Jasmine Salinas, a professional drag racer, has officially announced her participation in the upcoming U.S. Nationals event in Indianapolis this September. Driving for the Valley Services/Scrappers Racing team, Salinas pilots a Top Fuel dragster with 12,000 horsepower, capable of reaching speeds over 330 miles per hour. This announcement comes as she begins her third season competing in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series.
Now based in Brownsburg, Indiana, Salinas has recorded a personal top speed of 334.90 mph and can cover a distance equivalent to four football fields in under four seconds. Her move from San José, California, to Indiana five years ago was motivated by her commitment to advancing her racing career. Salinas described the U.S. Nationals, held on her adopted home turf, as the biggest event of the racing season.
We’re still finalizing our 2026 schedule, but we do have the U.S. Nationals set for the first weekend of September, and I’m really excited,
Salinas said.
I moved to Indiana five years ago from California to pursue this racing career, so Brownsburg has kind of become my new home. Being able to race here with the new family and friends I’ve made is really exciting. I love coming here.
Handling Extreme Speeds and Forces Behind the Wheel
Operating a Top Fuel dragster fueled by nitromethane demands the racer to withstand enormous acceleration and intense G-forces, which Salinas revealed surpass even those experienced by astronauts during a rocket launch. The acceleration to 330 mph unfolds in mere seconds, producing an almost unmatched physical strain on the driver.
I know I’m going to be going 330 miles an hour in three seconds, and there’s nothing in the world that can prepare you for that,
Salinas said.
It kind of ruins you for anything else. Roller coasters are ruined for me. I don’t know what else can go faster — maybe a rocket ship — but even then, we experience more G-forces than astronauts.
The Salinas Family Legacy in Drag Racing
Drag racing runs deep in the Salinas family, represented by their team, Scrappers Racing. Jasmine is the eldest of four daughters who were all raised with motorsports in their blood and shared racing experiences alongside their father, Mike Salinas. Two years ago, Jasmine took over her father’s professional racing seat on the team after he stepped down.
Our family’s race team is called Scrappers Racing,
Salinas said.
My dad used to race alongside us professionally. He stepped out two years ago, and I took over his seat.
Her sister Jianna Salinas also competes in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, racing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle category and reaching speeds beyond 200 mph in roughly six seconds.
Media Spotlight: The Salinas Sisters in ‘Chasing Speed’ Docuseries
The Salinas sisters have gained wider recognition through their feature in the VICE TV docuseries Chasing Speed, which follows several NHRA drivers during the 2025 season. This six-part series was released to mark the 75th anniversary of NHRA drag racing. Jasmine appears in the third episode, which focuses on women’s experiences in this high-stakes sport.
‘Chasing Speed’ is a six-part series that is airing right now,
Salinas said.
I believe they just released the fourth episode.
Gender Equality in NHRA Drag Racing
One distinctive element of the National Hot Rod Association is the direct competition between men and women in the same racing classes. There is no separate division based on gender, which has encouraged many women not only to race but also to become champions in the sport.
Something that is very unique about NHRA drag racing is that all of the women race alongside the men. There is no women’s league,
Salinas said.
We’ve had so many women not only competing, but also becoming champions in our sport.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Season and U.S. Nationals
As Salinas finalizes her racing plans for 2026, the U.S. Nationals event scheduled for the first weekend of September in Indianapolis remains a key highlight on her calendar. This race represents a significant opportunity for Salinas to perform in front of her community in Brownsburg, the place she now calls home after relocating from California to advance her racing ambitions.
Her involvement continues to draw attention both to the sport and to her family’s legacy within drag racing, as she remains one of the most prominent drivers on the NHRA circuit.
