Just because Becky Jaques was the only female in the Quick 16 drag racing class Friday night at Dunn Tire Raceway Park, it didn’t stop her from defeating all the boys in the night’s eliminations.

Jaques, of North Tonawanda, powered her 1994 Chevy Lumina entry past Pete Maduri Jr. in the Quick 16 final to earn a hard-fought victory. Both Becky and her father/crew chief Mike Jaques were wearing large smiles on their faces after the triumph.

“The girl won tonight,” said an elated Becky. “It’s very exciting to come out here and do this. We just have so much fun. To do it in a door [full body] car against a dragster is cool.

“Pete [Maduri] is a good driver and it was a very close race. We were both real close on the starting tree and I ran right on my numbers and he was just a bit off on his at the finish line. For once, the girl finished first.

“Hey, I’m a girl and I got to throw that out there. I’m the only girl in the class. It’s fun that way.”

It’s easy to see where Jaques acquired her enthusiasm for drag racing. It was inherited from her dad.

“I’ve been in the garage since I can remember,” she said. “They couldn’t find me sometimes because I was always under cars. It’s in my blood and he’s given me the chance to do it. I’m very fortunate.”

Jaques’ biggest win came in 2004 when she won the Quick Rod class at an IHRA national event held at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ont.

As one might expect, Jaques earned a very big passing grade from her father Friday night.

“She was on tonight and that’s all it was,” said Mike. “She was good on the starting lights, the car was consistent. That’s all we could ask for. It’s great. She won that national event up in Canada in 2004 and it’s been a long dry spell since then. This is pretty cool. I’m a very proud dad.”

Mike Jaques has been involved with drag racing for many years and is best known as a past crew member of the Persico Brothers Racing team. The elder Jaques is also a former driver. He turned the wheel over to Becky earlier this decade.

“She started driving in 2000 when I got out of it,” said Mike. “I helped Dave [Persico] for many years. It’s been a lot of work and fun. Certain nights like tonight are special.”

Becky defeated Brian Hitchcock, Wes Cayea and Andy Gregoire Friday before her final. Gregoire is a multi-time track champion and Maduri has been one of the stronger competitors at the Lancaster strip the last few seasons.

Meanwhile, not many drivers have been involved with drag racing at Lancaster for as long as Carey Hodge. Friday, Hodge picked up another win, this time downing Dale Eckert in the Mod ET final. Hodge was very consistent with his reaction times to the green light in each round.

“I was able to hit lights all night,” said Hodge. “I was able to string together good reaction times. I had to race tough competitors like Dale in the final and Jeff Kerl in the first round so it was an all-around good night.

“I’ve been racing here 15 years now. I don’t get out as much as I used to. I had a big win up in Cayuga two weeks ago so I think over the last couple weeks I’ve gone about 14 rounds or so straight without losing.”

Dunn Tire Raceway Park drag motorcycle veteran Ken Babiak Sr. said he had a weird feeling beforehand that he would make it into Friday night motorcycle class final and emerge victorious. It turned out he was right. He just didn’t know that the fellow competitor he would beat in the final would be his son, Brian.

“I hope I get this feeling every Friday afternoon,” Babiak Sr. said.

“This was the first time I’ve raced against any of my sons in the final and it’s a great feeling for both of us to make it that far. I’ve been racing since 1981 when I got out of the military. Brian has been racing about three years now. Another son, Ken Babiak Jr., is the 2006 motorcycle champion here and now he drives cars. That leaves Brian and I to do battle.”

Mike Nowak was not on the track Friday as his race car is still being rebuilt after suffering a vicious crash earlier this season. He’ll be back in about three weeks.

“Six weeks ago I had a brand new car and the radiator hose blew out and got water under the slicks,” said Nowak. “Before I could correct it and pull the chutes the car did a couple of flips and slid all the way down to the end. I went across the finish line at 125 mph on my roof.

“The roll cage did its job and the safety safari got me out and now it’s just a matter of rebuilding.”

