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BUNNY
AND THE BOYS FUN TOUR 2003
When Bunny Burkett unleashes 3500 horsepower, produced by
a 525 cubic inche Hemi, strapped between two chassis rails
that launch her to 243 MPH in the high 5 second range on a
quarter mile racetrack, at the wheels of her 2003 Dodge Avenger
Funny Car, it will be just the latest thrill in what has been,
to say the least, a memorable life.
The only thing missing is the movie of her illustrious career
that covers a lot of ups and downs, triumphs and tragedies.
It's been a pretty rocky road, rising from poverty in the
hills of W VA to a renowned World Championship Drag Racer.
The drag racer of 38 years, wife of 41 years, mother of 2
and godmother of 3, is the first to admit that it has not
been easy. She looks at every challenge as a bump in the middle
of the road. If she can't go over it, she will go around it.
Those challenges have been many, including becoming a drag
racerduring a time when many women didn't even drive a car,
much less race in a male dominated sport. Nothing, however
stopped her, and she starts a new season without a heavy load.
Afte all, there is not really anything left to accomplish.
Her belt is full of notches. She has "BEEN THERE-DONE
THAT". She has already won IHRA World Championship, has
set numerous track records for both MPH and ET, has won NHRA
Division Championship, has been inducted into the Super Stock
Hall Of Fame, has won National events in the IHRA and NHRA
Funny Car Classes, has raced in other countries, has competed
in every thing from Stock Classes to Top Fuel Dragsters, she
has bragging rights at being only the second female driver
to compete in excess of 35 years in the sport of Drag Racing
and she has survived one of the worst crashes in history at
over 225 MPH.
Perhaps her largest challenges, was intertwined with her
most notable accomplishment in 1995, the day that the news
of a near fatal crash on a small NHRA drag strip in PA, rocked
the world of fans nationwide. Carl Ruth lost control of his
car and rammed into Bunny at the finish line, causing her
to lose control, crashing into the woods. Over an hour later,
an unconscious Bunny was air lifted to a hospital with life
threatening injuries. She had multiple broken bones, arms,
hands, leg, ankle, back, ribs, head injury, swollen black
eye, lost 13 pints of blood, stopped breathing three times
and the list was growing. The doctors gave little hope for
her recovery, saying if she did make it, that she would have
permanant disabilities due to nerve damage and would never
walk again. Along with the help of "Higher Power",
the doctors had done a fine job at putting Bunny back together
again, with metal rods in her spine, arm, hand and ankle.
They could not repair the nerve damage in the spine, which
left her in diapers for the rest of her life, with no control
of her body functions. Eight months later, Bunny was out of
the wheel chair and walking! Another miracle would happen
a short time later, when she returned to the cockpit of her
Funny Car, much to the amazement of the medical profession.
With a different outlook on life, BUNNY AND THE BOYS are
looking forward to some good racing in 2003. With the aid
of Dennis Whitestone of AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE GARAGE, ALEXANDRIA,
VA, they can enjoy attending their choice of both NHRA and
IHRA National events. Dennis has the same outlook as the "BOYS".
We have all pain our dues and enjoy the competition. Other
long time supporters, HOLBROOK PERFORMANCE PARTS, MIFCO, J
& J CUSTOM PAINTING, WORLDWIDE RACING FUELS, VA CORN GROWERS,
MD. GRAIN PRODUCERS and ALL THE "BOYS" will make
the usual 50 plus outings possible. Product sponsors and service
providers that help the overall performance of the TEAM are
LADD'S PORTING SERVICE, VALVOLINE OIL, HEDMAN HEDDERS, CENTERLINE
WHEELS, DOUG HERBERT PERF. PARTS, MR. GASKET, AUTO METER,
OLYMPIC IMPORTED PARTS, KRAMER BROTHERS RACECRAFT AND BIGFOOT
SPEED AND CUSTOM. Along with the national events, they will
attend match races, auto shows, fairs, speaking engagements,
personal displays and promote ETHANOL, our home grown fuel
made from corn, at various locations. With their career best
of 5.90 at 243 MPH recorded in the books at an IHRA National
event last season, the Team feels that they learned ways to
improve the overall performance. A new Gordy Funny Car, another
Newberry engine, a driver that loves to go racing, nothing
to prove, no pressures and a BUNCH OF BOYS THAT WANT TO HAVE
FUN, A LADY THAT KNOWS SHE CAN HAVE FUN....Who Knows??..
