a Few Words About DeDe
Dede’s love affair with horsepower has been lifelong, but it wasn’t until 2020 that she found her true calling which turned out to be on the drag strip. People that have known Dede from a young age would say her qualities are fierceness, passion, and intense competitiveness. She has been chasing competition and adrenaline since her earliest days—racing everything from ATVs, skid steers, farm tractors to cars—she was destined for a life defined by speed. Her first experiences with Drag racing came when she certified with the Frank Hawley driving school and she hasn’t looked back since.
Her first and most beloved machine was “Black Steel,” a 1969 Chevelle with a custom- built engine, a car she affectionately calls her “baby.” That Chevelle quickly became her signature, the car that announced her presence on the track and gave her reputation its first roots in the racing community.
Muscle cars are not just Dede’s passion—they are her way of life. Alongside Black Steel, she races “Black Out,” her 1969 Malibu, and cruises daily in a 1968 Dodge Charger with a storied Hawaiian history. Among her collection is also a 1969 Super Bee, a car she treasures deeply and debates whether to keep as a daily driver or transform into her next race machine.
For Dede, these cars are not just steel and rubber; they are extensions of her competitive spirit, vessels for her relentless drive to go faster, push harder, and embrace the pure joy of racing. With each run, she continues to build not only her story as a drag racer but also her passion to keep the story of muscle cars and drag racing alive!
Dede’s love affair with horsepower has been lifelong, but it wasn’t until 2020 that she found her true calling which turned out to be on the drag strip. People that have known Dede from a young age would say her qualities are fierceness, passion, and intense competitiveness. She has been chasing competition and adrenaline since her earliest days—racing everything from ATVs, skid steers, farm tractors to cars—she was destined for a life defined by speed. Her first experiences with Drag racing came when she certified with the Frank Hawley driving school and she hasn’t looked back since.
Her first and most beloved machine was “Black Steel,” a 1969 Chevelle with a custom- built engine, a car she affectionately calls her “baby.” That Chevelle quickly became her signature, the car that announced her presence on the track and gave her reputation its first roots in the racing community.
Muscle cars are not just Dede’s passion—they are her way of life. Alongside Black Steel, she races “Black Out,” her 1969 Malibu, and cruises daily in a 1968 Dodge Charger with a storied Hawaiian history. Among her collection is also a 1969 Super Bee, a car she treasures deeply and debates whether to keep as a daily driver or transform into her next race machine.
For Dede, these cars are not just steel and rubber; they are extensions of her competitive spirit, vessels for her relentless drive to go faster, push harder, and embrace the pure joy of racing. With each run, she continues to build not only her story as a drag racer but also her passion to keep the story of muscle cars and drag racing alive!