THE HEAVY horsepower and short wheelbase of a Top Alcohol Funny Car make it a tremendous challenge to drive , but throw in the fact that the driver actually has to shift , and you ’ ve got a tricky situation few can manage effectively – especially in their first foray into the class . For 20-year-old Maddi Gordon , though , there is nothing she ’ d rather do .
Following in the footsteps of three-time world champion and dad Doug Gordon , who retired from driving at the conclusion of last season , Maddi was handed the reins of the No . 1 Top Alcohol Funny Car ahead of the 2024 season of NHRA ’ s Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series . So far , her youthful exuberance and bottomless optimism have been well-matched with a skillset that she ’ s been developing behind the scenes for years as she patiently waited for her turn . Five races into her debut season , Maddi had recorded a pair of runner-up performances and claimed a win at venerable Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park to prove that she is very much her father ’ s daughter .
Maddi sat down with Drag IllustrateD contributor Kelly Wade to talk about her success and challenges in her first season in the family Funny Car .
First and foremost , what does it feel like to be in the driver ’ s seat of an alcohol Funny Car ? It ’ s just like a dream . I really dreamt of being in that seat my whole life , seriously , being able to sit in the seat and see the blower and my foot on top of the throttle pedal . It ’ s living a dream . I ’ m on cloud nine .
You say your whole life , but how old were you , really , when you decided you wanted to drive this car ? I went to my first race when I was eight days old , and I have always wanted to race , but I really have wanted to drive an alcohol Funny Car for as long as I can remember . We made a time capsule one year in school , one you would get when you were older , and I wrote , “ I hope when I ’ m older my biggest dream will come true : driving Dad ’ s alcohol Funny Car .” I was 12 when I wrote that , and I still want to drive the alcohol Funny Car .
When did you really begin to realize it was going to happen ? Even though it ’ s always been a dream , I never really thought it would ever happen , just because of how much time it would take and how gnarly the car is . When COVID started , me and my sister , Macie , started working on the car , and we just loved it . But I think it was the middle of 2022 when Papa and Dad were like , “ Hey , are you really serious about this ?” It was a long conversation , because not only is it a lot of pressure , but to a certain extent , it ’ s dangerous .
After my dad ’ s crash [ at Brainerd in 2022 ], my grandparents [ Mike and Cheryl ] and parents [ Doug and Christina ] discussed whether they wanted me to be in that car . With the Jonnie Lindberg chassis and all the safety requirements , they were OK with it .
Do you remember the first time you sat in the seat of an alcohol Funny Car ?
YOUNG MADDI GORDON IS MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF IN THE TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR HER FATHER , DOUG GORDON , DROVE TO A THIRD CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE LAST SEASON .
94 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 189