Martin has made lifelong friends L A T H throughout racing all across the Mid- west. Martin’s racing group makes sure to get everyone together often, having things like potlucks at the tracks, Christmas parties each year, and traveling to races together. “We had many meals together and we always parked together at every race. Each year we all traveled together to the Eastern Conference Finals in Bristol, Tennessee. This was a week-long race with sometimes over 600 juniors,” said Martin. “We used to travel an hour and a half minimum to race on the weekends but thanks to a local businessman, Keith Murt, we now live about 10 miles from the track.” Martin has had much support from all her spon- sors since she was in junior dragsters. Some of these sponsors include James Little/ Little Tractor, Bob Ferrel with Schaef- fer Oil, Purchase Ford, Keith Murt with Murtco, Kountry Kastle, Preston and Kathy Morgan with Matco Tools, and, of course, her dad, mom, and brother. With the support Martin has received, she continues to add to her list of accomplishments. Some of the biggest ones include: • 2013 points champion for SEJRA 12.90 class • 2013 runner-up for SEJRA 8-9 year old class • 2012 2nd in points for SEJRA 12.90 index • 2012 3rd in points for SEJRA age group • 2015 Wally Win at Beacon Dragway • 2015 2nd in points for Midwest Junior Super Series • 2019 Outlaw Street Car Association Winner • Graduated from Frank Hawley’s drag racing school in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Martin received her super comp license in April of 2021. • Learned to work on her car, prep it, etc, by herself, getting it ready for the next round. • Received her IHRA and NHRA license Even with a list so long, Martin has bigger dreams in the world of racing – like racing Top Fuel. “I understand that this is a major goal to set, but I also have a good friend that I ran junior dragsters with that is currently rac- ing his dad’s Nitro Funny Car,” said Martin. “I hope to someday be able to teach my kids what my parents have taught me about racing and spend weekends at the track with them.” Martin knows she will continue to race. It was confirmed to her back in 2017. “In 2017 I decided to take up competitive cheer. I had to quit racing because I had to compete on weekends in both sports so I couldn’t do both. It didn’t take but a couple of years to realize how much I missed racing,” said Martin. “My dad had already sold my race car, but he found me one to rent for a weekend. On my first weekend back, in a rented car, I won the Outlaw Street Car Association event at Beacon Dragway in Paducah. I knew without a doubt, after my first pass, that this is my passion and what I wanted to be doing.” Racing has taught Martin a lot, like how it kept her from getting into trouble every weekend. Her parents knew where she was each weekend, because she was at the track with them. Racing has also taught Martin how important friendship is and how valuable all of her relationships truly are. She has friends all across the Midwest. Some of her closest friends were met through racing. “It is also not as dangerous as cheer. In two and a half years of cheer, I broke my nose three times. I have never been injured in drag racing, even when I ended up in the sand pit,” said Martin. Her parents, Mark and LaMara Martin, also see many posi- tive influences of Maizie being involved in racing. “When she is racing, we are together as a family. We are very close and I attribute this to racing. Maizie and her broth- er, Miles, respect and love one another very much,” they said. “Without a doubt, racing has made them close as well. I think the two of them are the other’s biggest supporter.” Mark and LaMara weren’t surprised when Maizie wanted to pick up racing, and it was evident to them that she was a natural. “When we’re watching her race we’re rooting for her to win, praying for her safety, and hoping she is hav- ing fun. Drag racing is such a family sport. As Maizie said, we have made friends from all over the country,” they said. “We are so proud of Maizie. She has always set her mind to something and made it happen. She is such a soft-spoken young lady, but when she gets in a racecar her competitive side comes out.” Maizie’s parents hope that she continues racing into adulthood, and hopes that when she has children of her own, she can pass on what they’ve taught her, giving her children the opportunity to race as well. 16 AUGUST 2022 | PROMOTING EVENTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE | INTHEVUE.COM S T O Y N E T U
