Published: October 22, 2009 10:05 pm      

Racers rev up for tonight's street event in Fort Gay

Fort Gay — Mark R. Maynard sounds a little embarrassed when he talks about the real reason he helped start a street-racing program at a local drag strip.

“I got busted,” he said, allowing a short chuckle as he admitted his mistake and described himself as a reformed street racer. “I drove an ’82 Monte Carlo with nitrous oxide.”

Maynard said he and co-racer James Watson of Olive Hill were caught in the act of pitting their machines against each other and faced a court appearance two years ago. Watson suggested they begin a safe race program for street-legal vehicles in a controlled environment at Tri-River Dragway “because it might look good in court.”

While the effort didn’t bend the law in their favor, Maynard said the races brought out a crowd of drivers and cars “from real serious to people out there in their daily drivers.” And, the race track turned out to be a pretty good place for racing.

“Once we did it last year ... it was so much fun we knew we wanted to do it again this year,” he said.

In keeping with the culture of street racing, Maynard said the crowds have followed the fast machines “just for thrill.”

Drivers gather an hour before the races begin, choose their opponents and negotiate any starting-line adjustments to make the match more competitive. Instead of using the track’s “Christmas Tree” starting lights, each race is initiated by a flagman to help maintain the feel of a street race.

The four-race series, which concludes tonight at the dragway in Fort Gay, offers the largest top prize in its history with a $1,500 reward divided between the winners of three categories: Real Street (regular street tires), Super Street (non-DOT and DOT drag tires), and Outlaw Street (tubbed cars) as determined by a “fastest street car shootout” at the end of the evening.

Maynard, who is a member of the pit crew for NHRA driver Jim Head of Columbus, said a great deal of credit for the race series goes to track owners Randall and Kay Sartin. With street racers taking their cars to the track, Maynard said the area benefits from increased safety along local highways.

“Law enforcement officials do their best to control these impromptu events by issuing citations and dispersing onlookers. However, this does not curb the desire for individuals to participate in these happenings,” Maynard said of the local street racing scene. The race track alternative is appealing because “all efforts have been made to make it as real as street racing, but not on the street.”

The prerace cruise-in will begin at 6 p.m., with racing at 7. For more information, visit tririverdragway.com. The raceway’s gate fee will be donated to NewLife Church in Fort Gay.

TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2651.