In the highly competitive arenas of motorsport and business, the real winners are those who not only have the talent, the education and the will to succeed, it is those who possess that elusive star quality known as the "X" factor who really stand out from the crowd. Andy Carter has the "X" factor, and for the past twenty years has proved beyond doubt that he was destined to reach the very pinnacle of both disciplines. Andy is now the undisputed king of British Drag Racing, and represents the new breed of young professionals with the vision and commitment to take his sponsors, his team and his country to the winner's podium.

Born and raised in North London, England, Andy's first passion was football, and he was soon selected to represent his school and several local teams. Aged just thirteen, he started helping a local champion who competed at oval track racing, and by seventeen he was racing himself in National Hot Rods, building his own cars from the ground up, and winning over twenty-five trophies.

In 1982, Andy made the switch to Drag Racing and the rest, as they say, is history. He started in the Street class, again in a car that he built himself, and was soon to become one of the most feared and respected Street Racers in the country. In 1987, realising his car was starting to become uncompetitive, Andy built the first ever tube framed, fibreglass-bodied Street car in the UK and came back with a vengeance! During the next season, Andy won all there was to win in the class, but during 1990 he moved to Super Gas for the next two seasons.

By 1992, Andy had moved to yet another class: Outlaw Anglia. The big talk in Europe at the time was who would run the first seven-second pass in an Anglia. To do this, and to try and win the championship, Andy built a new-from-the-ground-up car, with a Pro Stock Chassis and blown 500 ci Keith Black engine fuelled by methanol. During 1994, Andy was Number One qualifier at six of the eight rounds entered, also winning six rounds and winning the championship outright before the season ended. In September of that year he became the owner and driver of The World's Fastest Anglia, running an incredible 7.57 at 181 mph and taking the record away from America.

Toward the end of the season Andy decided to contest the biggest, baddest, and loudest class of Drag Racing: Top Fuel Dragster! A new car was built ready for the prestigious 1995 European Top Fuel Championship. Andy managed to win the British Championship and came eighth in the European series. In 1996, he came seventh in the European clash, and was England's Number Two racer.

For 1997 a new, much lighter and better-equipped car was built by Carter Motorsport's team of ten, and this took Andy and his dedicated crew to the Number Six spot in Europe and Number Two in England. In December 1997, Andy moved his entire racing operation to Dallas in the United States, so that he and the team could compete at the very top level of the sport in front of a global audience.

In 2000, Andy decided that he wanted to compete in Europe again. The following year he won the European Championship outright and re-established his reputation as one of the toughest drivers outside of the USA. For the 2002 Championship, Andy took the number four position, setting the European et record and running the first 300 mph pass on his way. The 2003 season was curtailed by a horrific 280 mph crash in Norway while Andy was in the number two slot.

Following the disappointment of 2003, Andy was back, more hungry than ever for the FIA Top Fuel crown in 2004. Teaming up with Rune Fjeld to drive one of his two state of the art cars, things looked good for the season ahead. Going into the final round, the European Finals at Santa Pod in the UK, Andy was one of four drivers capable of taking the title. At the meetings close on Sunday evening, Andy became the only driver to date, to win two FIA European Top Fuel titles.

Away from the race track, Andy is the consummate family man. He is happily married to wife Sarah, and their young son Albert accompanies the team to every event and race meeting. Andy holds English and American pilots' licences and enjoys flying, motorcycling, reading and diving for relaxation.