Dakota Saint: DragChamp Racer Spotlight

Dakota Saint is in this week’s DragChamp Racer Spotlight. Learn all about this DragChamp Pro Member in his spotlight below!

LEXINGTON, AL- Dakota Saint, like many drag racers, started his wild ride in the world of drag racing with a Junior Dragster. He’s been tearing up the track since he was a 7-year-old speed demon and has now shifted gears into Super Pro. Racing isn’t just a hobby for Dakota; it’s in his DNA. His great-granddad, JD Leatherwood, was a long-time racer, and his initial love for the sport has been coursing through their family for generations.

Dakota usually competes in Super Pro at his home-track, Ethridge Motorsports Park. But when the itch for some high-stakes action hits him, he’s not afraid to hit the road and enter big-money races. Just a few months ago, Dakota was a part of Team Saint, the Top Bulb winners at the 6th Annual Great American Dream Team Weekend.

Learn more about him below!

His Race Car

Dakota’s current race car is a 1976 Vega that he has owned since March of 2022. In October 2022, he wrecked the Vega and spent all winter rebuilding the whole car. It has a 406 sbc on alcohol, PTC converter and a Wayne Franks transmission. His Vega runs 6.20s in the 1/8 mile.

Favorite Accomplishment

His favorite accomplishment to date would be when he won the Dream Team race this past year. He was on Team Saint which was made up of Corey Saint (his dad), Kyle Green, Dylan Green, and Brady Murks. He said, “we are all tight knit and are really just local racers, it was cool to be able to compete on that stage with some of the toughest bracket racers in the country”.

Dakota’s Q&A

What’s on your bucket list, future goals, what do you hope to achieve?

My bucket list is to win the OG million which I think everybody that hasn’t done it is the same way. Just putting my name on that list on the back of the t-shirt would be a surreal feeling for me.

What is your favorite race car, and why?

My favorite car would be a Chevy Vega just because they are typically lighter than other cars and it doesn’t take much of a motor to make them run, and they just seem to work really well for me.

Who has made the biggest impact on your racing success?

My dad, Corey Saint has made the biggest impact on my racing, I may be biased but I believe he’s the best mechanic I’ve ever seen and one of the top drivers I’ve ever seen, he’s helped me a lot. Kyle Green also has helped me a lot, it helps when you got them two guys that expect you to win if they don’t get to it first.

Who do you look up to in the sport?

I look up to my dad Corey and Kyle, they can compete if not win every race they enter and I think they’re record can prove that.

Tell us what you do for a living?

I am a journeyman electrician through local IBEW 558, I have been in for 7 years.

How do you support your racing, side hustle, sponsor, partner, etc.?

I support my racing through my job, that’s why I kind of have to pick and choose when I race and what races I want to go to.

Who do you hate to see in the other lane, and why?

I don’t really hate to see anybody in the other lane because at the end of the day we are all there to win and they have to be beat to get your way to the dance floor.

What’s the hardest part of drag racing?

The hardest part of drag racing for me is to just get out of my head and focus on the task at hand.

What’s your most embarrassing moment in a race car?

My most embarrassing moment is when I left the fuel pump off while I was pulling in the water box one day and the car went dead. I had to restart it, I don’t know if anyone noticed but it was pretty embarrassing for me at the time.

What are you saying to yourself just before you stage the car?

I tell myself just to let go of the button and don’t mess up the finish line.

What do you enjoy the most at the racetrack?

I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and I love winning more than anything.

Are you superstitious?  If so, what are they?

I wouldn’t say I’m superstitious but I try to have a routine just like anybody. You have to be poised if one step of your routine doesn’t go the right way.

Do you love to win or hate to lose?

I hate to lose more than I love winning.

Which are you better at the starting line or the finish line?

I would say I’m better at finish line driving than letting go. Mainly because my car is very consistent most the time but I feel like I can see the finish line very well most days.

What motivates you to continue racing?

I haven’t accomplished nearly enough yet and I’m always wanting a bigger check.

If money were no object, what would your racing operation look like?  Car, trailer, class, race schedule, etc.

If money were no object, I would have a toter with a stacker and 3 or 4 race cars in it.

How often do you use a practice tree?

I’ll hit the practice tree in my dad’s shop when I am working on my car or helping him. So, maybe 3 or 4 times a month but I need to hit it more so I can be more consistent.

What is your daily driver?

My favorite daily driver would be a newer power stroke dually.

Favorite movie or TV show?

My wife calls me a nerd because my favorite movie series is Harry Potter.

Favorite music, artist?

Favorite music is country and my favorite artist would be Morgan Wallen. I really haven’t found a bad song that he has put out.

Where do you spend the most time on the internet?

I spend the most time on Facebook marketplace looking for stuff I can’t afford most the time.

What is your favorite sport?  Favorite team?

My favorite sport is football and I am an Auburn fan.

Besides racing, what do you do in your free time?

I spend most my free time hanging out with friends on the river or cooking and having people over.

What are you really good at?

I wouldn’t say I’m not really good at anything. I can do a lot of things but haven’t mastered any of them.

Name one thing most people don’t know about you?

I’m really an open book most everybody that hangs around me know everything about me.

Would you rather hang out with a crowd or have a quiet evening at home?

It just depends. Sometimes, I like hanging around the house with my wife and watching a movie and sometimes we like to hangout with friends in a big crowd.

What’s your favorite thing to eat?  Individual item, meal, or restaurant?

My favorite thing to eat is seafood. No matter where I just love the taste of it.

Who would you like to thank, who helps you the most?

I would like to thank my dad Corey Saint, he has helped me with everything in racing.

What is a piece of advice you’d give to an aspiring racer?

I would tell an aspiring racer to never give up because racing is in my opinion is the hardest sport to do but when you get your first win there is nothing like it.

For more DragChamp racer spotlights, click here.

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