Drag Racing - Feeling Nostalgic
- Shores NZ Team
- May 11, 2023
- 6 min read
"I live my life a quarter mile at a time. Nothing else matters. Not the mortgage, not the store, not my team, and all their bullshit. For those ten seconds or less, I'm free." - Dominic Torreto in The Fast and the Furious movie.
This film brings back a sense of nostalgia. It is one of my all-time favourite movies. Every time I watch it, it transports me back in time to when I was just 19 years old. When mesh or handkerchief tops, box-pleated or leather skirts, shiny pants, and sparkly shoes were in for the ladies and when men wore leather jackets, statement dress shirts over muscle singlets, baggy jeans, and white sneakers or chunky shoes.
This film oozed testosterone, adrenaline, and attacks you with fast cars. Everyone wanted a Mia or Letty. Everyone wanted to have Dom's muscles and Brian's hair.
Was it cheesy? Definitely.
Was it corny? Oh ya.
Did anyone deserve an Oscar? What do you think?
Is it a cultural icon that has had a decades-long lasting impact on pop culture worth your time? ABSOLUTELY.
Back in 2001, this movie was the next big thing. Everyone wanted a graphic 'd-out rice burner to drive around town pretending they street raced.
Queen Street was the place to be every Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night if you wanted to showcase your ride. Cruising down Queen St, racing away when there's space, then hitting the brakes to avoid the cars banked up ahead.
The cars ranged from rusty Mazdas to late-model Hondas with paint jobs - and stereos - worth thousands.
They would leave Queen St at Aotea Square, heading left, up towards Albert Park, then down towards the waterfront, and ending up on Quay St, ready to begin the Queen St cruise all over again.
We would all pitch in $10 each for petrol which was used to fill up the tank (do you remember that time?). Our group would sit cosily in our car, listening to music with the sub booming, slurping energy drinks, cruising, seeing friends, and showing off driving inner-city residents mad.
Does this bring back memories?
The Fast and Furious didn't contain any machinations similar to a film like Mission Impossible and it doesn't dazzle us with special effects of impending doom like Armageddon did, but it took us into a world where people live life "a quarter of a mile at a time." It ignited the world’s awareness of underground racing.
I remember attending my first 4s and Rotaries Nationals in the early 2000s. Starting with the Show and Shine. From shiny decals, amazing sound systems, NOS setups, chrome rims, and even spinner rims. Who remembers the spinner rims?
Thousands would attend this event and even more so on the day of the Nats. Leaving early in the morning and stopping at the BP near the Bombays to fuel up, grabbing our pies and sausage rolls together with other drag racers and enthusiasts. This BP stop was a Show and Shine event but on a smaller scale where you got to see all the Skylines, Evos, WRXs, and Mazdas pull up and stop.
The queues of cars would make their way to Meremere Dragway and enter through multiple entrances.
The Nats did not disappoint with cars loud enough your balls would tingle, fumes, burnt tyre smell, bands, and even a wet t-shirt competition not to mention the burning of couches at the end of the day as we queue up to leave.
My most memorable time at the Nats would definitely be when I was a passenger in Wayne Yearburn's Doorslammer. The car was so fast, it made me realise that safety was definitely of high importance in something going this fast.
Fast forward two decades and we now share this experience with our kids. This year was our first year taking them to the 4s and Rotaries. Although this year was slightly different as the event was held in Hampton Downs, it was still enjoyable and the kids loved hitching a ride in their favourite cars on the day. The skid pan proved to be a hit.
About Drag Racing
The art of drag racing - a head-to-head acceleration-fest that’s not only popular with moviegoers and street racing hoons but also a riveting regulated motorsport that continues to gain traction across the globe.
Just like most motorsport events, regulated drag racing is where automobiles (of all shapes and sizes) compete to be first to cross a set finish line, however, in this instance, it’s generally only two at a time. The race itself is competed on a short, straight course that’s most commonly a ‘quarter mile’ (402m) and following a ‘traffic light tree’ countdown, vehicles launch from a standing start and continue flat out to the finish line.
Without any need to find the apex, overtake, jostle for position, and trail brake, to many this may seem like a very basic form of motorsport, but in reality, launching from zero to 100mph in around one second, is a test of nerves, reaction time, horsepower and epic amounts of G-force (5 times gravity) – with engineering skills and even physics playing a big part in the overall outcome too.
So, the next time you’re beside another car at the on-ramp lights, spare a thought for those that do this for a living, oh and maybe see if you can get your reaction time to under a second!
How does Drag Racing work?
Numerous different vehicle categories range from road-going production cars to Top Fuel Dragsters. Some eliminators feature vehicles of equal performance capabilities competing head-to-head without handicaps. Other eliminators allow vehicles of unequal performance capabilities to race each other using a timed handicap system with staggered starts. First to the finish progresses to the next round; second to the finish is eliminated. It’s very decisive. The procedure repeats until a single winner is left standing in each eliminator.
How do I get started?
First, get a feel for the sport by watching some events. Take the opportunity to have a chat with some of the competitors during less busy moments; they will be able to answer any questions you may have and offer some advice. If you want to compete in New Zealand Drag Racing you will need to join a club and apply for a drag licence, then get yourself a car…
If you would like to give Drag Racing a go it's as easy as one two three but you will need a crash helmet and a restricted driver's licence minimum and your car must have a legal WOF.
Will I need a roll cage?
As per NZDRA Rule Book 5.63
All cars 9.99 and quicker. All cage structures must be designed to protect the driver from any angle, 360°. (See illustration below) Dimensions – On all full tube cars and recommended for all other roll cages, when driver is in driving position if helmet is forward of the main hoop a helmet bar is required, if no part of the helmet is located forward of the main hoop then a funny car cage with minimum four points of attachment must be used. The sidebar must pass the driver at a point midway between the shoulder and elbow, (passenger side bar required). All roll cage structures must have in their construction a crossbar for seat bracing and as the shoulder harness attachment point, the crossbar must be installed no more than 100 mm below, and not above, the driver's shoulders or to the sidebar. Material – It is recommended that all cage welds be gusseted. All chrome moly welding must be done by an approved TIG Heliarc process; mild steel welding is recommended to be MIG or TIG. Welding must be free of slag and porosity. No tubing will be accepted as Chrome-moly that does not bear the 4130 markings. Proof of tubing specification is required. Due to variations in wall thickness of mild steel tubing, competitors are recommended to make allowance in construction.
It is recommended any new chassis (or repairs to existing) are constructed to meet SFI regulations relevant to the performance of the vehicle. It is recommended any chassis built to SFI regulations have a certification plate with SFI regulation number, date of manufacture, serial number, and chassis design manufacturer (if applicable) welded to the chassis in a protected position that is easily viewed. SFI regulations are available for purchase from the NZDRA (see Chapter 10.0 for a full list of SFI regulations). Note: Vehicles wishing to compete in MotorSport New Zealand and NZDRA events should construct their roll bar/cage out of 1 5/8’’OD X.083 Chrome-moly to comply with both associations’ regulations.
Shores NZ Fabrication has built many drag car cages and is well-versed in what is required. For your next drag cage build, give Tim from Shores NZ a call on 021 523 012.
Comments