[coverattach=1]DeMotte, IN (Dec. 19, 2009) – With quiet determination and a cool demeanor, Jason Hamstra has repeatedly shown drag racing fans that he is accustomed to setting records. But when at just 22-years-old he became the youngest recipient to win the National Guard ADRL Rookie of the Year award in December of 2009, his exuberant smile while accepting suggested this time he may have even surprised himself.

“Hamstra, hands down!” said National Guard ADRL Director of Marketing Brian Evans regarding the organization’s decision to honor Hamstra. “He blew everyone away this season. He’s got real talent.”

Hamstra’s 3.71 ET @ 205 mph at the ADRL event in Rockingham, North Carolina, in September 2009 was the second fastest Pro Extreme run in history. That pass made Hamstra the number one qualifier in the largest (more than 50 cars) and fastest qualifying field in Pro Extreme history, led him to the win that race, and qualified him for the National Guard ADRL Battle for the Belts.

But Hamstra’s first record was no less impressive. His mother, Karen Hamstra, proudly shares the story. In 1994, Hamstra was approached by a friend to drive their Junior Dragster. The goal: achieve the fastest Junior Dragster time in history. Hamstra, a skinny 8-year-old farm boy at the time, was all for the idea. His parents were no strangers to the racing industry; his father raced for many years. Sitting behind the wheel for the first time, propped up by three poly filled pillows, Jason stomped his foot on the wooden block his parents had attached to the gas pedal and drove the car to the first 8 second junior dragster pass in history. Fifteen years later, an 8 second pass is still personal best for many junior drivers despite marked increases in technology.

“You know a lot of people don’t believe us when we tell them he was nicknamed ‘Racin’ Jason’ on the day he was born, but its true!” Hamstra’s proud mother, Karen, exclaims with sweet sincerity. Over the years, “Racin’ Jason” solidified that name with a long list of accomplishments in racing. At age 12, he won his first of several championships in the junior dragster division at US 141 Dragway. Age 14, he won the Junior Dragster Championship at Indianapolis Raceway Park. In 2002, he finished second in points at IRP. The following year at age 16, Hamstra made the switch to full-size dragsters. 2004 brought Hamstra 6 wins in 10 races, securing the Pro Top Outlaw Championship. In 2005, he moved up to the Pro Modified class, won the UBDRA, and ran the Jeffers Pro Mod series at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois. Continuing to advance his Pro Mod career, Hamstra moved to IHRA for two years, winning the Martin event in 2007 and qualifying for the IHRA Shootout in 2008.

Taking the win in both Valdosta, Georgia, and Rockingham, North Carolina gave Hamstra an impressive two wins in 2009, his first season with the ADRL’s ten race series. He finished third in the National Guard
ADRL Speedtech Battle for the Belts in October 2009 with a pass that resulted in what veteran announcer and ADRL personality Al Tucci dubbed “the worst wreck he has ever seen.” Hamstra was airlifted from the track but amazed everyone by walking out of the hospital the following morning.

“The car was totaled. He’s tapped the wall before, but nothing like that wreck. But he is anxious to get back behind the wheel and race again,” said Kevin Hamstra, father and Crew Chief. “When he is at the track, you can see he has found his niche. He especially loves interacting with the fans.”

When asked whether her son ever gets riled up, Karen’s answer is “not really.” She describes him as very calm, very intelligent, very humble and says he is always thinking ahead, always planning. He is very family oriented, and describes the car and his racing career as a family effort. He spends weekends helping out on the family’s farm in DeMotte, Indiana, and works at Praxair during the week.

Hamstra is set to return to the race track in his new Garret Race Cars 1969 Camaro at the ADRL race near Houston, Texas in March 2010. The color of the car is still to be determined, and Hamstra is actively seeking sponsorship for the 2010 season. If 2009 has anything to teach us about what to expect from this young man, then 2010 is definitely the year to put someone’s logo next to the name “Racin’ Jason.”

This guy is the "Real Deal" in Pro Mod racing.