Page 22 - March 2019 IWMA News Interactive

Top Alcohol Driver Julie Nataas Now Calls Cali Home
Julie Nataas was born in Nor- way, but after coming to Antioch Uni- versity in Santa Barbara, California to do a year of school, she loved it so much she wanted to finish her educa- tion in California, instead of going back to Norway to finish, and has moved here permanently, at least for now.
She just completed her Bach- elor’s in Marketing, Business & Entre- preneurship and is focusing on her rac- ing career. Her family lives in Norway but her dad travels to California often, for vacation and for her races.
So how did this pretty 22-year old blonde end up with a passion for racing?
“My dad had a passion for cars when he was little and read about dra- gracing in the newspapers. When my dad was 13 years old he and my grandfa- ther decided to go watch a race in Swe- den. After they had spent a weekend at the racetrack they decided to get into it. My grandfather started racing and when my dad turned 18 years old he raced with his Mustang Mach1. I was basically born at the racetrack and would trav- el around Europe going to races with them.” she told us.
When she was 8 years old, she got her own jr. dragster and after that there was nothing else she wanted to do. But with the short season over in Europe, drag racing wasn’t enough. Ju- lie started go karting when she was 11 years old. She and her brother would be racing after school during the week and only a couple years later she was also driving a formula basic car. There was a lot of racing in the three classes (Go Kart, Formula Basic and drag racing) over a 4-year period. She decided that she only wanted to do drag racing.
When she graduated high school in 2015, she wanted to move to the United States, as this is where drag racing is a much bigger sport. She got accepted into Santa Barbara City Col- lege and was only supposed to stay for a
22
year, but she loved it and transferred to Antioch University and decided to stay. She went to every NHRA race that was close to Santa Barbara.
She currently races in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series in Top Alchol dragster with a nitro injected dragster with Randy Meyer Racing. She met Randy (team owner) when he was on a trip to Sweden for a drag race in 2016. Julie’s friend Jonnie Lindberg- NHRA Funny Car driver from Sweden, intro- duced them. Julie got the opportuni- ty to upgrade her license with RMR in September of 2017.
“I did my license runs and one of the runs was 5.24 seconds and 274 mph. I did not only get to upgrade my license in America I got the opportunity to race with one of the best teams out there. I did 4 races with Randy Meyer Racing in 2017 and I’m still racing with them. You will see me in one of their cars in 2019 as well.” she told us.
Her marketing partner is her- dad’s company in Norway – Oslo Tapet og Gulvbelleg (OTG).
Even though her dad is the one who inspired her, she didn’t know she wanted to make this her career until he
took her and her brother to Pomona, CA for the NHRA finals. Julie was only 11 years old, but when she saw the driv- ers who have this as a job and how pro- fessionalitalllooked,shewashooked and wanted to (still wants to) do the same thing.
Julie’s best finish was in 2014 when she won the European drag rac- ing series Central Division and placed second in the European Drag Racing Series in her Super Comp dragster. In the U.S. in Top Alochol Dragster in the Lucas Oil series, she has three runner up finishes in Las Vegas, Pomona and Chicago. She also has two nr.1 qualifi- ers, and two nr. 2 qualifiers.
In Pomona, CA for the NHRA finals Julie became the quickest female sportsman driver. “I drove 5.11 seconds and 280 mph. No one has driven this fast since 2004 when they changed the rules in our class. I’m the quickest on the new rules from 2004.” she said.
Julie now races only in the Unit- ed States with Randy Meyer Racing’s nitro injected top alcohol dragster. She just sold the dragster that she had back in Norway.
Thankfully, Julie has never wrecked a car, and she said when she