Outside the normal mainstream of drag racing – there is a highly skilled racer from Eastern Ontario that continues to make her mark….
“That Girl” Tiina Duncanson
While it certainly doesn’t get the media recognition it quite often deserves – racing snowmobile configuration machines on asphalt remains a pretty interesting phenomena, and Tiina Duncanson, from Acton Ontario, remains at the forefront for that.
Tiina, along with her husband Peter own and operate “That Girl Racing”, a group which has proven to be one of the most dominant teams within that unique genre for drag racing.
During their career, they have amassed a total of 19 NHRA “Wallys”, that includes two NHRA national events wins, and prevailed to claim the regionalized NHRA Pro Stock Sled championship a total of three times.
“We started racing “stockers” around 1993,” Tiina reflected about her career. “We ran mostly in Ontario and on 500′ grass tracks in the summer. As we became more serious, we started racing with COSDRA ( Central Ontario Snowmobile Drag Racing Association). I raced machines on both the ice and grass until about 2004 — and I still do race on the ice from time to time at some very big ice races. (She recently participated at the World Series of Ice in Green Bay, Wisconsin). As my skills and driving improved, bigger Pro teams would ask me to drive their much faster sleds. Over time and in my career I’ve raced in all the big powered classes —Open Modified, which is like Top Fuel and Pro Stock.”
Tiina Duncanson’s Ski Doo is a record holder Pro Stock Sled.
Tiina’s focus is now centred on her team’s 2012 model Ski Doo (a custom built tube chassis) with which she has been competing with since NHRA made the Pro Stock Sled an official class in 2010. That machine tips the scales at 650 lbs, has a 1019 CC – three cylinder billet motor. Pro Stock Sled follows the same basic rules guidelines that PS Car and Bike, requiring that entries be year body model correct, normally aspirated and use both spec fuel and oil. Tipping the scales at 650 lbs and producing some 300 HP (!) Tiina’s best run is a 8.11 secs at 159.80 mph – which stands as the class’s all time record run – entering the ’18 season.
Duncanson’s moniker “That Girl” came after she graduated from ice and grass to asphalt and while racking up event scores within the NHRA Lucas Oil divisional circuit.
“When my racing career entered that stratosphere – most of my fellow competitors did not know my name and they just started to refer to me as “That Girl”,” she laughed. “And the name has just stuck.”
Her race team is supported by a great group of associate sponsors — a list that includes: Camoplast, Timken Belts, Wiseco, US Chrome, V Force Reeds, World Wide Bearings, Legend Oil, YourWay Auto, Brian’s Truck and trailer and Hannen Racing.
Tiina and Peter are very proud of their career accomplishments. Their career total of 19 NHRA Wallys won may very well be most Wallys ever won by a team in Canadian drag racing history (?)
Canada’s “That Girl Racing” Team – solidly remain at the forefront of NHRA Pro Stock Sled class racing.
“I have a very good crew that has made my career possible,” she added. “My husband Peter (crew chief, sled and engine builder), my son-in-law Jeremy Hannen, (dyno operator and clutch tuner), Jason Ash, Brian Roach, and Jody Brown. They all help to make it all happen and it has been an honour to be one of the regular Canadian racers on the NHRA circuit. I feel I have represented Canada well the last 25 years and plan on continuing for another 25!”
For more information on “That Girl Racing” visit their Official FB page : HERE
Post and photos by Bruce Biegler
