A third generation very motivated female Canadian drag racer seemingly has the sport at her feet….

Despite being only 25-years old, Courtney Mageau (from Sherwood Park AB) has already built up a pretty impressive drag racing resume.

Last season the daughter to Funny Car racer Jay Mageau and the Grandaughter to Western Canadian drag racing pioneer Bob Mageau, opened the newest chapter in her racing career when she began competition racing a very unique ’55 Ford Thunderbird-bodied Funny Car.

Courtney’s “Girl Trouble” Thunderbird rolled into competition for the first time during 2016

For Courtney, this graduating move came after three years racing her “Girl Trouble” themed Junior Dragsters followed by 6 years driving a naturally aspirated Top ET/Super Pro classed dragster. There is no doubt that the move to a Funny Car was a pretty natural progression for her, given she has been around that category of race cars for many seasons with her Dad’s “Prospector” machines.

“With all my background revolving around racing with my Dad’s Funny Cars – that class just seemed to be the next logical step,” Courtney explained. “This race car was originally owned by Bruce Oliver and then Tony Kupris. It had been sitting idle for quite a while but we brought it out of hibernation. First it spent about six months being rebuilt – basically from scratch. We put a 548 CID supercharged Brodix motor in it and our target is the various index classes (6.8 to 7.0 secs) depending on where we are racing.”

Courtney and Jay Mageau

After first upgrading her racing license (late summer 2015) she entered competition for the first time mid last year during the IHRA’s Mopar Rocky Mountain Nationals. At that July date she raced within that event’s 6.95 Funny Car category.

“Another one of the attractions for going into this class is that I get a new challenge to race within a group of people I already know very well,” she continued. “I’m really surrounded by people that are familiar but who also go out of there way to help and encourage me.”

Courtney Mageau raced her “Girl Trouble” Top ET dragster for six seasons.

Courtney is quick to also mention that the opportunity to carry forward her Mageau Family racing tradition within Western Canada is also a major motivating factor. Incredibly the 2017 season will mark over a half century of involvement in the sport for the Mageau family name!

“2017 will be 52 years and counting since my grand father has been involved in drag racing,” she added proudly.  “He was there at the beginning and witnessed the first racers ever to go down a track in Western Canada. He is so well respected – by everybody — so I’m honoured to be able to carry forward that torch now.”

Bob and Jay Mageau

With regard to the future possibilities for Courtney – only time will tell. However her father’s extensive involvement with Nitro Nostalgia Funny Cars is probably a obvious potential clue.

“Right now my immediate focus is on some smaller and shorter term goals – for example chipping away at the car and driver running perfect to my index,” she affirmed. “Going nitro maybe some day would be the ultimate. We will just have to see where my career takes me from here.”

The Mageau Family Racing’s nitro-burning “Prospector” Corvette FC is driven by Jay Mageau.

Post and photos by Bruce Biegler

For more information on Courtney visit: HERE