Jr Drag Racing - Racers of Today and Tomorrow

Growing up, nearly every kid who walked out onto be paired against drivers with more experience
their little league ball diamond had dreams of onethan them. While I have witnessed a junior driver
day playing major league baseball. The same kidwin in their first outing, it is rare and likely a case
would through the ball high up in the air, pretendingof serious beginners luck. So I advise, don't take
they made the World Series winning fly ball catch.the losses against older drivers too hard in the
The kid would sit at the ball park with his eyesbeginning. Of course, race to win, but don't get
glued on his baseball heroes, studying their everyfrustrated. Racing against more experienced
move and technique, all the while dreaming of thedrivers will only make you or your driver a better
day he too would do the same. I too, had theseracer. In time, the younger driver will develop their
dreams.skills behind the wheel and that first big win
At 10-years-old with four years of youth baseballagainst an older driver will be all the more
under my belt, I discovered my interests andenjoyable.
strong points. At this point in life, I had alreadyWith that said, losing early in a race gives that
been racing in the NHRA Jr. Drag Racing Leagueyoung driver and their parent or car owner an
for two years. I wasn't a horribly awful ball playeropportunity to learn from the grandstands. Walk
but I was easily a much better drag racer. Ithe young driver near the starting line to pay
tolerated playing baseball but I loved drag racing.close attention to what the more experienced
Success on the drag strip is much like success ondrivers are doing. Teach the importance of
the ball diamond. My dedication to racingconsistency in all burnout and staging procedures.
resembled the kid previously mentioned whoThe last 6-inches when rolling into the stage beam
loved baseball. I would sit in my basement, takingis possibly the most crucial piece of real estate on
hits on my practice tree, pretending that Warrenthe drag strip, so teach your driver to take their
Johnson was in the opposite lane. I would go totime, courtesy stage, and concentrate.
every NHRA U.S. Nationals and NHRA NationalAfter you have spent time at the starting line,
event at Route 66 Raceway, following drivers likegive the young driver a lesson in the basics of
Mark "The Cowboy" Pawuk around their pit areafinish line driving. With each pair of car that
and into the staging lanes, dreaming that one daypasses, point out when a driver did well or how
I would be a part of that racing scene.they could have done better. Seeing first hand is
Taking a junior dragster driver to the drag stripa strong tool in learning the fundamentals.
to watch a "big car" bracket race or see NHRAAs always at any point in a driver's career, safety
pros and pro sportsman drivers in action is likeis of utmost importance. Before the day's race
stepping into a classroom. Although a wheeleven begins, take a walk to the turn off of the
standing super stock Camaro has little in commondrag strip. Every track is a little different, so
with a 150" wheel-base junior dragster, thecoach the driver to remind him/her where the
on-track race procedures are nearly identical.finish line is, how long the shut down area is, and
Starting out in the junior dragster class, it ishow they should properly exit the drag strip: obey
important not to take losses too hard early in atrack officials if they are present, turn slowly, and
driver's career. The truth is most eight or ninealways be aware of the other car to avoid a
year-old drivers just entering the ranks are goingcollision.