Editor’s Note — Unbeknownst to one of our racers of HOT ROD Drag Week, powered by Dodge and presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive, his 13-year-old son wrote about his turbo LS-powered Silverado pick-up as an extra credit assignment, which was published in the school paper. Families are a core part of the race, with several acting as both teams and competitors throughout the week — and we can relate to that one parent who planted that hot rodding seed!
The anxiety of not knowing who you will race is killing you. You before have made some good 10 and 11 second times and one 9 seconds time, as your best.
Waiting… Waiting… Waiting for your first sub-10-second time and you are nervous. Trying to keep your mind busy, you look around your Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck, which now has a roll cage in it, which is one of the required things for a sub-10-second car. You run your hand across the various gauges and knobs.
You think of your first race down the strip – how could you forget it? You were about 14 or 15 years old when you got your drag license. You were in your dad’s old Chevy Camaro. It was a good starter drag car. The guy you were racing was a pretty easy target, according to your dad’s friend. It was about time to start. They give you the “go” to burn out your tires, which heats them up and makes them stick better to the track. As you inch up to the starting line, you become even more nervous because the guy next to you gave you a “I’m going to beat you” look. When the tree goes green you push the gas pedal to the floor, and everything everywhere is flying by you really fast. You have never felt so alive, but you realize that you have to slow down.
After you slow down, you make a left turn and get your time card, 11.41 seconds. You feel extremely proud of yourself and relieved now that the first race is finally finished. All that stress you had vanished. When you look back, your opponent gets his time card. You get out to congratulate him on his win but he then he tells you that he lost to you by a mile. Beaming with pride, you run over to your dad to tell him. He gives you the biggest hug ever and takes you out for ice cream.
Just then, you are startled by the guy writing your number on your window. You are about ready to start another race. They give you the thumbs up to go up to the burnout box. You look at the guy next to you and it was the guy from your very first drag race ever down the Drag Strip. You burn out your wheels and he gives you that same look from when you were a teenager.
The tree goes yellow, yellow, yellow… go!
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