1/4 vs 1/8 mile Dragstrip's

[Dave Noll]

Just a question as to what the rest of the country is seeing. Are your tracks switching to 1/8 mile after running 1/4 mile? I get that insurance is cheaper. I will race either one but my overwhelming preference is 1/4 mile.

[FireSale]

Bremerton is one of those airport dragstrips that is long enough to run 1/4 mile but not built for drag racing. It turns downhill at the 1/8 mile mark and is rough at the 1/4. They ran 1/4 until the Handlers Racing Association Presidency changed hands a few years ago. It's car club operated. The current President switched to 1/8 because he felt it was safer. Probably is. Pacific Raceway, on the other hand is a purpose built track and will always be 1/4 mile except for some of those dumb No Prep races. The lanes at Bremerton have filled since switching to 1/8, especially with more .90 and Comp cars showing up. I have run both and find 1/8 a real challenge. A lot happens in a short span of time.

[Jim Kaekel]

Definitely happened in Michigan. US131 Motorsports Park and Mid-Michigan Motorplex used to run 1/4 mile brackets up until a couple of years ago. Personally, I'm not a fan of 1/8 mile.

[Keith 944]

US 13 dragway in Delmar Delaware switched over to 1/8 mile drag racing a couple years back. Motorcycles and street class can still run 1/4 mile. My preference is 1/4

[FireSale]

Any reasons stated from management for the above mentioned changes? Dennis at the Handlers faced a lot of flack over taking Bremerton to 1/8 mile but stuck to his safety rational.
Anyone know how this Street Outlaw/No Prep thing got set up on 1/8?

[Jeff Stout]

Both tracks run 1/8 and 1/4 here in AZ. Depends on promoter. Either one works with me.

[FireSale]

Renegade in Yakima WA. ran 1/8 for Outlaw 10.5 and 1/4 for S/SS. Got nasty winds on Sunday and switched everything to 1/8. It's just a system click for them. I remember Milan shutting down early in the Fall for leaves being blown in the timing lights at 1/4. Might have been able to finish the day at 1/8. Too bad about that track. My first exposure to the sport.

[Rory McNeil]

Originally Posted by FireSale

Any reasons stated from management for the above mentioned changes? Dennis at the Handlers faced a lot of flack over taking Bremerton to 1/8 mile but stuck to his safety rational.
Anyone know how this Street Outlaw/No Prep thing got set up on 1/8?

I started racing at Bremerton in 1980, and it was always 1/4 mile until a few years ago. Hell, back in the 70s, they ran Top Fuel dragsters and Nitro Funny Cars there. The track is more than long enough, but for whatever reason, the starting line was moved forward some years ago, and they also installed a "fence" across the track, about 200 feet closer to the finish line, and made a new exit to the return road, essentially reducing the shutdown by that amount. The first few years I raced at Bremerton, the racing surface was closer to the right, and the return road exit was also on the right, No idea why they moved the track to the left, and made the return road on the left as well. Bremerton Raceway is a WW11 Bomber airstrip, than is much wider and longer than most 1/4 mile dragstrips, that for some reason had the racing surface moved around, and shortened, even though the actual paved surface is much longer. I always loved racing at Bremerton, but have not been there since the change to 1/8th mile.
I can see how an 1/8th mile track is obviously cheaper to built, as that much less land is needed, less pavement, guardrail/wall, less timing sensors etc, but changing an already in use, 1/4 mile dragstrip, to 1/8th , ,makes no sense to me.

[jmcarter]

I bracket raced at Bremerton when I was living on the Peninsula from 2001-2006 (also in 1982 in a SS396 Chevelle, my first race since 1969 and won $20 so that set the hook) and miss how wide open it felt after you get over the “hill” at mid track. Very unique track to say the least. Particularly enjoyed running a friend’s Hemi car there in 2006, felt like I was going to join the airstrip’s flight pattern after being use to running a 340 LOL. I would not hesitate to run there again and support the Handlers club in their efforts to provide a racing venue in a relatively remote area of the PNW. In fact, I’ll support any track that runs a good program than helps our sport, REGARDLESS of 1/8 or 1/4. Anyone resistant to running 1/8 should try Galot if they can, your opinions may change.

[Dave Noll]

I saw on IG that Woodburn had shortened 1 of their events to 1/8 mile, I don't remember why. Do they do that more? What about Pacific ? Boise? Hopefully the new owners of Spokane will keep it 1/4 mile.