After all, no one knows any better than Bunny...what determination
and hard work can do. FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS, NEVER GIVE UP HOPE,
HAVE FAITH AND KEEP GOD IN YOUR LIFE.
Bunny
Burkett
A woman who hasn't stopped fighting yet.
Hops the quarter mile in 230 plus;
Signs an autograph without any fuss.
She lives to race,
Always has a smile on her face.
She's done this thirty-seven years,
Never once has she shed any tears.
Couldn't do it without her boys,
Someone has to tune her toys.
Her fans love her from the bottom of their Hearts,
She leaves an impression deep in their thoughts.
But when her time comes to stop racing,
Her legacy too valuable for replacing,
We will always know Dodge Avenger #296,
Who always left her competitors in a fix.
Being remembered in the pits
As the lady "Who Never Quits!"
By Dereke Tapscott
BUNNY
AND THE BOYS HOP DOUBLE TIME
They all said it couldn’t be done, compete
two races, in two different states, two hours apart, with her
Automotive Service Garage / Holbrook Performance Parts Funny Car,
in the same evening!!! (But
someone forgot to tell the “Boys”!)
Bunny arrived at VMP for the IHRA AC Delco
Nationals in Dinwiddie VA, to compete in eliminations first round
at 3:00pm. Not a big deal right?
Well it is if you have to be in another state
2 hours away to run another first round at 7:00pm. The team had
been booked for months at MIR in Budd’s Creek MD for the
Supercharger Nationals (one of their biggest events of the year).
Bunny is the undisputed crowd favorite at MIR and she would not
disappoint her fans at either track, so the “Boys” accepted
the challenge of being at both races.
IHRA was dead on their starting time; Bunny was in the first pair
of cars in the Funny Car category. She had a clean pass with a
6.09, showing what the “First IHRA World Champion” was made
of. She advanced to the second round when her opponent could not
make the call.
Rumors had it that Bunny would not run her
car at Virginia, just stage the car to collect her qualifying
earnings, but not our Ms. Bunny!! She made her pass and gave the
fans what they came for. Ironically though, this was the first
time she advanced past the first round and she could not stay to
run it, she had more waiting for her at MIR.
The “Boys” serviced the car at VMP loaded
it up and left at 5:45 pm with a long convoy of fans that wanted
to be a part of the marathon. Bunny caught a helicopter at 5:15 pm
at the top end of the VMP racetrack. The helicopter was provided
by Damian Moore racing. Bunny was flown to MIR and landed in the
middle of the racetrack at 6:45 pm.
Damian Moore’s Funny Car was waiting for
her in case Bunny’s “Boys” did not arrive in time.
There was good news and bad news on the
helicopter ride. There were nasty thunder storm clouds and the
pilot could not find the drag strip at MIR, she finally arrived 30
minutes late. The good news for Bunny and the Boys was that it had
rained at MIR and they were drying the track when she arrived,
giving the “Boys” extra time to get to the track. (Everyone knows that Bunny has special connections with someone up above
that watches over her.)
The rest is history, the “Boys” rolled in
at 7:15 pm. Bunny was able to run her own car first round in front
of a record crowd of fans. Bunny stayed and signed autographs
until after 2:00am. Just another day in the life of “Bunny and
the Boys”, undoubtedly one of the most dedicated racing teams on
the East Coast.
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BUNNY
BURKETT TO CONTEST TWO IHRA RACES ON JUNE 1st
May 30, 2002
Spotsylvania, Va. – Imagine having to be at two races at the
same time. This is the challenge legendary Funny Car driver
Bunny Burkett faces as she attempts to win two IHRA races
the same day.
