Last September Peggy Llewellyn shocked the Pro Stock Motorcycle world when she became the first Black woman to win a National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) event. Her win at Dallas, Texas catapulted her onto a stage she couldn’t have imagined in her previous life in real estate. After beginning the season just glad to be racing after a five-year layoff, Llewellyn surpassed everyone expectation and made it to the final four in the PowerAde Series’ inaugural Countdown to One. Although she finished the season in fourth place she earned notoriety and respect after entering the season with just six pro starts in 2001 and no sponsorship (which explains her absence).
She had sold her bike to pay bills and was studying for her real estate license before deciding in 2004 to hone her riding skills under George Bryce, a six-time champion team owner. Bryce saw Llewellyn’s potential then, but two years passed before they reconnected through car dealer Karl and Kim Klement in a start-up operation. Bryce, who is Klement Racing’s crew chief and general manager, said he hoped she would progress at the season-opening and get better and better, but who could have dreamed she would get to this point this fast. Bryce said, “At first the bike was too fast for her, but she caught up, and it’s worked out really well; the competition didn’t see her coming.”
Peggy Llewellyn qualified in the top half of the field in nine of 14 events, solidifying her place in the Countdown by qualifying second and reaching the semifinals at Brainerd, Minnesota, before qualifying third at Reading, Pennsylvania. Needing to win in Dallas to advance to the final four, Llewellyn beat the point’s leader Chip Ellis in the semifinal before clocking 190 miles per hour in 7.020 seconds to nip defending champion Andrew Hines for the win. Her success didn’t surprise Klement, who was impressed with her determination that was demonstrated when she made more than 200 test runs the previous winter. He knew it was a matter of time before she would land sponsorship, which came in September from Rush Racing Products.
Like me, you are probably wondering how a young lady get into highly competitive motorcycle racing. The answer is that she was born and raised into it. Her dad Gene and brother Gene, Jr. helped. They built her first drag bike. She made her first passes on her brother’s Kawasaki while her Suzuki was being built. Her dad is the owner of Southeast Cycles in San Antonio, Texas and is an avid drag racer himself. Their family outings consisted of loading dad’s Honda nitro Funny Bike onto the trailer and heading out to Alamo Dragway.
Llewellyn is looking forward to the coming racing season which begins at the Gainesville Raceway March 13-16 in Gainesville, Florida.
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