MOVERS & SHAKERS
GRADUATION PARTY : Kenzie Whitley has had a pretty eventful 2024 thus far , as the Locust , North Carolina , Jr . Dragster racer turned 18 in March , graduated high school in May , and two weeks later won the first Top Sportsman race she ever entered ! It took place at Union Dragway on June 1 when she climbed behind the wheel of her grandpa ’ s Monte Carlo and promptly plowed through the competition on her first at-bat in a big car .
QUALITY TIME : While motorcycle racing is the family business , young Cairo appears ready to take the wheel and drive while hanging out in the staging lanes with his dad , two-time and reigning PDRA Pro Extreme Motorcycle world champion Chris Garner-Jones , and mom Amayha .
TALKING STRATEGY : Jacie Ensslin , wife of PDRA Extreme Pro Stock young gun Jordan Ensslin , discusses last-minute changes with her grandfather-in-law , Poke County Pro Stock Racing patriarch Larry Ensslin , during the PDRA American Doorslammer Challenge at Norwalk .
RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR : NHRA Pro Stock world champion Erica Enders accepts her sixth championship ring from NHRA President Glen Cromwell during pre-race ceremonies at the season-opening NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway . Enders went on to win her first Gatornationals Wally .
WISE WORDS : Three-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion Angelle Sampey shares a chat and perhaps some pre-run advice with Jianna Evaristo at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals . While Sampey now competes in Top Alcohol Dragster , she stays connected to her two-wheeled roots .
68 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 189