believe it or not....a night at the drags

FLORIDA STOCK CAR RACING KARNAC's FLORIDA STOCK CAR RACING
1

I expected to drive across the state to watch the sprint cars tonight, but I ended up working on my own all day and didn’t finish until 5 or so. It was too late to go by then, so I took my boys to their first drag race, and my first visit in at least 10 years.

The kids love watching burn-outs, and I hoped to see what that world does differently than ours. It seems like many drag tracks have the momentum going while so many ovals are struggling.

Orlando Speedworld Dragway has one very nice advantage over us. A ticket to the stands also gets you free run of the pits, and it only costs $12. We didn’t have to sign a release; I found that odd. Why do we have to sign releases at the pitgate when at the drags I strolled right in, kids and all?

It really enhanced the overall experience. Volusia does this during the Winternationals, and I just love it (although it is expensive and we have to sign a release). Spectator pit access is an idea that should catch on where ever possible at oval tracks across the country. We need something!

Do you know what the other big difference was? Nothing! I still have no clue why drag racing appears to be more popular. Like some ovals, they had no one sitting in the stands, but there were a lot of competitors there. They faced the same barriers to entry that we have: toter homes, stacker trailers, high overhead teams fighting for too little money. But there they were in force. Maybe the difference was that no one seemed stressed, and were not thrashing on their cars. Most were just standing around waiting. It was way too calm for my taste.

I could never get interested in it. The race is over so fast, and if it goes badly you are on the trailer and going home. They ran lots of street cars with no personality, lots of racecars with no outstanding features either. There were some beautiful racing hot rods, so in that respect it was better than a car show, but seriously, the next time I see 5 old Monte Carlos driving in circles, I will kiss the ground (figuratively speaking) of that oval track.

2

Rex… do yourself & the boys a HUGE favor… go to the Gatornationals 1 time. I believe you WILL change your mind about ‘drag racing’. Most local drag strips don’t bring much in the way of High Performance stuff (quite a few grocery getters with chrome wheels), but a full-blown NHRA event is something that every Motorsports fan needs to experience at least once (and you WON’T stop at one).

It’s a rush that can NOT be described… You will have a brand new appreciation within an hour of walking through the gates.

3

Rex all drag races let you into the pits part of what makes them fun. If you go again try racing (not as easy as you might think) you have to cut a light (have a good reaction time) the best part is anybody can do it. Jerry is right go to the gators once you will love it THE FUEL CARS ARE AMAZING you can not explain them unless you see them. I drag raced for years and I admit spectating sucks at a local level but competing is a rush and you will bring the car home in one piece.

4

tccaz is right, I should try it. Now what vehicle in my fleet should I select? My diesel pick up? No, my wife’s mini van would be faster. Maybe I could run my scooter against the drag bikes!

I respect the teams that get the good cars together. Clearly it takes craftsmanship, dedication and sacrifice, and some of them are very quick.

Maybe for something really different, I would need to see a “import night”. I bet that is where the young racers go, and it would be a very different crowd from what we see at oval tracks. Different or not, they are young gearheads and we need to find a way to reach them to keep our sport healthy.

5

for sure

[B][I]One thing for sure, this is where the youth is. I go to drag races events sometimes in summer, they are all there, the younger crowd. Not at short tracks, at drag tracks.

They are at the short tracks too, when short tracks holds drift events. Bside that, you do not see them there.

And there is a point here to be made as far as participants.

Drag racing: full of youngs
Solo racing: full of youngs
Drift shows: full of youngs
Moto cross: full of youngs
ATV 4X4 : full of youngs

Those are all events where they can participate with their regular everyday stuff.

If somebody would come up with a way that they can use their daily rides(or toys) in a competition of some sort on oval, maybe it could catch up.[/I][/B]

6

[QUOTE=Boneman;142059]tccaz is right, I should try it. Now what vehicle in my fleet should I select? My diesel pick up? No, my wife’s mini van would be faster. Maybe I could run my scooter against the drag bikes!

I respect the teams that get the good cars together. Clearly it takes craftsmanship, dedication and sacrifice, and some of them are very quick.

