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Went to the local dragstrip as a spectator...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stever89
  • Start date Start date Jun 27, 2011

Stever89

5 Year Member
Dec 14, 2009
536
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Biloxi, MS
Jun 27, 2011
#1
  • Jun 27, 2011
  • #1
I'm fairly new to the whole drag racing scene. I've never drag raced anything, but plan to take my coupe when I feel I'm ready, and the car too. So in the meantime I've read and watched videos about it. Next I decided to go the annual "Street Wars" at my local dragstrip. Now I realize "Street Wars" is a "run-what-you-brung" thing, no real competition, all kinds of vehicles, some built up and some plain stock. It's all in fun.

What got me was the overall ignorance of the whole thing by the drivers. I lost count of how many guys staged (double-bulbed) before the other driver even got to the line, how many deep-staged, and how many took passengers. If you're tweaking for better times, why take an extra 150-200 lbs along? I saw the same cars coming back over and over like they were trying to get better times, but had their gf in the passenger seat

It was a fun day though, saw some fast cars, saw some complete idiots in ricers too

It all made me feel a lot more comfortable about it. I know know if I screw up, I won't the only one by a mile
 

CarMichael Angelo

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,
15 Year Member
Nov 29, 1999
10,641
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Birmingham, al
Jun 27, 2011
#2
  • Jun 27, 2011
  • #2
Sounds like "local track USA" to me.

As long as the track owner(s) make no attempt to educate the participants as to proper track etiquette, and do not enforce any safety rules or requirements, then I would expect every bit of what you saw.

(Although I no longer go to any of them,) for a true "reality check" you need to go to a few "grudge tracks" like we have down here in da south.
I'm talkin' abandoned WWII airstrips like Tuskegee, AL. and/or any of an assortment of these obscure strips of asphalt that end up in the middle of nowhere Alabama, Mississippi, or Georgia that I have been to.

Not only do we have all of the above as you've described, but throw in some serious money being bet, Loud Gangsta Rap pouring out of the P/A system between rounds, Spectators openly drinking cans of alcohol w/ bulls on the label lining the fence, (if there even is one) EZ ups w/ BBQ "entrepreneurs" all over the place, an unknown assortment of unregistered handguns, and some really pissed off sore losers, and you got yourself an interesting evening
 

Stever89

5 Year Member
Dec 14, 2009
536
9
39
Biloxi, MS
Jun 27, 2011
#3
  • Jun 27, 2011
  • #3
madmike1157 said:
Sounds like "local track USA" to me.

As long as the track owner(s) make no attempt to educate the participants as to proper track etiquette, and do not enforce any safety rules or requirements, then I would expect every bit of what you saw.

(Although I no longer go to any of them,) for a true "reality check" you need to go to a few "grudge tracks" like we have down here in da south.
I'm talkin' abandoned WWII airstrips like Tuskegee, AL. and/or any of an assortment of these obscure strips of asphalt that end up in the middle of nowhere Alabama, Mississippi, or Georgia that I have been to.

Not only do we have all of the above as you've described, but throw in some serious money being bet, Loud Gangsta Rap pouring out of the P/A system between rounds, Spectators openly drinking cans of alcohol w/ bulls on the label lining the fence, (if there even is one) EZ ups w/ BBQ "entrepreneurs" all over the place, an unknown assortment of unregistered handguns, and some really pissed off sore losers, and you got yourself an interesting evening
Click to expand...

I'm south of you in Biloxi the track I went to is in Gulfport

Gulfport Dragway, Mississippi Gulf Coast

Not that bad of a place, I'd been there before, long time ago. I didn't really pay attention to the shenanigans going on in the staging lanes before. No rap, folks were drinking (heck I brought my own cooler) a couple of beer stands and hotdogs. Weather was great. Didn't see any weapons, thankfully!
 

NIKwoaC

中國製造
15 Year Member
Oct 31, 2006
5,525
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Chengdu Province
Jun 27, 2011
#4
  • Jun 27, 2011
  • #4
Whenever I've go to the track, it's a test and tune night, and I don't care what's going on in the other lane. I've been lined up against 16 second Saturns, 13 second BMWs, and 11 second muscle, so I rarely give much thought to strategy in my staging. I just race myself, try to get a better ET and reaction time.
 

