What I Know: Charlotte Lucas
AGE:63 GIG: Drag racer THAT CHARLOTTE LUCAS? Yes—the wife of Forrest Lucas, owner of Lucas Oil Products, and mom of Morgan Lucas, a professional National Hot Rod Association driver, will compete in the NHRA Nationals Super Comp class at Lucas Oil Raceway this month.
When my husband and I got married, he promised me that life would never be boring. And he has fulfilled that to the absolute max.
Morgan’s been out at the drag strip since he was 12, working with a family friend. When he was 16, he started driving.
I wanted to experience what got him so excited.
When I took the classes in California, it was 104 degrees each day. After the first day, my husband thought I would never go back. But I did, and I got my license.
I can tell you one thing—it does get in your blood really quick.
Every time I get in the car I know that there is a way I could get hurt.
my radiator cap came off one time. Water sloshed out and got behind my tire. All of a sudden, I’m facing one of the walls. Then the water got behind another tire, and I’m facing the other lane.
I was running with one of Morgan’s friends, and all I could think of was, where is Shawn?
He was so far ahead of me, he didn’t even see what happened.
I’m not real good, hon.
So many ofthe racers and other people out here call me Mom, and that’s okay with me.
I said something about being a coward the other day. My husband said, “You are not a coward. You just had your eyes operated on, both at one time.” Most people would do them one at a time. I hadn’t even thought of that as brave.
I don’t get to race a whole lot. At my age, I can’t handle putting on a five-layer suit in hot weather.
But it’s just too much fun to quit.
—as told to Julia Spalding
Photo by Tony Valainis
This article appeared in the September 2012 issue.
