Kat Moller: 'One Last Ride' Tribute Planned

SARASOTA, FL — Friends and teammates of local drag racing star Katarina “Kat” Moller plan to hold "One Last Ride" in her honor at the same track where Moller first caught the racing bug as an 11-year-old girl. The Sarasota native was killed in a horrific crash of her jet-powered dragster earlier this month as stunned fans looked on during an exhibition at Sebring Raceway.

"We first met Kat at Bradenton Motorsports park when she was only 11-years-old beginning her racing career in her Corvettes West junior dragster," said fellow driver Elaine Larsen, who operates Larsen Motorsports along with her husband Chris. "Many of us thought she felt more at home at a race track than anywhere else." See also Short Life Well Lived For Florida Drag Racing Star Kat Moller

Larsen thanked the thousands of people who reached out following Moller's death and recalled the day the 24-year-old applied for a spot on the Larsen team five years ago.

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"After finding out LMS was looking for a new jet dragster driver, Kat and her dad visited LMS to apply for the new driver's position," said Larsen. "It didn’t take Chris and I long to realize that she was who LMS was looking for."

Even then, Larsen knew that Moller had what it takes to be a professional driver.

"There was always something special about this young shy girl that lived life a quarter mile at a time," Larsen said. "I remember her putting on one of my fire suits to start a jet dragster for the very first time. The suit was way to big, but the smile on her face was bigger."

Together Moller and Larsen criss-crossed North America making "priceless memories" on the circuit.

"Year after year each stop welcomed us to friends and fans alike," said Larsen, who will take the tribute lap on Saturday in Moller's honor.

"This Saturday, Dec. 1st at the Snowbird Nationals, I am honored to be asked to make a tribute lap down the quarter mile at her home track Bradenton Motorsports Park," said Larsen.

The track is located at 21000 SR 64 in Bradenton.

"Please join us for this celebration of life as we pay tribute to one of drag racing’s dream weavers that made a difference to so many of us," Larsen added.

Moller's team competed in the Jet Dragster division of the International Hot Rod Association, in which specially modified cars burn 25 gallons of fuel in under six seconds as they hurl down a quarter-mile track in fewer than six seconds. They shriek and throw out plumes of smoke over the rumble of a jet engine.

According to her bio, Moller's favorite movie was "Cars" and her favorite song was the theme from the television show "Batman."

The tribute announcement featured a "Batman" logo with the words "RIP Kat Moller, forever in our hearts."

Photo of Kat Moller courtesy Larsen Motorsports