Lainey Abney’s path to the driver’s seat wasn’t traditional. Jr. Dragsters weren’t her thing, and she instead opted for a 110cc dirt bike to get experience going down the dragstrip. She estimates she’s made a thousand passes on the dirt bike starting at age 11. Now 21, she races in Lil Gangstas and True Street in her turbocharged, LS-powered ‘06 Mustang, turning on win lights while hoping to inspire the next wave of young girls interested in the sport.
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #197, the 30 Under 30 Issue, in November/December 2025.
Abney graduated from the dirt bike to a door car when she was just 13 years old. Her father, Mike, let her make a pass in his C5 Corvette. “I was hooked,” she says. “We took it out every weekend after that and I just made pass after pass after pass.” Eventually, they made upgrades including adding a Nitrous Express kit. “It reached the point where it was way too fast without a cage,” she says. “That’s when we got into the Mustang I have now.”
As far as actual event wins go, Abney counts her Power Adder class victory at Holley’s LS Fest this year as a career highlight. But it was a True Street win at her home track over longtime mentor Tom Gunner – better known as “Jimmy Dale” – that held more personal meaning.
“Tom has always taken Lainey under his wing,” explains Mike Abney. “He’d always work with her and push her to be a better racer. He let her drive ‘Magic,’ his pride-and-joy car, when she was 16. It meant a lot to her to finally beat her mentor after all these years.”
Lainey remembers the moment clearly. “It was a heads-up race and I beat him. I was so pumped. I got out of the car screaming, ‘Oh my gosh, how did I beat you?’ I didn’t think there was any way.”
With experience, Abney has also grown into a more mature, composed competitor. “I used to be a very sore loser,” she admits. “If I lost, I’d be very mad. I would throw my helmet, not talk to anybody. Now, this is just for fun, even if I lose.”
With that mindset, she finds validation in more than just win lights, trophies, and big checks at the end of the night. “I really like just seeing kids’ faces light up when they find out I’m a girl or that I’m young,” she says. “I think that really motivates me and pushes me to keep doing this.”
Abney’s schedule for the 2026 season includes plenty of outings with the Lil Gangstas class, which is quickly growing into one of the biggest movements in grassroots racing. That suits Abney’s goals perfectly. “I would like to go to more states and travel more,” she says. “And get faster. I would like to be able to go up in classes and compete with the real fast people.” Her support system will be with her every step of the way. “I would first like to thank my family – especially my mom and my dad for always being there and supporting me,” she says. She also credits mentors like Mike Wood, Michael Poland, Brent Albury, Tom Gunner, and Dakota LSX, along with her sponsors. “Without all of your help, I would not be able to be as fast and as reliable as I am.”
The post DI 30 Under 30 2025: Lainey Abney first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
