Catching up with the driver of "Sweet Revenge", Bethany Nelson!

MB300-You are returning back to Louisville after a few years of not having submitted.  What are you most excited about ? 

Bethany- It’s hard to beat being in Freedom Hall on Friday night!  The place will be packed; it’s probably the one place that I still get a little nervous.  So I am super excited to get back under the lights and see what we can do! 

MB300- 2023 was a special year for Midnight Motorsports with a sweep of the top 3 spots.  What did it mean to win another title but also do so with Jeremy and Jared right in line behind you? 

Bethany- It was really a pleasant surprise.  We came into the season really with no expectations, just to get these SRE motor combinations dialed in and have fun.  So as the summer went on and we found ourselves in the title hunt, it then actually added a little stress to whole deal, I guess you can call it a good stress!  All of our trucks had bright spots this summer, I just happened to be the most consistent of the three.  It’s a great momentum builder for next year, I think we can still be better yet!

MB300- You have had success in Louisville in the past, what is your favorite memory, and what will it take for you to join the ladies in the Champions Hall of Fame ?

Bethany- 2020 was my best performance all around, so would have to be my favorite.  We made two great passes in qualifying and in the finals and got beat by Jessie Petro both nights, so I’ve felt a taste of being so close to that top spot and it just makes you want more.  To be #1, it’s takes a mistake free run and probably a little luck!  Another  memory that really sticks in my head was the year Jared put the Rockstar truck in the sand pile with authority, a sand pile run in a two-wheeler is always sketchy but fires everyone up!

MB300- What if any changes did you make in the off season for 2024?  Having just won a title, did you feel like you had changes to make ? 

Bethany- We made very minimal changes; there’s a lot of years we go to NFMS with new or freshened motors; we were at a place where we didn’t need to do either so it’s a nice feeling. 

MB300- Does driving toward the sand pile add additional nerves for you?
(We Have seen Jared bury it in the pile before and have to thrash to get ready for a pull-off.). The sand pile doesn’t really bring more nerves; Louisville in general does though!  The excitement that surrounds Louisville is like no other event we attend; it’s just unmatched!  The walk into Freedom Hall, the track introductions, it’s a thrilling experience.  As a driver, everyone dreams of putting it in the sand so if I get a chance it’s game on!

MB300- From day one you have made driving the truck look easy. To what do you attribute your comfort in seat, throttle control, and finesse it takes to efficiently hook a two wheel drive truck?

Bethany- The more you are in one, the more comfortable you get; same with most things!  When I screw up driving, it’s normally when I overthink it.  When I can relax and just drive, things seem to go well.  It is kind of crazy for me though, when I get the truck fired up and pull into the track, you seem to forget about the big moment and just focus on an A to B run….so the nervousness does seem irrelevant most runs. 

MB300- What are your favorite places to visit while in Louisville ?

Bethany- Through the years our farm show weeks visits were entertaining kids; we have visited the zoo, Louisville Slugger museum, trampoline park…all are good.  But for me, when not hanging with the kiddos we really spend most of our time at the show, in Broadbent and watching pulling.  I’m a huge fan of pulling and enjoy all the sessions, not just when I pull. 

MB300- Do you have any Louisville superstitions? 

Bethany- Not really a superstitious person, so nothing crazy! 

MB300- Not only will you and Jared be competing this week in Louisville, but Grace will be playing in the IHSA Regional. What does this week look like for you and what an amazing return Grace has made from her surgery? 

Bethany- This week is an exciting week for pulling and Illinois high school girls basketball, as it’s regionals week.  Our girls play tonight, 2/12, and if win will play for a regional championship Thursday.  If that is what happens, I will stay home for the first part of the week and tend to mom duties.  Jared will get the trucks to Louisville, but come home for the game Thursday.  If there’s ever a time to be two places at once we would love it; but there is no doubt if there is a game we will be there.  Our MM team will take care of getting Midnight Revenger down the track; there is a lot of “what-ifs” so we will take it one day at a time and try to take it all in.  Grace has had a great senior season, after a season ending injury last year.  The amount of time and work she put in to get back this year is pretty crazy.  Their team has won over 20 games, and are fun to watch so we will keep cheering them on as long as possible! 

MB300- I know you have corporate partners and integral parts of your team that help you achieve your goals, let’s thank them here. 

Bethany- Mahle and Clevite came on board this summer so we are super pumped to represent them on a big platform at the NFMS.  We also need to thank Sassy Racing Engined, SSI Superchargers, CM Pulling Tires, Profab, Full Pull Motorsports…all these fine companies provide key components to our program and keep us running at a high level.  The Midnight Motorsports team will be utilizing all our resources to make sure we have a set-up ready for the Freedom Hall dirt. 

Photo Credit- Pro Pulling League