Drag Racing 101

The dragster JFA sponsored in Virginia

By John Freivalds

Little did I know when we moved to Lexington that I would become an aficionado of drag racing in the Shenandoah Valley. Hey I'm a Georgetown University grad where I studied practical things like what were the causes of the Peloponnesian War (434 BC).

For you drag racing challenged Wikipedia defines drag racing as "a type of motor racing in which automobiles compete usually two at a time to be first to cross a set fish line."  The racing season is in full gear and it's a sport that guys (mostly guys) of modest means, who tinker with gasoline powered cars in their garages, can compete in.

And it's a dying sport as I don't think we will have Tesla and electric cars drag racing in the future. For one thing they are too quiet. I can't envision two good ol' boys chewing on toothpicks standing by their electric cars and one asking "Whatch you got under the hood?' and the other proudly answers "I got me a Tesla synchronous AC-DC motor with a magnified starter coil.""

But today drag racing is all over the valley and tucked away in hollers. No, it's not the NASCAR circle with big fancy oval tracks, colorfully logoed race cars, fire proof glistening track suits and big money sponsors. The one in Bristol is the closest to Roanoke but the Roanoke Drag strip shut down in the 1960's but others remain in New London, Fairlawn and Callaway. No big corporate sponsor or jet flyovers to start the races but the track burgers are usually good. Just hometown boys who build and race the cars themselves mostly out of the joy as there isn't a lot of prize money. Top prize at the Eastside Speedway in Waynesboro where I go to is $2000 but entry is $75. Most tracks are a 1/8th of a mile and top speeds get to over 100 mph. Really fast is 4 seconds.

Ok. I knew nothing about drag racing except that scene from that classic movie Rebel Without a Cause (my generation's Fast and Furious) where James Dean races a mean guy named Buzz who dies in a drag race, playing "chicken" with Dean.

My education to drag racing began when I hired J.C. as my handy man. He told me of his passion for drag racing with a "souped" up 1969 white Chevy. He christened it White Lightning which guzzles costly aviation fuel. "Got to come watch me sometime." I did and gave him some money in return for putting our logo on his back fender. Now I can tell people I am a snooty sponsor of racing car! Ok it doesn't race at LeMans but Waynesboro but you go with what you got.

You would think there are no rules to this basic sport but wait. The physics of drag racing are that for every 100 pounds of weight you gain a tenth of a second of speed. Then of course: external kill switch on all cars 7.00 or faster; the drive shaft loop must be 360 degrees; wheel studs must protrude through wheels on thread and MSD Digital 7 plus box part #7531 is prohibited. The list goes on.

This part of the valley is full old-time stuff, Lexington has one of the last Drive inn movie theaters and Waynesboro will be having a "lost on the 1960's” nostalgia race to close out this year’s racing season.

So, there you have it: Drag Racing 101.