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So I’m supposed to tell you about the drag races, according to my mom.
The ‘ZMax’ track (I’m not sure why it’s called that) is apparently brand new in Charlotte. It’s a nice track..clean, mostly orderly. The parking lot is confusing. Once you get in you’re allowed to walk around. The people will let you go anywhere except onto the track in front of a dragster..although if you tried to go there, they might just let you get run over by a smoke-belching ‘vette.
I went on Friday. It was the very first qualifying event, so there were seventy or so cars in line to race and a bunch more in the pits. I don’t know much about the pits themselves, because it was too crowded to walk around without getting in someone’s way. Also, I was only there for about an hour and didn’t have time to chat with everyone.
There were new cars ready to go as soon as the others had finished their twelve-second runs to the finish. It looked like most of the Queen City Corvette club was at the race. There were some Mustangs, a couple of Vipers, and one or two more expensive cars. And, of course, some stupid vehicles that nobody in their right mind would want to race...there was a heavily modified PT Cruiser on the track. It looked like every kid with a souped-up Plymouth from had shown up to race...there were plenty of bad cars. One of the Mustangs started blowing black smoke from under the hood before its race started and wouldn’t run.
Anyway, it was pretty fun to watch, and not too crowded on a Friday morning. I might have gone again in the afternoon since I had a free ticket, but there were other things going on.

WOO-HOO!

Thanks!

“ZMax” is the sponsor of the track. I can’t remember if it’s the track sticky stuff (it will pull your foot out of your shoe if you walk on it before it is set,) or a car polish...seems like it should be the latter!

Most Drag race tracks ARE clean because it’s a “safety issue.” And most of the fans comply with the “rules” as the track announcer lays them down, especially before a national event.

If you’re part of the “pit crew” (indicated by a colored wrist band) you can get onto the track in order to photograph or video the racer you are the pit crew for. Otherwise, you have to stand behind the wall.

You also don’t want to stand behind the cars during a burn-out, as you’ll get “cooties” on you...rubber from the tires, and sludge from the track!

If it’s mostly a local event, or sponsored by a car maker (Chevy does a lot of them) you will see more of one kind than others, and local clubs will come to show off their cars. Lots of restorations and antiques.

The cars that “nobody in their right mind would want to race” (LOL!) are probably the pride and joy of the owners, who spend their last dime on a part of some kind. It’s an addictive sport, for sure!

Most of the entries are in “brackets” of speed and time. The drivers use white shoe polish on the windows that designate the time they think it will take to get to the finish light. Sometimes, if a faster car races a slower car (luck of the draw) the faster car will have to wait a second or two for the slower car to leave before it gets a green light.

It’s a lot of fun to go and learn things, and I’m sure, when you get farther into your auto class, you will have more opportunity to see more races.

I’ve been going to drag races for most of my life (when I went to my first one, it was on a county road, out in the farmland!) but I still ask questions. I still have to look at cars, engines, and equipment, and once in a while, if the announcers aren’t too busy, I can go up and bother them.

It’s a fun place to kill some time, and I appreciate you taking the time to tell me! (I was SO excited for you! LOL!)