You know what we drag racers really need around here is? We need a NHRA certified drag way located in the Hampton Roads area.
����������� Drag racing is an extremely expensive sport. Even racing in a small organization within a budget oriented class can require an investment in the $50,000 to $100,000 range. Not included in the material investment, travel is the next major expense in any kind of sport. If you have to travel long distances to get to a race it could cost you $500 to just get to and from a race. It might cost you $150 just to go to a local track and practice on your own time.
����������� A race track located within the Seven Cities area would be a great attraction for us. I am talking about within a 30 minute drive of Hampton. We have two drag ways by Richmond, but they are not NHRA sanctioned. They also require an hour and 15 minutes to and hour and 45 minutes drive time. That could be longer depending on how big your trailer is you are towing. If you drive your race car to the track then it might not take as long. A closer track will still benefit the ?weekend racer? because they usually have to overload their daily-driver-racecars with equipment and drive long distances in an unsafe manner to get to the closest track. This is not a pleasant experience believe me. Plus it messes up the interior of your car being all loaded down with dirty tires and jacks and stuff.
Wally Parks Founder NHRA
����������� The NHRA is the National Hot Rod Association. This drag racing organization has been around the longest of all of them. It was founded by Wally Parks in 1951. 1953 was the year for the first race of the NHRA. The location was a parking lot at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds in Pomona, California. That track has since been totally renovated to house the first and last races of the NHRA season. This exansive upgrade was put into motion by the 2nd president of the organization Dallas Gardner. The NHRA had its first national event in Great Bend, Kansas in 1955. Now the NHRA is fifty years old. It is one of the largest motorsports sanctioning bodies with 80,000 members, over 140 tracks, 35,000 licensed competitors, and 5,000 track events. (www.NHRA.com)  The NHRA has the most stringent safety regulations of all the drag racing sanctions. If you compare the NHRA rule book to the IHRA "International Hot Rod Association" rule book you will see for your self. The NHRA is the most popular of the two drag racing organizations. It has a much higher level of competition within, and between the classes of racers. More money is also involved within the organization. The payouts for winning a race are higher, and the sponsors pay more money. The NHRA cost more to race in than the IHRA, but that is part of being in a better all around organization.
����������� The organizations of the events in an NHRA race usually go much smoother and faster than an IHRA race. I think this is one of the most important assets if you are a racer. The racer count could be over 1000 cars for a single event. If you want to get the racing done in time you have to have maximum efficiency in getting the different classes down the race track.
The strictness of the safety regulations also helps in the speed of the race. The more cars that break down during a race cause the race to take much longer than usual. If an accident does happen during a race the track safety crew that is better trained and funded usually wins out. The safety regulations are more stringent for the actual cars and drivers. This decreases the chances of injury to us the drivers greatly. Hey, the NHRA wants us to come back and race another day.
           Track conditions are much better on NHRA race tracks. The race tracks are better maintained and of higher quality than IHRA race tracks. These superior racing conditions make it easier to run faster times and set more records. This is why the competition is much higher and more fun to watch. The faster the better in drag racing!
Spectators and sponsors like the NHRA over the IHRA also. The turn out for national event races is usually higher in the NHRA compared to the IHRA. I believe all of this equals more enjoyment for the fans, and more profit for the businesses.
          Racing in a controlled environment is always better than racing in and uncontrolled one. The race track is so much safer than racing on the street, and it?s legal. Even if you are wagering illegally at the race track, it is still better than racing on the street. The starting line is much more reliable than at a street race. The race track has accurate timing equipment and precision starting lights. You can make sure that both drivers have an equal start. Another advantage to a race track is that there is no traffic to worry about! If you race on the street you have to look out for oncoming car and the like. Trees are a big worry taken away at the race track. They always say ?the tree always wins in car accidents.? �
          I believe that all of these qualities will give our local area more interesting and safer things to do. A race track in the local vicinity can help with keeping our streets safer from racing involved accidents. I know a local track will help with the economy in giving people jobs, and making more people interested in modifying their cars to race! People that race cars spend more money at local automobile parts shops than people who don?t. Racers buy more aftermarket parts, and usually do more maintenance on there vehicles. I can?t forget that racers and spectators will spend more money at the track. If a track is closer, the opportunity to go is greater to. �
          An NHRA sanctioned race track would be a great addition to all of the major attractions in this area. It would also be a lot of fun to race at to!
Clint Nicholson
English 111
Summer 2005
Works Cited
"NHRA history: Drag racing's fast start." NHRA. Online. July 21,2005.                <http://www.nhra.com/apcm/templates/about.asp?articleid=3263&zoneid=101>.
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