster World Championships. “For both of us to
win the event and the World Championships was
unbelievable,” Lexi expressed. “It was like the coolest
thing ever.”
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“It was a
life changing experience,” agreed Preston.
As if further celebration was needed, Lexi turned 13
during the Finals. A better birthday present could not
have been purchased for any amount of money. Being crowned
World Champion at just 13 and 15 years of age, the future
is bright for the Tanner siblings, who know the reward of
hard work and dedication. Besides devoting time and energy
to racing, they must also keep up their grades in school
in order to be allowed to race. They’ll need those good
grades to pursue their careers as well. Preston plans on
becoming an orthodontist, Lexi an attorney. As if school
work and racing weren’t enough, Preston and Lexi both
compete in cross country and swimming with their schools.
“We’re a lot better at racing,” Lexi admits with a smile.
Although the Tanners aren’t immune to sibling rivalry,
they set that aside for racing.
“The goal is to always race as teammates, as a family,”
Preston told. “When we’re on the way to the race track we
don’t really talk to each other, but once we get to the
race track, we bond so that we can have a positive
outcome. When one of us goes up the line, you just hope
they beat the other person because it’s almost like you’re
up there. This experience definitely brought us closer
together.”
“I want to thank my mom, my dad and my brother for being
supportive, driving me to the races, and working on my
car,” said Lexi. “Also Nick Woods Racing and Hoosier Tires
for providing great equipment, the PDRA Series for letting
juniors run at the events, and the Traction Twins for
giving us such a great track.”
Preston echoed her gratitude, thanking his sister and also
listing LAT Oil.
The duo has enjoyed the accolades they’ve received from
being among the first, and perhaps the only, siblings to
ever win Junior Dragster World Championships in the same
year, but have already set their sights on the 2016
season. Both will be debuting new Halfscale dragsters and
Lexi hints that her dragster will have a new wrap, this
time with a “twist” on the familiar ‘Lightening Lexi’
scheme. Preston turned 16 this January and will have three
seasons remaining in PJD before he switches gears to Top
Dragster.
Look for Preston to defend his Championship and Lexi to
begin her run in Pro Junior Dragster starting with the
PDRA Series Opener at Tulsa Raceway Park, March 11-12.
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 2016 PDRA schedule consists of nine
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.
Photo: Gary Rowe / PDRA660.com
PRESS CONTACT: Lisa Collier
Professional Drag Racers Association
lisa@pdra660.com
704.692.4636 |
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