25-year-old Grace Howell is moving up in the NHRA world. This week, Cunningham Motorsports announced that Howell would be taking the reins of the team’s Pro Stock Ford Mustang.
Howell began her drag racing career at just eight years old, traveling the United States and even competing at the ANDRA Jr. Championship race in Australia, where she won the 8.50 class. From eight years old, her career has been a skyrocketing success.
At 16, she began racing in NHRA’s full-body classes, and consistently scored well, finishing in 7th place in the division two rankings.
Howell briefly raced in the NOPI import racing series, as a factory driver. In 2008, she won back-to-back events in Sport Compact and Stock eliminator, and in 2010, returned to NHRA in the AA/SA class, driving a factory-built Ford Mustang Cobra Jet. She won her class in Indy last year.
As luck would have it, Howell will be making her Pro Stock debut just in time to hit the track in Indy again, during the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil at the Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Indianapolis over Labor Day weekend (August 31- September 5). The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is the sport’s most prestigious drag race, drawing tens of thousands of spectators from around the world.
Howell says she’s grateful for the opportunity brought forth by the Cunninghams. “I cannot thank Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham enough for this opportunity. Our family has a long history with Ford, drag racing and the Cobra Jets, so to make our debut in Pro Stock, in a Mustang, is truly a dream come true!”
Also joining the Cunningham team is two-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Jim Yates. Yates has been working with Howell extensively and will serve as the crew chief for the team.