Samantha Mitchell knows drag racing. Her father is longtime nitro racer John Lawson. 

Now, Mitchell is getting her drag racing career up and running.

On Dec. 27-28, Mitchell attended Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School in Gainesville, Fla., and obtained her Super Comp license.

“I've wanted to do this all my life,” said Mitchell to CompetitionPlus.com. “My kids are getting a little bit older. I started a family. I got married at 20 and had our first (child) at 21. So that put a hold on my whole racing career. Five years ago, I bought my parents body shop and I'm getting in my place with that, so financially trying to get myself set up. And so now it's my turn. I'm ready.”

Mitchell bought her parents’ body shop – John Lawson's Auto Rebuilders – and it is located in Joliet, Ill.

Prior to taking part in Hawley’s School late last month, Mitchell had not done much racing.

“Just street cars, but nothing... Literally a pickup truck,” she said.

As a result, Hawley’s School got her attention.

“It was eye-opening,” Mitchell said. “I would like to get in a Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car like my dad's still doing, and so that's my ultimate goal. But got to start somewhere, and Competition license is the first thing that I needed to start those steps. My dad also got to sign my Competition license, which was great.”

Mitchell made eight runs – two of which were full runs – and she said her quickest elapsed time in Gainesville was 8.24 seconds at 160 mph.

“Not being behind the camera and actually being behind the wheel,” Mitchell said of the experience. “I do all the marketing and stuff with our Funny Car for my dad.”

Mitchell is eager to move her career forward to the Funny Car ranks.

“We're putting together the second one in the race shop now and so now I'm more anxious to find some money and make it happen,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell’s father drives the Runaway Nostalgia Funny Car. Lawson has been piloting that Funny Car since 2013.

Before Mitchell gets to the Nostalgia level, she wants to get some seat time.

“I’m looking for a car not quite as fast as what dad's running, obviously, and get some laps on it and we'll go from there,” she said.