THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 14, 1994 TAG: 9407130097
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
MELINDA GREEN LIKES to go fast: 230-miles-per-hour fast. But that's her job - she's a race car driver.
``I love the speed and the adrenalin. You can really feel the gravity working on you,'' the Norfolk native said.
Green's love for speed has shown itself in drag strip competition. One of three women on the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) circuit, she is the only female to have consistently placed near the top. In 1993, she finished fourth in the alcohol funny-car class in Division Two on the NHRA tour, missing a chance to compete in the association's All Star Race by less than a second.
``I'm hoping to place at least third this season,'' said Green, whose racing has been shown on ESPN.
The woman's car is almost as impressive as her driving. Named ``Melinda,'' it carries a $70,000 price tag and delivers 2,500 horsepower. The dragster can reach speeds of 230 mile-per-hour in 6.03 seconds in the quarter-mile, and comes complete with two parachutes to slow it down. The vehicle is officially classified as an alcohol funny-car. Alcohol is used for fuel instead of gasoline and ``funny'' refers to the look of the car and the awkward mode of entry necessary to get behind the wheel.
But at such incredible speeds, there's nothing funny about Green's profession. Her uniform, consisting of a face helmet, boots, gloves, and a five-layer fireproof suit, is just an indicator of the danger.
``Sure, it's a little dangerous but I've never been hurt. I did run off the track one time,'' she said.
The racer's talent and car have taken her impressively over the finish line, but she's also always had the support of her family. Parents Benny and Janice Green, along with crew-chief and fiance Lance King, assist before, during, and after each race. King and Green met at a car show in 1985. They've been together ever since.
``She does the driving. My job is to turn the wrenches,'' King said.
Just getting to an event is an effort. After a final equipment check, the car must be loaded into a 42-foot trailer and driven to drag strips from Gainsville, Fla., to English Town, N.J. At the strip, it's three days of five- and six-second, grueling sprints before it's time to collect the prize money, head back home and really get to work.
``After a race, everything must be gone over with a fine-tooth comb. Parts must be adjusted or replaced, and everything ready to go for the next event,'' Green explained.
The season runs from February through October with about 18 stops. For all the work, team-Green took home about $10,000 last year, usually placing in the Top 5. The winner takes home about $6,000 for each race.
``Most of the top guys I compete against do it for a living,'' said Green, who also works a full-time job as office manager for Royal Silver Manufacturing Co. in Norfolk.
Managing to hold down a steady job and achieve success on the racetrack is something of a record-time in itself.
``I work from 8:30 to 4:30 at the office and come home and work on the car until about 9. It is time consuming doing both,'' she said.
But the allure of the track is in the blood. Now 30, cars and racing have been a part of Green's life since her younger days. ``My parents were always car buffs, especially fast cars like old Dodge Chargers and Ford Mustangs,'' she explained. ``I've always wanted to try racing.''
Dad had long been entering the Street Class division at Suffolk Raceway before his daughter got her chance.
``When Melinda told me she wanted to try it, I gave her the go-ahead,'' said Benny Green. ``We've supported her from day one. I'm real proud of what she's accomplished.''
Green tasted her first competition at the former raceway in 1985, behind the wheel of a 1970 Chrysler Barracuda. Later that year, she won an event.
``I was the only women on the track. Some of the guys were a little hot after the race but most of them respected me,'' she said.
In 1988, Green decided to go from Street Class to an alcohol funny car. She subsequently attended the Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School in Gainsville, Fla. In 1990, with the aid of her family, Green had her dream car built. After placing second on her maiden run at Coastal Plains Dragway in Jacksonville, N.C., in 1990, it's been a green light ever since. She is currently rated third in Division Two on the 1994 NHRA circuit.
``I love cars and I love competition,'' she said. ``I've always been the competitive type.''
And she's always liked to go fast. ``Oh yes, I remember all those speeding tickets I got when I was younger.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos by SCOTT McCASKEY
Melinda Green has consistently finished near the top while racing a
funny car on the National Hot Rod Association circuit. She has been
helped by her father Benny Green as well as crew-chief and fiance
Lance King. Named ``Melinda,'' the dragster can reach speeds of 230
mile-per-hour.
by CNB