PDRA Northern Nationals
Drag racing dates back to the 1930's. Drivers took to the dry lake beds in deserts of California, pitting their vehicles against each other. After WWII, and with some prominently involved veterans, racers took to decommissioned aircraft bases. One of the first organized races dates back to 1949, and was held at the Goleta Air Base in California.
Since those early days of the sport, a lot has changed with the vehicles involved. I wonder if the early racers considered that there would one day be electric vehicles racing, or if they ever dreamed of anything even close to 11,000 horsepower Top Fuel Dragsters that would reach speeds of more than 330 mph; faster than most aircraft of those days. But the idea of drag racing has not changed; you bring your best and fastest and I will do the same. Go on signal; whoever gets to the finishing point first wins.
There are many different professional drag racing organizations out there, all of whom have different classes of vehicles, distances, fuel types, etc. One such organization is the Professional Drag Racers Association; formed in 2014, PDRA is committed to bringing credibility and stability to the sport of 1/8 mile drag racing.
This past weekend PDRA held their Northern Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, PA. Friday evening was the first of the qualifying rounds; watching races under the lights is a joy in itself. While I was new to the PDRA, the sights and sounds of the raw power and speed ripping down the track was more than enjoyable. I hope to bring more drag racing content to TWM in the future and I urge you all to find your nearest drag strip and witness it yourself.
~ James Woodard // @3.61media
