Three-time NHRA Funny Car world champion, Robert Hight, has enjoyed tremendous success throughout his drag racing career. When his daughter, Autumn, decided to push her own driving skills to the next level, he made sure that she got the same great instruction from Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School just like he did when he was younger.
Robert first attended the School in 2003 to complete its Super Comp course, then returned in 2004 to obtain his Top Alcohol Funny Car license. Having started with John Force Racing over a quarter-of-a-century ago as a crew man but knowing right from the beginning that Funny Car was his destination, Robert worked hard to achieve his goal.
“I still remember being surprised at how difficult it was to drive a Super Comp car. It was a really humbling experience for me,” shared Robert of his rookie experience nearly a decade prior, which included much more than just on-track driving. “I believe that Frank Hawley’s class has been instrumental to my achievements and in my career. Frank has a lot of knowledge and experience. If you pay attention, you’ll learn a lot of life lessons, too.”
At just eight years old, Robert’s daughter got her start following in the family tradition of racing. Autumn began racing NHRA Jr. Dragsters and worked her way up through the age groups. Although she hasn’t been able to get to as many events as the family would like, due to Robert’s competition calendar, she finished strong in third overall in her class in 2020.
Now, as her 17th birthday isn’t far off, Autumn is taking steps to start fielding Super Comp dragsters – just like her father’s former days. As Robert had such a positive experience at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School himself, the family made the easy decision to enroll Autumn in the School’s courses as well.
To prepare for her participation in the School and maximize her time there with a head start on learning the ropes, Robert had Autumn sit in a Super Comp car at their shop so she could run through the procedures. She arrived at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School in late June of 2021 at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Indiana, and – unsurprisingly – did quite well.
“I sat through some of the lectures, too, because Frank is the best teacher I’ve ever had. Having won three world championships, I still don’t have it all figured out and I enjoyed learning more,” laughed Robert, who was admittedly a little nervous about his typically timid daughter. “She’s maybe 5’2” and was the smallest in the class by a long shot. When I saw her go and make her first run, she could barely see over the dash.”
Despite her diminutive stature, Autumn stood out in the class. She drove with complete confidence and determination, and even had the fastest speed as a byproduct of her weight advantage. “She just put her foot down and did a full burnout, unlike some others who are too quick,” said Robert with pride in his voice. “In my opinion, she made the best first pass of everyone. She truly did a great job.”
Autumn absolutely loved every minute of her time at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School, her huge smile clearly evident after every run even with her helmet still on thanks to the glow on her face and the excitement in her voice. “It was such an awesome experience!” proclaimed Autumn. “I learned a lot more than just driving the actual race car, and Frank made sure that everyone was very involved in the overall classes and learning about everything.”
Seeing Autumn drive one of the School’s cars brought back memories for Hawley of when he first watched her dad do the same. “She did a great job, but when you have a guy like Robert Hight, in my opinion one of the best Funny Car drivers ever, as your coach, I wasn’t surprised by her performance,” he affirmed. “We’ve been fortunate over the years to have worked with all of the John Force Racing drivers and we look forward to helping Autumn with her future endeavors.”
The Hight family plans to have Autumn continue her NHRA Jr. Dragster career until she ages out and moves on to the next level. While her ultimate goal isn’t clear just yet, it’s likely Autumn will engage in Super Comp competition while also considering future options as well as avenues outside of racing – if she chooses. “I’ve encouraged her to pursue school activities or sports or gymnastics or dance,” said Robert, “but she loves racing and wants to be at the track.”
With her first Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School coursework completed, Autumn is already eagerly planning her return. “I want her to go back again in six months so she can learn more,” confirmed Robert, who understands the importance of knowledge when it comes to racing at 170+ mph. “Just about everyone who has attended from John Force’s family has become Rookie of the Year, and I give Frank Hawley a lot of credit for preparing us for that.”
For the first time in a couple of decades, Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing school will be visiting the famed Famoso Raceway. This October, Hawley and his team will bring their show to the historic Bakersfield raceway.
