Behind many a racer there’s an understanding wife or girlfriend…if a racer is lucky, his significant other is just as invested in the sport as he is. Adam Lowhorn is one of those fortunate racers, as his girlfriend Kaylee Smith loves to spend time with him at the track, and things got interesting when she joined him for a ride recently in his “Rod Slinger” 1961 Ford Falcon gasser.
The Rod Slinger was originally built by Lowhorn’s father, Mike, and started out as just a street cruiser that went to the track on occasion. Lowhorn daily-drove the Falcon in high school, but after watching gasser videos he decided to convert it to a full-fledged race car. The Falcon went through the transformation into a gasser and debuted in 2017 with the Southeast Gassers Association (SEGA) where it has raced ever since.
When Lowhorn first started dating Smith, he promised her a ride in the Rod Slinger at Shady Side Dragway, since it allow passengers during a quick 1-2 gear pull hit. Smith’s first pass in the Falcon wasn’t very memorable due to a carburetor issue, so Lowhorn and his father got to work to solve the problem. With the Rod Slinger ready to rock, Lowhorn told Smith to jump back in — but little did either of them know how wild of a ride it would actually be.
“I looked over at her before we launched and asked if she was ready and she said ‘heck yeah.’ I think the wheelstand in the 1-2 gear change straight in the air surprised the crap out of me more than it did her. The car had never been up that high in three years. Everyone in SEGA knows how crazy I am in that car and how much I abuse it, so I give Kaylee all the props for strapping into that car and trusting me. I’d say it was the ride of her life — the beautiful smile on her face was priceless,” Lowhorn says.
Smith had only sat in a race car while it warmed up a few years ago, so this was her first time ever riding in a car as it went down the track. Needless to say, the experience was awesome for her and she’s ready to do it again.
“It was my first time making a pass in a race car, so I honestly didn’t know what to expect. Knowing Adam, I knew it was going to be a little crazy, but a lot of fun. I think both of us were surprised of how high of a wheelie it did, but I was so excited we experienced it together. I would totally do it again..it’s such an amazing experience, and to say I was able to do that is pretty cool. Although, after making that pass in the Rod Slinger with Adam and to be able to have that memory with him, I don’t think anything will top that,” Smith states.
Making memories is one of the best things about drag racing, and partnering with your significant other makes it even better. This wild 6.85-second pass, which can found on the SEGA YouTube page, is something that Lowhorn and Smith will never forget, something you simply can’t put a price on.