In seven features at Worthington Speedway, Florence Drost has finished in the top five six times. However, she had yet to win a race … that is, until last Saturday, when she finally cracked victory lane. The win capped off the points-paying season at the Minnesota track, where she also earned the mini mod track championship.
Before competing in the mini mods, the 12-year-old had raced caged karts.
“Oh yeah, the mini-modified cars are way faster than the karts,” Drost, of Rushmore, Minnesota, said. “I caught onto the speed pretty fast. It took me five races. I raced 12 times this year, had five top threes and then my first win this week.”
Drost’s father, Jesse, has raced hobby stocks, modifieds, and sprint cars.
“We work together on the car,” said Jesse. “What makes it so special and fun is the time in the shop and on the road between father and daughter.”
With experience under his belt, Jesse mentors her Florence on what she needs to know to be successful in racing.
“I check toe and alignment,” Florence said. “I help my dad with whatever he need help with — I like getting my hands dirty, most of the time.”
That holds true on the farm, too, for Florence.
“It was a proud moment for me when she could work on the farm,” said Jesse. “Florence drives a John Deere and spreads manure. I’m out in the corn and soybean fields, and she’s able to drive a pickup out to pick me up and drop me off during harvesting.”
As Florence Drost gains more experience, she has her eyes set on following in her father’s footsteps, and beyond.
“After racing mini mods, I hope to race sprint cars,” Drost said. “My ultimate goal would be to be a World of Outlaws sprint car driver.”
Mike Adaskaveg has written hundreds of stories since the website’s inception. This year marks his 54th year of covering auto racing. Adaskaveg got his start working for track photographer Lloyd Burnham at Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway in 1970. Since then, he’s been a columnist, writer, and photographer, in racing and in mainstream media, for several outlets, including the Journal Inquirer, Boston Herald, Stock Car Racing, and Speedway Illustrated. Among Adaskaveg’s many awards are the 1992 Eastern Motorsport Press Association (EMPA) Ace Lane Photographer of the Year and the 2019 National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) George Cunningham Writer of the Year.