“Years ago, when we first started the school, our first road trip away from our home track in Gainesville, FL was to Bakersfield,” said school founder Frank Hawley. “The track has such amazing history. When I was a kid, I had pictures on my bedroom wall of all the famous drivers of the era racing at the March Meet in Bakersfield. This is one of the longest operating dragstrips in the country and we’re excited to be holding classes there.” said Hawley.
The Bowser family has kept pace with the speeds of today’s race cars and has continued to make improvements to the facility through the years. “I think we have one of the best racing surfaces anywhere in the country,” said GM Blake Bowser. We run the March meet and the Hot Rod Reunion each year with some of the fastest Nostalgia TF and FCs in the world. We have to have a great facility for these racers. I remember hosting FHDRS here years ago and we are excited to have them back,” added Blake.
So whether you want to earn your license, improve your skills, check something off your “Bucket List”, or just want to “drive a dragster” in the Dragster Adventure program, give our guys a call with your questions and to register! If you have a group you’d like to schedule something for, give us a call and we can look for a date that works with everyone’s schedule. The Alcohol class dates are scheduled on request, and we are booking those a month or two out, so call if you’re ready to upgrade your license or just need some additional time in the car.
Some of you may be keeping up with the venue & class changes we are posting on social media, but here’s the latest in class changes & additions. This is the year we are all learning to be very flexible and we couldn’t be happier to be offering classes at all the tracks that are hosting us! Whether you’re new to racing, moving up from Jr Dragster, need to improve your skills, or just want to check an item off your bucket list…there are lots of class dates coming to a track near you! In addition to the popular Super Comp/Super Gas or Bring Your Own Car classes offered, the Dragster Adventure with side-by-side racing will be offered at some of the locations, which is an incredibly fun program for you, friends, family, employees or customers!
If you’re looking to upgrade your license in the Alcohol classes, give us a call as those dates are scheduled on request at our home base at Gainesville Raceway.
Lucas Oil Raceway, Indianapolis, IN — June 23-24 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class; June 25 Dragster Adventure
National Trail Raceway, Columbus, OH — July 21-22 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class; July 23 Dragster Adventure
Bandimere Speedway, Denver, CO — July 27 Dragster Adventure; July 28-29 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class
Woodburn Dragstrip, Woodburn, OR — August 2 Dragster Adventure; August 3-4 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class
Maple Grove Raceway, Reading, PA — August 26-27 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class; August 28 Dragster Adventure
Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, FL — October 1-2, November 10-11, December 8-9, December 29-30 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class; November 20 Dragster Adventure
The Strip at Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV — October 12-13 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class
Auto Club Dragway, Fontana, CA — October 21-22 SC/SG or BYOC Competition License Class; October 23 Dragster Adventure
Call our knowledgeable guys with your questions or to book a seat in one of the upcoming competition license classes.
First, you go to school, and then you get in the business.
Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School graduate Spencer Markell has taken this pathway. Recently Markell purchased veteran sportsman drag racer Steve Cohen’s operation.
“I’ve been a drag racing fan for years but never had the opportunity to get really involved until now,” Markell said. “I’ve been looking at Super Comp, and Top Dragster and the chance to purchase a quality operation from a champion like Steve Cohen doesn’t come along every day.
“At the Gatornationals, I ran into Steve, and the deal seemed like it was just meant to be. Steve and I agreed that the way to start was to go to Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School with the new car.”
The school’s founder and director, Frank Hawley, was impressed with Markell’s performance in the school.
“Spencer attended our Super Comp class and did quite well,” Hawley said. “Driving our Super Comp car was the perfect preparation for getting behind the wheel of Steve’s Top Dragster.”
Cohen, a veteran of sportsman drag racing for decades, believes Markell made an excellent choice in heading to Hawley for driver training.
“Frank and I have known each other for over 30 years,” Cohen said. “Frank runs a first-class operation, and I enjoyed working with him to get Spencer up to speed in the Top Dragster. My driving days are not over, but I am going to enjoy helping Spencer develop the skills necessary to compete at a national event.”
For more information about how you can get into the sport or improve your skills, contact Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School at 866-480-7223.
