Hailing from Manhattan, Illinois, Taylor Hanus is slowly climbing the ranks in the junior drag racing scene. Posted by Victory Red Colorado, we learn about Hanus and the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro she currently pilots under the watchful eye of her grandfather.

2014 marked a breakthrough rookie year for the then 16 year old Hanus, who sat behind the wheel of her grandfather Jack Van De Voorde’s 496 cubic inch Super Pro 1969 Camaro. Growing up, Hanus settled for die cast cars over dolls.

Photos sourced from video, courtesy of Victory Red Colorado.

Spending significant time with her grandparents, Hanus found herself always sitting in the stands with her late grandmother Mary watching her grandfather race. By the time Hanus was 14 years old, her grandparents decided to take her to her first junior dragster race, allowing her sit in the cockpit of a drag car and see how it felt.

Hanus’ burnouts are essential to her success.

Instantly falling in love, Hanus dreamt of becoming a drag racer. As a result, she received an all day junior dragster lesson at Doug Foley’s Drag Racing School in Florida on her 14th birthday. This is where she learned how to drive dragsters, even being taught in Doug Foley’s sons junior dragster.

Competing in 2014, Hanus learned how to drive with control and consistency, which has led to her dominance in 2015. With her skills honed in and the itch to race, Hanus wanted to move up and race her grandpa’s Camaro, which hadn’t seen the strip since 2010.

Her grandpa Jack, who has more than 50 years of racing experience, carefully guided Hanus to become the youngest driver in the Super Pro class at her local track Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois. Running consistent 10 second times at Route 66, Hanus even managed a 9.04 second time at 148 miles per hour.

With her quick reaction time and efficient burnouts, Hanus has grown into a force to be reckoned with. Now 17 years old, Hanus has dedicated herself to running 8 second times and also pay tribute to her late grandmother, who passed away in early 2015.

Racing with purpose and passion, Hanus is embarking on a journey to chase her dreams with the finish line in sight.