Keeping family on track

Richard Brian / Special to the Home News

From left, NHRA junior racers DJ Henderson, Lindzi Powers, Lacey Powers and Meaghan Henderson pose for a photo at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Thursday, June 11, 2009 | midnight

Nothing beats a day at the race track for the Henderson family of Boulder City.

Siblings Meaghan and DJ compete on NHRA junior drag racing circuits, following in the footsteps of their father, Don Henderson, who raced dragsters during his childhood.

Whether it's locally at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway or traveling to regional events on the West Coast, the family can't wait to get to the track for a weekend of races.

"When I was younger, I was raised with racing, too," Don Henderson said. "It's definitely a family sport. It keeps our family together."

It was a right of passage of sorts for Meaghan Henderson, 16, to start racing. Her history in motor sports dates back to her childhood, when she would watch her father work on cars in their garage.

Both Henderson children have enjoyed moderate success — DJ ranks second out of 21 drivers in the Jr. Dragster-Lightning Division at the speedway — but they truly believe winning is a secondary goal to having a good time.

"If you win, you win. But if you don't, it is no big deal," said Meaghan Henderson, a rising junior at Boulder City High who is tied for 15th in the standings. "For us, this is fun. This is an adventure. We enjoy going out there and talking with our friends. It's a fun environment."

The Hendersons aren't the only Boulder City family involved in junior drag racing. Sisters Lyndzi and Lacey Powers also compete at the speedway, often setting up their work station next to the Henderson family at the speedway.

It's common for the families to take turns working on each others' cars.

"The track is like one, big family," Don Henderson said. "Usually, everyone is willing to help everyone and they all root for each other to have a good race."

Lyndzi Powers, who will be a senior next fall at Boulder City High, is ranked third in the Lightning Division with 218 points, 29 points behind D.J. Henderson. Younger sister Lacey, 15, is seventh with 168 points.

"I like the competition and strategy behind racing," said Lyndzi Power, who started racing when she was 9-years-old.

And, of course, the speed of the cars is a thrill of its own for all four drivers. The cars can reach up to speeds of 85 mph on the eighth of a mile drag strip, a length conquered in 7 to 8 seconds.

"We've lost by two-hundredths of the second. You can't blink that fast," Don Henderson said. "Somebody has to win and somebody has to lose. Either way, we make it a lot of fun."

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@lasvegassun.com.