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LATEST
In the opener at North Star Dragway, Beka
advanced to the finals in the Quick-16 and
runner-up to Heather Hambelton in a all girl final
round! Beka also advanced to the quarter-finals in
Modified.
Bio
Results
Schedule
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Video
Bio
Beka Mercadel is the
driver of the Mercadel Motorsports Top Alcohol Jr.
Dragster. Beka’s hometown is New Orleans, LA,
but (via Hurricane Katrina) now hails from Fort
Worth, TX. This talented young lady is certainly
making a name for herself around the country, but
not in the way one would expect this 15 year old to
perform. In 2004, Beka won the “Mahalia
Jackson Music Award of Excellence,” but
although she is a talented singer, Beka has chosen
to perform on a different stage… the
DRAGSTRIP! She is one of about 4,500 National Hot
Rod Association (NHRA) junior drag racers, and one
of a very few licensed minority top alcohol junior
drivers in the country. In just a few short years
behind the wheel, this talented young lady has
proven she’s got the right stuff though,
successfully piloting a fifteen-foot long racecar
that goes from ZERO to 85 in just SEVEN SECONDS!!!
Rebekah Mercadel, or Beka to her friends, is
a New Orleans native who now hangs her hat in Texas
thanks to Hurricane Katrina.
She is also a junior drag racer and pilots a Top
Alcohol Jr. Dragster for Mercadel Motorsports. She
is one of about 8,500 National Hot Rod Association
(NHRA) junior drag racers and one of a very few
licensed minority top alcohol junior drivers in the
country.
With her dad and crew chief -- Michael, mom,
Kelly, and brother and sister, Gabrielle and Joshua
– Beka has a solid base to explore her drag
racing dreams. The family team has been lighting up
the asphalt from Florida to Texas racing at 30-40
events a season.
While the tragedy of Katrina slowed her racing
efforts as her family was forced to temporarily
split up for nine months, sending her dad who is
employed by American Airlines to Dallas/Fort Worth,
while the rest of the family stayed in Springfield,
Illinois with family.
“My wife and I were more worried about our
children’s mental state than our home in New
Orleans,” said Michael. “Gabrielle (12),
and Joshua (9), seemed to have taken things a
little better than Beka. Even though racing was not
high on the priority list, we knew a few weeks
after the hurricane that this is exactly what Beka
needed. That cockpit was the only normal thing to
her, and we had to get her back into her race
car.”
For Beka nothing was more therapeutic than
getting back in her race car.
“How many girls get to drive a race car
from ZERO to 85 MPH in just seven seconds?,”
said Beka. “Besides, there’s not a sport
out there that you can’t get injured in (i.e.
gymnastics, volleyball, softball, basketball etc.)
It’s especially cool beating the
boys!”
Katrina, in a way, has made Beka more active in
her community and raised her awareness of what is
going on outside of school and drag racing.
Recently, the entire Mercadel racing team took part
in the 2008 Walk Now for Autism event presented by
Autism Speaks at Arlington Stadium in Arlington,
Texas. Part of the event was so that Beka could
unveil her new paint scheme dedicated to autism
awareness.
The paint scheme was done in honor of her little
brother, Josh, who has Asperger's syndrome, a form
of autism.
How did you first get into racing?
I first got into racing through my dad's love
for the sport. When I was eight, I went to a pro
race in Pomona, California and there I saw a jr.
dragster. I asked the owner a few questions and I
knew that jr. drag racing was a sport that I wanted
to pursue. When I turned ten years old, I got my
shot! In only my second event ever, I made it to
the semi-finals. I was hooked after that. However,
it did take me one crash and two-and-a-half years
to win my first event. So in the first three years
I won only three events. In the last three years
(including the one year off because of Hurricane
Katrina) I have won 18 events!
What and where are you racing this
season?
I am racing a 2002 halfscale jr. dragster,
mostly in Kennedale, Texas. I do travel but not
lately. We are currently looking for marketing
partners to help fund our racing season.
Do Hillary Will and Ashely Force's successes
at the top level of the NHRA make you hopeful about
your racing future?