Stever89

5 Year Member
Dec 14, 2009
536
9
39
Biloxi, MS
Jun 27, 2011
#5
  • Jun 27, 2011
  • #5
NikwoaC said:
Whenever I've go to the track, it's a test and tune night, and I don't care what's going on in the other lane. I've been lined up against 16 second Saturns, 13 second BMWs, and 11 second muscle, so I rarely give much thought to strategy in my staging. I just race myself, try to get a better ET and reaction time.
Click to expand...

I suppose you're right. This aint bowling
 

Cobra912

Active Member
May 1, 2005
1,777
11
39
Wish I was anywhere but here
Jun 27, 2011
#6
  • Jun 27, 2011
  • #6
madmike1157 said:
Sounds like "local track USA" to me.

As long as the track owner(s) make no attempt to educate the participants as to proper track etiquette, and do not enforce any safety rules or requirements, then I would expect every bit of what you saw.

(Although I no longer go to any of them,) for a true "reality check" you need to go to a few "grudge tracks" like we have down here in da south.
I'm talkin' abandoned WWII airstrips like Tuskegee, AL. and/or any of an assortment of these obscure strips of asphalt that end up in the middle of nowhere Alabama, Mississippi, or Georgia that I have been to.

Not only do we have all of the above as you've described, but throw in some serious money being bet, Loud Gangsta Rap pouring out of the P/A system between rounds, Spectators openly drinking cans of alcohol w/ bulls on the label lining the fence, (if there even is one) EZ ups w/ BBQ "entrepreneurs" all over the place, an unknown assortment of unregistered handguns, and some really pissed off sore losers, and you got yourself an interesting evening
Click to expand...


LOL ^^ I wanna visit these places!

I visited Mobile last spring, couldn't find any track stuff going on.
 

Cobra912

Active Member
May 1, 2005
1,777
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39
Wish I was anywhere but here
Jun 27, 2011
#7
  • Jun 27, 2011
  • #7
The biggest problem with drag racing.......it's addicting.
 

Mr. Rustypwnz

Advanced Member
Jun 1, 2005
1,761
63
69
indianapolis/ valdosta ga
Jun 27, 2011
#8
  • Jun 27, 2011
  • #8
Cobra912 said:
The biggest problem with drag racing.......it's addicting.
Click to expand...

trying to go faster is addicting, whether that be on a track or a back road lol.
 
9

90stang5speed

Member
Jan 19, 2009
582
2
19
Columbus Ga
Jun 27, 2011
#9
  • Jun 27, 2011
  • #9
You're right about it being addictive. I havent been to a track in over a year & Im really looking forward to checking out the local 1/8 mile track over in Al. I just want to watch some cool cars. I hope I dont run into the crap Mike mentioned above but, I do expect some of it. Once I get the car back together, I hope I dont run into the sore losers with hand guns lol.
 

BlackGT89

Member
Dec 16, 2002
774
8
18
Huntsville, AL
Jun 28, 2011
#10
  • Jun 28, 2011
  • #10
At least you guys have a local drag strip to go to. The Huntsville Dragway (1/8 mile) got hit by one of the tornadoes that came through here back in late April. It was already in trouble so I guess it's closed indefinately now.
 

90mustangGT

I felt sorry for girls because
Founding Member
Jan 15, 2002
2,773
17
89
Dallas, GA
Jun 29, 2011
#11
  • Jun 29, 2011
  • #11
Yes, the jokes that happen at tracks can actually frustrate some of us. What's more annoying to me than the amatures and ricers is the "semi-pro" type that make a real production of everything. You're launching a drag car, not a space shuttle.

BlackGT89 said:
At least you guys have a local drag strip to go to. The Huntsville Dragway (1/8 mile) got hit by one of the tornadoes that came through here back in late April. It was already in trouble so I guess it's closed indefinately now.
Click to expand...

I feel your pain. I live so close to a closed dragstrip that when it was open, you could hear it in my neighborhood. Southeastern International Dragway opened in 1955 and closed in 2005, and at one time, it and Yellow River were the big tracks here in GA. I'm still bummed over it sometimes, because the closest track from here is 100mi about. It really puts a damper on things.
 
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