Our headline story for the month.

Vicki Strell's Driver Profile

MRP 2000 S/P Track Champion

Vicki Strell’s Autobiography

Since growing up as a child in the early 70’s, I have been a fan of muscle cars, and Hot Rods, having two older brothers and a few of the neighbor guys all had their fast cars. Looking back now, I can say those cars are still my favorite today and of course with our own race car, I never want to ever let go of it. I got interested in drag racing in my teens, first cruising with my friends to the A&W Drive-in, then going to watch the street drags on Latimer Road in Langley BC. That was the beginning of a friendship with Hot Rods and Muscle Cars, which has now lasted 25 years.
I started going to the real drag strip once a year in the late 70’s, at SIR in Kent WA, when the event was called the Jolly Rancher Northwest Nationals. My ex and I built a few street machines along the way, but never ever took it out drag racing, but loved watching it. So after a few years we went our separate ways, I got interested in traveling the world, being a single woman and all. I went to Australia in 1988 for six months after selling everything I had just so I could make this trip. I did it on my own after about four months in Australia, and came home broke. It was the best thing I have ever done for myself. I realized I could do anything on my own, after traveling there to see the world at Expo 88 in Australia. I met many new friends, and keep in touch to this day, and cherish all the memories.
When I got home, I had to find a job and get my life in order. That all came together fine and in 1990 I met this wonderful man Dave Strell, at a Trooper Concert. I asked him if he was single, he said, "yes", so I said "so am I, lets dance". That was also the Thursday before the Inaugural Molson Indy Weekend in Vancouver BC, so the bars and pubs were all packed with Indy Festivities. Dave had passes for the Vancouver Indy and asked if I would be his date for Sunday’s race, of course I said "yes" and that was the start of a horsepower courtship.
After a few weeks of dating, Dave came to pick me up in his Muscle Car, as he told me he had a muscle/race car, but I had no idea what I was about to see. When he drove up the street I could hear this horsepower, and looked out my apartment window and saw this beautiful red 1971 Dodge Demon. He was as proud as a peacock, and looked so good on him. Dave had just finished this car after two years of working on it, and it was just gorgeous. I was very impressed with his workmanship.
We only cruised in it on weekends, and never street raced it. Then Dave asked me to go to Ashcroft Eagle Motorplex to watch him race the car, he told me to bring a book as I might get bored, but that was not the case. I got involved right off the bat, and enjoyed every minute of my first trip to Ashcroft. I had to learn about the bracket classes, as I had no idea how it worked, since Dave was running in Heavy (which is now Pro). It was hard to understand at first, just like any new comer to the handicap class. It was a lot of fun, and Dave knew we were a match made in heaven, since I enjoyed being there and willing to learn all about it. His best pass with nitrous was 11.08 et on slicks. That was the end of street legal for that car, in the winter 1991, Dave decided to do major changes on the car for strictly drag racing on the track, nitrous came out, mufflers off, etc…..
On Xmas Day of 1991, Dave proposed to me in front of my family (of course I said yes) and we set the wedding date that night for October 10 1992.

Mission Raceway opened in 1992, and we went to watch since our car was still being rebuilt. The car was finished in the beginning of the summer, and we went racing every weekend after that. With wedding plans on the go ahead, and we were busy getting the wedding plans together. We never joined for points that year since we knew we could not go to the TNN ET Finals with the wedding the following month. Our wedding day went off without a hitch, and we told all of our guests that we would be racing the next day rather than open our wedding gifts, that’s why we picked that weekend, racing and holiday Monday. We picked up the race car Sunday morning, and Dave’s family had written "Just Married" with shoe polish on the back window, with cans attached to it. We were newly weds one day, and racing the next. We are hooked to drag racing!! When we got home, we came to a house that was turned inside out, thanks to our friends playing a post wedding joke. We got the house back together and opened our wedding presents on Monday with our family and friends.

