Rachel Meyer, now known as Rachel Meyer-Curl, is finally returning to the driver’s seat. After stepping away from full-time national competition at the end of the 2021 season, the former NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster World Champion will make her return to championship-level racing in the new IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series, where she plans to pursue the Top Alcohol Dragster world title.
For Meyer-Curl, the comeback is less about unfinished business and more about a renewed passion for the sport that has shaped her entire life.
Born into the legendary Randy Meyer Racing family, Rachel grew up immersed in drag racing. Over the years she built an impressive résumé in the NHRA Top Alcohol Dragster category, highlighted by winning multiple Central Region championships and, of course, her unforgettable 2021 NHRA World Championship season. That year Meyer dominated the class, capturing seven victories in sixteen events and recording a personal best speed of 285.5 mph—cementing her reputation as one of the fastest and most consistent drivers in the sport.
But after the championship season, Meyer-Curl made the decision to step back from the national tour to focus on growing her family, honing her skills at bracket racing, and taking on a larger role with her dad and the crew of the Randy Meyer Racing team.
In the years since, Meyer-Curl has remained deeply involved in the sport, continuing to race occasionally. Even with a reduced schedule, Meyer-Curl has proven she hasn’t lost her edge behind the wheel. In 2023 she returned to competition for the Mo-Kan Nitro Chaos event and drove to victory. She followed that performance by capturing the IHRA Ironman at Darana Dragway 42 in 2025, reminding fans and competitors alike that she remains a force when given the opportunity.
Now, with the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series continuing to grow and showcase some of the quickest cars in drag racing, Meyer sees the perfect opportunity to return to a championship chase.
“This will be my first year running for an IHRA championship, I look forward to coming out of the gates swinging,” said Meyer-Curl. “I am very excited to be back on the road racing with my parents again, and I know it’s going to be a fun time. It will be interesting racing to the eighth-mile, but I will do my best job as a driver and being the clutch mechanic between runs.”
Meyer-Curl’s return will be supported by Hedinger’s Equipment, a company specializing in tow trucks, wreckers, and towing equipment sales in the Indianapolis area. The partnership carries special meaning for the Meyer family, as Hedinger’s represents the same industry that Randy and Mary Meyer built their business around for decades with Meyer Truck Center before selling the company in 2023.
“Hedinger’s Equipment is proud to sponsor and support Rachel as she makes her comeback chasing the IHRA Championship, returning stronger, faster, and more determined than ever,” said Tim Hedinger, Founder of Hedinger’s Equipment.
The program will also be supported by long-time partner of Randy Meyer Racing, NGK Spark Plugs, with a focus on promoting the performance advantage of pairing NGK spark plugs with NGK ignition coils — a combination referred to as the “Dynamic Duo” for maximizing engine performance and reliability in high-horsepower applications.
“There’s no sport quite like drag racing; raw, unforgiving, and built for those who refuse to back down. Rachel is exactly that kind of competitor, and we’re proud to support her return,” said Jackie Donahue, Group Marketing Manager – Aftermarket at Niterra North America, Inc. “We’ll be cheering her on every step of the way as she chases a championship this season.”
With Randy Meyer Racing continuing to field championship-caliber Top Alcohol Dragsters in the NHRA and a new opportunity emerging within the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series, Meyer-Curl’s return signals an exciting new chapter for both the driver and the team.
Fans will once again see Rachel Meyer-Curl strapped into a nitro-burning dragster, chasing win lights and pursuing another championship, while carrying forward the legacy of one of drag racing’s most successful families.
And this time, the goal is clear; the IHRA Top Alcohol Dragster world championship.