Yes, Hillary Will and Ashley Force's successes
make me hopeful about my racing future because both
women have proven to the world that racing is just
as much for women as men. Their accomplishments
inspire me to break records when I reach the level
of top fuel drag racing.
Is this what you want to do in the
future?
Yes, I want to be the first minority top fuel
female driver.
How hard was Hurricane Katrina on your family
and your racing?
Hurricane Katrina was very hard for my family
and I because that was where I lived my whole life
and for a hurricane to move me to an area that I am
not used to, things were very difficult for myself
and my family. Racing, however, was not a problem
because we brought my dragster with us when we
evacuated and that was my only keepsake from New
Orleans so I was very excited to get back into
racing as fast as I could.
You've relocated from New Orleans, where are you
living now? Are you able to travel to all the races
you want to compete in?
I am living in Fort Worth, Texas. Generally, yes
I am able to travel to all the races I want to
compete in but lately with the rise of fuel prices
it has been difficult for my team and I to
travel.
Tell us about your Autism Awareness car and
cause?
My Autism Awareness car was an idea I had
because my younger brother has Asperger's Syndrome,
a form of autism. I decided to dedicate this season
of racing to him and all the other autistic
children in the world. My dad worked really hard on
coming up with a paint scheme that would represent
autism and hope to find a cure which would be
universal to all the families out there that share
this disorder. The puzzle pieces on the body is the
symbol for autism and shows the process of the
pieces blowing away which represents racing to find
a cure one piece at a time.
Source: www.askpatty.com/page.php?Title=Rebekah_Mercadel_Heating_up_Junior_Dragsters/
Mercadel Motorsports Has High Hopes For 2007
Season After One Year Bout With Katrina! -
11/30/06
Rebekah Mercadel, born in New Orleans, Louisiana
and now living in Fort Worth, Texas (via Hurricane
Katrina) is the driver of the Mercadel Motorsports
Top Alcohol Jr. Dragster. She is making a name for
herself around the country, but not in the way one
would expect this 14 year old to perform. In 2004
she won the “Mahalia Jackson Music Award of
Excellence.” Although she is a talented
singer, she has chosen to perform on a different
stage… the DRAGSTRIP! She is one of about
8,500 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) junior
drag racers and one of a very few licensed minority
top alcohol junior drivers in the country. Her race
car is about fifteen feet long and goes from ZERO
to 85mph in just SEVEN SECONDS!
Mercadel Motorsports, consisting of driver-Beka,
crew chief / dad- Michael, mom- Kelly, sister-
Gabrielle and brother- Joshua, has been burning up
the asphalt from Texas to Florida and all points in
between for four years. A racing season for the
Mercadel’s may consist of between thirty to
forty events per year (i.e. racing and show
appearances). Since Hurricane Katrina, they have
only competed in twelve events. Despite the lack of
racing this year, Beka still had some bright spots
in 2006. She had one final round and four
semi-final appearances.
Hurricane Katrina temporarily split up the
family for nine months sending her dad who is
employed by American Airlines to Dallas/Fort Worth,
while the rest of the family stayed in Springfield,
Illinois with family members. Michael reflecting on
the days after the storm said, “My wife and I
were more worried about our children’s mental
state than our home in New Orleans. Gabrielle (12),
and Joshua (9), seemed to have taken things a
little better than Beka.” “Even though
racing was not high on the priority list, we knew a
few weeks after the hurricane that this is exactly
what Beka needed. “That cockpit was the only
normal thing to her, and we had to get her back
into her race car,” said Kelly, Beka’s
mom.
Two months after the hurricane, Beka finally got
her chance and returned to the track. She competed
at the Halloween Nationals just outside of St.
Louis, MO. at Gateway International Raceway and won
five rounds of racing on the first day and came
just two rounds short of making it to the finals.
Beka has tasted victory many times. Just two months
before Katrina hit, Beka won the “King of the
Coast Bracket Series” race in Gulfport,
Mississippi. It came only six weeks after she
suffered a top end crash that sent her rushing to
the ‘ER’ in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and
sidelined her for a month. “Most adults would
have quit after less circumstances,” said
Beka’s dad, Michael. He recalls Beka asking
him on the way to the hospital, “How bad is
the car?” Gaylon Rolisen and Tommy Castanedo,
founders of bracketnews.com and the “King of
the Coast Bracket Series”, surprised Beka with
a special Sportsmanship Award for not only being
brave to race again after her crash, but to race
and win their event.
