I miss Drag Racing. (Page 1 of 3)
Posted: 9/9/2026 10:45:02 PM EDT
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This popped up in my feed. Been about 30 years since I have been in the pits and about 25 years since I went to a race.  An Inside Look At NHRA Nitro Racing Oh man so much more electronics now. |
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I miss 1/4 mile runs ETA: nitro |
There were these two fellars standin' on a bridge, a-goin' to the bathroom. One fellar said, "The water's cold" and the other fellar said, "The water's deep". I believe one fella come from Arkansas. Get it?
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Originally Posted By Monsterbishi: You do know that as a grown-up you can go racing without asking for permission? Yep. You don't even need a "race car." But...... Attached File |
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Originally Posted By _Matt_: https://www.getinthestands.com/united-states/louisiana The last time I actually raced was when I took my daily driver 92 Dakota to the track just east of Eunice, how many here remember that place?  Ran 14.60, 1992 Dakota 318 magnum, 518 transmission, v6 torque converter swapped in, Mopar Performance ECU. The last race I spectated at was Capitol State Dragway. |
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Originally Posted By Monsterbishi: You do know that as a grown-up you can go racing without asking for permission? Yep, I just haven't thought about it a long time and this video made me very nostalgic and brought up some memories. I don't try hard to remember stuff lately, just end up too frustrated. |
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| For Father's Day this year I took my stepdad, my father-in-law, and my son to a 1/4-mile figure 8 track. That night they were having Crown Vics in as the main race-it-until-you-wreck-it figure 8. The racing was fun as hell to watch. The smell of cigarette smoke from the welder guy next to us was fucking nostalgic. Does anyone under 40 even remember what 2nd hand smoke smelled like? Not always good, but not always bad. |
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Originally Posted By doc540: SEE LEFTY MUDERSBACH LIGHT HIS NOSTRIL HAIRS ON FIRE AND DRIVE HIS MASSEY FERGUSON TRACTOR DOWN THE QUARTER MILE!!! Originally Posted By doc540: Originally Posted By Dynamo: Sunday! Sunday! SUNDAY! SEE LEFTY MUDERSBACH LIGHT HIS NOSTRIL HAIRS ON FIRE AND DRIVE HIS MASSEY FERGUSON TRACTOR DOWN THE QUARTER MILE!!! We'll sell you the whole seat but you'll only need the edge! BE THERE! |
 9 9 2026 Big Jakes Race Testing Wed |
Tom Sawyer.
"If The Rules brought us to this, what use are they?"
"If The Rules brought us to this, what use are they?"
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Originally Posted By OSUBeaver: Yep. You don't even need a "race car." But...... https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/24593/flow_jpg-3825085.JPG I'm at the "Sell them" stage. |
Tom Sawyer.
"If The Rules brought us to this, what use are they?"
"If The Rules brought us to this, what use are they?"
Jungle Pam  ETA: and my local dragstrip shutdown  But we have a pretty nice new race track that opened up |
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Originally Posted By Gtdhw: I "found" drag racing at the local drag strip when I was 32. At 50, I run two cars every Saturday and my son (now 21 but started in jr. dragster @ 9yo) runs his as well. Best of times. First time at a drag race for me was in the early 1980's with a stock Kawasaki GPz 550 that ran low 13's and got second place at my first racing event. Won a whole $20.00 Last drag bike I rode was a Suzuki 1100 a couple of years later, it ran 9.53 at I think 155 mph. It's amazing what you can remember sometimes. I have 3 daughters and none ever showed any interest in racing or cars, so I spent years bringing them to softball. |
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Originally Posted By Klee: This popped up in my feed. Been about 30 years since I have been in the pits and about 25 years since I went to a race.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLukrjx7DRUOh man so much more electronics now. |
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+1 County offered to cover 1/2 the cost to pave the road to the local drag strip as it became a dangerous quagmire if there was a storm during the races . Especially for trucks and trailers . Then once everything was lined up they crawdad' on the deal. No other county would permit a track to open , so the guy sold the place. Now it's a hog confinement farm. |
Originally Posted By BigeasySnow:
It’s the internet. It’s for bitching.
It’s the internet. It’s for bitching.
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I grew up within earshot of Englishtown Raceway Park. Been there many times, was close enough to ride my bicycle there. My brother even won a Dr. Pepper 10 speed bike (Murray brand). I remember being real young, and when he won the bike, we got to go sit down behind the starting line in a small set of bleachers. That was pretty intense. No ear protection, no parents near us, just 2 kids at the race. |
Award: 24/365 Most likely to be an appendix.
