Kate
Harker

LATEST SNIPPET

 Kate Harker, Tom Conway team up for Top Alcohol Dragster action in 2007

Australian Top Alcohol Dragster driver Kate Harker will team up with team owner and crew chief, Tom Conway in 2007 to challenge the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster championship. Harker, 23, originally from Brisbane, Australia, completed her Top Alcohol Dragster license at a test session at the Texas Motorplex with a blistering 5.355 second lap at 258 mph behind the wheel of Conway's dragster in late September 2006.

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Bio
History
Results
Schedule
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Bio

Hometown: Gainsville, GA
Born in: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
DOB: 28th February, 1983
Class: NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster

How did you get involved with the sport? My parents have been in the sport for a long time and it was a natural decision to be involved as I am very passionate about the sport.

Results

1996: Started competing in Junior Dragster Competition. Was amongst the first Generation of Australian Junior Dragster Drivers

1996/1997: Finished 3rd in the Queensland State Championship Series for Junior Dragster

1997/1998: Finished 4th in the Queensland State Championship Series for Junior Dragster

1999: Retired from Junior Dragster Competition

2000: Graduated from High School with Certificate 1 & 2 in Small Business Practices

2001: Started own business at age of 18. Became the Australian Distributor for Race Girl Clothing and Apparel

2001: Completed a Certificate of Commerce at Griffith University (Brisbane, Australia)

2002: Gathered corporate support to help fund the building and running costs for competing a Modified Dragster. Building was competed in October the same year and was successful in gaining ANDRA (Australian National Drag Racing Association) Competition License.

2003/2004: Was the only Modified Eliminator Race Team to compete at all five rounds of the Australian Modified Championships

September 2004: Runner-up in Modified Eliminator at opening event for Australian Drag Racing Series, at Western Sydney International Dragway.

2004/2005: Finished 6th in the Australian National Modified Championships, after only having competed at two of the six scheduled rounds.

January 2006: Graduated from Griffith University (Brisbane, Australia) with a Bachelor of Commerce and majors in Management and Marketing.

January 2006: Prepared business documents for the incorporation of the Harker Motorsports team (USA) including all Business plans, Sponsorship packs, team branding and financials for the 2006 tour.

February 2006: Attended Frank Hawley's Top Alcohol Dragster Class. Will be returning in September to complete final runs in the dragster as the last day of the February class was cancelled due to weather conditions.

2006: Competent Crew member for Steve & Jenelle Harker's Top Alcohol Funny Car and will be apart of their 2006 NHRA Tour.

History

Australian Top Alcohol Dragster driver Kate Harker will team up with team owner and crew chief, Tom Conway in 2007 to challenge the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster championship.

This is not the first time this pair has lined up for competition; in late 2006, Conway and Harker made three event starts and earned a semifinal finish at the Snowbird Nationals at Bradenton Motorsports Park in November. However, this will be Harker's first season competing as a driver in the NHRA Lucas Oils Sportsman Drag Racing Series.

After making successful laps at Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School behind the wheel of the school's Blown Alcohol Dragster, Harker, 23, originally from Brisbane, Australia, completed her Top Alcohol Dragster license at a test session at the Texas Motorplex with a blistering 5.355 second lap at 258 mph behind the wheel of Conway's dragster in late September 2006. Harker was then invited to join Conway and his team as driver at the LODRS Division 7 race event and two post season races in Florida where Harker and Conway made a semi-final round finish.

“I really enjoyed working with Tom and his team last year” said Kate “We are very excited that we can continue racing together and are looking forward to stepping out next weekend in Houston, Texas to fly the Conway Automotive banner.”

Conway and Harker have scheduled a full season of racing including ten National events and six rounds of the Lucas Oils Division 4 series. The pair will run a similar schedule as contended by Conway last year focusing around the south central and eastern parts of the NHRA tour.

In her homeland of Australia, Kate was an accomplished pilot in both the Jr. Dragster ranks along with the ANDRA Modified eliminator, the NHRA equivalent of Top Dragster. She also has a Bachelor of Commerce from Griffith University, which she hopes to use to acquire sponsorship for the season. Harker's identical twin sister, Diana, will be joining her as a licensed Top Alcohol driver later this year and is scheduled to attend Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School to learn the Alcohol ropes on April 9-11.

Harker spent last year as a full time crew member on her parents, Steve and Jenelle Harker's, NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car doing everything from helping build the engines to managing the logistics for the team.

“Last year was a great learning path for me” comments Kate “Mum & Dad taught me a lot about how the Alcohol cars work and have shown me what it takes to be competitive on the NHRA Tour, it helped make my transition to Tom's car very smooth process.”

Conway a multiple NHRA divisional champion, and a two time NHRA national Top Alcohol Dragster champion himself, as well as winning the 2005 NHRA National Championship as a team owner is confident with Harker behind the wheel of his A/Fuel dragster that the pair can produce some final round appearances in 2007 and be a serious contender for the National and Divisional Championships.

Queensland beauties Kate and Diana Harker both had stints at driving the family modified dragster at certain events throughout 2004. Not only did the girls pick up a Best presented car and crew award, Diana also made the final of Modified eliminator at the WSID east coast Nationals. As well as helping out the O'Rourke motorsports team with father Steve, we figured we'd better include the pretty twins in the awards for their efforts. Kate and Diana claimed the White Diamonds Perfume sponsored Female sportsman racers of the year.

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