Jumping Into the Deep End: Hailey Hawes is X275’s Newest Contender
Hailey Hawes might not have grown up “living” at the dragstrip like many drivers do, but she has made an immediate impact during her relatively short time in the sport.
Hailey’s first real introduction came when her father, Michael, bought a 1989 Fox-body Mustang in 2019. The car features a 648-cubic-inch big-block motor with nitrous, but even that wasn’t enough to interest her originally.
[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #189, the Women of Power Issue, in July/August of 2024.]
“I didn’t ever go to the track when he first got it,” Hawes admits. “Finally, I was like, ‘OK, I’ll come out and watch you one time.’ After that, I was hooked. I said, ‘I’m going to help you. I’m going to start working on the car and start learning.’”
And for the past three years, that’s exactly what she’s done, assisting at home or at the track, learning the ins and outs of how everything on the car operated while her father drove it. She was content in that role, but her dad had other plans.
“I worked and worked and worked, and finally my dad was like, ‘All right, you’ve put in the work. You’re going to start driving.’ I said, ‘No, I don’t really want to drive. I like working on the car.’ And he was like, ‘Nope, you’re getting in it.’ I eventually gave in and said, ‘OK, cool.’”
Hawes made her driving debut last August, testing for the ultra-competitive X275 class. With radial veteran Kenny Hubbard tuning the car, Hawes learned to adapt quickly before jumping into the deep end this year at South Georgia Motorsports Park for Lights Out 15.
“It was very stressful and overwhelming, but once I got in the car…” Hawes trails off. “Honestly, to tell you the truth, I had maybe three test sessions with just nitrous, and then a couple with just motor. I only made, I want to say about 5-10 nitrous hits before I went down to Georgia and ran X275.”
Roughly six months after her initial test passes, Hawes picked up her very first round win at Lights Out. She followed it up with a personal best elapsed time of 4.209 seconds at 171.31 MPH in the second round, making her the quickest woman in the history of X275. In fact, she’s currently the only female competing in the class, a distinction she hopes to see change in the future.
“It’s pretty cool being the lone female, but I definitely would like to see more females out there,” says Hawes. “I mean, it seems like a manly sport, but to me, it’s like anybody can do it. I would like to see other women out there with me.”
Hawes credits her parents as being the support system that fuels her love for drag racing, as well as longtime boyfriend, Ryan McCain – a renowned tuner in his own right – who lends his assistance whenever they need it.
“Ryan is so freaking smart,” Hawes says. “I don’t ever want to overstep on Kenny’s toes, with him being our tuner, but Ryan is a huge help to my program. And our relationship with him is really like no other.”
Plans for the future are already in the developmental stages, as the family recently purchased a ‘69 Camaro that Hailey will drive at some point in the future, potentially in Pro 275. But Hawes stresses that she’s not looking too far ahead.
“We don’t know what combo we’re going to run with it just yet,” says Hawes. “ProCharger, nitrous, screw blower, we don’t know. Right now, I’m focusing on X275. Looking into the future, I will definitely start going faster, whether it’s in a no-time car or Pro 275. I want to work my way up. But I told my dad, first things first, before I ever move up or decide to do anything else, I want to win a race. I have to accomplish winning a race, and then I’ll be like, ‘OK, now I can move up.’”
This story was originally published on August 7, 2024.
The post Jumping Into the Deep End: Hailey Hawes is X275’s Newest Contender first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