The challenge began after IHRA rescheduled the postponed
ACDelco Nationals for June 1. "Bunny and the Boys" had
already booked into Maryland International Raceway’s
Supercharger Nationals. A crowd favorite at Budds Creek, Bunny had
already qualified at the ACDelco Nationals in the number 5
position. However, the IHRA rulebook states you have to stage the
car to collect your qualifying monies.
This is not the first challenge the passionate, but
under-financed team has faced so they decided to do what they do
best; meet the problem head on.
Here’s how the plan was originally conceived. Bunny and the
Boys’ rig and crew will roll into Virginia Motorsports Park to
earn a few more dollars by contesting the first round Saturday at
3 p.m. Win or lose, the car goes into the trailer and Bunny will
rush to Maryland as fast as the law will allow in order to meet
the first round at 7 p.m.
It sounded like a good plan but what would happen if something
went wrong with the car? There would be a lot of disappointed fans
at MIR, which if you know Bunny, is unacceptable.
Enter Damian Moore Racing, out of Baltimore. After hearing
about Bunny’s dilemma, Damian decided to send a commercial
helicopter to pick up Bunny at Virginia Motorsports Park and rush
her to MIR. At Maryland, Damian’s brand new Gordy’s Funny Car
will await Bunny, just in case the crew doesn’t arrive with the
transporter in time.
After all, that’s what friends are all about.
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ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE
Bunny Burkett is one of drag
racing's most recognized personalities who has permanently etched
her name in professional drag racing history books. Not as a
female in the sport, but as a successful competitor, as her long
list of awards covers everything from IHRA WORLD CHAMPION, NHRA
DIVISION CHAMPION and earned a coveted spot in the elite SUPER
STOCK HALL OF FAME. To date, she is still the one and only female
to win a NHRA National Event in Alky Funny Car competition. She
has set numerous quarter mile and eigth mile world records for
speed and elapsed time, as she responds to the sensation of speed
with a noticeable twinkle in her hazel eyes with enthusiasm that
has never wavered in almost 4 decades of competing in the sport of
drag racing.
Bunny's incredible widespread appeal makes her a
sure fire hit with the media as her appearances draw positive
responses from audiences of all ages. Her popularity and
interpersonal skills has resulted constant requests for
interviews, personal displays and celebrity appearances.
Besides Bunny's numerous successful racing
accomplishments, perhaps rating number two on her list is her
rapport with her legions of fans. She has a following second to
none and they are quick to make their presence known as they often
chant "BUNNY" that can be heard above the roar of the
engines. Bunny has spent years charming the fans with endless
autograph sessions, making her the undisputed leader in recruiting
new fans to the sport. She has a talent for making every fan feel
special regardless of their age, sex, race, occupation or
demographics. Along with entertaining fans from all walks of life,
she is well known for the time she spends with children,convincing
them to work hard at getting an education and follow their dreams,
while introducing them to the JR. drag racing Classes.
During Bunny's dynamic career of 37 years she has
successfully driven everything from a 1965 Mustang in the E stock
class to a Top Fuel Dragster, with elapsed times ranging from 14
to 5 seconds and speeds from 87 mph to 280 mph. Her favorite care
of today that she continues to scorch the quarter mile is her 200
MOPAR PERFORMANCE ETHANOL PERFORMS DODGE AVENGER FUNNY CAR, aptly
named the "HEMI-HONEY". The funny cars have occupied
most of her colorful life contributing to her enormous popularity.
Her personal best in this class is 5.95 elapsed time (seconds) at
238 mph in the quarter mile.
The Bunny And The Boys Racing Team's expertise,
professionalism and desire to succeed have won praise and respect
from fellow racers across the nation. It is no surprise to anyone
watching the team that they have a reputation for perseverance,
determination, hard work and making their presence felt where ever
they compete.
Perhaps Bunny's greatest accomplishment was living
after one of the worst crashes in drag racing history tried to
take her life. In 1995, while racing in PA, a fellow competitor
rammed into the rear of her race car at 225mph. Her car was forced
out of control and went through the woods until it came to rest
upside down between two trees. Life flighted to a trauma hospital
with multiple broken bones, crushed vertebrae, respiratory
failure, 13 pints of blood and fighting for her life, most had
little hope for her recovery. With weeks in intensive care,
enduring numerous operations with strips of metal attaching her
bones in the left wrist, right ankle and vertebrae from T10 to L1.