Despite criticism from some family and friends
about the dangers of the sport, Beka is undaunted.
She sums it up the best; “How many girls get
to drive a race car from ZERO to 85 MPH in just
seven seconds? Besides, there’s not a sport
out there that you can’t get injured in (i.e.
gymnastics, volleyball, softball, basketball etc.)
It’s especially cool beating the boys!”
Beka has been learning more than just driving a
race car, she has also been active in her community
working on her people skills. Beka often displays
her race car at local school fairs and car shows.
She also speaks with her dad at area clubs and
schools about career goals, peer pressures, and the
pitfalls of drugs and alcohol abuse. When asked, is
this what you want to do when you grow up? Beka
replies, “I really like drag racing however,
my hope is to become a Pediatrician!” Mercadel
Motorsports looks forward to a full Season of
racing and sponsorship appearances in 2007.
Source: www.blackdragracers.com/Mercadel_Motorsports_vol3_iss3.html
Results
"My trip to New Orleans was a blast! I was so
nervous but excited at the same time as we got
closer to my highly missed home track at No Problem
Raceway in Bell Rose, Louisiana. When we got there
the track looked just as i remembered and all my
old friends welcomed my family and I with open
arms. After spending time with everyone it was time
to get serious for the big race. The heat did not
help though, everyone could not believe how hot it
was. On Friday, I made it to the semi- finals due
to my face shield fogging up so bad to the point
where i could not see the christmas tree. Though
disappointed, I knew I had to prepare for the next
race day. On Saturday my car was very consistent
and I went to the quarter finals because of a
breakout pass of (7.895 seconds on a 7.90 seconds
dial). Though I did not do as well as I wanted, I
made plenty of great memories and had a lot of fun
with my family and friends."- Beka
TWO future STARS clashed in an East Coast vs
Gulf Coast Match Race!
It was their first meeting, at the 34th Annual Snap
on Tools Night of Thrills on May 30th @ Old Bridge
Township Raceway Park, located in Englishtown,
NJ.
Amanda Smith a.k.a. Skittles representing the
East Coast, matched race against Beka Mercadel
a.k.a. “The Queen of the Gulf Coast", from New
Orleans / Dallas-Fort Worth, TX.
This past weekend May 30, 2009, Beka and her
team flew up to the 34th Annual Snap-On Tools Night
of Trills in Englishtown, N.J. for a match race.
She was going to pilot her first 330 outlaw
car!
"It was so cool, Snap-On Tools/
Amandasraceteam.com picked us up Friday night in a
stretched limo from the airport to the hotel, and
sent another limo from the hotel to the race track
and all the way to her pit area at Old Bridge
Township Raceway Park, Saturday afternoon! They
also had broken in to our hotel room before we got
there and left behind all kinds of cool stuff! (i.e
Backpacks, coolers, candy, fruit , wine- (for my
parents) ... Lots more too!"-Beka
They also made 2,500 hero autograph cards and a
booth for Beka to sign autographs for the fans!
We did have a few challenges with the 330 car
that was built for Beka. So the two teams decided
to change the match race into an exhibition race.
They borrowed a friends 7.90 car to race against an
outlaw 330 car.
Knowing this wasn't a fair heads up race, the
two teams still impressed the crowd by making it a
good race anyway, and then throwing t-shirts and
give-a-ways into the stands.
Also to make things fair to each driver, the
first pass in the 330 outlaw car was run by Beka
and her crew. The second pass was run by Amanda and
her crew.
Leaving this match with one win a piece the two
teams will look forward to meeting again.
Over all Beka preformed very well. In the black
car she ran a 4.372 (330') and in the white car she
ran a 4.715 (330')!
Amanda ran a 4.564 in the Black car and a 4.841
in the white car.
