Marco Abruzzi has proved himself in the Sportsman ranks, winning national championships in NHRA’s Top Dragster in 2015 and in IHRA in Top Sportsman in 2003 and 2006, respectively.

Now, Abruzzi is slowly getting his daughter, Emily, 16, into the Sportsman ranks.

Last month, Emily attended the renowned Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School in Gainesville, Fla., and received her Super Comp license.

“We are going to start off bracket racing with her, she's got a new brand American Dragster,” Marco said. “She did excellent (at the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School). She made all six passes. Yeah, she went, that first run, she made a 300-footer, 330, 2 eighth-mile, 1,000-footer, and 2 quarter-mile. Yeah, very happy. She did excellent. Very excited.”

Marco said Emily’s quickest lap was 8.12 seconds at 161 mph.

“She got a Super Comp license, and we primarily just bracket race now,” Marco said. “For the next year or two, we're just going to bracket race.”

Marco was full of praise for the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School.

“I think that that's the first time I've been there. I took her there. I've never been to it before. I think it was excellent,” he said. “They're excellent. I would recommend it to anybody starting a kid off in a big car.”

Emily is definitely ready for the next step in her racing her as she has been driving a Jr. Dragster since she was 8.

“We wanted her to move up to a big car since she turned 16,” Marco said. “I can't wait to haul her around with us, and not have to run her junior, get her in a big car.”

Abruzzi’s 13-year-old son, Nick is presently competing Jr. Dragsters. 

Marco’s plan is to compete in top dollar bracket races throughout the summer.

“She'll run some local races first up in Quaker City and Dragway 42 before we had her off into any money races,” said Marco, who is based in Warren, Ohio.