Jordan Payne, a 23-year-old, second-generation racer from Bedford, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, is carving his place in the drag racing world.
Competing under the “Sticky Situation Racing” banner – a nod to his father’s racing legacy – Payne has shown tremendous talent in Competition Eliminator, winning at the prestigious FIA European Finals at Santa Pod Raceway in England.
[Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in DI #191, the 30 Under 30 Issue, in November / December of 2024.]
“I guess it all started before I was even born,” Payne shares. “I grew up on the track with my family. My dad used to race in Super Modified, and I was always drawn to racing. I got my opportunity in 2015 at 14 years old, using all the money I’d saved up to go half with my parents on a Jr. Dragster. From the start, I made a deal with my parents that if I wanted to race, I had to fund it myself.”
Payne’s passion for the sport was obvious from the beginning. He took the challenge upon himself to find sponsors and secure enough funding to compete as a Jr. Dragster driver. With maturity beyond his years, Payne has now moved on to racing a 1962 Chevrolet Corvette in the Competition Eliminator category.
“This year’s season has been a bit lighter as we focused on making engine upgrades to the Corvette, preparing for next year,” Payne explains.
Despite the reduced schedule, Payne made an impact at the FIA European Finals, taking on a field of 23 competitors and emerging victorious.
“Winning at Santa Pod was an amazing experience. It’s one to add to the list, and I’m grateful for everyone who helped me get there,” he adds.
While Payne has found success in Europe, reaching eight national event final rounds and winning seven of them, racing to three European event final rounds and winning two of the three, winning the U.K. Junior Dragster national championship and runnering-up in the national championship twice, his goal is to compete in NHRA Pro Stock in the United States.
A recent trip to the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway as a guest of VP Racing Fuels and Freddie Turza further fueled this ambition, allowing him to meet with KB Titan Racing and get a glimpse of what it takes to compete at the highest level of drag racing.
“Ever since I was about eight or nine, my dream has always been to drive NHRA Pro Stock,” Payne shares. “Being at zMAX was incredible – it really solidified that dream for me.
“My experience was amazing and I especially want to thank Eric Latino for his time because he really did go above and beyond on that trip,” he continues. “I ran a set of GESi (Global Emissions Systems Inc., a sponsor of Latino’s) decals on the hood of my car at the FIA European Finals in September, the event we won, as a way of saying thank you to Eric for his time, hospitality, and showing me around and really making it such a good trip for me.”
On his journey, which also includes Payne and his team getting the accolade of “Most Professional Appearing Team” running in the U.K.’s National Championship in 2019, he wants to inspire the next generation of racers.
“If you’ve got that fire and passion for something, the only thing stopping you is yourself,” he says. “You have to put in the time and commitment. I started by making calls and sending emails to businesses to raise money for my racing. Without that effort and the support of generous companies, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
As he looks to the future, Payne hints at exciting opportunities on the horizon, including potential collaborations within U.S. drag racing.
“I can’t say too much yet, but I’ve been working on some things behind the scenes,” he teases. “It could be exciting times ahead.”
This story was originally published on February 10, 2025. 