The weekend was bigger than winning or losing a
race. It was a great opportunely for Beka and
Amanda to meet a lot of great people and to visit
with some fans!
Another Semi-Final appearance for Team
Mercadel!"Beka- Highlight of the day!" 4/4/09
Beka seeking her first event win of 2009, faced off
against Heather Hambelton in the second round of
racing. Heather is 3-0 against Beka this season and
looking to continue her streak. Beka on the other
is looking to end her losing streak, and finally
get around Heather and her Hurricane Racing
Team.
Both cars dialed-in a 7.91. This will be a heads
up drag race! Teams shake heads, engines come alive
and both cars complete there burn-outs and stage.
The lights come down and both cars launch off the
starting line almost dead even! Heather with the
slight advantage .050 to Beka's .052 reaction time.
Side by side theses two battle it out all the way
down the track! Beka pulling along side of heather
by the 330' mark both cars clocked a (5.049 @ the
330') by the end it was ......
Beka running DEAD on with a ZERO (7.910) to take
the win and end the losing streak to Heather and
her Hurricane Racing Team! Heather ran a very good
(7.918)! Both girl's in great show of sportsmanship
shack hands and hug at the top end of the drag
strip!
"I can't recall a closer and better race in a
long time, we were side by side the whole race!"-
Beka
The second round victory was short lived when
Beka and her team lost in the semi's, running
another dead on the dial run (7.909 on a 7.90), but
got bit on the tree .026 to Beka's .090....
"Going rounds is what we need to do. Looks like
the car is back on track and I know Beka will beat
her self up all week because of the hole shot loss.
I think she will be on the practice tree a little
more than she has been this week. Beka will be
fine!"- Michael
Beka makes it to the Semi-Finals! 3/29/09
NorthStar Dragway in Denton, Texas hosted the 2009
JDRL Challenge. Racing was suspended on Saturday
3/28/09 due to weather. On Sunday morning teams in
RV's, trucks and trailers lined up at the gate for
their shot at their title hopes.
"There was a good car count considering the
weather and a shortened racing weekend. Getting
beat up last weekend was tough, so we hoped to go a
few rounds today if not the winners circle!"
-Michael
Team Mercadel winning the JDRL Quick-16 in 2007
and the JDRL Top Eliminator Class in 2008, made it
to the semi-finals March 29, 2009. Beka used some
good driving skills and a little luck to come just
one round short of the finals.
"It felt good going rounds today. The
competition is tough, but we wouldn't be doing this
if it was easy!"- Beka
Beka hopes that things are coming together has
her dad and crew chief is getting a better handle
on all of the off season changes to her race car.
Texas Raceway not kind to Team Mercadel
3/21/2009
Frustrated with her performance, Beka beats herself
up over a .114 light, in a first round loss at
TXR.
"I'll give it to you straight... We got our
BUTTS KICKED yesterday at our home track opener! We
chased our tune-up all day! Beka had a awful day on
the tree and I looked like a rookie tuner out
there! A double first round loss is very
uncharacteristic of our LAT Racing Oil, Digatron
sponsored Top Jr Dragster racing team!"
-Michael
Double First Round means = Entered into two
separate events on race day and lost both race
events in the first ROUND.
"We really beat ourselves, we got disqualified
in every race for going to FAST! We went to darn
fast and got beat and the boot! Not taking anything
away from the two teams that beat us! They were on
their game, and did what they had to do to beat us!
From the starting line (The tree) to the big end
(the finish line) we got handled! Hats off to them
both!" -Beka
After the race day was over and before leaving
the track, Team Mercadel went though the car and
made a few weight and other adjustments that should
get them back into the game!
2009 Season Opener Update!
In the opener at North Star Dragway, Beka advanced
to the finals in the Quick-16 and runner-up to
Heather Hambelton in a all girl final round! Beka
also advanced to the quarter-finals in
Modified.
Team Mercadel *WINS* their sixth event of
2008!
On August 23, 2008- Beka and her team got back into
the winners circle by winning the "Quick-16" race
at the Texas Raceway in Kennedale, Texas. Team
Mercadel captured their sixth win on the year by
defeating Taryn Greene in the all girl final!
Schedule
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