Dave joined the TNN ET Points Series at Mission Raceway 1993 (Heavy), and in 1994 the classes changed so Dave went in Super Pro (.500 sportsman tree) electronic class. With just a trans-brake and later a delay box. He qualified for the ET Finals at both Woodburn Oregon and Boise Idaho respectively. We loved this Bracket Drag Racing !! I did run the car many times in time only, foot braking till he got the delay box. I raced the car on non points weekends, and got a better hang of it when I learned how to race with the trans-brake and delay box. I became a natural at it, and enjoyed it every time I was in the seat, and racing against mostly men. I asked Dave if I could try my hand at the points the following year, and he can race non points, time only. So he said sure lets try it, and in 1995 I started racing for Super Pro points at Mission Raceway. I did well in my first year finishing in 10TH place (by just going rounds), and qualifying for the ET Finals in Yakima WA. The next years would also prove to be good, 1996 - 8th place - ET Finals Ashcroft, 1997 - 11th place - ET Finals Mission. Dave also won a Wally in Super Pro, at Mission, in the 1997 NHRA Federal Mogul Drag Racing Series, and that is another story to tell!!
In 1998, I began the season with bad news. After many months of tests as to why certain things were happening to my body, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Not knowing what to expect I asked my specialist if it was okay if I still race the car, he said "if that’s what you do, and feel you can still race, keep doing it especially if it keeps you happy". So off I went, the shock of it did put a damper on my racing, but knew I had to take better care of myself to keep this disease from attacking me. I realize now that I did block that year out of my head, for obvious reasons. My stress level had to come down from the news, I want to beat this, to be happy. Win a round or lose a round, we were there to have fun with our new found friends. There were days when I felt I couldn’t race, but over came after taking the car for a time trial, and felt better. I never missed a race all year. So in 1998 I finished in 17th place, and went to Seattle for the NHRA Sears Craftsman ET Finals. I went out first round, but we won the Best Engineered Car Award over the 500 cars that were there. That was a win to us because the car had been the same for a few years, with no big updates on it. Dave was very proud to win that award since he built the whole car himself, and would rather have that than the Best Appearing Car Award, and that was won by a Mission team mate.

