Drag Illustrated Issue 179, November / December 2022 | Page 101

SEAN SERRA & ALLISON LLOYD

■ SEAN SERRA ’ S life was cut short when he passed away in a tragic car accident in July 2022 . At 27 years old , he was one of the best up-andcoming bracket racers in the industry . Serra ’ s resume looked like one of a seasoned drag racing veteran . He had $ 100K to $ 20K wins , and his scorecard was peppered with runner-up finishes , as well as a $ 500k semifinal .
Serra was known for his positive outlook on life and any challenging situation he encountered . “ He could usually figure out the best of the situation , even when everything was going against him ,” explains Sean ’ s brother , Jeff Serra , himself an accomplished bracket racer .
“ He never quit ,” Sean ’ s girlfriend , Allison Lloyd , adds . “ He always made sure everyone else was OK and happy .”
At an early age , Serra fell in love with racing . At age 8 , he hopped into a Jr . Dragster and never looked back . “ He was pretty much always racing as soon as he got into one of those things ,” Jeff says .
During Serra ’ s time racing Jr . Dragsters , he won the NHRA Junior Drag Racing League Eastern Conference Final in 2008 at Bristol Dragway . In 2012 , the talented racer made the jump to his bracket-style dragster .
Serra ’ s love for racing even led him to an entire world of drag racing outside the United States . Half Scale Dragsters invited him to Doha , Qatar , where he helped out as an instructor with the Jr . Dragster program . Sean even won an Arabian Drag Racing League championship in Qatar .
Then later , he met Allison Lloyd , a fellow bracket racer , through their love for drag racing .
November / December 2022
“ He was the best thing ever . I met him right after I was getting into big cars ,” she says . Lloyd had a successful career as a Jr . Dragster competitor . She started when she 12 . “ My family has always raced , and I grew up at the racetrack ,” she adds .
Lloyd ’ s Jr . Dragster resume is impressive . She won seven championships – three of them won consecutively at Richmond Dragway . She has a championship from Virginia Motorsports Park and even an IHRA world championship in 2016 , where she won a custom-built JR Race Car Jr . Dragster , $ 3,000 from Summit Racing Equipment , as well as the world championship Ironman trophy and a diamond ring .
In 2017 , she moved up into her big dragster . It was during this time when Serra and Lloyd met in the fall . “ I had to race him first round in a $ 10K my first year in the big cars , and we just started talking after that ,” Lloyd says .
“ I had a very successful Jr . career , and I couldn ’ t be more thankful for that . Big cars are a completely different world , and Sean taught me everything I know about that ,” Lloyd explains . “ He just really took me in as his student and taught me everything . He never missed me going down the racetrack and was there to cheer me up when I ’ d lose . Us racing together was our life .”
Serra made the move into full-size dragsters in 2012 with many accomplished wins over the years , including a $ 100K win at Darlington Dragway , a track that meant a lot to Lloyd as it was the first track they went to and hung out at .
Lloyd and Serra would travel the country together , going to big-money bracket races . It was
just the two of them , with their dragsters and two dogs . “ We went to Florida every year for the winter series , and we always went to Bristol together ,” she says . They even won the couples race at Carolina Dragway in Aiken , South Carolina , this year .
“ Racing was his whole world , and he was good at it ,” Lloyd continues . Most recently , Serra won a $ 20K race and had a semifinal finish in the $ 500K at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin , Michigan .
Now Lloyd , at 23 years old , has continued on their winning path . After Sean ’ s passing , she won the 2022 Virginia Motorsports Park track championship in Super Pro in his memory . “ I felt like I needed to go and finish the race ,” Lloyd explains , after losing a monumental race in the points battle earlier in the season . “ I lost first round and came in second . I was so upset , and I remember calling him , and he told me not to worry about it ; it will all work out . You ’ re going to end up winning this championship .”
As a matter of fact , another fellow bracket racer and past 30 Under 30 honoree , Kyle Cultrera , dedicated his win to Sean ’ s memory . Cultrera drove one of Serra ’ s dragsters and won the $ 100K race at National Trail Raceway that Serra won in 2021 .
Serra , posthumously , and Lloyd are now adding another accolade to their extensive resumes . “ This is a huge deal for Sean and me because we talked about Drag Illustrated ’ s 30 Under 30 every single year ,” she explains . “ It was a really big deal when I found out we were both included .” – KAYLA ZADEL DI
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