TheHOTTEST2018
“That’s what
we like to
focus on:
How can we
help the next
generation or the
next driver get
their chance to
be out here?”
86 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
to have at least one of our other cars blocking at
the other six races.”
Beyond this season, the Meyer sisters and
Nataas have bold goals, but their early career
paths make their dreams seem realistic, if not
likely possibilities. Megan has noted inten-
tions of moving up to Top Fuel after securing at
least one national championship in Top Alcohol
Dragster. Julie, who wants to work her way up
to running enough races to contend for the
championship, also entertains the idea of racing
Top Fuel someday. Her father is Thomas Nataas,
a former FIA and NHRA Top Fuel driver, so it’s
an aspiration she comes by naturally.
Rachel, however, is different. As thrilled as
she is to drive a nitromethane-burning dragster
capable of covering the quarter-mile in less
than 5.2 seconds at over 280 mph, her true
passion is learning how to tune the finicky in-
jected nitro cars like her dad.
“I definitely don’t want to give up the driver’s
seat – I want to do both – but I really like the
mechanical side of it,” says Rachel, who also
managed a 10th place finish in 2017 Super Pro
points at her local Mo-Kan Dragway despite
missing multiple races to drive the A/Fuel car.
“I like to get my hands dirty working on the cars
and helping where I can. It helps as a driver too,
knowing more about the car and understanding
what it’s doing.”
While Megan and Julie’s goals revolve around
driving, it would be unfair to label them only as
drivers. Like her younger sister, Megan learned
the mechanical side of racing from Randy as she
was growing up. She’s capable of handling the
duties of any of her crew members, and she’s
passing on that knowledge to the inquisitive
Issue 130