Maybe for something really different, I would need to see a “import night”. I bet that is where the young racers go, and it would be a very different crowd from what we see at oval tracks. Different or not, they are young gearheads and we need to find a way to reach them to keep our sport healthy.[/QUOTE]

You can always rent a car. It happens all the time rent what you like and have a good time. Part of the lure of drag racing is hundreds of ways to lose but only a few ways to win and if I know a little about you, you like the challenge.

7

[QUOTE=Boneman;142047]I expected to drive across the state to watch the sprint cars tonight, but I ended up working on my own all day and didn’t finish until 5 or so. It was too late to go by then, so I took my boys to their first drag race, and my first visit in at least 10 years.

The kids love watching burn-outs, and I hoped to see what that world does differently than ours. It seems like many drag tracks have the momentum going while so many ovals are struggling.

Orlando Speedworld Dragway has one very nice advantage over us. A ticket to the stands also gets you free run of the pits, and it only costs $12. We didn’t have to sign a release; I found that odd. Why do we have to sign releases at the pitgate when at the drags I strolled right in, kids and all?

It really enhanced the overall experience. Volusia does this during the Winternationals, and I just love it (although it is expensive and we have to sign a release). Spectator pit access is an idea that should catch on where ever possible at oval tracks across the country. We need something!

Do you know what the other big difference was? Nothing! I still have no clue why drag racing appears to be more popular. Like some ovals, they had no one sitting in the stands, but there were a lot of competitors there. They faced the same barriers to entry that we have: toter homes, stacker trailers, high overhead teams fighting for too little money. But there they were in force. Maybe the difference was that no one seemed stressed, and were not thrashing on their cars. Most were just standing around waiting. It was way too calm for my taste.

I could never get interested in it. The race is over so fast, and if it goes badly you are on the trailer and going home. They ran lots of street cars with no personality, lots of racecars with no outstanding features either. There were some beautiful racing hot rods, so in that respect it was better than a car show, but seriously, the next time I see 5 old Monte Carlos driving in circles, I will kiss the ground (figuratively speaking) of that oval track.[/QUOTE]

The reason there’s 150 or more cars racing at every drag race every week is that they don’t have idiotic rules. Now i’m talking about Bracket racing here, the drag racing version of local Saturday night oval track racing. Bracket racing is run whatever you want to run. Your old beater Olds 98 or your 150,000 dollar Pro Mod. The racing is based on times, not rules.
And the reason that works and circle track racing doesn’t is that it gives EVERYONE the chance to compete at whatever level they’re happy with. Every car has to meet safety rules, and as the cars get faster, the safety rules become more stringent.
So if you have an old 455 Pontiac engine in the garage, you can shoehorn it into to your brothers S-10 pickup and go racing. Or you can race you wife’s Subaru WRX. You get to use your ingenuity and mechanical talent to go fast, and to keep going faster as you can afford it. Sounds just like a proposal for successful oval track racing.
As for the race being over in seconds, it’s really all relative. How often have we heard " if the race had only been 2 laps longer ". And because you go home after losing in drag racing, the car and driver have to do everything perfectly on their run. At most tracks you don’t have to go home after losing, you have a at least one buy back, meaning if you lost you can plunk down some money and get another chance.

8

I once drag raced (Saturday night bracket racing)and had my share of Drag/Street cars. It kept me off the street and out of trouble. Does not seem to be the case anymore unfortunately. The last one I had was a 1966 Plymouth Valliant with a Injected (Yes I said injected. Old school mechanical injection. No electronic crap back then) with a .060 383. The oval track did not exit back then, and the one that did I was too young to participate because you had to be 18 just to get into the pits and it closed in 1970. But grew up around Circle Track racers such as the Heckle’s(My adopted family), Funk’s, Faulk’s, Meredith’s, Luscomb, Miles & Bob from the old Brevard Machine and so on. That is where my passion for Circle Track came from. Now I go to the Drags (weekly drags)about once a year to see some old friends (the ones that still live around here and are still living and still racing) and to remind me why I don’t drag race anymore(although I am feeling a slight burn. About 99.8% chance not to though). But for once in my life I have to agree with Frazzon, the “Big Boys” are the one’s to go watch. And they Thrash on those cars all day long. No sitting around for those guys(the Crew). And most of the Pilot’s (drivers) will stop and talk to you 1 on 1.