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Page 4 University Daily Kansan, August 19, 1982
One for the money
. . .
Dragstrip active on Fridays
Motorcycles, as well as cars, race for the best times at Lawrence Dragway.
Three-year-old Ashley Wundarczyk squeezes her hands to her ears.
"Don't start it!" she yells as her father begins to rev up the race car's engine.
Too late. Standards by squint as if in pain as the V-shaped racing rail, owned by Tom Wundarczyk and Tim Baxter of Jayhwak Automotive, roars a steel bridge that crashes in the bodies of those who stand close by.
Their car, the "Baby Jayhawk," is one of 100 race cars that vie against each other every Saturday evening at the Lawrence Dragway, two miles west of Lawrence off Highway 40.
CARS AT THE DRAGWAY vary from street cars such as Camaros or扣ed-up Novas to competition cars such as the dragger rails that resemble go-carts.
Eacn car is placed in a specific category.
Highly modified street cars and draggers that can race the one-eighth mile track in less than 7.95 seconds are in the street bracket.
Slightly modified street cars that clock in, or dial, as the racing term is used, at less than 10 seconds are placed in the super stock division. And regular street cars with no modification and time limit to how long they can take to get down the track are placed in the selectra division.
MOST OF THE CARS flaunt names painted on the brightly colored bodywork. There is the "Wildman," the "Winstead Wreckers," the "Crazy Dutchman," the "Born to Run" and the "Crazy Storm." All try to live up to their names as they crowd line for the one-eighth of a mile race.
Car owners vary as much as car styles. Lawyers, doctors, auto part dealers and teenagers all have different needs.
Spectators crowd the fences and bleachers. Some sit on small hills with blankets and picnic baskets while others watch from cars gathered around the track. Some prepare for a rowdy night as they break out the beer from the ice coolers. Excitement vibrates in the air as much as the roar of the engines as everyone cheers for their favorite racers.
At 8 p.m., the National Anthem is played over the loudspeaker, and the elimination rounds begin.
THE BABY JAYHAWK and a red Camaro wheel up to the red light at the starting gate. They spin their wheels, spitting tar and gravel at those standing nearby. Exhaust smoke whitens the dark sky as the drivers rev up the motors in anticipation of the moment when the red light
signal on the post before they will turn green The tension grows in the crowd.
And suddenly, they are off!
The cars speed down the dragway before most great stars come to embrace it, bring their beads.
The cars speed down the dragway before most spectators have a chance to turn their heads. They watch as the car comes up and races, Jayhawk, as it reaches the end of the track. The race is over in less than eighth seconds.
IN DRAG RACING, a car races against its own speed established in practice runs. The car that can hit the finish line is driven.
The Camaro has won with 7.34 seconds, only 0.12 seconds over its average speed of 7.33 seconds, while the Baby Jayhawk has lost with 8.38 seconds, 0.44 seconds over its average speed of 5.34
"I blew it," Baxter says as he emerges from the cookit.
"Oh, well, there is always next week," Wunar congratulated and a spared further roar of father's dad.
The next two cars take their turn at the starting line as the elimination rounds continue for each bracket. At the night grows darker, and the cars thin out to the winner of each bracket.
The crowd goes home. The lights are switched off. And the drawway, once again, is silent.
Photos by Jill M. Yates
Large engines such as this 427 cubic inch Chevy-big-block in Gary James' 1967 Camaro, are a common sight at the Lawrence Dragway.
Story by Kathleen J. Feist
John Findley, Kansas City, Kan., sits in his race car when being towed toward the starting line by a pick-up truck. Drivers are often towed to avoid over-heating the engine before a race.
The Baby Jayhawk, driven by Tim Baxter, Lawrence, does a traditional bleach burn-off before lining his car up at the starting line.
Driver Paul Hipsher, Olathe, waits in line to make a timed run down the dragstrip while his friends help push his car, Sassy Silver, slowly forward.
13. $ \frac { 1 } { 2 } $
Chuck Sprouse, Topeka, approaches the starting line to compete against the best times in the elimination races