Passions: Drag Racing

by Tina Vasquez (Los Angeles)

There are those of us who like routine, enjoy the calm pace of our lives, and go to great lengths to stay out of harm’s way. Kim Murphy is not one of those people. Murphy loves her job as Vice President of Employee Benefits at InfoCision, a leading provider of call center solutions based in Ohio, where some of her responsibilities include creating call center programs and scouting out new center locations. That being said, it quickly became apparent after speaking with her that she lives for the weekends.

Every weekend Murphy, her daughter, fiancé, and parents make an hour and a half trek away from their hometown of Akron, Ohio to spend the weekend camping out in a trailer, sharing stories, hanging out … and drag racing. “I’m the oldest of three girls and I’m like the son my dad never had. Growing up I didn’t see much of my dad because he worked two jobs, but when I was in college he and my mom bought me a 1971 Chevy Nova. We were really able to bond over that car because we spent so much time together fixing it up. Before too long I started racing it for fun on the weekends,” Murphy said.

Going from fixing up a car with your dad to drag racing may seem like an illogical progression to some, but in Murphy’s case it made perfect sense. Her mother, now in her sixties, also used to drag race as a young woman and still races whenever she can during her weekend trips with Murphy. “I’m a total risk taker, I can’t emphasize that enough. This sport just seemed perfect for me because I like going fast and I’m extremely competitive. It just seems to be in my blood,” Murphy said.

If going 180 MPH doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time, you’re not the only one. Even though Murphy’s family is very supportive of her drag racing, her two younger sisters don’t participate in any of the festivities. “My sisters will come out and watch me race sometimes, but this has never really been their thing. They always say, ‘We prefer cars with four doors and seatbelts.’ I’ve always been this way, though and I got it from my parents. I grew up riding dirt bikes and snow mobiles. I remember being a little kid and waiting on the front porch for my dad to get home. The second he did, I’d beg him to take me for a ride on his motorcycle,” Murphy said.

Despite the super-high speeds, Murphy contends that drag racing at her level isn’t dangerous. Aside from having to wear a flame retardant suit and boots, she’s also required to wear a helmet and must go through a rigorous inspection each time she races in order to verify that her gear was purchased within the last two years. This process ensures that everything she is wearing and using is safe, meets current standards, and won’t fail due to prolonged wear or sun damage. Murphy also gets strapped into a five-point harness for each ride, which is bolted into the ground. “It doesn’t seem dangerous to me because of all the precautions I take and the level of skill I’ve acquired. I don’t know, I guess I just feel like I can do anything and that I’m invincible. I know that sometimes that’s not a good stance to take, but it’s gotten me this far,” she said.

Winning, of course, is a fairly important aspect of drag racing and Murphy has seen her fair share of wins. She owns two 1971 Chevy Nova’s, the second of which was completely restored from the ground up by her and her father over the course of a year and a half. The car, which was in shambles, was found in an abandoned field and Murphy and her father promptly got to work making it not only drivable, but raceable. The wins, however, have been harder to come by in the recently restored Nova. The car isn’t street legal and everything in it is electric, which makes driving effortless, but Murphy’s used to her first Nova that required every ounce of her attention and skill. “It’s been a rough two years with this car because I’m still getting used to it, but it’ll pick up soon,” Murphy said. With a competition every weekend and at least 20 races a season, it can be difficult to recall every win or loss, but every drag racer has a memorable moment they carry with them.

“I usually drive against men, but you see lots of girls coming up through the ranks thanks to this program called Junior Dragsters. My most memorable win, though, came when I was racing in street class and there was this one guy who was indestructible, he was definitely the guy to beat. It was like he couldn’t lose a race no matter what happened … and then I beat him- twice,” she said.
Murphy, perhaps hoping her daughter shared the same passion as she and her parents, entered her young daughter into the Junior Dragsters when she was just eight-years-old, but unfortunately she “hated it.” Now at twelve, her daughter is beginning to express interest in racing again. “She comes to the race track with us every weekend, but I think she likes the family time together most. She’s like me in a lot of ways. We can’t sit still; we’re always busy, always traveling, and never home. My dad asked us why we even have a house if we’re always gone and I told him it just seemed like a good investment,” Murphy said.

The importance of family in Murphy’s life can’t be stressed enough. Their weekend getaways to the track aren’t just about racing. Murphy, her daughter, fiancé, and husband spend as much time together as possible, whether it be riding motorcycles or just sitting around. “My parents have really sacrificed so much of their time and energy when it comes to my racing, but it really has allowed us to be a tight-knit family. My fiancé has only missed two of my races in the three years we’ve been together. When my dad and I were fixing up my second Nova, my daughter and mom would be in the house cooking together. We plan trips together, we hang out together, and we genuinely enjoy each other’s company. Well, actually, I can only speak for myself. My parents got rid of me twenty years ago and I just keep resurfacing,” she said.

Murphy intends to keep on drag racing as long as she can- or as long as it remains fun. “If I could race fulltime – I would, but I know it’s not realistic when you have a job and a kid in school. Just the schedule we have now is grueling. You’re gone all weekend and then you get home on Sunday and have to unload the trailer and camper, wash dishes, mow the lawn- it’s tough,” Murphy said. It seems doubtful that she’ll get sick of drag racing, but if for some reason she does, there’s no doubt it will be replaced by something just as exhilarating and risky. You may find her in her office at InfoCision Monday through Friday, but there’s no telling what she’ll be doing Saturday and Sunday.