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"Dealing with Congress is like trying to have an adult conversation about the credit card with your alcoholic bi-polar Ukranian import wife."
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I’ve been around drag racing all my life starting around 5 now 52. This has been the first year I haven’t raced. I quit after last season it got stupidly expensive and my helmet/harness etc were expired so I said fuck it. Found a cheaper hobby without the stress. My car ran high 5’s at near 120 mph in the 1/8th drove to and from the track no trailer. This wasn’t competitive in heads up small tire racing and I didn’t want try to keep up with the jones’. My buddies daughter won the points series for teen bracket racing in her c7 corvette so I support her otherwise I’ve lost interest. |
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Been enjoying it since the early '50s, but never participated, got into horses instead. Come visit us, quite an experience if you've never been here. Bring good ear protection. There's a reason it's called Thunder Valley. |
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| I used to go to the drag races at Thunder Valley with my dad we always had a goodtime in the pits and he has lots of stuff signed by John Force. I haven't been back since he died and don't know if I could go without him as it was something we did as father and son. I just can't Imagin walking around the pits and standing there smelling Nitro methane while they are tuning cars by myself. |
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Been going since 1970. Used to drag my various motorcycles over the years. Recently I've been watching the no prep radial tire drags like war in the woods. It embodies what I remember drag racing was like. Crazy young guys in a totally grass roots innovation / competition. Almost everyone in competition is young and hungry for the win. Lots of different ideas of forced induction and aerodynamics. |
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Originally Posted By terryj: we're down to one 1/8 mile track. 1/8 mile sucks.  I’m inclined to disagree considering how fast cars are today. Pro mod running mid 3s at over 230mph and small tire drag radial cars running mid 4s at over 150. |
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Originally Posted By Coffin-Nail: I hate that idiot tanked the IHRA and the chances of getting my local track back open. Gone like a fart in the wind. I worked 20 seasons at Maple Grove. Grew up playing in the stones under the grandstands, was out there every weekend. Met my wife there, and have family members on the track walk of fame. When the track is in operation, I can often hear the racing from my house. But now it's shut down because Cuttell is a jackass, and no one is sure what is going to happen. My hope is the rumor that Koretsky's are still owed money from the sale turns out to be true, and it goes back to them (and likely back to part of NHRA) |
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Originally Posted By Coffin-Nail: I hate that idiot tanked the IHRA and the chances of getting my local track back open. Gone like a fart in the wind. |
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Originally Posted By Klee: I miss Drag Racing which one is you? Attached File |
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Originally Posted By RunsonCLP: For Father's Day this year I took my stepdad, my father-in-law, and my son to a 1/4-mile figure 8 track. That night they were having Crown Vics in as the main race-it-until-you-wreck-it figure 8. The racing was fun as hell to watch. The smell of cigarette smoke from the welder guy next to us was fucking nostalgic. Does anyone under 40 even remember what 2nd hand smoke smelled like? Not always good, but not always bad. The smell of cigarettes and beer in the air is nostalgic of many things. |
For your pleasure or your pain, society is a game.
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Originally Posted By tonysoprano150: I’m inclined to disagree considering how fast cars are today. Pro mod running mid 3s at over 230mph and small tire drag radial cars running mid 4s at over 150. Originally Posted By tonysoprano150: Originally Posted By terryj: we're down to one 1/8 mile track. 1/8 mile sucks. I’m inclined to disagree considering how fast cars are today. Pro mod running mid 3s at over 230mph and small tire drag radial cars running mid 4s at over 150. Drag radial cars over 200 mph in the 1/8th. This is a 315/60/15 tire. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/bBJVjhPRSGE |
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| MIlan Dragway in Michigan used to host truck races between local trash haulers years ago. my dad and grandfather used to take a couple of trucks out every year. Sure was fun to watch when i was a little guy. It was a lot of fun to see those big ass trucks make 30 second passes. |
I miss old school street drag racing. Nothing better than an old video of street racing |
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It is an addiction. The beauty of drag racing is that anyone can do it. It is only as expensive as you want it to be. Drag racing folks are really welcoming as well.  10/11/25 5.99 |
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Originally Posted By Monsterbishi: You do know that as a grown-up you can go racing without asking for permission? I’m taking my little work truck down the 1/4 mile next Wednesday nite. With the little turbo, I’m expecting about 14.5  Not as much fun as the Mustang. 
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10/22/14 I stand with Canada