Growing up in a family focused on two-wheeled racing, and alongside her brother and reigning and two-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion rider, Gaige Herrera, Miranda Herrera shocked and surprised their father, Augustine, when she decided she wanted to drive a dragster instead of pilot a bike.
Although Miranda grew up at the track and out in the sand dune deserts near southern California’s Mexico border, she always took her own path in life.
“I was the bright orange-haired one in the staging lanes, and I played softball for eight years. It wasn’t until I turned 16 and realized I was burned out from sports that I told my dad I wanted to go racing,” shared Miranda, now 26 and working in Indianapolis as a chemist in the nuclear medicine industry. “He was shocked when I said I wanted a dragster!”
Augustine, an accomplished racer and respected track tech official, obliged his daughter’s wishes with a dragster, which she enjoyed testing as much as possible. When Miranda turned her focus to college and her career, though, she put racing on the back burner. “I’ve had the dragster for ten years now and decided to put more time and effort into myself,” she stated.
Being exposed to higher levels of NHRA racing, Miranda often heard other successful racers praising their experiences at Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School. As Miranda had not yet been cleared to run faster than 135 mph, Gaige suggested she sign up for the school’s Super Comp licensing course. So, she flew to Florida to be on the property at Gainesville Raceway for support and celebrations as Gaige cliched his third NHRA Gatornationals win in a row, and just a few days later, she attended the school and successfully earned her Super Comp license.
“Even though I had experience with my dragster and was familiar with a lot, it was still a great learning experience. Frank’s stories, techniques, and in-depth lessons were so beneficial for me, especially his emphasis on how drag racing is more of a mind game than a physical sport,” Miranda said, appreciative of how Frank’s knowledge helped boost her confidence behind the wheel and grateful for his positive feedback on her driving.
For Miranda, it was the little details she either had overlooked or had no reason to think through previously that were the biggest benefits of attending Frank Hawley’s Drag Racing School.
“I usually race in the Midwest and put my helmet’s face shield down before the burnout as part of my routine, but Frank told me not to in case I’m racing somewhere humid like Florida where it would fog up,” she explained.
“Everyone in our sport knows Miranda’s brother, Gaige Herrera, world champ and rider for Vance & Hines Pro Stock Motorcycle team. Driving DNA may be in the Herrera family as Miranda easily earned her license in our Super Comp car,” affirmed Frank Hawley, the School’s founder. “Miranda has a car waiting for her, so the competition should be on the lookout for another Herrera on the track!”
Now, the brother and sister fourth-generation drag racers are planning more time at the track together. Working around Gaige’s racing schedule and Miranda’s day job can be tricky, but she’s blessed to have several top-notch facilities nearby where she can spend weekends racing and learn new skills thanks to the School, which will certainly help her progress more quickly.
After a lifetime of doing things differently, Miranda Herrera is the first female in the family to earn her NHRA license. Now, she’s on track to follow in the footsteps of not only her father, Augustine, but also her grandparents and great-grandparents – she’s just doing it in a dragster instead of on a bike.
This story was originally published on April 2, 2025. 
The post Miranda Herrera Chases Dragster Dreams at Frank Hawley’s School first appeared on Drag Illustrated.