Dad working hard after testing both cars

Busy is the usual speed at our race shop. Over the past two weeks we tested the dragster and funny car with much deserved results. They say hardwork pays off… and it did for us. We had great incremental times for both cars and each responsding fantastic to the changes and new parts we were testing.

On tuesday, Mum, Dad and Diana are heading south to Houston, Texas for the O’Reilly Spring Nationals. This is always a hot, humid event and usually encounter rain across the weekend. In 2007, we got some much rain that our pits were flooded. I remember walking ankle deep in water through our pits. Some teams nearly got washed away… well not quiet but it looked that way.

This race weekend we have our friends and fellow Australian racers, Gary, Debbie and Cheyne Phillips making the long 15+ hour trip over. I know mum and dad are really looking forward to them hanging out for the weekend. Dad and Gary chat weekly for hours on end,  so at least for one week their phone bills will be saved!

Mum and Dad working hard with Zoe watching on

Before we head out on Tuesday, mum and dad have two motors to rebuild. Here’s a pic of the two of them working hard and our dog Zoe keeping an eye on them Dee and I always say they are like Ying and Yang or peaches in cream. One does not do anything without talking to the other… they are a true team!

Dee’s has been heaps busy spreading her time between working on the race

Dee's doing double duty working at Styla Mount

 cars, driving the dragster and working part-time with me at Styla Mount. Here’s a pic of Dee at her desk that we set-up at Styla Mount. Dee does really great graphics work. I am excited to show other race teams what we can offer them as a Styla Mount package!! Stay tuned I will post pics next week.

This week I had a new staff member start, I now have two employees plus Mum and Diana helping out on the busy day’s. Kay is my graphics member who runs our print department and Barry (the new guy) is our production hand and will take on some sales work in a few weeks once he gets settled in. I am gratefull that I have been blessed with a good team of staff, family and a wonderful boyfriend to help me on my jounry. Some days I just want to hide away but the support I get on those days makes it all worth it.

Speaking of boyfriend, Michael and I are coming  up on our 1 year anniversary. What a great year it has been with him, Michael  has opened me to new experinces and the support he gives me in endless and uncoditional. This summer Michael is taking me to get certified to dive so when we go home to Australia at Christmas time (which is summer then) we plan to go dive the barrier reef!!!

Well, best get back to Styla Mount… We wish a great week and in the great words of Dad “the harder you work the luckier you get!”

Dad has competed at four events so far this season with one win, one runner-up and two semi-final finishes! And he has been testing trying to find that edge. It was awesome to see Frank Manzo and Mickey Ferro run those 5.40 second passes at the GatorNationals. When performance like that happens Dad is pumped, it’s like a dose of energy that sweeps through him and challenge sets in.

I got to test two weeks ago for Todd Odum and Scott Johnson after the GatorNational event in Florida. Let me tell you, apart from the hair flying 276 mph pass I made ( my fastest ever!) what a great group of guys! I had a fun day and really look forward to doing some more test runs with the TigerFlow race team.

I have been busy with my new business, Styla Mount. We have been mounting some beautiful work over the past months. We just moved Styla Mount into a new office/warehouse facility that will allow us to really get print and production going! You can check out Styla Mount at www.stylamount.com We have done several mounts for other drivers and teams and look forward to launching a new promotional version for teams in the coming weeks.

Rachel, Diana and Megan at Division Banquet in 2008

Another really cool thing that happened after the GatorNationals was second generation driver, Megan Meyer (pictures right with Diana and sis Rachel) got her feet wet in her new super comp dragster. Megan attended Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing school, which both Diana and I strongly recommend to anyone looking to coming into the sportsman or Alcohol ranks, excellent school!  Megan is the daughter of World Championship crew chief and team owner, as well as occasional driver, Randy Meyer. Megan has such a great foundation and a bright future in racing ahead of her. And you wont find Megan lingering in front on the mirror at the race track, she is a hands on gal working wrenches on her dads A/Fuel dragster.. Dee and I wish Megan (and sis, Rachel) the best of luck with their racing program this year!

Dee will be getting on track for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Brownsburg, IN across April 22-24. We had been looking at going across to Great Bend, KS for the Lucas Oil points race on the same weekend. Might still yet.. never know with the Harker clan where they might show up! What a historic race track Great Bend is! The first NHRA National event was held here back in 1955 and the track is operated by volunteers. What an accomplishment for a track to be functional for over 50 years! Most business dream of that kind of success..

Diana and Bridal Party in Brisbane, Australia

Diana got take a quick trip back home to Australia just before the GatorNationals. Her best friend, Samantha got married and Dee, for the first time, got to be a bridesmaid (pictured far right). Usually Diana is the photographer, having photographed some 500 weddings in her short career, she was over due for a little relaxation on a wedding day.. see the champagne glass, that’s relaxation!

Diana spent lots of time with our brother, his sweet girlfriend

Scott, Kristina and Lilly

 Kristina and her daughter Lilly while down under. Our brother, Scott owns a Bridgestone B-Select franchise. These are really modern, with an open showroom plan. Diana loved visiting our brothers B Select Store because he has a very cool (and expensive) cappuccino machine for his customer. Word, if you’re traveling to Australia, Aussie’s love coffee and good wine!

Hey, don’t forget to tune in to racefanradio.com on Monday night at 8 pm ET for Radio Nitro! Diana and I co-host the radio show with “Mr Inside Top Alcohol” Will Hanna. This Monday we have driver of the AAA of Southern California, your reigning Nitro Funny Car Champion Robert Hight joining us.. what a cool show this will be! We had Tim Wilkerson on the show the Monday night before the GatorNationals and he went on to win the race… so maybe we can carry this on with Robert going into Houston!

Well thanks for reading and joining us on our blog… time to go get the race car ready for action!

Until our next blog…In the great words of our dad, Steve ” if you can’t be cool, be fast!”

Thanks, Kate and Dee