Jasmine Salinas is an NHRA drag racer who made history as part of the first father-daughter duo in NHRA Top Fuel alongside her father, Mike Salinas, carrying on a family legacy in motorsports while breaking barriers for women in racing.

EARLY YEARS

Born on January 4, 1992, Jasmine grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area with three younger sisters. At just 4 years old, she was operating heavy machinery for her family’s waste management business, and by age 14, she began competing in the NHRA Junior Drag Racing series. Her father Mike, a 9-time NHRA Top Fuel winner, introduced her to motorsports by taking the family to NHRA Nostalgia Heritage series events. Jasmine attended The University of San Francisco, where she studied Mandarin Chinese and received a degree in Global Studies.

EARLY SUCCESS

In 2019, Jasmine transitioned to the NHRA Lucas Oil Series, competing in Top Alcohol Dragster where she finished 15th in points during her rookie season and appeared on Drag Illustrated’s ‘Women of Power’ cover. Despite experiencing a harrowing over-the-wall crash during the 2021 AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Nationals at Gainesville Raceway, she showed remarkable resilience by securing her first Regional Event win that same year and finishing 6th in National Standings. Her breakthrough came in 2022 when she won her first National Event at the same Gainesville track where she had crashed the year before, going on to win three more races and tie for 2nd in World standings.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2019: Made debut in Top Alcohol Dragster, finishing 15th in points in the NHRA Lucas Oil Series.
• 2021: Secured first Regional Event win and finished 6th in National Standings despite suffering an over-the-wall crash at Gainesville.
• 2022: Won first National Event at Gainesville Raceway, exactly one year after her crash at the same track.
• 2022: Won three additional races, tied for 2nd in the World in Top Alcohol Dragster, and secured the North Central Regional Championship.
• 2023: Earned professional license in Top Fuel Dragster.
• 2024: Made professional Top Fuel debut at the Pomona Winternationals, stepping in for her father who was on medical leave.
• 2024: Reset career best E.T. to 3.691 seconds at the NHRA Finals and achieved career best speed of 334.90 mph in Brainerd.

REPUTATION

Emerging as a formidable figure in the NHRA motorsports circuit, Jasmine has quickly built a reputation for resilience and determination following her professional Top Fuel debut in 2024. Despite facing initial challenges, including a throttle cable break at her debut race, she maintained a positive attitude while consistently improving her performance throughout the season. Beyond her racing achievements, she’s recognized as breaking barriers in a male-dominated sport and is focused on inspiring the next generation of young racers, especially women, through both her racing prowess and engaging personality.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Salinas will continue driving for her family’s Scrappers Racing team in the 2025 season, building on her experiences from her debut year. The team is actively working to secure sponsorships to support a full-season campaign and compete for the Countdown to the Championship. Long-term, Jasmine aims to establish herself as a top competitor in the NHRA Top Fuel category while using her platform to promote diversity within motorsports and redefine what’s possible for women in racing.

References:

Jasmine Salinas Racing – Official Website
Scrappers Racing – Jasmine Salinas
Jasmine Salinas – Wikipedia
YouTube Video on Jasmine Salinas
Jasmine Salinas obtains NHRA Top Fuel license, prepares for 2024 season debut

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