Eily Stafford will step into one of drag racing’s most volatile machines this weekend when she makes her AA/Funny Car debut at the Bakersfield March Meet at Famoso Dragstrip. In doing so, she will become one of the few women in recent years to command a Nostalgia Nitro Funny Car on one of the sport’s most revered stages.
The debut will come behind the wheel of the iconic California Hustler, a car with deep roots in West Coast nitro history. It will also mark the culmination of more than two decades of preparation for Stafford, who has methodically climbed through the Heritage Series ranks.
The March Meet annually serves as a proving ground for nostalgia competitors. For Stafford, it will represent both opportunity and examination…