NMCA Racer Jenna Pierce-Wilson Talks About Drag Racing and FUELAB Fuel Pumps

Jenna Pierce-Wilson successfully races a COPO Camaro clone built by family and friends. Her husband Jesse is heading up a project to build a second COPO Clone, which we have been covering in a Race Car Build Series of articles - see the latest installment at https://fuelab.com/race-car-build-series-building-a-copo-camaro-clone-part-3/. Here is what Jenna had to say about drag racing and FUELAB.

Q: What got you into racing?
A: My dad got me into it. He has raced all my life so I knew about racing from a young age. He let me start racing the summer I was 14, I turned 15 that winter. My mom refused to let me race a junior dragster when I was younger so my dad waited till I was closer to 16.

Q: What was the first car you raced?
A: My dad started me in a chrome yellow 1999 Mustang GT. That was also my first car when I started driving. It was completely stock except we put Nitto tires on the rear. It ran high 14's in a 1/4 mile. My second time ever racing I took home runner up in this car. I ran in the street class for several years before moving on to a race car with slicks.

Q: What were some of the other cars you have raced and when?
A: After the yellow Mustang was a 2001 red Camaro Z28. I didn't race that one long. Then a blue 2002 Mustang GT. We put nitrous on it and everything else was stock. It didn't react well with just nitrous so we ended up pulling it off and sold the car. The last street car I raced was a black 1998 Trans Am. We only did a few mods on it including a rough tune, air intake and cooler thermostat. It would run mid 12's. I raced that car for about 3 years and then sold it to my uncle in Florida. To this day the car is still in the family, my cousin races it, and it’s still going strong. Coincidently that car saved me from having to lose points for one of our NMCA races last year. The COPO wasn't running so we had to park it for the Bradenton Florida race. If I didn't race I would not get the points, so I borrowed my old car and raced it. I didn't do so well, but I got my points.

Q: What associations have you raced in?
A: I had only raced at our local track up until 2013, when Jesse introduced us to the NMCA. We have also run in the LSX Series along with the NMCA.

Q: What have been your major racing successes over the past 5 years?
A: I have had several wins at the local track. Our first year out in the NMCA in 2013 we finished 8th in the Open Comp class getting us a top ten win. In 2014 we finished 3rd in the LSX Series 5th Generation Camaro Class. We won 2 races back to back wins that year as well. We won Norwalk and LS fest in Bowling Green. This year we won first place in Open Comp for the NMCA.

Q: What do you like most about racing?
A: The speed. The adrenaline. The fumes. Ha-ha I love the freedom. Out on that track it's your own world.

Q: Is your family involved in your racing efforts?
A: Yes. My dad races alongside me in the NMCA. My mom is my biggest fan.

Q: How long have you used FUELAB?
A: 2 years now

Q: Why did you start using FUELAB?
A: At the time we were a new race team with a new car, and they were the only ones willing to work with us on a sponsorship. They had what we needed and they liked our car.

Q: Was there a particular problem you were having that FUELAB solved?
A: We didn't really have any particular problem. We needed parts and they had what we needed.

Q: How has FUELAB affected your racing success?
A: Reliability; out of all the systems on this car, the fuel system has never failed us. It works every time without any hiccups. We can count on their parts to work and not fail us.

Q: What FUELAB parts do you use?
A: We use the 51501 fuel pressure regulator, 41401 Prodigy fuel pump, and 82803/82813 fuel filters.

Q: What do you see as the primary benefits of FUELAB products and company?
A: Reliability. I can’t stress that enough. When you have one less thing to worry about on your race car it makes a world of difference in stress relief. They work, end of story. Customer service is great as well. If you have any questions, they will do everything they can to get you the answers you need. They’re a great company with amazing products.

Q: Where do you see yourself in racing in 5 years?
A: Hopefully still racing with the NMCA but getting into OSCA and some other racing. We just go season by season.

Q: What do you do in your spare time?
A: Remodeling a house right now. Ha-ha. Usually just the simple things; movies, hanging with family and friends, hanging with Jesse.