Jessica Barton, a 42-year-old bikini model and star of America's Fast & Furious-era car scene, has revealed she spends her days stripping off for bikini contests only to climb into her 1,000HP Toyota Supra at night and beat men in drag races. The Orlando-based beauty, with over 500,000 Instagram followers, says competitors often underestimate her because of her looks until the racing starts.
Proving People Wrong on the Drag Strip
Barton, who has made a name for herself by outdriving male competitors, says proving people wrong quickly became her favourite pastime. "I'd go to these huge car meets in Texas and somehow end up doing every part of the event. I'd place in the bikini contest, win the dyno competition and then go drag racing," she said. "It was hilarious because I'd go straight from standing on stage in a bikini to getting in the car and banging gears with the boys. People never expected it. They'd see the blonde girl and assume I was just there to look pretty. Then I'd get behind the wheel and beat them."
From Goth Teen to Petrolhead
Barton's love of cars came as a surprise even to her family. Growing up, she described herself as a goth teenager obsessed with Marilyn Manson, while her brother was the family's dedicated petrolhead. Everything changed when she bought a Toyota Supra around the time The Fast and the Furious became a worldwide phenomenon. "My brother was always the car guy. I couldn't have cared less. I was the weird goth kid with black lipstick listening to Marilyn Manson. Cars weren't really my thing at all, then, eventually, I decided I wanted a cool car and bought a Supra," she said. "It happened right when Fast and Furious was becoming huge and all of a sudden I was completely obsessed."
Building a 1,000HP Beast
As Barton became more involved, she modified her Supra extensively. "The more I modified it, the more addicted I became. I couldn't leave anything alone. Every time I upgraded one thing, I wanted to upgrade something else. Before I knew it, the car was making around 1,000 horsepower and had become my baby," she said. She travelled around the country for events, competitions and races, describing the atmosphere as "insane" with thousands of people, incredible cars and partying. "It genuinely felt like living inside The Fast and the Furious," she added.
Devastating Theft and Comeback
Barton's dream car journey came crashing down when her beloved Supra was stolen and chopped into pieces. After tracking it to a tow yard, she was told it was hard to identify because it had been dismantled. "My heart absolutely sank. The thing I'd spent years building had basically been dismantled," she said. The thieves were arrested, but rather than walking away, Barton built another Supra that was even more extreme. "You can't keep me down. I wasn't going to let that be the end of the story. I ended up building another Supra and honestly, it was faster, crazier and better than the first one. Looking back now, I think the comeback was even more satisfying," she said.
Living a Fast & Furious Fantasy
Barton has since found success in other ventures but still considers her time in the car scene one of the most exciting chapters of her life. "I won trophies, travelled the country, met incredible people and beat a lot of boys on the drag strip. I got to live out a real-life Fast and Furious fantasy. When I look back on it now, I just think, what more could a girl want?" she said.
