THURSDAY NIGHTS AT IRWINDALE DRAGSTRIP
THURSDAY NIGHTS AT IRWINDALE DRAGSTRIP … WARM BREEZES, BRIGHT LIGHTS & HOT COMPETITION Irwindale, Calif. - - So, what's the big draw for 1,500 fans and some 200+ race cars every Thursday night at Irwindale Dragstrip? There's no multi-thousand-dollar first prizes, nor gleaming trophies taller than a grown man. There's no network TV, no press box full of sweating journalists yelling and pounding out stories on smoking laptops. No national points championships on the line … Heck, there aren't ANY points on the line Thursday nights at Irwindale. What IS there on Thursday nights at the new NHRA-sanctioned Irwindale Dragstrip; is a pit area filled with every type and style of street legal machine imaginable and a grandstand chocked-full of all types, styles, and ages of happy fans who know a motorsports watching bargain when they are presented with one. That's the main attraction … Good old fashion, mano-a-mano drag racing, warm breezes, bright lights and a party atmosphere where a delightfully diverse group of fans come together to cheer every run from the stockest of the stock street cars to the snarling beasts that are “legally” street legal but are only “seen” on the streets when being trailered to Irwindale in their haulers. It's easy to get into the mood when the motors rev up and the rubber starts burning. Thursday nights at Irwindale are known officially as “Test and Tune Nights” (or “T'N'T” for short). What that means is that somewhere in the region of 200 cars show up along with 1,500 or so fans and we drag race from quarter to five until ten at night. An enthusiastic Safety Tech Crew greets each entrant (veteren racer or first-timer) in the same way: “Great to see you here (back or for the first time) at Irwindale, It's a great night for some drag racing!” That's the idea, these guys checking each car are enthusiasts themselves and truly thrive on the work. A “slow night” of less than 150 cars form them to check makes them feel lonely and unwanted … The more cars through their capable hands, signed-off and on the way to the starting line, the better … They'll keep the line open late, as long as there are cars coming in … That's the way they like it. The track is one-eighth mile, 660 feet, featuring a perfectly-flat laser-laid concrete launch pad that's gooped-up with plenty of VHT traction tonic, the full NHRA “Christmas Tree” staging and starting lights system, and accurate-to-the-millisecond printed timing slips that provide a printed record of the competitors' every aspect of their run from reaction time (how fast the driver took off after the green light flashed on) to 60-foot times including top speed and total elapsed time. On their way back each driver stops at the timing shack to get that precious “EKG” (time slip) of their run … And then comes the fun part: Irwindale's return road runs up to the pits right between the spectators and the drag strip, only the width of a four foot tall chain link fence separates the drivers from the fans as they make their way back to the pits. The crowd excitement is truly palpable … Fans hoot and holler for each driver as they pass by in review at the proscribed 5MPH … Outstretched hands are slapped and direct, personal encouragement is liberally doled out by the enthusiastic crowd. Gene Bergstrom (the BIG BOSS of the operation) keeps a low profile, making sure that even the smallest of details is under the control of his minuscule but mighty staff. Every job: pre-tech, line-up, timing/scoring, staging, starting, the timing slip shack, security, concessions, souvenirs, and the on-track safety crew is vitally important to the show and he's the unseen ringmaster. Maybe its Bergstrom's twenty-plus years in the upper echelons of NHRA management that gives him all his energy … Much more likely it's the competitors' and fans' passion for the straight-line sport that never fails to light off his burners week after week. Track announcer John Partridge's mike work is best described as “fun-knowledgeable”. The NHRA pro (and son of NHRA legend, Bernie) works the crowd with good humor and the knowledge that he's talking to a group that encompasses many who have been in the sport longer that he has (which is a long, long time) along with some who are attending their first-ever organized drag race. John's enthusiasm is contagious, his self-deprecation (“… Uhm … Hello … Uhm, Is this mike on?”) is endearing, and his unabashed personal excitement about being at a drag racing event is just plain cool. History and the present collide every Thursday night at Irwindale Dragstrip and John's wizardry as the voice of the drag strip keeps everyone informed, entertained, and always in the mood for some mighty fine motoring. “How many want to hear me just shut up … Raise your hands!,” he'll shout, and everyone raises their hands in mock agreement showing that they really are listening to every word. As with all NHRA events, the fan's ticket is also a pit pass. Open pits mingle with parking places and the fans are part of the plan from square one. The pits are a combination car show, hot new idea incubator, social gathering, mid-week family outing, classroom, test lab, automotive magazine writers' fun zone, and car club meeting. If an Irwindale visitor doesn't see at least one car that interests them, they just aren't looking around enough, or perhaps they ought to stick to bowling on Thursday nights. From nitrous to bone-stock, the pit area is a car-nut's hippest happy hunting ground. If all of the above leads some one to conclude that Thursday nights at Irwindale Dragstrip are something of a throwback to the good old days of drag racing some 30 or 40 years ago, they would be very correct, sir. Add the modern conveniences, clean restrooms, plenty of parking, easy access, fair prices, and some new tech and you've got a fully-functioning, happening night at America's hottest motor participation sport. Freeway close, friendly and FAST … that's Irwindale Dragstrip on a Thursday night. GATES OPEN AT 4:00 PM EVERY THURSDAY (Beeee Therrrrre!) FOR MORE INFORMATION: Doug Stokes (626) 358-1100 THANKS!