Then in 1999, a year of MS and learning to control it, we both had better success at the helm. I had won my first race in Super Pro, May 27th 1999 at Mission Raceway. The car so consistent, Dave dialing in the car with our MR ET Computer weather station, and I did my job of driving. I finally won, after all those other races in the semi’s and quarter finals, and one runner up in Prince George. The year ended great with a 4th place finish, but we could not make it to the ET Finals, in Medford Oregon, due to unforeseen circumstances. It would of been my first year in the Race of Champions.
We did travel to Ashcroft for the 1999 NHRA Canadian National Open in September 1999. Dave raced the car in Super Pro and won the final. He has won another Wally, the other in 1997. Wow, this is fun, we both had success this year in the same car.
The year 2000 proved to be my year in the Super Pro points chase at Mission Raceway. With Summit Equipment on board as sponsor of the ET Points series, it was a whole new year and program. With the car, my husband, and my driving, it all came together for us. The best 8 out of 11 races, three rained out, so it was the only eight we had. I won my second race ever on June 3rd , and I had only one race where I went out first round, the rest were two or more rounds, semi’s and quarters. The points chase was coming to an end August 26/27th, a double header points race, already in second place we knew we had to go rounds to stay at the top. Saturday’s race I went four rounds, and got to first place, by only one point, over winner Dave Magee, who moved up to second from fifth, and former first place Damien Giddens was now in third.
The Summit Points Series, was coming to a close. Sunday was a day I needed a clear head, to go as many rounds as Magee, or better. The others close below us, in points, had gone out early, so it was him or I who could win the Championship. We both went to the third round, him in front of me at the starting line, and me about to do my burn out. I did not want to watch so I looked in my rear view mirror as I did my burnout, and had no idea if he won or lost. Dave did not know either, we were both focusing on the championship. I staged my car, green light, only .003 apart, but I broke out? Lost? No? O’well, it was back to the pit to hear what the out come was with Magee. He also went out in that round, "Oh my god, what about the racers still in? They couldn’t catch me, Yahoo!!. My family was there to witness it all, I won the 2000 Super Pro Championship at Mission Raceway (by only one point), the only woman in the class, and first woman to achieve that feat in any class at the track. What a day that was! What a year!
We then went to the Summit ET Finals in September at Woodburn Dragstrip. I was in my first Race of Champions, representing Team Mission as their #1 Super Pro racer. But that was short lived as I had a .497 red light. We then got to watch our racers kick butt in three of the four classes, in which three of our Team Mission racers won the finals in Super Pro, Sportsman, and Motorcycle. They will now head to Pomona CA for the Summit National ET Finals November 9-12.
Sunday’s Team race, total of 614 cars, was a little better. I had a perfect light in the first round, which gave me the bye run in the second round. Then the third round was a .496 red light, the end! The only thing I won besides two rounds was a perfect light mechanics apron from Woodburn Dragstrip. All and all, it was a lot of fun. That is what it is all about, fun!
My reaction time average, in elimination’s, was .523 for the year, during our points races. The car was right on most times for me, very consistent, and Dave dialing in the car. We are a team, on and off the track, we love this sport.
This was never a goal of ours to be #1, but the excitement of the competition, and the social part of drag racing is why we go racing. The friends we met through the years, and just the fun it creates through that friendship, we all are there for the same reason, just to have fun and drag race.
Oh, and one more friend we made this year was Warren (The Professor) and Arlene Johnson. We went to the Summit Nationals in Vegas, I got to sit in his Pro Stock car, and then he sat in mine when he was at Mission Raceway in July 00. I talked a lot to them these past years, at National events and Mission, and they are so nice to us that we all have become friends in a special way. WJ is our idol, and Pro Stock is our favorite in the Pro ranks. Those door cars are so cool!! So my dream came true of sitting in his race car, and him in mine while autographing beside the shifter. We have had beverages with them (Kurt too) in their trailer and motorhome after the races, and treated like honorary crew members. I must say, it was a dream year for us, sitting in WJ’s car, he in mine, his signature beside the shifter and winning the Track Championship! Wow! What else could we ask for? The year 2000 was very good to us, no one can take that away from us, and we are very proud of it.
My MS has been up and down, but nothing will ever stop me from drag racing, and that is what I need for my medication, Happiness!!! I don’t take any prescription medication, only natural herbs, and vitamins to stay healthy and happy!

Specific Details:
CAR - Daytona Red - 1971 Dodge Demon
OWNER - Dave and Vicki Strell
BUILT BY - Dave Strell
CLASS - Super Pro (Vicki - Summit ET Points Series)
WEIGHT - 2900 lb.
BODY/PAINT - Stock body panels, except Trunk lid and front bumper. BASF RM Base Clear, Hand Sanded and Polished.
ENGINE - 355 Chev Small Block, stock steel crank & rods, TRW 12.5 to 1 Pistons, Brodix Aluminum cylinder heads, with Crane roller rockers and lifters, Sigarson roller Cam, topped off with Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake, and Holly 750 HP Series Carburetor, fired with MSD Crank Trigger and Ignition components, Exhausted with home made 1 7/8 headers.
HORSEPOWER - 475
TRANSMISSION - Turbo 400, TCI Transbrake, Pro West 5000 Stall Converter.
CHASSIS/REAREND - Hand built the square tube frame, with 10 point roll cage, reworked stock front suspension and Mustang rack and pinion. Four link rear suspension with Chrysler 8.3/4 rear differential, Strange spool and axles, 456 gear ratio.
WHEELS/TIRES - Weld Drag Lite 15x14 rear, front 15x3.5, with 14x31 Hoosier drag slicks, M/T Front runners.
BEST ET/MPH - 10.65 et @ 126 mph
AWARDS - Best Engineered 1998 ET Finals Seattle, numerous first place awards in Show & Shines/Car Shows, Best Paint and Appearing

Home Page

Home page | General News | Archives | What's New

This document maintained by ThreeW@shaw.ca.
Material Copyright © 2000 3doubleU