Karen
Wagner Crowned First Female AHDRA National Champion
Karen Wagner was
crowned the first female National Champion in the 25-year
history of the All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA)
at the AHDRA Championship Awards Banquet. Karen led the Super
Sport class national points standings by just 1 point going
into the JIMS USA Las Vegas Nationals 2003 season finale and
needed a strong performance to win the class. Karen delivered
by advancing to the semi-finals, out-pacing rival racers.
In addition to
the National Championship, Karen won the Western Division
Championship. "Thanks to all our friends, supporters,
the AHDRA and fellow competitors for making this such a great
season", Karen said after winning the championship. When
asked how the men in the racing association treated her, Karen
replied, "I'm very grateful for the acceptance of all
of the male racers. No one ever looked down on the female
racers or treated us different in any way."
Karen captured
the AHDRA Super Sport National Championship in her first full
season of drag racing. In 2002, Karen competed in just two
AHDRA events in the Elapsed Time (ET) class. In February of
2003 Karen and husband Jack purchased a 1994 Sportster-based
drag bike that had been a class champion in the Canadian Motorcycle
Drag Racing Association (CMDRA) for the previous three years.
Karen quickly adapted to the new bike and qualified #1 in
her first two events. Karen later went on to win two AHDRA
National events - the Kresto Pacific Nationals and the AHDRA
Mid-West Nationals.
Karen and husband/crew
chief Jack comprise the Tri-Ryche
Racing Team based in Escondido, CA near San Diego. In
addition to being crew chief, Jack competes in the AHDRA ET
class and finished 9th in the national points standings and
5th in the western division.
Karen plans to
continue competing in the AHDRA Super Sport class in 2004
and Jack plans to compete in one of the AHDRA professional
classes. "We weren't able to pick up any sponsorship
this year, but hopefully we can pick up a few sponsors for
next year and come back and have another strong season."
Photo courtesy
of Larry & Dale Smith/PHOTOFAST
