cameron ferré
cameron ferré
the sport: Top Fuel. After licensing in the Paton family’ s dragster in 2015, he made his competition debut at the NHRA Carolina Nationals this year, earning his first round win over Tony Schumacher. Now, Ferré has even bigger things planned as he works toward his goals of racing Top Fuel fulltime while building the Racepak brand.
Speaking to Drag Illustrated from his office in Racepak’ s Rancho Santa Margarita, California-based headquarters, Ferré discussed the evolution of both himself and the brand he represents, as well as what’ s next for the world of data acquisition.
When we talked a little over a year ago for DRAG ILLUSTRATED’ S annual Sportsman Issue, you were just starting to lay the groundwork for your move up to Top Fuel. In that time, you’ ve not only earned your license, entered your first race, and qualified at your first race, but you also earned your first round win over the most successful driver in Top Fuel history. What has that process been like?
It’ s honestly been a lot of hard work and dedication and never giving up. I set out to do this when I was nine years old and my goal and dream and desire was to be in a Top Fuel car and I wasn’ t going to stop until I got it. It’ s not just getting in the car and stepping on the gas. There’ s so much more that goes into doing something like that.
That even comes back to my college experience and my daily life at Racepak. I started at Racepak because I wanted to break into the industry and learn and meet people because I didn’ t come from a motorsports family. I had to figure out how to get into the industry and let people know what I’ m doing and what I want to do and where I plan on going. Racepak was an amazing fit to execute that. I hope to continue and get a full-time ride, but in the meantime it’ s a fun journey, that’ s for sure.
You’ ve driven and worked on cars in several different classes in addition to your work at Racepak. Do you think that lends to your credibility as a professional drag racer?
One hundred percent. I started here at Racepak with the intentions of meeting people within the industry. I didn’ t know anybody from anybody when I went to my first Junior Dragster race; I literally knew not one person. I went with my dad and a family friend of ours and we just gave it a go. We barely knew how to start the thing, seriously.
My dad is mechanically inclined from being in the body shop industry his whole life and we figured it out as we went, but it wasn’ t like we could go call so-and-so if we had a question. I
Making Progress
A legitimate first-generation drag racer, Cameron Ferré didn’ t have the luxury of a family full of racers, tuners or car owners to help him establish himself behind the wheel, so the crafty young man leaned on his natural charisma and advanced networking skills to lay the foundation for a career that has seen him progress from a Jr. Dragster to Top Fuel.
had to figure out a way to get into the industry. I bought a Super Comp car, started meeting people through that, and that’ s what led to my job at Racepak. I tapped out in Super Comp as far as meeting people and I knew I had to progress.
Next thing I knew, I met Donny Cummins, who’ s in charge of the Pro systems here at Racepak. I went up to Bakersfield to do the clutch on Leah Pritchett’ s nostalgia Funny Car and Donny was doing the bottom end on the car. We started talking and I expressed interest in working at Racepak. Sure enough, he called me in for an interview a few weeks later. I was still in college at the time and I thought, here’ s my dream job and I won’ t be able to take it because I’ m still in college. They were actually willing to work around my college schedule because they saw something in me. They took me under their wing
PHOTOS: NATE VAN WAGNEN, CAMERON FERRE RACING
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