The initial plan was to run two Top Fuel dragsters in the 2024 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series. One would be for the fastest and quickest racer to the 1.8-mile pole, Mike Salinas; he would use his experience to help train daughter Jasmine Salinas in the intricacies of professional Top Fuel drag racing. Medical issues scotched that idea and it was Jasmine alone who lined up for the first race of the season at Gainesville Florida, the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals.
Jasmine has been the sole Scrappers entry for the first 15 races of a 20-race NHRA campaign. Her father was on the sidelines for their local race, the DENSO Sonoma NHRA Nationals in July; Mike Salinas traveled from his central California home to the 70th annual Toyota U.S. Nationals over the Labor Day weekend. He hasn’t returned to competition yet; it’s unknown when or where that might happen.
Jasmine’s gone it alone during the 2024 season, one in which she expected to gain the knowledge her father accrued during the Top Fuel career. It’s nice to have someone – other than your crew chief – to bounce ideas off, but Jasmine hasn’t had that.
Things are changing for the Scrappers Top Fuel team. When the tour alights to St. Louis for the 17th race in the 20-contest season, Jasmine Salinas will welcome Julie Nataas as her teammate. Together, these Top Alcohol Dragster veterans will attempt to make the field for the NHRA Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway outside St. Louis, MO. The September 27-29 race meeting will mark the first time two women have been teammates attempting to qualify and race in Top Fuel.
As Jasmine Salinas finishes her first year of Top Fuel racing, she’ll be the senior member of the squad in that regard. Nataas, the reigning Top Alcohol Dragster champion has long voiced her desire to compete in the top intro category and the pieces are finally in place for her to join Jasmine and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Jianna Evaristo when this trio competes at the St. Louis-area track.
We’ve had all the pieces in place for a second team, but plans obviously changed earlier this year with my dad having to step out of the driver’s seat,” Jasmine explained. “After Julie licensed with Scrappers Racing, she approached us with her sponsors about running the St. Louis race. We felt this would be the perfect opportunity trial-run a two-car team while my dad continues to heal. This is an exciting moment for Scrappers Racing; it is the first step towards bringing our vision of expansion to life.”
Nataas has been working towards a second Top Alcohol Dragster title throughout the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season, even as she’s pursued her Top Fuel license. Her crew for the St. Louis national event will be led by Troy Fasching and Adem Cave, the Scrappers team announced. Nataas’ Top Alcohol supporter, Airmine is onboard to sponsor her Top Fuel program. Based in Nataas’ native Norway, Airmine is a technology company that specializes in weather and pollen risk forecasting. She also has support from Red Line Oil, Elliott’s Custom Trailers and Rockstar Energy.
“I am over the moon excited for this debut,” Nataas exclaimed. “But I’m taking this single race opportunity very seriously. It’s no secret this has been my dream and my ultimate goal. With hundreds of laps in the A-Fuel car under my belt and several sub-three-second passes in the Scrappers Top Fueler, there’s jo time like the present to throw my name in the 2025 mix by getting on the track in St. Louis. The field of Top Fuel drivers is getting deeper every day, and it’s important,” she said, “to get some side-by-side experience while I hunt for sponsorships,” in order to attempt a Rookie of the Year NHRA program for next season.
Followers of NHRA’s Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series may have noticed the Batman logo, which is a constant on Nataas’ dragster and pays tribute to her father, Thomas, who raced throughout Europe with the logo. “It started when my dad built a new Pro Mod car years ago – in 1997. It was all black and they didn’t really have a [color] plan; one of his friends joked it looked like the Batmobile, so they stuck a couple of Batman logos on the car and it’s been a part of our racing heritage since then,” she explained.
“Our race shop in Norway is in the basement of an old farm and we actually do have bats flying around,” Nataas continued. “So not only did our race shop look like a bat cave, but the newly built Pro Mod matched the Batman vibe!”
As with most successful drag racers, Julie Nataas began her drag racing career in Jr. Dragster, before moving to Super Comp, Super Pro ET/Top Dragster and then to Top Alcohol Dragster. In the NHRA, she also has licenses in Top Alcohol Funny Car and now in Top Fuel. She’s also raced karts and Formula Basic before coming to the United States to accelerate her career.