Earlier this year, popular jet car race team Larsen Motorsports put out one of the coolest casting calls in all of motorsports, seeking to add a pair of new drivers to their 300 mph exhibition racing team based out of Daytona Beach, Florida for the 2014 season in an effort to expand their popular program. The new drivers would race alongside fan favorite pilots Elaine Larsen and her protege, Marisha Falk, in a fire-breathing jet dragster at racing events and air shows all across the nation.
Recently, Pennsylvania native and drag racer Dawn Perdue was revealed as the first of two new drivers to join the team, as she was awarded a multi-year contract with Larsen Motorsports. Perdue, a registered nurse by trade who specializes in pediatrics and bracket races in the Super Pro category in a 351 Cleveland-powered machine on the weekends, beat out over 370 applicants from all over the country to earn a seat in one of the Larsen-prepared jet dragsters. Perdue comes from a line of drag racers, as even her mother takes her turn at the wheel on the strip.
“Dawn is the perfect fit for the LMS teams. She represents everything that we are looking for, a strong confident woman that is not afraid to take on a new challenge“, said Elaine Larsen, co –owner and driver of Larsen Motorsports. “In 2014 the LMS teams will be ready to hit the ground running with four Jet Racing Teams blazing their way across the country!”
“Dawn comes to us with over a decade of drag racing experience in the Super Pro categories,” said Chris Larsen. “Dawn has that drive and determination that is needed to make it in the racing industry.”
“Being a strong positive role model and never giving up on your dreams is definitely something Dawn can relate to. “This has been my dream for so long that I can’t believe that it is finally coming true!” says Perdue. “Growing up in a racing family, some of my best memories are at the Drag Strip.”
The final driver addition to the Larsen Motorsports roster will be announced in the near future.
(Photo credit: Larsen Motorsports)