She’s fast, daring and beautiful. Kelsey Hubert, 11, of Los Alamitos races dragsters and is entering the LA/Anaheim Miss Pre-Teen Pageant as a semi-finalist on March 3.
She’s fast, daring and beautiful. Kelsey Hubert, 11, of Los Alamitos races dragsters and is entering the LA/Anaheim Miss Pre-Teen Pageant as a semi-finalist on March 3.
The Lee Elementary school student loves to go fast in her junior dragster and has won numerous awards since she began racing at 8 ½ years-old.
A bubbly and vibrant 5th grader who loves science and doodling cartoons, Hubert was recently accepted in her first beauty pageant. She will be judged on formal and casual wear, interviews with judges, and for personality.
What’s most remarkable about her is that she loves and participates about 20 hours a week in drag racing activities besides maintaining all A’s and B’s in her school work. “If I have a grade of C or lower, I don’t get to go racing, so I got to keep my grades up,” said Hubert. “I love to go fast and want to go faster.”
Hubert got started into drag racing after brother, Austin, 12, got into it and when he out grew his car. Her father, Jack, and his father also were into racing when Jack was young. Kelsey’s parents wanted an activity for their three children. “We also studied as a family what we could do together,” said mother, Tonya. “We looked at the families involved and how courteous they were and found it was just wonderful.” “We both decided to do it for the kids.” It’s too soon to tell if Kelsey’s younger sister, Hailey, 5, will follow in the family tradition, but one wouldn’t be surprised if she does.
A highly regulated for safety sport, Kelsey’s mother said the young dragster racers are protected with official rules like in adult drag racing with appropriate helmets, jumpsuits and seat belts along with their speed regulated, as well.
Kelsey has won numerous awards including a “Mini Wally,” NHRA Div. 7 in Sacramento, and qualified for 2010 NHRA Jr. Dragster Western Conference Finals in Denver, CO., won Big Wheel Race at California Speedway in Fontana, and was also 2011 Top 10 Finisher NHRA Div. 7 Jr. Dragster Series in Fontana as well. Sponsoring her racing is Royal Purple, Crow, and Racers for Christ. She is also sponsored in the LA/Anaheim Miss Pre-Teen pageant by Volcano Burgers, Valentino’s Pizza, Islands, Sprouts, Diva Dancewear, Hockey Tron, and friends of the family, to name just a few.
“My best friend thinks it’s cool that I drag race and wishes she could drag race, too,” said Hubert. “She says ‘aw, you are so lucky.’” “The rest of my friends don’t really believe that I drag race because I haven’t really invited them to go with me.” “I showed them a picture awhile ago, and I guess they think it is okay.” “Some boys get really upset when the girls beat them,” she continued. “Girls can do almost everything boys can do.”
Kelsey mostly admires her mom, wants to be a drag racer and maybe a cartoonist when she grows up. When not racing, she enjoys studying the human heart, doodling, crocheting, and arts ’n crafts.
She is also an active member of Calvary Kids Club of Calvary Chapel Pacific Coast Church and has been a born-again Christian since about 5 or 6 years old. “I pray before my races that nothing happens or goes wrong, for safety, and that the Lord protects me.”