866-480-7223
www.frankhawley.com
Busy times at FHDRS! We have been running lots of classes and helping new racers earn their NHRA competition licenses this year! Our annual class after the 50th Gatornationals is always a melting pot of drivers, and this year we had people attending from all over the US, Canada, Norway and England. We followed up with a Funny Car class, hosted another Super Comp/Super Gas Competition License Class and the one-day Dragster Adventure. Then while we were getting ready to head west, we added another 2-day competition license class and Alcohol Dragster class to help more people earn their licenses to go racing.
When you receive this we’ll be running classes at Tucson Dragway. Following Tucson, we head to Auto Club Dragway and then on to Las Vegas. While our classes in Vegas have been sold out for some time, we have a few seats left at the Fontana class on April 24-25. There are also a couple seats in the Dragster Adventures on April 19 and April 26 at Auto Club Dragway. Class dates coming up: Gainesville Raceway May 14-15 (license class); Route 66 Raceway May 23-24 (license class); Houston Raceway June 5-6 (license class) and Houston Raceway June 7 (dragster adventure); Woodburn Dragstrip June 26-27 (license class with only SC Dragster seats left) and Woodburn Dragstrip June 28 or June 29 (dragster adventures); Summit Motorsports Park July 15-16 (license class); Heartland Motorsports Park July 30-31 (license class); and Maple Grove Raceway August 12-13 (license class). More fall dates on our calendar, too!
Many of our dragster adventure days are already sold out, so we thank you for your support of this program and please know we’ll try to increase the dates for these next year!
All the competition license classes include the lectures on how to “Improve your Personal Performance”. The classroom sessions cover the physiology of how your mind and body work together. You’ll learn how to mentally prepare, perform at the highest level, improve focus and block out distractions. Frank teaches how to practice more effectively whether at the track, at the shop or at home. He’ll share techniques on how to remove the emotional baggage (everybody has some) that can often disrupt good performance. People share with us they find this classroom time extremely useful in their work, at home and of course on the track!
Remember, our Alcohol class dates are scheduled on demand, so give us a call if you’re ready to take that next step in your career.
Paul Shields and Jeff Arend can answer all your questions about our programs and their contact information is below. We look forward to seeing you at a class soon!
Jeff Arend, jarend@frankhawley.com, 909-973-8279 cell
Paul Shields, paul.fhdrs@gmail.com, 904-472-6312 cell
866-480-7223
www.frankhawley.com
Last week was the debut of the John Force Racing built 2018 Chevrolet Camaro Funny Car at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School. John Force Racing’s developmental driver, Austin Prock, was the first to make laps in the beautiful state of the art Camaro. Frank and his crew worked side by side with Austin and couldn’t have been happier. “We have been working with Austin for the past year and it’s been great to see him develop as a race car driver! Austin is very focused, just like his Dad Jimmy, and we look forward to seeing him in a John Force Racing Fuel Funny Car down the road.” said Frank Hawley
“We at John Force Racing have always relied on Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School to get our drivers started off with the proper training. The knowledge that can be gained from the school is priceless and definitely gives our current and future drivers a leg up on the competition.” said Robert Hight, GM at John Force Racing. Robert added, “Even though I have won 2 Championships, Frank Hawley is still the first person I call for advice when I need some, and he is always there to help me out.”
“I had a blast working with Frank, like I always do. In my mind if you want to become a better racecar driver, there is no better school to go to. Frank’s constructive criticism is what makes the difference, if you listen to him. So, if you just want to go somewhere, make laps and not learn, this isn’t the place to go!” said Austin Prock
“I’m honored that John Force Racing has trusted us to work with all of their drivers over the years, it’s truly been a privilege,” said Hawley. “As Austin moves forward in his career he will get excellent guidance and advice from Robert and all of the JFR team drivers.”
“When we came up with this program, the idea was to make the transition to a Nostalgia Funny Car or NHRA Nitro Funny Car as easy as possible. The procedures for driving this car are almost identical to those type of cars and we feel that there is no better way to get prepared for that next step in your career. For those of you that like the dragsters better, we also have a Top Dragster set up the same way, so we have you covered.” added Frank Hawley.
