Sampey Earns Top Fuel License at 337 MPH
The three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion completed her NHRA Top Fuel licensing requirements in Las Vegas, but her 2027 ride remains unfunded.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Motorcycles
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Angelle Sampey, a three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion, earned her NHRA Top Fuel license with a 3.688-second pass at 337.66 mph at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. AB Motorsports is now seeking funding for her 2027 Top Fuel ride.
Why it matters
Sampey's licensing completes a transition from motorcycle drag racing to one of the most demanding classes in NHRA competition. Without a funded ride, the license alone does not guarantee she will race a Top Fuel dragster next season.
Sampey's licensing pass recorded 3.688 seconds at 337.66 mph, a benchmark set in a Top Fuel dragster producing roughly 11,000 horsepower. Her 2027 Top Fuel ride remains unfunded, and no team has been confirmed.
The players
Angelle Sampey
Sampey is a three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion who currently drives the Michalek Brothers A/Fuel Dragster and is headed into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America next year.
AB Motorsports
AB Motorsports is the racing team led by Antron Brown that fielded the Matco Tools Eagle Experience dragster used for Sampey's licensing run.
The details
Sampey completed her licensing by driving the Matco Tools Eagle Experience dragster fielded by AB Motorsports. Antron Brown started her in a Top Alcohol Dragster in 2023 to teach her a different kind of race car before she moved toward nitro competition.
Timeline
2023: Brown brought Sampey into his Accelerate program and started her in a Top Alcohol Dragster.
2023 Texas NHRA Fall Nationals: Sampey made her Top Alcohol Dragster debut and reached the semifinals.
November 3, 2025: Sampey earned her Top Fuel license in Las Vegas.
Roadmap
Sampey's path follows a documented route from motorcycle racing through Top Alcohol Dragster into Top Fuel, begun when Antron Brown placed her in a Top Alcohol Dragster in 2023. The license completes the licensing step, but the 2027 season will test whether a team can fund a full Top Fuel program.
Sampey's license makes her eligible to race Top Fuel, but she needs a funded team before she can enter a race. Fans tracking NHRA entries should watch for a 2027 team announcement from AB Motorsports.
The takeaway
Earning a Top Fuel license is a qualification step, not a guaranteed race entry. Sampey's path shows how licensing, team funding, and seat availability are separate hurdles in professional drag racing.
Further reading
Explore more Motorcycles coverage for context on drag racing and motorsports careers.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Competition Plus.
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