March 2, 2022, St. Louis Region – For the third consecutive year, World Wide Technology Raceway’s Jr. Dragster Thunder and Jr. Dragster Lightning championships were won by a brother-sister duo.
The siblings from Pevely, Missouri, kept the streak alive when Kennedy Hale won the Duell Enterprises Jr. Dragster Lightning title and brother Cohen earned the Jr. Dragster Thunder crown. Sam and Sarah Stewart of Washington, Missouri, won both Jr. Dragster classes in 2019 and again in 2020.
The Hale Family trophy shelf is full this year. Kennedy has two points race wins, in addition to an ADRL victory and a pair of Mid-West Series visits to victory lane. Cohen, not to be outdone, scored four points races and capped the season with a victory at the NHRA Division 3 Race of Champions at Indianapolis.
Cohen is 13 and started racing one year before Kennedy, who is 15. He entered the Jr. Dragster arena in 2016 and won the championship in 2018. For Kennedy, the 2021 season was her first championship. Both will return to WWTR’s Jr. Dragster competition in 2022.
The apples certainly did not fall far from the tree: their father, Doug, began drag racing when he was 16 years old and is a veteran of the Super Pro ranks. And their grandfathers also were drag racers.
Kennedy is a student at Festus (Missouri) High School, while Cohen attends Festus Middle School.
Their sponsors are Snap-On Tools distributor Mike Elliott, Transmissions To Go and Wagner’s Collision Centers.
Photos: John Bisci
WWTR’s drag strip will host its Night of Champions banquet on Saturday, March 12. The event will be held at VFW Post 2866 at 66 VFW Lane, in St. Charles, Missouri.
5 p.m. — Doors open.
5:50 p.m. — Dinner.
7:15 p.m. — Awards.
For more information, please call (618) 215-8888. Follow WWTR on social media (@wwtraceway) for additional information.
About World Wide Technology Raceway
World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) is the home of NASCAR, INDYCAR, and NHRA racing in the St. Louis region. Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis and covering more than 600 acres, WWTR is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. WWTR’s facilities include a 1/4-mile drag strip, 1.25-mile superspeedway, recently expanded 2.0-mile road course, the Gateway Kartplex (a state-of-the-art karting facility), and the adjacent Gateway National Golf Links. WWTR and owner Curtis Francois have been recognized with several awards, including: 2021 Comcast Community Champion of the Year; 2021 Jack Buck Award; 2020 NASCAR Drive for Diversity Track Award; 2018 Innovator Award from the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission; 2017 Outstanding Facility of the Year Award from the Race Track Business Conference; and the 2017 Spirit of St. Louis Award from the St. Louis Attractions Association.
Our Mission
We are committed to making a difference in our community, while providing first-class entertainment and memories that last a lifetime.
