TrackChic's Women Behind The Wheels March - Aussie Twins Kate and Diana Harker

By: Theresa Earnheart, President Track Chic

At just 13 years of age, Australian twins Kate and Diana Harker traded their match-box cars for the power of a 110cc Briggs and Straton powered 10-second Junior Dragster.

Daughters of renowned International Top Alcohol Funny Car driver, Steve Harker, the twins were among the first generation of Australian Junior Dragster competitors. Their maiden event saw the girls qualify the 1/8 mile in just 10.2 seconds.

Ten years later, these ‘Aussie’ twin sisters followed their dream to America to compete with the world’s elite Drag Racers on the NHRA PowerAde Championship Drag Racing Series. With their parents’ encouragement, Kate and Diana packed their bags, their racing gear and their ambition, and moved to the U.S. to make it happen. Now living near Atlanta, their dreams are realized as they muscle their competitive drive behind the wheel of a 275 mph category Top Alcohol Dragster! Track Chic had the pleasure of meeting the Harker Twins at the Atlanta Dragway just a few days before their 26th birthday. Impressive? Not certain if that is quite the word to describe Kate and Diana, there must be a better adjective. They are as focused, determined, and ambitious as they are beautiful. But Kate and Diana are also realistically ambitious; conscientious of their responsibility to their sponsors and themselves, as well as the important role they play in the lives of young drivers who look to them for inspiration. Track Chic visits with the twins to learn more:

Australia has a healthy motorsports industry. Why would you move all the way to America to pursue your dream, and particularly, why Atlanta?

It’s a family goal to compete in the NHRA. We grew up trackside watching our dad, Steve Harker, compete and our mom, Janelle, helped Crew. With more than 30 years of Drag Racing experience, including two coveted Australian Top Bike Championships and many Top Alcohol Funny Car wins, dad inspired us to take on the world’s best. Dad set out to conquer the World Top Alcohol Funny Car Championship and we are excited to be right beside him competing in Top Alcohol Dragsters. We chose the Atlanta area because a very special friend of the family lives near here. Since we knew NO ONE, it’s great to have a familiar face nearby who can also help us adjust to the cultural changes. We are learning all the slang, and “G’Day Y’all” is becoming commonplace for us now! Our parents were very smart about it though. They insisted we first complete our studies in Australia. Kate holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia and Majors in Management and Marketing. Diana studied Photography at Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE and opened her own Photography Studio in Brisbane. In fact, Diana was delayed in moving to the states by six months so that she could keep her photography commitments to numerous brides and others who had contracted Diana’s services.

Tell us a little about your accomplishments to date and your path to now be licensed NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster Competitor:

KATE

1996 Started competing in Junior Dragster Competition - among the first Generation of Australian Junior Dragster Drivers 1996/1997 Finished 3rd in the Queensland State Championship Series for Junior Dragster 1997/1998 Finished 4th in the Queensland State Championship Series for Junior Dragster 1999 Retired from racing to attend University full time 2001 Started my own business at the age of 18 and became the Australian Distributor for Race Girl Clothing and Apparel 2002 Gathered corporate support to help fund the building and running costs for competing in a Modified Dragster. Successful in gaining ANDRA (Australian National Drag Racing Association) Competition License in October that same year 2003/2004 I was the only Modified Eliminator Race Team to compete at all five rounds of the Australian Modified Championships September 2004 Runner-up in Modified Eliminator at opening event for Australian Drag Racing Series, at Western Sydney International Dragway 2004/2005 Finished 6th in the Australian National Modified Championships, after only having competed at two of the six scheduled rounds

After graduating from College, Kate put her Management and Marketing degrees to work and organized all the business documents for the incorporation of the Harker Motorsports Team (USA), including all Business Plans, Sponsorship packages, team branding and financial budgets for their 2006 US Tour.

Kate has also attended Frank Hawley’s Top Alcohol Dragster Class and served as Crew Member for Steve & Jenelle Harker’s Top Alcohol Funny Car.

