Roth grew up in a family where both her mom and stepdad raced. She went to high school in Las Vegas and that’s where she started racing a 1978 Camaro. Later, she raced a Chevy Vega that she helped build and also a 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner in the No Box classes.
Most recently, she’s raced one of her husband Mel’s Ford Mustangs.
Besides her experience behind the wheel, she has served as event coordinator for the Street Car Super Nationals. It’s an event the weekend before Thanksgiving which features some of the best racing in the country, and a massive car count that ranges from 500-700 racers.
She makes sure all the sheets and pairings are correct. That experience is extremely valuable in her role with the IHRA.
“The opportunity came up and I was happy to help. With the background I have, I’m able to answer a lot of the questions of what each class is all about,” Roth said. “If I can’t answer their question, I will find someone who can. It helps so much that I have that background.”
For the racers, it’s important for them to get their IHRA membership where they can participate in their track’s IHRA Summit SuperSeries points and if they win a track or division championship, race in the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals at Holly Springs Motorsports.
Also for the racers who participate in IHRA Sportsman Spectacular events, there are benefits exclusive to IHRA members.
“You need to be a member to run in the IHRA Summit SuperSeries. That ‘X’ number keeps track of you all season long and at the end, you can qualify for the IHRA Summit Team Finals and if you win a track or division championship, you’re invited to the IHRA World Finals,” she said. “There are the insurance and other benefits you have as an IHRA member.”
As a mother of five, including a pair of twin girls five months old, Roth can also relate to other females in the sport. There is always juggling the duties between family and drag racing.
“We always find a balance. Three of them go to school and then I have the two at home,” she said. “When they nap, you get the work done. It’s great that we have so many female racers.”
The future certainly looks bright for female racers with girls winning four of the last seven IHRA Junior Dragster World Championships. That includes two of the last three seasons with 2020 champ Madison Fisher and current champion Aubrey Loy.
Overall, Roth likes the direction the IHRA is going. Like the drag racers, the sanctioning body has been working as a team to chase win lights. The IHRA has powered straight ahead with recent announcements of track and partner signings, which provide opportunities to bring in new IHRA members.
“Our whole team has been working hard. I see all the e-mails going back and forth, and we have a really good team to make this a great season,” she said.
For more information about becoming an IHRA member and participating in the Summit SuperSeries program, click here or email info@ihra.com.
