Thread: Tucson's third dragstrip santioning body.

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When I moved here from the Midwest in '75, I thought I would not find drag races good enough to entertain me. I had grown up 90 miles from Indy, and had been attending the NHRA Nationals each year since '62

I was more than pleasantly surprised that Tucson's AHRA track had not only the AHRA Winternationals... but in the summer hosted the AHRA Fuel Altered Nations! Those, along with the smaller programs, more than entertained me!!!

Eventually the track owner was caught flying in something from Mexico, and using the track as an airstrip. The track forced to close. Bummer!

After a few years, the county fairgrounds expanded it's oval track operations to include a brand new strip. It ran under an NHRA sanction, and hosted not only a Spring PRO pre-season test session, but also a Super Chevy event, and a few great nostalgia events.

After some time, the big events went away, leaving a regional points meet, and some local events. We have lost out to the very active Firebird Raceway south of Phoenix, with a much larger population to support the events. Eventually word came down that they the track was losing their sanction.

I was anticipating a slow death for the track, but recently they got together with IHRA... who is moving in more of a "nostalgia direction" now... to open IHRA's most "western" location!

Next weekend will be our first big event, a "NitroJam", which will include not only the usual firey show, and bracket classes....but now features nostalgia Funnies, and the newly embraced Fuel Altereds!!!

Today I still religiously follow NHRA on TV, but miss the old days of violent race cars... and personalities that made it on their own, without corporate funding, and a car that looks like a commercial billboard, or a box of laxitives.

The local racers seem equally excited about the renewed interest this is bringing. There aren't many more big sanctioning bodies left, but we are glad for this new chance for drag racing in Tucson!!! :-)~

I'm bet some of the renewed excitement is due to the "new management". Bernie, managed at Palmdale (L A County) for many years until the gravel company dug it up. Then he was at Speedworld in Phoenix for awhile, and now at Tucson. He is a "Sportsman Racer" kinda guy and will do a good job promoting local events.

Might just have to make a treck to Tucson this weekend. I like watching the old floppers run plus there is nothing like the fuel altereds.

John, I heard good things about him myself.

Mike P. I'll be there! :-)

You also have a famous personality close by in Sierra Vista,Jon Lunberg "The Voice of Drag Racing" retired there, He is a HAMB member.I contacted Spike from Speedworld who was able to get Him and Dave McClelland as guest announcers at the recent Nostalgia Drags at Speedworld.

I didn'y know about Jon Lundberg living in southern Az. Lots of people seem to migrate here to stay warm and dry. :-)

Want to see a great show go to an ADRL race.

I haven't heard of any in the area. Do you know if they have an Arizona track or event?

Raced at Bernie's track for years. He's great.