DIANA

I was a member of the organizing and fundraising committee for the Junior Dragster Championship event, which was fun to be involved in building momentum and attendance for the competition. It was a great feeling to help get the event back off the ground and give the opportunity for many supporting families of the sport to participate. I also won the Australia Vs New Zealand Bracket at the event and to this day it is still the tallest trophy in our collection! 1999 Retired from Junior Dragster Competition to study photography 2002 With Kate, I gathered corporate support to help fund the building and running costs for competing the Modified Dragster. We successfully completed the project in October the same year and I gained my ANDRA (Australian National Drag Racing Association) Competition License. April 2007 Attended Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School Top Alcohol Dragster Class in Gainesville Florida May 2007 Completed Top Alcohol Dragster License behind the wheel of the Tom Conway/Kate Harker Skull Shine A/Fuel Dragster in Rusk Texas with a 5.52et at 254mph pass May 2007 Signed with R2B2 Motors and Roger Burgess ProCare RX to drive the teams '69 Camaro in the NHRA Pro Mod Exhibition Class

In addition to racing, Diana is very proud of her accomplishments as a professional photographer, opening her own studio and winning Silver and Bronze medals for her work entered into the 2002 Queensland State Photography Awards, and a Silver in the 2003 Australian Photography Awards - Sydney.

Both girls ran competitive 2007/2008 schedules behind the wheels and crewing for Harker Motorspors. Their first time competing against one another was in Oklahoma 2007. They were the first team of sisters to compete, vaporizing the Force family’s opportunity to hold that record.

Diana: It was very exciting and a bit nerve-wracking, being as competitive as we are. It’s a privilege to hold the record as the first sisters to compete against one another, so no matter who won the race, we were happy to be in the record books. At the end of the day we both won! Kate actually won the race but I got the Hole Shot and the photo to prove it, so we both enjoyed the results! June 2008, Diana made history at the Lucas Oil Super Nationals in Englishtown, NJ, by claiming her first NHRA National Event win in the Top Alcohol Dragster Class and by doing so became the first Australian Female to win an NHRA National Event.

Kate and Diana are preparing for an exciting 2009 season with a new car they will begin testing in May. The girls will flip a coin to determine who is first to be behind the wheel!

Kate’s business savvy intellect grasps the importance of the business aspect of the sport and the value they must provide to sponsors. Her strong business acumen recognizes the responsibility they share representing their sport, their sponsors and their team. She is as confident behind the corporate desk overseeing the business aspects of running a successful team as she is competent behind the wheel of her 275mph dragster.

The majority of the twins’ time is spent off-track in the business-end of the sport: marketing, negotiating with sponsors, speaking engagements and special appearances. They take their responsibilities as role models seriously and enjoy the opportunity to inspire others to “dream big” and pursue their ambitions.

The twins are champions on the dragway as well as in their communities. Working with ProStock Motorcyle Peggy Llewelyn, and Top Dragster/Super Comp car Tina Stull, Kate and Diana are actively involved in the efforts to Support our Troops with free race tickets for soldiers, Military Ministry and “Say Thanks to a Soldier” program.

Kate and Diana both serve as advocates for The 1in8 Motorsports Series, and serve on all volunteer board with others in the motorsports and entertainment industry to raise funds and awareness in the fight against breast cancer. Their focus on early detection will reduce the dreadful statistic of one in eight women diagnosed with breast cancer today. The 1in8 Motorsports Series is founded by screenwriter and producer, Ken Vrana, most known for his work” Snow Angels” a film of three North Carolina women all of whom have breast cancer, and also for his career in motorsports as a race driver, car builder and team owner and was an official for the PPG/Indycar Series for many years. The Harker twins join The1in8 Motorsports Series notable leaders in the racing industry, including: Mario, Michael and Marco Andretti, Johnny, Bobby Unser, and Al Unser, Jr., Danica Patrick, AJ Foyt, Dario Franchitti, Johnny Rutherford, Ray Evernham, Heather Williams, Amanda Henessy and others.

When asked what they do for fun, they both respond:

Wakeboarding, Clay Target Shooting, Motocross, Fitness, and following the Australian Football League ...Aussie Rules Football

Be sure to look for these Awesome Aussie Twins on the race tracks and in the record books. Happy 26th Birthday, Kate and Diana Harker ... impressive, inspiring, extraordinary!

� 2009 Track Chic, Inc.

Track Chic is the social phenomenon for 239+ million female motorsport fans worldwide sharing a passion for Speed, Style & Sisterhood. Our mission is to bring together and give voice to the millions of neglected female fans and showcase the women involved both behind the wheels and behind the scenes in motorsports today.

More information: http://www.TRACKCHIC.com

Email: info@trackchic.com