Dirt
Bold Move
McKenna Bold enjoying Top Alcohol Dragster rookie season By Nate Van Wagnen
Since McKenna Bold was a teenager, she dreamt of competing in NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster as a member of the Randy Meyer Racing team. That dream became a reality early this year when Bold, 25, made her debut at the NHRA Winternationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip behind the wheel of one of Meyer’ s nitro-injected A / Fuel dragsters. She set low E. T. of the opening round before losing to low E. T. of the entire event in the second round. It was a promising start for a driver who has plans to accomplish big things in the sport’ s quickest and fastest sportsman category.
Bold grew up racing Jr. Dragsters, where she qualified for the IHRA World Finals in Memphis, won her division, earned a points championship, and collected numerous event wins. After aging out of Jr. Dragsters, she moved up to a bracket dragster, which she drove to more event wins, collecting two Wallys and some big checks in the process.
Taking turns driving with her father, Mark, McKenna ran in the 7.40s in the quarter mile and 4.80s in the eighth mile. So, it was quite a jump, Bold admits, to make the move to Top Alcohol Dragster, where she’ s been as quick as 5.189 seconds at more than 270 mph. But with coaching from two-time world champion Megan Meyer, 2023 world champion Julie Nataas, and Meyer, himself a proven driver, Bold has quickly adapted to the new driving experience.
“ When you have someone like Randy guiding you through the process and drivers like Megan and Julie around as well, it’ s just a recipe for success,” Bold says.“ I always felt if I ever had questions, they would get answered right away, and I just never felt like I was going in blind. I’ ve always had great guidance and support from the team, and you kind of feel like a part of their family.
“ Julie was around when I got my license, so she was there really helping me with all of my questions, especially just because it’ s such a different procedure compared to the Top Dragster, having the clutch and everything,” Bold adds.“ She was able to answer any questions I had. It’ s been a learning experience, even just stuff like packing the‘ chutes because on the Top Dragster we pulled the‘ chute once a year, so I didn’ t even really have a lot of experience packing bigger‘ chutes like that. Megan kind of walked me through all that.”
Bold also credits her teammate, Matt Cummings, who joined Randy Meyer Racing this season after winning six races with McPhillips Racing over the last few years.
“ Having a teammate during this has been amazing,” Bold says.“ A lot of these tracks I’ ve never even been to, so just being there to give me some guidance on the different tracks and some of the little quirks, he’ s been great to work with and have as an additional resource.”
Bold earned her Top Alcohol Dragster license in Las Vegas following the NHRA Nevada Nationals last fall. Since then, she’ s competed in the Winternationals in Pomona, both Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas and Charlotte, and an NHRA Lucas Oil Series divisional race in Dallas. She reached the final quad at Charlotte, where she left second behind first-time winner Brandon Greco but smoked the tires at the hit. As of early June, Bold sits No. 9 in the Top Alcohol Dragster national points standings. That’ s a feat for any rookie driver, but Bold is aiming higher.
“ Winning a world championship is 100 % the goal,” says Bold, who’ s based in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.“ Stepping into this, that’ s why I wanted to go full time right in my rookie year. Seat time is so important in drag racing, so I want to get as much of it as I can.”
With a 2025 schedule made up of 16-17 events, Bold will get plenty of seat time this season alone. Giving drivers the opportunity to gain experience is one of Meyer’ s strong suits. He’ s trained a growing list of drivers who’ ve moved up to the nitro ranks, including Nataas, who’ s driven Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars since driving one of Meyer’ s dragsters and his A / Fuel Funny Car. While Bold didn’ t deny aspirations to follow a similar path, she also insists that’ s not her focus at this time.
“ I try not to get too far ahead of myself, so right now the goal is bringing wins and a championship to Randy Meyer Racing,” says Bold, who works in the medical field and enjoys playing hockey and high-performance driving when she’ s not at the dragstrip.“ I think as a driver, everyone has goals beyond that, and I definitely do, but I try to just stick to the task at hand and just focus on that.”
With a support system anchored by her parents, Mark and Denise, Bold is proudly pursuing her dreams in a class stacked with both fellow rookies and seasoned veterans.
“ My parents are the reason I’ m able to do what I get to do, from supporting me and getting me into a Jr. Dragster and then the family-owned Top Dragster,” says Bold, who also thanked team sponsors Maxima Racing Oil, GUNK, and NGK Spark Plugs, as well as her own longtime supporter, Simpson Race Products.“ I also appreciate all my friends who support me as well. It’ s been pretty awesome just reflecting back, especially on all my hometown people I race with, just how much support they give me and how proud and excited they are. It’ s been really awesome.” DI
PHOTOGRAPHS BY RICK BELDEN AND ALEX OWENS / AUTO IMAGERY
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