If there is a feel-good story to emerge from the NHRA’s championship countdown—aside from the expected recovery of 14-time Funny Car champion John Force after a serious wreck in Dallas—it is that of Peggy Llewellyn.
The San Antonio native became the first black woman to win an NHRA POWERade Series event, capturing the Pro Stock Motorcycle victory at Dallas and racing her way into the final four for the final two rounds of the sport’s Countdown to One playoff. Also contending for the championship will be Andrew Hines, Matt Smith and Chip Ellis. Mark DeCotis, FloridaToday
It was a home race for Decatur, Texas-based Klement and San Antonio native Llewellyn, and things couldn’t have started out better. Right off the trailer, Peggy took the George Bryce and Shane Maloney prepared Buell right to the top of the charts. It was Llewellyn’s first time with “Number 1” next to her name at the end of a qualifying round, and foreshadowed firsts to come.
Qualifying Round 1
1st Peggy Llewellyn left lane 7.045 at 185.61 mph
Qualifying Round 2
4th Peggy Llewellyn right lane 7.067 at 188.41 mph
Qualifying Round 3
4th Peggy Llewellyn left lane 7.029 at 188.65 mph
Qualifying Round 4
4th Peggy Llewellyn right lane 7.043 at 188.83 mph
But perhaps more impressive from a team standpoint was the qualifying consistency of the Rush Racing, S&S-powered Buell through changing conditions. That consistency is what earned the team the Full Throttle Award for the weekend and bode well for eliminations, eliminations that would determine the final four competitors for the championship. MotorCycle-USA
After posting a reaction time of .011, Llewellyn soared down the quarter-mile track in 7.020 seconds and topped out a 190.00 mph.
It was Llewellyn’s 20th career NHRA event. Prior to racing on the NHRA circuit, Llewellyn launched her career in San Antonio while racing at Alamo Dragway and at San Antonio Raceway. Mike Haag, MySanAntonio
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