Just because Becky Jaques was the only female in the Quick 16 drag racing class Friday night at Dunn Tire Raceway Park, it didn’t stop her from defeating all the boys in the night’s eliminations.

Jaques, of North Tonawanda, powered her 1994 Chevy Lumina entry past Pete Maduri Jr. in the Quick 16 final to earn a hard-fought victory. Both Becky and her father/crew chief Mike Jaques were wearing large smiles on their faces after the triumph.

“The girl won tonight,” said an elated Becky. “It’s very exciting to come out here and do this. We just have so much fun. To do it in a door [full body] car against a dragster is cool.

“Pete [Maduri] is a good driver and it was a very close race. We were both real close on the starting tree and I ran right on my numbers and he was just a bit off on his at the finish line. For once, the girl finished first.

“Hey, I’m a girl and I got to throw that out there. I’m the only girl in the class. It’s fun that way.”

It’s easy to see where Jaques acquired her enthusiasm for drag racing. It was inherited from her dad.

“I’ve been in the garage since I can remember,” she said. “They couldn’t find me sometimes because I was always under cars. It’s in my blood and he’s given me the chance to do it. I’m very fortunate.”

Jaques’ biggest win came in 2004 when she won the Quick Rod class at an IHRA national event held at Toronto Motorsports Park in Cayuga, Ont.

As one might expect, Jaques earned a very big passing grade from her father Friday night.

“She was on tonight and that’s all it was,” said Mike. “She was good on the starting lights, the car was consistent. That’s all we could ask for. It’s great. She won that national event up in Canada in 2004 and it’s been a long dry spell since then. This is pretty cool. I’m a very proud dad.”

Mike Jaques has been involved with drag racing for many years and is best known as a past crew member of the Persico Brothers Racing team. The elder Jaques is also a former driver. He turned the wheel over to Becky earlier this decade.

“She started driving in 2000 when I got out of it,” said Mike. “I helped Dave [Persico] for many years. It’s been a lot of work and fun. Certain nights like tonight are special.”

Becky defeated Brian Hitchcock, Wes Cayea and Andy Gregoire Friday before her final. Gregoire is a multi-time track champion and Maduri has been one of the stronger competitors at the Lancaster strip the last few seasons.

Meanwhile, not many drivers have been involved with drag racing at Lancaster for as long as Carey Hodge. Friday, Hodge picked up another win, this time downing Dale Eckert in the Mod ET final. Hodge was very consistent with his reaction times to the green light in each round.

“I was able to hit lights all night,” said Hodge. “I was able to string together good reaction times. I had to race tough competitors like Dale in the final and Jeff Kerl in the first round so it was an all-around good night.

“I’ve been racing here 15 years now. I don’t get out as much as I used to. I had a big win up in Cayuga two weeks ago so I think over the last couple weeks I’ve gone about 14 rounds or so straight without losing.”

Dunn Tire Raceway Park drag motorcycle veteran Ken Babiak Sr. said he had a weird feeling beforehand that he would make it into Friday night motorcycle class final and emerge victorious. It turned out he was right. He just didn’t know that the fellow competitor he would beat in the final would be his son, Brian.

“I hope I get this feeling every Friday afternoon,” Babiak Sr. said.

“This was the first time I’ve raced against any of my sons in the final and it’s a great feeling for both of us to make it that far. I’ve been racing since 1981 when I got out of the military. Brian has been racing about three years now. Another son, Ken Babiak Jr., is the 2006 motorcycle champion here and now he drives cars. That leaves Brian and I to do battle.”

Mike Nowak was not on the track Friday as his race car is still being rebuilt after suffering a vicious crash earlier this season. He’ll be back in about three weeks.

“Six weeks ago I had a brand new car and the radiator hose blew out and got water under the slicks,” said Nowak. “Before I could correct it and pull the chutes the car did a couple of flips and slid all the way down to the end. I went across the finish line at 125 mph on my roof.

“The roll cage did its job and the safety safari got me out and now it’s just a matter of rebuilding.”

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