written by: Zanne Lamb-Hunt
Dana Dudley grew up in lower Montgomery County in a suburb on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. in the Wheaton/Silver Spring area. “It was a modest neighborhood. There wasn’t a lot of extra money for things.
“At a young age, I learned that if I wanted something I was going to have to earn it. So, I had a grass-cutting business. I had my own lawn mower.” During the winters, she shoveled snow. And, she also earned cash by cleaning houses in the neighborhood on Saturday mornings.
Dana admits to being a tomboy as a kid. “I played with tools, electronics and especially cars. I liked to see how they operated…how they worked.” She spent a lot of time at Summit Point Raceway where her father was employed.