Fourteen year old Darwin resident Brooke Harris is hoping the home track advantage will quieten the nerves and provide her an edge when it comes to taking on her fellow Summit Racing Equipment Junior Dragster competitors at next weekend’s Nitro Up North event.
The event, to be held at Hidden Valley Raceway across July 8 and 9, includes the first round of the 2016 national Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Drag Racing Series, and will host racers from all across the country.
According to the year nine Taminmin College student, the fact she would end up in racing was something of an inevitability.
“My family and friends got me interested in drag racing and cars – my parents have owned a mechanic shop for 20 years in Darwin, so I think horsepower is in my blood,” Harris explained.
“I love the adrenalin you get when you go down the track. My friends from school think it is cool and different, and really like that I do it.
“I think there should be more girls like me in drag racing, because we are just as good as the boys. For me, the only lowlight is when I am not racing!
“My biggest highlight so far has been winning the Junior Dragster bracket in 2015 and also taking out the Track Champion of Champions title the same year – which was my first year of racing.”
For Harris, her ultimate goal is one which should make those who introduced her to the sport nervous.
“My ultimate racing goal is to race one of my parents one day!” laughed Harris, who despite her urge to beat them on the track thanks her parents as well as her pit crew and her local sponsors for their support.
As a local, the Hidden Valley Raceway is a home away from Home for the Harris.
“Hidden Valley is a really good track, I have grown up around it and seen it change so much. It is run by a great bunch of people,” she said.
“I am pretty excited to be racing in such a big field next weekend and against people from all around Australia.
“I like to think I will have a home track advantage, because I feel that I won’t be as nervous as I would be racing away from home.
“In the end, I just want to have fun and hopefully take a win.”
The Nitro Up North event will be held at Hidden Valley Raceway across Friday 8 and Saturday 9 July, 2016. It will feature racing for Top Doorslammer, Top Fuel Motorcycle and Top Fuel (exhibition only), as well as Junior Dragster, Modified, Modified Bike, Street Bike, Street Car, Super Comp, Super Sedan, Super Street, Supercharged Outlaws and Top Sportsman. On-track action will be held from approximately 3.00pm to 10.00pm each day. For full ticketing and event information, please click here
Image credit: Grant Stephens / Drag News Australia