Behind The Wheel - #27 - Angela Messenger
Taking home 2nd place this past weekend during her first time competing in the Women & Wheels class at Street Car Takeover, Angela Messenger is a force to reckoned with. Angela owns a performance shop, Competition Auto based out of Spring Lake, North Carolina, with her husband of 14 years. She has been behind the wheel herself, racing, for the last 3-4 years, and even at the track she finds time to spend with her 13-year-old son and husband.
Angela’s passion for cars started when she was young and her grandfather owned an automotive shop. She spent a lot of time watching him work, and that passion continuously grew. Angela met her husband 18 years ago when she moved to North Carolina, and has been helping him run the shop since. In 2010 they built a 2007 Shelby GT500, sponsored by SCT, and ever since then, she has had a passion for drag racing.
She currently races a 2020 Regular cab, short bed F-150. This F-150 is very misleading at first glance, as it is actually equipped with an On3 Performance twin-turbo kit and sits on a drag set-up with a best ET of 10.85. Before the F-150, she was drag racing a naturally-aspirated 2016 Camaro SS. She finds her number one supporters at the track to be her husband and son. She told me about her role model, Susie, at JLP Racing, “Her husband runs the NMRA circuit, but she is the backbone. She helps him race, helps run the business, and everything else behind the scenes. She is such a hard-working lady and is just so sweet”.
Angela decided to join in the women’s class at Street Car Takeover Rockingham, and told me what made her decide to do that. “I’ve always wanted to run the women’s class. I have ran in Super Chevy with my Camaro, and sometimes guys can be very stand-off-ish. I feel like it's so much easier because I already have common ground with these women. Every-time I’m drag racing, Im always looking around for other girls and here they are!”, she told me. Angela was very ecstatic to place 2nd this past weekend, but told me about her favorite experience during the event, “Honestly, going into the semi-finals and winning that was my favorite moment. I just sat there wondering how the heck did I even do that?!”.
Alongside of all of the projects they have going on at the shop, she told me about the goals they have for the truck, which include running a 9-second pass. As always, I asked the question of what she thinks Women & Wheels is doing for women in this industry. “I feel like this gives us something to do. Not to just be fans, but Women & Wheels gives us a whole new group with a common interest. It’s not just a guys sport”, she said.
Confidence is the backbone of the advice she would give any woman that wanted to be involved, “Just be confident and go out. Take it easy, get used to whatever vehicle you’re in and build your way up to it. If you jump all in that’s the most dangerous point. All vehicles are different and you have to learn with it”, she finished the conversation with.
Angela is definitely going to be a heavy hitter this year and we cannot wait to see her competing again in the series!
Angela’s passion for cars started when she was young and her grandfather owned an automotive shop. She spent a lot of time watching him work, and that passion continuously grew. Angela met her husband 18 years ago when she moved to North Carolina, and has been helping him run the shop since. In 2010 they built a 2007 Shelby GT500, sponsored by SCT, and ever since then, she has had a passion for drag racing.
She currently races a 2020 Regular cab, short bed F-150. This F-150 is very misleading at first glance, as it is actually equipped with an On3 Performance twin-turbo kit and sits on a drag set-up with a best ET of 10.85. Before the F-150, she was drag racing a naturally-aspirated 2016 Camaro SS. She finds her number one supporters at the track to be her husband and son. She told me about her role model, Susie, at JLP Racing, “Her husband runs the NMRA circuit, but she is the backbone. She helps him race, helps run the business, and everything else behind the scenes. She is such a hard-working lady and is just so sweet”.
Angela decided to join in the women’s class at Street Car Takeover Rockingham, and told me what made her decide to do that. “I’ve always wanted to run the women’s class. I have ran in Super Chevy with my Camaro, and sometimes guys can be very stand-off-ish. I feel like it's so much easier because I already have common ground with these women. Every-time I’m drag racing, Im always looking around for other girls and here they are!”, she told me. Angela was very ecstatic to place 2nd this past weekend, but told me about her favorite experience during the event, “Honestly, going into the semi-finals and winning that was my favorite moment. I just sat there wondering how the heck did I even do that?!”.
Alongside of all of the projects they have going on at the shop, she told me about the goals they have for the truck, which include running a 9-second pass. As always, I asked the question of what she thinks Women & Wheels is doing for women in this industry. “I feel like this gives us something to do. Not to just be fans, but Women & Wheels gives us a whole new group with a common interest. It’s not just a guys sport”, she said.
Confidence is the backbone of the advice she would give any woman that wanted to be involved, “Just be confident and go out. Take it easy, get used to whatever vehicle you’re in and build your way up to it. If you jump all in that’s the most dangerous point. All vehicles are different and you have to learn with it”, she finished the conversation with.
Angela is definitely going to be a heavy hitter this year and we cannot wait to see her competing again in the series!