ROWING UP immersed in the captivating world of drag racing , Michael Walker has set his sights on making his mark on the track . Hailing from Carroll County , Maryland , his father ’ s racing career ignited Walker ’ s passion for racing .

“ I grew up around the racetrack , and that ’ s all I ’ ve ever really cared to do ,” Walker says .

True to his father ’ s promise , Walker received a blue , blown ‘ 67 Chevy II as a high school graduation gift , launching his racing journey . He wasted no time , jumping into the competitive no-time series and racking up local wins .

“ That was the plan ,” Walker explains . “ When I graduated high school , he told me he ’ d put me in one of the cars . So that was my motivation to get there .”

As his ambitions grew and he wanted to go faster , Walker tested the waters in his dad ’ s Pro

Mod for a bit before obtaining one of his very own , where he competed in the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association . However , the financial demands of the Pro Mod world soon became a challenge .

Despite these adversities , Walker adapted by returning to his roots in the no-time series , competing primarily at Maryland International Raceway , Capitol Raceway , and Colonial Beach . He currently fields two screw-blown BAE-powered Camaros controlled by FuelTech .

“ At first , it started because it was what my father used to do ,” says Walker , referencing the type of racing he ’ s fond of , “ but now that I ’ m actually in a car , the adrenaline and the amount of tension I get knowing that everybody goes there to see Pro Mods or fast door cars gives me a little more of an adrenaline rush than if I were to get in my bracket car . I know that all eyes are on me , and everybody ’ s either waiting for you to screw up or waiting for you to win .

“ The big part of the no-time world is it ’ s a crazy feeling when you pull into the burnout box , and you look around , and all you see is a whole bunch of money pointing at you or pointing away from you . It builds up much more pressure on you as a driver ,” adds Walker .

The 2024 season was a breakout year for

Walker . He set a personal best of 3.61 seconds at 209 MPH during an event at Cecil County Dragway .

“ That really gave us the motivation to keep going . Then we ran a couple other no-time series at Maryland International Raceway , and I won two of those ,” Walker recalls , also sharing that his success led to an unfortunate consequence . “ We won almost every race , and then they banned my combo for kicking their butt so bad .”

Looking ahead , Walker is considering running in select PDRA races and other high-profile events like the Yellowbullet Nationals . But he remains flexible about his future plans .

Walker ’ s support system is integral to his success . His family and friends have been with him every step of the way , providing both financial backing and moral support , especially his mom and dad ; Tommy Barnes , who has been with Walker from the beginning ; and the Woolford brothers .

When asked what advice he has for aspiring drag racers , Walker ’ s words reflect the perseverance that has defined his journey .

“ Never give up , no matter how hard you think it is ,” Walker shares . “ There ’ s always going to be light at the end of the tunnel .” – KAYLA ZADEL DI

146 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 191