When Krista Baldwin acquired Pat Dakin’s Top Fuel Dragster in April, she anticipated a learning curve with the new equipment.
“We’ve had some bad luck and various issues, from my driving style to tune-up problems,” Baldwin said. “The last few races haven’t gone as planned.”
Baldwin, who has raced four times this season, most recently in Las Vegas and Chicago, is seeking to accelerate her progress by having veteran driver Spencer Massey take the wheel of her dragster at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, this weekend.
“Spencer drove Pat Dakin’s car for many years and has been a close friend during my transition to Top Fuel,” Baldwin explained. “Since Norwalk wasn’t on my race schedule and he wanted to compete, we arranged for him to drive.”
Baldwin is enthusiastic about Massey’s involvement. “He’s one of the best in the class and will help me understand my car better while he drives. We’ll exchange insights on how the car reacts, which will benefit me in the long run.”
Massey has always been a favorite driver for Baldwin. “As a kid, I idolized him,” she said. “I met him through Don Prudhomme, and it was a dream come true. I’ve been a fan ever since.”
With 18 career NHRA Top Fuel wins, Massey won the 2009 Auto Club Road to the Future Award driving for Prudhomme and later joined Don Schumacher Racing from 2011 to 2015. Since leaving DSR, he has competed part-time in Dakin’s dragster.
“Spencer knows this car better than I do since it was Pat Dakin’s before I bought it,” Baldwin said. “He was in Chicago with us, and I could ask him about the car’s behavior. Each car has its own personality, and Spencer has been great at explaining what to expect.”
Baldwin plans to use the insights gained from Massey’s driving to prepare for her next race as a driver in Martin, Michigan, at the Northern Nationals on August 2-3. “I’m aiming to fundraise for the U.S. Nationals,” she added.
With Massey driving this weekend, Baldwin hopes to set her program on the right path. “This car is capable of running 3.70s consistently,” Baldwin said. “I see this weekend as a free test session to get the car back on track. When I return to driving for Indy, everything should be smooth sailing.”
