BY KELLY WADE PHOTOGRAPH BY RICK BELDEN

AST YEAR , North Carolina racer Lauren Freer was busy making history at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk . Racing in Super Comp and Super Gas , Freer became the 30th driver in NHRA history to double at a national event . She was also the first female driver to accomplish the feat .

“ It ’ s always been a bucket list thing for me ,” says Freer , who has also claimed wins at NHRA divisional events and in big-money bracket races . Her most recent win before the Norwalk double was in 2017 .

“ I ’ ve always wanted to be the first ; the first girl to double , the first girl to win The Million ,” she says . “ I ’ d had two cars in the semis before , two cars in the third round and then ended up winning in one but didn ’ t make it to Sunday in the other . I knew I wanted to double . That was the ultimate goal – but after I won Super Comp , it had been so long since I ’ d won one that I had the attitude , ‘ I want to win , but I can ’ t be mad if I don ’ t .’”

It was past due for Freer to win Super Gas , though . She ’ d been competing in the category for years and won at the division level , but she hadn ’ t claimed a single national trophy in the class .

“ Finally winning the double was pretty surreal ,” expresses Freer . “ I had wanted one of the Norwalk ice cream scoops [ Summit Motorsports Park ’ s special trophy at the event ] for years and won one in 2016 in Top Dragster , but to get two more at one race – and for them to be the commemorative ones honoring Bill Bader Sr . – was really cool .”

Surprisingly , Freer – who races with the support of husband Jonathan Jackson , dad Paul , mom Teresa , and longtime friend B . B . Williams – was dedicated to cheerleading for many years while her father was wrenching on a Top Fuel hydro boat .

“ But fast was always a thing for me ,” says Freer . “ One day , my dad brought home a Jr . Dragster , and I think I quit cheerleading two weeks later .”

Driving an older , slow , and heavy car didn ’ t send Freer ahead to as many rounds as she would have liked , but that first year allowed her to learn the basics . The new-to-her car that came next equipped her to turn knowledge and comfort into success . Although Freer says it took a good two years to understand bracket racing , by the third year , she won the track championship and the IHRA World Bracket Finals in a new halfscale car that her family had built .

Freer raced Juniors until she was 18 , with a bit

of overlap in her transition from the half-scale dragster to bracket racing big cars . After a couple of years of bracket racing , she moved up to IHRA Quick Rod , where she experienced much success , including a division championship and plenty of Ironmen to line the shelves .

In the mid-2000s , Freer began running NHRA division events in order to get grade points to run a national event , and she finally got to do so in 2007 at World Wide Technology Raceway in St . Louis . Making quick progress , Freer won Super Comp at Bristol Dragway in

just her second-ever NHRA national event .

“ I just didn ’ t really know the difference at the time , but after I won Bristol , my dad was like , ‘ I don ’ t think you really understand what you ’ ve just done ,’” she recalls , now fully aware of the level of difficulty .

Freer stuck with Super Comp and later added Top Dragster to her repertoire . In 2013 , because Top Dragster wasn ’ t regularly run at the national events at her home track – zMAX Dragway in Charlotte – Freer added Super Gas to the mix . She licensed through Frank Hawley ’ s Drag Racing School .

“ It was a learning curve ,” admits the competitive driver who is a radiation therapist and treats cancer patients during the week . “ I like racing two cars . It gives you two chances to win . There ’ s also more pressure to do well in one car if you lose in the other , though .”

While the bucket-list items are being ticked off , Freer is continuing to learn , year after year , in the sport to which she has devoted so much of her life .

“ I ’ ve become a lot better loser over the years ,” she says with a wry grin . “ I think I ’ ve just grown in the way that I drive . I ’ m a very superstitious person , but I ’ ve kind of eased off on that a bit . It

got in my head , but Luke Bogacki and the This is Bracket Racing membership has helped a lot with that over the last few years .

“ Hopefully , there will be a lot more win lights in my future , and hopefully a lot more bracket racing . Being a better bracket racer makes you a better . 90 racer , and that ’ s what I love . It will always be in my heart .”

Freer thanked Michael Scott and Right Trailers ; Mickey Thompson ; APD Carburetors ; Hughes Converters ; Jeff Miller Transmissions ; Nesbitt Racing Engines ; Miller Race Cars ; Luke Bogacki and This is Elite Bracket Racing ; and Don Higgins and Crew Chief Pro software . DI

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