Contact the school at 866-480-7223. And visit our website at www.frankhawley.com for information on all the programs we offer, class dates & locations! Pre-registration required in all classes and seats are limited. The Alcohol Funny Car and Dragster class dates are on-demand and most are not listed on our calendar.
Jeff Arend, jarend@frankhawley.com, 866-480-7223 x103
Paul Shields, paul.fhdrs@gmail.com, 866-480-7223 x102
The school will be offering both the Super Comp and Super Gas Licensing courses as well as their fun Dragster Adventure Program. The Dragster Adventure Program offers drivers a chance to get behind the wheel of a dragster for as little as $399 and also give folks a chance to do some ‘side-by-side racing!
You can earn your license to 7.50 in the 2-day competition license program and classes are filling up quickly at all the venues, so don’t delay in contacting Jeff Arend x103 or Paul Shields x102 to register at 866-480-7223. During the 2-day license program novice and veteran races alike will benefit from Frank’s renowned lectures on Personal Performance.
Tucson Dragway – SC/SG/BYOC April 12-13; Dragster Adventure April 15
Auto Club Dragway – SC/SG/BYOC April 18-19; Dragster Adventure April 20 or 27
The Strip at LVMS – SC/SG/BYOC April 30-May 1
And of course there are lots more dates & locations on our website at www.frankhawley.com! Please contact our guys for information on any of our programs! Jeff Arend, jarend@frankhawley.com, 866-480-7223 x103 or Paul Shields, paul.fhdrs@gmail.com, 866-480-7223 x102.
Here at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School we’ve been helping build successful careers and making dreams come true for a number of years! Whether you have attended our Dragster Adventure program or one of our competition license classes, our grads are our best endorsement and we are thankful for you all! For those that are racing, please keep us updated with your news and we will share it on our social media.
There are only a few seats left in the ever popular Super Comp or Super Gas class between Christmas and New Years. Don’t delay if you may be thinking about attending this class!
Our very knowledgeable guys, Paul Shields and Jeff Arend, are responsive to your calls, texts and emails so feel free to contact them with any and all questions you have about the school. Whether you want to bring your own car to a class, arrange a group event, buy a gift for someone, or even treat a potential sponsor to a taste of drag racing, give them a call. Their direct contacts are listed at the end of this email.
Below is a list of confirmed class dates. Please check back as we will be confirming other dates! **Additional dates for Group Events, TD/NFC are on demand
Gainesville Raceway: December 27-28, 2017 SC/SG/BYOC, January 13 Adventure (private group), January 16-17 SC/SG/BYOC, January 18 NFC, January 22 TD or NFC, February 6-7 SC/SG/BYOC, February 20-21 SC/SG/BYOC, March 20-21 SC/SG/BYOC, March 23 Dragster Adventure, March 27-28 TD or NFC. Summer, fall & winter dates for Gainesville will be coming soon!
Tucson Dragway: April 12-13 SC/SG/BYOC, April 15 Dragster Adventure
Auto Club Dragway: April 18-19 SC/SG/BYOC, April 20 Dragster Adventure, April 26 Dragster Adventure (private group), April 27 Dragster Adventure, October 17-18 SC/SG/BYOC, October 19 Dragster Adventure
The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway: April 30-May 1 SC/SG/BYOC or May 2-3 SC/SG/BYOC, October 9-10 SC/SG/BYOC or October 11-12 SC/SG/BYOC
Route 66 Raceway: May 17-18 SC/SG/BYOC, May 19 Dragster Adventure
Royal Purple Raceway: May 23-24 SC/SG/BYOC, May 25 Dragster Adventure
Heartland Park: June 20-21 SC/SG/BYOC, June 22 Dragster Adventure
Woodburn Dragstrip: June 28-29 SC/SG/BYOC, June 30 Dragster Adventure, July 1 Dragster Adventure
Summit Motorsports Park: July 16-17 SC/SG/BYOC, July 18 Dragster Adventure (private group), July 19 Dragster Adventure
Maple Grove Raceway: August 14-15 SC/SG/BYOC, August 16 Dragster Adventure, August 17 Dragster Adventure
Paul Shields, 866-480-7223 x102, 904-472-6312 c, paul.fhdrs@gmail.com
Jeff Arend, 866-480-7223 x103, 909-973-8279 c, jarend@frankhawley.com
Right now we’re offering a 10% discount on the November 7-8 class for the Super Comp Dragster or Super Gas Door Car! If you’re considering attending class this fall, don’t wait!