They put Ms. Bunny back together again, but warned there was
little hope for ever walking again, much less resume her love for
racing competition. The medical profession received some help from
a "Higher Power" and Bunny's prayers were answered. She
was put in the class of a "Walking Miracle" Dan with her
determination and competitive spirit led to a remarkable recovery.
Eighteen months later, spring of 1997, Bunny was racing behind the
wheel of a new Funny car. All of 1996 was devoted to appearance's
all over the east coast, mostly in a wheelchair, bringing
attention to what we can do , if we use our faith in the LORD and
pursue our dreams. She actually drove a match race, in a Jr.
Dragster against Damian Moore in October of 96 , so she would not
have a single season off in her illustrious career.
Bunny has had to wear a lot of important hats in
her career, ranging from wife of 40 years, mother of 2, godmother
of 3, working mom, business owner, team manager, public relations
representative, sponsor seeker, travel agent, bookkeeper, parts
orderer, housekeeper, race car driver, cook and even tunes her own
race car, by determining the fuel system jetting for the next run.
Being a Gemini, it is natural of Bunny to have too many iron's in
the fire.
Driving Donnie Holbrooks Top Fuel dragster in
2001, in Germany, refueled a passion that Bunny had thought died
in the crash.....the desire to win again. The thrill of
competition, the desire to be a champion, all that came alive in
front of 75,000 screaming fans, but the want to and the can do are
miles apart. To be in the winners circle costs megabucks ,
something that had disappeared in the crash of 95, with a
$150,000.00 race car that was gone in 6 seconds.
Again, Bunny's prayers were answered. A long time
friend of the Burketts, Dennis Whitestone of AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE
GARAGE / OLDE TOWN AUTO BODY in Alexandria,VA. heard the plea for
help. Whitestone, one of the most under - rated successful
innovators in the sport had the same hidden desires that
"BUNNY AND THE BOYS" had, just make a difference and
have fun while doing it! He provided the funds necessary to attend
National Events, both expenses and racing parts. His support along
with Bunny's long time associate sponsors, HOLBROOK'S PERFORMANCE
PARTS, LADD'S PORTING, WORLDWIDE RACING FUELS, MIFCO, J&J
CUSTOM PAINTING, DAMIAN MOORE RACING, ETHANOL PERFORMS (VA. CORN
GROWERS / MD. GRAIN PRODUCERS), OLYMPIC IMPORTED PARTS, MOPAR
PERFORMANCE and last, but not least, the ones who make it all
possible, her husband, MO and all the "BOYS", who are
all volunteers. They work for "FOOD".
With the 2002 racing season just around the
corner, J&J CUSTOM PAINTING is applying the paint to another
DODGE AVENGER designed by LARRY WILLIAMS. Lil Bears JR. Funny Car
will have a matching paint job. He is still racing the car donated
to our team by Damian Moore Racing.
Just in time for Bunny's busy schedule too,
because 2002 is no different than past years, over 40 outings and
still growing, the phone rings everyday from promoters, hoping to
get a date with Bunny. In spite of Bunny's lingering disabilities
and current health problems, she plans on driving all season and
just ignores the "retirement" word.
2003 could be the last "HOP DOWN THE BUNNY
TRAIL" season with Ms. Bunny behind the wheel of the funny
car.
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RACERS
COME TOGETHER IN TIME OF NEED
 On
October 12, 2001 Bunny and The Boys Racing Team endorsed a check
on behalf of the IHRA, fellow racers, friends and the
International Christian Racers Association in the amount of
$1012.00 to the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund
in to help in the relief effort of the tragedy of September
11.
Attached with the check was a note from Bunny:
"Thank you for being there...you helped save my life in a
flood in 1948, when I was only two years old and my family will
never forget that! God Bless America, the survivors, the victims
and all of our soldiers."
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