Families Racing Together – What The Sport Needs More Of
It’s been said that the sport of drag racing brings strangers together and makes for some great friendships, some great rivalries and in some cases, a “second family” that wants to see fellow racers succeed and have a good time.
It’s not uncommon to see sons following their fathers into the sport of racing, I’m a perfect example of that. But sometimes it’s the girls behind the wheel that grow up to become the women of the sport that are idolized and inspire others.
Last month at the National Mustang Racers Association (NMRA) opening event at Orlando Speed World Dragway, a pair of Ford Pintos rolled into the burnout box. Granted, seeing one Pinto at the strip can be a rare occurrence these days, but two?
The Pinto duo is campaigned by the Denney family, with father Bill wheeling the “Little Blue Pony” while daughter Sarai pilots the “Little Pink Pony.” The Pinto was not the first choice for either driver though.
“Growing up and seeing (NHRA world champion Pro Stock racer) Bob Glidden race in his Pinto,” Bill stated drew his attention towards the Pinto model. “I started with a Maverick in the late 1970s.” But he would purchase the 1971 Pinto now known as the “Little Blue Pony” in 1981, and has enjoyed the car ever since.
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Sarai grew up at the race track, watching her father but also helping out friends with crew duties. “I don’t know if I ever thought I’d be racing someday,” Sarai said. “But at the age of fifteen, we rebuilt my brother’s first car, a 2000 model Mustang.” That Mustang would get Sarai her first five years of racing experience, but then a ‘for sale’ ad popped up that would change everything.
“Sarai likes nostalgic things,” said Bill. “So when the second Pinto popped up for sale, we thought ‘how cool would that be; a two-car Pinto team.’” The red Pinto was acquired, and Bill found out he had raced against the car at his old home track, Ohio Valley Raceway. “It was cool to acquire a car that I raced against 30 years ago.”
Bill had acquired the car from Robert Snowball, who had updated it a bit with new tin and a new front half chassis. All it required was an engine and transmission, and Bill filled that void with a Ford 351 cubic inch-based Cleveland bullet, backed by a Powerglide two-speed automatic transmission.
Now in 2023, Sarai is determined and focused on her racing more than ever before. “I’m trying really hard, and I’m determined to get my first win,” she said. “We’re attending every race we can.”
One of those events was the NMRA opening event of the 2023 season, where father and daughter staged up in a friendly grudge race. “It was a neat thing; not too many fathers and daughters get that opportunity,” Bill said.
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of the author and Sarai Denney.