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New Jersey - After a while of having her bike on the rack, Baby Girl`s bike is back running - and running well! This is what she for us today:

"I went to Englishtown Top Street Bike on Saturday and then went on to the 1/4 Finals. On Sunday, I participated in the Wally race at Atco Raceway and got to the semi- finals. I have to say that I am very proud of myself and upset at the same time. My lights were wonderful, all day Sunday, and I was dialed a 8.94. My best pass that day was a 8.91. I beat my man every time on the tree and was able to shut down on every run and take the win."

She goes on to relate, "There were a lot of bikes there and I went 7 rounds winning my win, not because of luck, but because of hard work. I had one guy red light on me in the 4th round. I had to get him back because he beat my brother on a hole-shot win. My brother was dead on his tail but, the guy had a better reaction time of .012 to my brother`s .022 light. He won by .0004 - WOW! When I raced this guy he was riding a bar bike and I cut a .034 to his -.047 red light. Good thing for that because I spun bad, but I still got the win. It was on to the semi-finals round and I was ready. I knew this guy was good on the tree and that I had to push the tree, but didn`t want to red light......WELL PEOPLES I"m sorry, but that`s what I did - talk about pushing the tree -.190, NOW THAT`S BAD!!!"

Crystal wanted to pass some words of wisdom to other racers, "This weekend was a lesson learn for me. Never worry about the other guy in the next lane you just race your race!"

Crystal "Baby Girl" Dickerson wishes to thank all of her sponsors and team D-Tech Racing, whom have "stuck to her during her rough time this season."

Crystal and Ashon, 23 and 29, respectively, are a sister and brother team in the drag racing scene. Both of their parents were intensely involved in drag racing. "We grew up on the drag strip, watching mom and dad racing", Ashon stated. They currently race with the family team, D-Tech Racing along with their dad and cousin - but, they feel that now they're ready to take it to another level.

Crystal, a vivacious, intelligent young lady started drag racing at the age of 17. She's been riding since she was 2. In 2002, when she started out, her dad, Blair, bought her a 2002 Kawasaki ZX 900. She laughs and recalls her very first race, "I had never ridden on the street before. It felt really weird! In my first race, I clocked in at 15 seconds and was riding down the 1/4 mile drag in an "S" pattern. My dad, who is always extremely supportive kept telling me 'Baby, you did good, baby! In my second try I clocked at 10.20 and the third time, that same day, I did 10.0"

In 2006, her dad bought her a 2003 Suzuki Gsx-r 1000, with a stock motor of 64 inches and street legal. I did the 1/4 mile in 8.8, at 154 mph. My dad had to take the keys of the 900 away from me to force me to ride the 1000. I was so used to my old bike and didn't want to let it go. Now, it's fun being the "lil jockey" of the team."

How's it going this year for Crystal? "I'm frustrated AND happy, at the same time. Frustrated, because my bike been giving me mechanical problems. Happy because this year I accomplished a couple of things, which were important to me. I want to go to the finals but the bike's been acting up but I did have the chance to go to the semi-finals in some races this year. I still have a couple of more races this year so hopefully I can get my first win for the season. On the other hand, this year I was named 'Quickest Female on a Street Bike' and I won $200 for that."

What are her goals? "I want to become an NHRA ProStock Motorcycle racer but, there's no time limit on that. Within a couple of years would be good, though. I also want to be a part of a professional racing team, with my brother as a partner." Crystal is trying very hard to make this dream come true as a single mother to her three year old son Jay'len who travels with her to every race that she participates in, without the help of her mother she wouldn't be able to pursue her dream.

According to Crystal, there are only 5 women in Jersey racing. She wants to see more females on the track. "Whenever I'm there and I see other chicks that have come on their bikes and are just standing around watching, I go out of my way to teach them a few things, to see if I can get them interested in the sport. My parents tell me that I'm too friendly. I can't help it. That's just the way I am." How do the boyz up in Jersey react to having females racing? "They don't like to race women. If they lose then they get clowned. They don't take that too well but, on another note, they respect us."

Ashon, the oldest of the two, has been walking and riding bikes for about almost the same amount of time. He's also has 2 bikes - an '06 Suzuki GSXR 1000, which is his main bike and, an '06 Kawasaki ZX 14, as his secondary which, is the team's bike. "We do all of the maintenance ourselves to cut costs. My dad used to own a shop before so he knows all about that and guides us and teaches us." Ashon began racing in 2000. "Like most teenagers, I walked away from the sport to pursue other activities. One day I came home and my mom and dad had all of the bikes loaded up to go to the races. I told my dad that I wanted to go, too, and he told me that if I wanted to go that I had to ride my own bike because he already had everything loaded. The ride to the track was 45 minutes away. So, I rode my bike there. After I made my first pass I said to myself, 'This is what I'm going to do from now on'. It brought back all of those childhood dreams of wanting to be like my father. Because it was the end of the season, I only got to roll a couple of more times. My dad bought me my first bike and has taught me everything I know. We used to race as a team, together, for 2 years before Crystal joined us."

In 2003, at the age of 25, Ashon's world came to a full stop. "It got to the point where I was one of the best riders in the area. I started street-racing for money. I only had to win a few races to get hooked. I was making some good money. I was racing on the interstate and woke up 9 days later in the hospital. I only know that I was racing on the interstate because that's what I was told. I don't even remember racing. For some reason, I don't remember anything. I can't tell you what happened cuz I don't know. I've been told that I had won the race and was clipping the curve. I suffered from collapsed lungs, was on a life-support system, broken bones all over the place, suffered from radial nerve damage in one of my arms. I have stainless steel plates in my arm, titanium plate in my face, and pins in my legs - just to name a few things. I underwent extensive physical therapy, until April of 2004. I even had to relearn how to walk. Needless to say, I don't ride on the street any longer, at all. I don't even ride my bike to the corner. My bikes are for drag-racing on a track, only."

How's his year coming along? "The 'Good Streak' started in 2006. This year I've had 9 wins and 2 runner ups." In Oct of last year, I won the Wally Trophy. This year I'm averaging about 1-2 wins per month - with the exception of this month. I've also had 6 semi-final round appearances.

What are his goals? "I want to be an NHRA Prostock Motorcycle racer and race on TV", he stated with a grin. "I would also like to be sponsored. My sister and I want to race, professionally, as a team."

Ashon has 4 kids - three boys aged between 11-7, and a little girl aged 5. Will he encourage his kids to race? "Of course! My boys all ride and my little girl has already told me that she wants me to get her a pink motorcycle!"

The Dickerson team is currently looking for potential sponsors. They may be reached through www.dtechracing.com and www.crystaldickerson.com

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