Elizabeth City native Belinda Floyd is many things. She is a wife to husband Kevin, a daughter, a sister, a friend and a drag racer. She possesses a fire in her petite frame that can put fear in the heart of the largest man, but at the same time, she can deliver unequaled care and compassion to those around her.

Belinda uses her fire to fuel her love for drag racing. She has a natural talent for the sport, which she and her husband share, that has allowed her success on two wheels as well as four.

While Belinda holds track championship titles for Northeast Dragway and Outer Banks Speedway on her 6-second drag bike, she has proven she is also a serious contender behind the wheel of a full-size dragster in the Top E.T. class. Her dragster she calls "Spoiled Rotten" hurls her down the 1/8 mile track in about 51/2 seconds.

Recently, due to mechanical problems with her dragster, she slipped behind the wheel of her friend's Chevy S-10 pickup and discovered a new passion. Although the truck was a full second slower than the dragster, she loved the feel. Returning from a run, her eyes wide with excitement, through a giddy grin she would proclaim "that was fun." — so much fun that Belinda and Kevin decided to sell the dragster to make room for the truck that she promptly named "Spoiled Rotten 2."

Saturday night at Outer Banks Speedway, while Kevin raced the drag bike working to secure the points lead he holds, she raced the truck. Going round after round, running dead on her dial and nailing the tree with near perfect reaction times, she seemed unstoppable. Her biggest thrill was defeating reigning track champion Eric Whitehurst who has the reputation of being very hard to beat.

As she made her last run of the night, losing on a break out foul, something went terribly wrong. The "something," which we may never know, sent her and her truck slamming into the dirt bank at the end of the track, destroying the truck and presenting Belinda with her biggest challenge ever: the challenge to survive.

She was air lifted to Pitt County Memorial where, after undergoing emergency surgeries for internal injuries, she was not expected to live. But the fire that makes her such a fierce competitor could not be extinguished, and she fought back. She has crossed the most difficult hurdle in what will be a long road to recovery.

Thoughts and prayers for Belinda and Kevin may be shared by logging onto both Northeast Dragway ( www.northeastdragway.com) and Outer Banks Speedway's (www.outerbanksspeedway.com) website's and clicking on message forums. Donations to the Belinda Floyd Medical Fund can be made at any Gateway Bank location.