You can earn your NHRA competition license, improve your skills and mental approach to driving. Frankly you’ll learn so much more than you imagined. Novice and experienced racers benefit from this program. This program is perfect for drivers transitioning up from Jr. Dragsters, as well as a great foundation for people going on to race in the faster classes!
Don’t wait, give us a call NOW at 866-480-7223! Seats are limited and pre-registration is required.
Paul Shields, pshields@frankhawley.com, 866-480-7223 x102, 904-472-6312 cell
Jeff Arend, jarend@frankhawley.com, 866-480-7223 x103, 909-973-8279 cell
With such great locations on the schedule we hope almost everyone in the country has a chance to be a part of one of our programs. “We’ve added The Strip at Las Vegas to the schedule in addition to returning to our many of our favorite tracks at Tucson, Fontana, Chicago, Houston, Woodburn, Norwalk, Maple Grove, Topeka and Earlville” said Hawley. “The next several weeks we’ll be running classes at our home track in Gainesville, Florida and then our crew will be heading west with stops in Tucson and Fontana. We’ll be almost everywhere!”
So if your goal is to join the list of successful Hawley grads in one of the school’s world class Licensing Programs or just have a blast racing against your friends in one of the school’s Dragster Adventure Programs, please join us in 2017!
Go to FrankHawley.com or call 866-480-7223 to speak to Paul Shields (x102) or Jeff Arend (x103).
Click here for our calendar of dates & locations. Remember, seats are limited and pre-registration is required at all of our classes.
And here’s some footage of a SC license run during the competition program:
Lots of dates are available for the the 200 mph classes, but these dates are on request, so call us to discuss upgrading your license in the dragster or funny car!
Upcoming class dates:
Gainesville Raceway SC/SG/BYOC competition license: February 14-15; February 28-March 1; March 21-22; May 30-31; July 11-12; September 26-27; November 7-8; December 5-6; December 27-28
Gainesville Raceway Dragster Adventures: March 23; March 24 (sold out); December 1
Tucson Dragway: April 6-7 for SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and April 8 for the Dragster Adventure
Auto Club Dragway SC/SG/BYOC competition license classes: April 12-13; October 18-19
Auto Club Dragway Dragster Adventure dates: April 14, April 15, April 21, April 20, April 26, April 27
Royal Purple Raceway: May 10-11 for SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and May 13 for Dragster Adventure
The Strip at Las Vegas SC/SG/BYOC competition license classes: May 17-18; October 10-11
The Strip at Las VegasDragster Adventure dates: October 12, October 13
Route 66 Raceway: June 21-22 for the SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and June 23 & June 24 for the Dragster Adventure
Woodburn Dragstrip: June 29-30 for the SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and July 1(sold out) and July 2 for the Dragster Adventure
Summit Motorsports Park: July 17-18 for the SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and July 20 for the Dragster Adventure
Maple Grove Raceway: August 15-16 for the SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and August 17 & August 18 for the Dragster Adventure
Heartland Park: September 6-7 for the SC/SG/BYOC competition license class and September 9 for the Dragster Adventure
Tri-State Raceway: September 16 for the Dragster Adventure
Contact Paul Shields at 866-480-7223 x102, 904-472-6312 c, pshields@frankhawley.com
Contact Jeff Arend at 866-480-7223 x103, 909-973-8279 c, jarend@frankhawley.com
skills to the next level, he made sure that she got the same great instruction from Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School just like he did when he was younger.
“I sat through some of the lectures, too, because Frank is the best teacher I’ve ever had. Having won three world championships, I still don’t have it all figured out and I enjoyed learning more,” laughed Robert, who was admittedly a little nervous about his typically timid daughter. “She’s maybe 5’2” and was the smallest in the class by a long shot. When I saw her go and make her first run, she could barely see over the dash.”
