Haynes Racing, from Billings, Montana, in the USA have appointed Michelle Osborn to become the Australian driver of the Gravity Storm Jet Dragster.
The US team owner, Chuck Haynes, has been touring with his Jet Dragsters to Australia for many years and has a strong fan base in both the US and Australia.
“We had heard about Michelle’s wild low seven second altered. Those short wheelbase altereds are tough to drive so we’re really confident that she’ll do well in the Gravity Storm Jet Dragster,” he said. “The Jet Dragsters are very different to wheel driven cars”.
Osborn, 20, has only been driving her Modified Altered for three seasons but has certainly made her mark in drag racing. She holds the Australian record for her class and also holds the Modified track records at Perth Motorplex, Sydney Dragway, and Willowbank Raceway in Brisbane.
“I’ve been a drag racing fan since I was about 13 years old and I went through the Junior Dragster program before I started racing my Altered,” she said. “The step to the Jet Dragster is a big one but I can’t wait.”
The Jet Dragsters get down the ¼ mile (400m) in five seconds at speeds approaching 500kmh. Michelle also has a Certificate 1 in both Automotive Mechanics and Auto Body Repair and is now a partner and managing Director of a do-it-yourself automotive workshop called M’Mates Place.
“We are currently putting plans in place to go to the USA for my training so I can be ready to go for the Australian summer drag racing season; I just can’t wait” she said.
Haynes added, “It’s great to see more young women taking high profile positions in drag racing and it will be great for the race fans who really get behind the man vs woman as well as Australia vs USA.”
