Wed, 14 Apr 2010, 09:20 PM Way Fast Wootton

By Kelly Wade Photo copyright 2010 Joe McHugh

Don and Kristen Wootton

Top Alcohol Dragster rookie Kristen Wootton waited a long time to settle into a racecar. For the past eight years, she's been a fervent supporter of her husband, ADRL Pro Extreme racer Don Wootton, and the two have spent countless hours racing together with Don behind the wheel. It was no secret that Kristen wanted the chance to take the reins on a pony of her own, and her persistence was finally rewarded this season when she made her debut at the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals in Houston.

"I always wanted to drive," said Kristen, the 32-year-old mother of two. "I bugged Don for years to let me go down the track one time. I told him that if I didn't like it, I would never ask again."

Don finally began to see the light, and after Kristen took a thrilling 135 mph ride in a two-seat dragster with his uncle, the ball really started rolling. When the couple met Top Alcohol Dragster racer Brandon Lewis, Kristen had the opportunity to see the dragsters run, and Don noted her enthusiasm.

Kristen Wootton

"I thought those cars were great," she said. "The power that they can put out is amazing. We found out that Brandon was putting his car up for sale, and Don asked me if I would want to try it. We knew that Joe Monden [now Kristen's crew chief] had built it; it was a great car built by a great chassis builder. Don said, 'If this is what you want to do, this is the car we need to have.' Joe worked on it over the holidays and it ended up being my Christmas present. It wasn't until February 1 of this year that I actually got to see it.

"We went to Joe's shop because he wanted to put me in the car and make sure everything was fine. I got to start it, and because it was 30 degrees outside, we had all the shop doors closed. Everybody's eyes were watering, but it was great. Then we came down to Houston Raceway Park the next weekend and I did my licensing runs."

Magnolia, Texas, resident Kristen was exceptional right from the start in her new A/Fuel dragster, and she studied hard to achieve a positive result. Her supportive crew consists of Don; Monden; her father, Robert Speck; and Clay Parker. Monden helped her obtain a quick edge by laying out the procedures step-by-step and sending them to her prior to the licensing outing.

"He emailed me instructions on the burnout, backing up the car, and everything else I needed to know," said Kristen. "[When we got to the track,] I went through the procedures until I felt comfortable with them, and he really had the car tuned down and the throttle stop was on. He didn't let me out of the gate full throttle right away, but my second pass, after just launching the first time, I went 175 mph. That was amazing to me. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, did I really just go that fast?' "

It only took seven passes over the course of two days at Houston Raceway Park for Kristen to earn her license, and just a few weeks later, she debuted her Mettle Armor Racing Oil rail at the national event held at the Baytown track. After two qualifying passes and a 5.513 best e.t., she was 10th in the field of 14 cars and drew No. 1 qualifier and defending world champion Bill Reichert as her first-round opponent.

Kristen was first off the starting line, .080 to .092, and improved upon her qualifying numbers with a 5.486 at 266 mph that was incredibly respectable for a newcomer but not quite enough for the two-time Houston winner, and her thrilling weekend came to a close.

Kristen Wootton

"I was very nervous," said Kristen. "I think I was more nervous about having somebody beside me and not being able to take my time with staging and going through the procedures. I had a lucky draw and had two single runs in qualifying so that I could get used to the car again, and when I was beside Reichert, I stopped thinking about my procedures and worried about cutting the light that I needed to so that I could beat him off the line.

"Don gave me three or four pep talks throughout the day, and he told me, 'Kristen, you have to be ready to leave. If you don't beat him at the tree, you don't stand a chance.' Don was so excited that I cut a light. His first words to me after were, 'You did it, kid.' "

Tristen, Kristen, Don and Cash

Their daughter, 11-year-old Tristen, and son, 2-year-old Cash, match dad's excitement over mom's new adventure, and the whole family is absorbed in the sport. Tristen races in the ADRL's Jr. Pro Dragster League and Cash is so filled with adrenaline at the mere thought of going to the races that the family has to keep it a secret if there is a trip to the track the next day or the little guy can't sleep.

Don is supportive of his wife's go-fast endeavor, and it stokes the friendly rivalry that the two have always shared.

"There is a lot of competition between us," said Kristen. "When I got back from the first round, Don told me that he might like to run my dragster just one time to see what it was like, but I told him no. Our parents always said it would be fine with both of us racing, as long as we weren't in the same category. We are competitive about everything, from the way that we pull a trailer to how we play volleyball. Everything we do, from sports to racing, we're always looking over the shoulder to see how the other one is doing."

Don Wootton Photo by Roger Richards

There will be plenty of time this season for the couple to sharpen the competitive edge while cheering one another on. If funding is available and Monden gives her the green light, Kristen's plan is to compete in as many NHRA events as she can, participate in all of the South Central Division races, and maybe even chase the points. Don will race 10 ADRL events in his injected nitro methane-powered '68 Camaro, and including Tristen's Jr. Pro Dragster schedule, the family will be at the track most every weekend.

"I'm very happy with all of our racing careers," said Kristen. "Don has a great one in front of him, and I love racing with him and going to the races with him. I wanted more weekends of doing that, and I believe it was the right time and the right decision for me to do this.

"I feel like if I slapped myself, I might wake up from this dream. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do this, and there is a huge learning curve, but I have exceeded all of my own expectations up to this point. I have been surprised at what I've been able to accomplish, but the confidence that Joe and Don both had in me, the fact that they both knew I could do it and that I would love it, that gave me the confidence to do it. I know I have the car, and I have the crew. Now it's up to me to determine my fate."