Funny thing happened on the way to a drag race for Allen Middendorf several years ago. The

former motocross racer upgraded from two wheels to four; and added over 7,900 horsepower to his race vehicle.

He debuted this weekend in San Antonio, Texas during the IHRA Texas Nationals. Middendorf fell short of making the eight-car field, but considering where he began, he wasn't too extremely disappointed.

“The first IHRA race I attended (as a spectator) was in San Antonio in 2003, which is why I am so excited to make my professional debut here,” said Middendorf.  “The people in San Antonio were awesome fans and I’m amped that I can be a part of the races here.  It was a just a dream a few years ago when I realized that I wanted to do this.  Now here we are, and I am revved up and ready to go.” Funny thing happened on the way to a drag race for Allen Middendorf several years ago. The

former motocross racer upgraded from two wheels to four; and added over 7,900 horsepower to his race vehicle.

He debuted this weekend in San Antonio, Texas during the IHRA Texas Nationals. Middendorf fell short of making the eight-car field, but considering where he began, he wasn't too extremely disappointed.

“The first IHRA race I attended (as a spectator) was in San Antonio in 2003, which is why I am so excited to make my professional debut here,” said Middendorf.  “The people in San Antonio were awesome fans and I’m amped that I can be a part of the races here.  It was a just a dream a few years ago when I realized that I wanted to do this.  Now here we are, and I am revved up and ready to go.”

In Middendorf’s decade long motorcycle career, he earned 26 wins and three championships. He’s diligently pursued his dream to become a Nitro Funny Car driver over the last five years.

“After going to my first drag race at my local track, I stumbled upon the IHRA and booked a flight to the first race, which was in San Antonio,” said Middendorf. “As I walked through the gates, I thought, ‘Here I am-WOW this is cool!’ After that day, I made the commitment to work my tail off seven days a week and to save every dime I made to invest in my racing dream.” 

Middendorf learned during his pursuit that he had drawn the attention of a few teams, eager to see his success.

“I used to fly to the races, walk up to the pits and ask what I could do to learn the ropes,” Middendorf said. “Some people turned me away while others took me up on the offer.  They would let me stay with them for the weekend where I would earn my keep by washing parts or cleaning the body.  The teams would reward me with the awesome privilege to be on the starting line with the team.

“I would sit in the car, check out all the controls, and ask tons of questions to learn about driving a Funny Car. I‘ve paid for all my own drag racing schools, licenses, fire suits, marketing, etc. It's been a five year commitment but it has started to pay as I'm living the dream...”