Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/06/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Of all the various paid sporting events I?ve ever been to, the drag races have absolutely the least separation between spectators and participants, at this track anyway. There is a small parking lot for fans right next to the stands, for convenience, but you can park wherever you want. At the drag strip there is no ?pit? area, just big parking lots on either side of the track. This is where the racers line up their trucks and trailers, and unload the cars. Any mechanical work takes place here, as well as warm-up driving. Everyone is walking around visiting and checking out the competition. The only parking rules are custom and courtesy. http://gallery.leica-users.org/album404/parking_pits At this track there is a broad lane from the parking lots, along back of the stands, leading to the bottom of the track. This is where the racers queue up waiting their turns to run. The fences are present only to define lanes, and there is no avoiding moving in and through the mass of cars and drivers. http://gallery.leica-users.org/album404/lane Even though the line moves fairly quickly (each race only lasts seconds), there is still a lot of standing around and waiting, trash talking, haranguing the officials, and running to the concession stand for snacks (send the spouse or kid). Interestingly, to me anyway, there is a much higher proportion of black participation in drag racing, by far, than any of the other motor sports I?ve witnessed. http://gallery.leica-users.org/album404/car_driver1 http://gallery.leica-users.org/album404/car_driver2 http://gallery.leica-users.org/album404/car_driver3 The concession stand sells sodas, junk food, and earplugs (but this evening the sign said: ?No Earplugs tonight - Don?t even ask?). The noise can be shattering. Small boys stick their fingers in their ears http://gallery.leica-users.org/album404/noise and grown men shelter behind their spit cups. http://gallery.leica-users.org/album404/burnout This is the ?burnout? at the bottom end of the track, when drivers spin their wheels on water-slicked pavement in order to get the wheels hot so that they become soft and offer better traction. Immediately after this the cars come up to the starting line, and usually there is no more than 10-20 seconds between the burnout and the actual race. http://gallery.leica-users.org/album404/downthetrack All the watchable action is at the starting end of the track, and spectators are separated from the cars only by a chain-link and a low wall. This is where most of the crowd is all evening. This Toyota truck stomped that Camaro turning in a time of 6.99 seconds for the quarter mile. http://gallery.leica-users.org/album404/start1 Then again, that Toyota truck is a Toyota truck like I?m Arnold Schwarzenegger. Wait - I?ve got that backwards. Time trials take up most of the daylight, and actual races begin in the evening. One of my students, whose dad races a Chevelle here, tells me they?ll run races, sometimes, until 3 in the morning. As the wind dies, the pall of tire-smoke hangs at the starting line. http://gallery.leica-users.org/album404/night1 http://gallery.leica-users.org/album404/night2 Still smelling of burnt rubber, Arche