Motorcycle drag racer Linda Jackson mentally prepares herself before Saturdays qualifying rounds for the American Drag Bike Association Harley World Finals at Beech Bend Raceway Park. Jackson competes in the pro modified stock class. (Photo by Paul Conrad)

Its neat that were doing what she wants to do, but its very scary. Weve lost several friends that have been killed doing this, and its scary. A very select few people do this, said John Jackson, husband of Linda.

John Jackson has been with his wife Linda Jackson throughout the many joys and agonies her drag racing days have wrought over the past nine years. As the crew chief for 2-Bit Racing, John Jackson has watched his wife set 43 national records on the Harley-Davidson motorcycles she has ridden and land a plush sponsorship with S&S, which is renowned for its dedication to the performance of the Harley design. John Jackson also has witnessed his wife walk away from several accidents and has given a prayer of thanks to what he calls the race god each time she emerged, more often than not, unscathed. He admits hes scared every time his wife races down the strip, and his worries are no different this weekend as he watches his wife compete in the American Drag Bike Association Harley World Finals at Beech Bend Raceway Park. They made the trek from their home in Columbia, Mo., to Bowling Green to compete in the pro modified stock class at the event. You trust her because she is good and you trust the equipment and you basically check every nut and bolt before it goes down the track, John Jackson said. And then you count on the race god to take care of her. Were probably going faster as far the speed increase goes, and so does the risk factor. Its neat that were doing what she wants to do, but its very scary. Weve lost several friends that have been killed doing this, and its scary. A very select few people do this. John Jackson had more than his fair share of horrifying moments, especially when his wife had two life-threatening racing accidents in 1993 and 1994.Linda Jackson slid 238 feet during an accident in 1993, in which she burned her protective leather-wear and had the end of one of her fingers cut off. She underwent six surgeries to repair her finger. The following year, she drove over an oil slick and was thrown off her Harley. That accident resulted in a broken shoulder and several stitches in her head. But Linda Jackson proved just how tough she was and why shes had a successful drag racing career over the past nine years after being injured in that second accident. Four weeks later, I qualified for her and we had the cast taken off that night and she raced, John Jackson recalled. Though she likely would have been much safer racing Porsches, Corvettes and off-shore boats as the couple once did, Linda Jackson loves the dangerous element of racing her Harley Davidson down the strip at each competition. Its very exciting driving down the drag strip on a motorcycle as opposed to a car, Linda Jackson said. The thing that makes it exciting is the danger, being on the edge. It truly is a rush once you get started. Its a little bit more speed, a little bit more power. You just become addicted. Linda Jackson grew up sharing her fathers love for the sport of drag racing. My father was a race fan and my husband is into racing, too, so it was inevitable, Linda Jackson said. I grew up a tomboy, fortunately. Motorcycles caught her fancy several years ago, so she began street riding. From there, drag racing Harleys seemed the next logical step. She and her husband then formed the aptly-named 2-Bit Racing, using a secondhand bike among other things. It was kind of a two-bit operation in our minds, and we really didnt want to let it go, Linda Jackson said. Good thing they didnt. Since she began racing Harleys nine years ago, she has sped through the super stock, modified, super modified and now pro modified stock classes. Her bike a flashily designed piece of machinery that sports orange-colored shooting flames with green and white trim to match her protective leathers is a top-of-the-line, custom-made 1999 model. Her start has been somewhat slow this year, though it is her second season racing in the pro modified stock class. She has run as fast as 165 mph this season using a pro stock motor for the first time, but was slowed by a non-racing injury in June. She broke her hip while milling about the kitchen in her home, but was back on the strip five weeks after having surgery. I was extremely sad for fear that I would be out all season, Linda Jackson said. The doctor indicated to me that he thought Id be out all year, but it was easy to come back and ride. Its hard to give up a season.