I remember as a teenager going to the Norwalk, Ohio track and watching a few races back in the 70's. Never saw any Nationals there but the urge to get on the track and drive a car as fast as possible for a quarter mile was the definition of being a "guy". It was Ford against Chevy...Mustang vs Corvette...big block engines running open headers...the smell of gasoline, man was it a great way to spend a Friday or Saturday night. And meet cool chicks.
Then life took place and I was away from the track for 20 years or so. Boy did things change.
In the mid-90's my office manager had two sons who raced pro-stock at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Tx just south of Dallas. I attended a Nationals race in the spring of 95. Built out in the middle of lots of vacant real estate it was a nice 45-minute ride to get pumped for racing (see my M post regarding Metallica's Fuel song).
Most of the parking was in a grass field. Getting tickets for pit access and seats at the starting line. The smell of the nitro when they are tuning the engines in the pits. The mechanics looking like space aliens wearing gas masks to avoid breathing the fumes. (I am here to tell you that the first time you stand too close to a car getting ready in the pits and inhale a full blast of that nitro exhaust...you think you will never breathe again. If it happens to you more than once you are an idiot.) Getting to walk right up to the greatest drag racers of all time and talk to them, get pictures taken and pictures signed...that two or three hours before the Sunday finals are the best. And the funnel cakes are pretty damn good too !
The Texas Motorplex 1/4 mile track:
Every once in a while you see something spectacular happen:
Just this week in Charlotte, NC in four-wide Funny Car qualifying.
I was actually in the stands a few years ago when the entire car body went flying off one of the FC's. Wildest thing I ever saw.
My favorite Top Fuel driver was Kenny Bernstein and, by a long shot, my favorite Funny Car driver is John Force. Both were big fan favorites and Force was so dominant in Funny Car as to be unbelievable...15 time Champion. His daughter Ashley is now also a Funny Car driver, and in the video below (I know it's pretty long but it is a good one) she defeats her dad for the win in this particular nationals back in 2008...topping out at 320 miles an hour. That and she is stunningly good looking...could there be a totally hotter woman on the planet!!
If you have never been, look for a track near you that runs the Nationals and take in a race. Friday nights they usually do qualifying under the lights so these 8000hp machines breathe fire into the night air. Closest thing in real life there is to seeing and hearing a dragon! It is spectacular. Sundays are the finals. Go get your blood pumping. I promise you will thank me...make sure to take ear plugs!
Night qualifying
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| One word: BADASS! See U tomorrow! |
15 comments:
You write with passion about your favorite sport because that is what you feel. The young girl is very pretty and an attractive addition to the race track.
Although I'm not the biggest race fan, this was a great post! It's good to see a writer writing about a subject that's dear to them. It actually makes me want to go to one of these races (although I don't know any in Massachusetts).
P.S. That girl is incredibly hot!
I have a cousin who used to drag race funny cars. At the time she was one of the only/first female race car drivers.
Hi Chuck - Totally terrific "T" post. I grew up watching the Indy 500 and used to race go-carts (way back in the dark ages). Your post stirred up some fond memories -thanks!
Jenny @ Pearson Report
Co-Host of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.
Love the first video. Pretty amazing how he can just step out unscathed from what remains of his car. Imagine driving and your car just blows up!
You're spotlighting a great variety of topics, Chuck. Very fun. Drag racing always scared me...when watching it on screen. I never got any closer to it. Are the male racers as hot as the females? Perhaps I should get closer to it.
xoRobyn
Qualifying must be an impressive sight!
The Golden Eagle
The Eagle's Aerial Perspective
That's what we need! More women in car racing.
Great post Chuck! For many years I lived very close to one of the top drag strips in the U.S. It was called Lion's Drag Strip. The noise wasn't just deafening, you could FEEL it. There was another well known one (Orange County) about 25 miles away. I LOVED going to the drags. If I could afford it, I always got a pit pass. It blew my mind that they would totally tear down the motors of the fuelers and funny cars between races! My favorites were in the fuel altered class and top gas! Stone, Woods and Cook's 1941 Willy's was my all time favorite. Have you ever gone to the nostalgia drags? Sorry, I didn't mean to geek out, but I just couldn't help it...
I am going to search long and hard for an actual dragon race with real live dragons. That has to be unbelievable.
Manzanita: Thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes, Ashley is a phenom!
Chiz: I assure you if you attended one time you would be hooked...and there's lot of hot chicks there all the time!
Johanna: No kidding? That is pretty cool. Did you ever go see her?
Jenny: Glad you enjoyed it. I find oval track racing a little too monotonous and really get into the adrenalin shot that is drag racing. Four seconds and its over...no time for the slightest mistake.
Nick: Did you see how pissed he was that that whole thing happened?? Amazing your thoughts can be on anything other than being glad to be alive!
Robyn: There has to be a track somewhere near you...check it out...you may find THAT guy!
Eagle: It all is impressive. There is nothing that can prepare you for the experience. Broaden your horizon...go.
Alex: There is another gal that races pro motorcycles... now THAT's crazy! She is pretty hot too.
Wow, she is good looking. I've never seen this type of sport before but it looks like it would take your breath away.
When I was a teen I used to babysit for a family that was into drag racing. I got to ride during one once. Scarrrry.
Clarissa: IF you ever get the chance, take it. It will take your breath away and you will feel it go right through you. A unique experience.
Donna: I'm betting it was...and they didn't go near as fast as they do now!
I've been to one real race, and it was such fun. Some day I'll make it back again. I enjoyed the sound of the cars, the smell of the gasoline. I also think it's great fun that she beat her dad. I bet that was one of his proudest moments.
Shannon at The Warrior Muse, co-host of the 2012 #atozchallenge! Twitter: @AprilA2Z
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