Average Age

[Bob Lasko]

look in the staging lanes, it's all gray. I would say the average is about 65 years young.

Bob Lasko

[Mike Gray]

Car counts should be going up as more baby boomers retire. I was able to race when I was younger because I was single. After marriage and kids there was no way to afford the time off let alone the car cost. Now that the kids are older I have the means to build a car just not the time. I'm purchasing parts now and slowly putting together a new stocker. After I retire I should be able to get it finished and join the gray haired crowd at the races and nudge the average age more toward 65.

[Wade Mahaffey]

It's scary and a shame .... but the only new blood in NHRA Drag Racing ... IS FAMILY! If you said racers who's Grand Fathers/ Fathers/ Uncles/ Brothers/ Mothers/ Sisters, raced are not eligible for a race. THERE WOULD BE NO RACE ! There's no 20, 25, 30, 35, or 40 year olds in Stock, Super/Stock, Comp, Alcohol, Pro/Stock, Funny Car, Top Fuel that paid their own way, or are there as a first generation and out of their own pocket. Now there's always a exception to the rule ... maybe three or four, but you get the idea. Not that being fortunate is a bad thing, it's just the way it is in the big time NHRA. Not many young folks can afford that game. That's why it's all gray on top LOL The most scary part of it all is the big, big money is all very old. What's it gonna look like in another 5-10 years when the big money dries up, and it looks like it's drying up now ... did you see the stands around 600 feet on ... during the Pro Eliminations. I love it, and am an exception to the rule. I build my own car (all of it), transport it, pay for it, drive it, and drag it back home ... so I love it, even at 62, and will till I'm gone ... I paid dues !!!

[Milton Gamble]

Originally Posted by Greenlight

I think Bill Gibbs (DIv 4 Super Stock) is 88 and has got to be on the short list of oldest drag racers.

I know Bill, met him when a buddy and I hung around with George Dyer also from Lufkin that raced an A/FD. We were the turned around crew.

I grew up in Shreveport, LA and race mostly at Shreveport, I-20, Hallsville and a few others. My last race was at Hallsville in 1974...I ran F/G or D/MP and the last pass I lost to Glen Self.

I moved to Hendersonville, TN in 1989 and saw my first commercial slot car track in 1990...thought it would be good for my 8 year old son. He lost interest but I've continued.

To put things in perspective a 1/24th drag strip is 55ft long. The official "World Record" is 0.394 seconds at 144mph. I race on a road course that is typically 155ft long and has 6 turns. I witnessed a 1.30 second qualifying lap 2 weeks ago for the Group 7 class. This is the top level class. I don't compete in it.

What racing "Toy Cars" has done for me is keep my reflexes sharp. I attended the Sports Nationals in 2016...first time I had been to a race since 1987. After sitting in the stands for a couple of hours I went back to the pits to visit with Greg and Aaron Stanfield. Greg asked me if I still could do it. All I could say was "everything seems like it is in slow motion.

If I can, I will post a short video on a recent race with the Group 7 cars. You will be amazed.

Also, I have just retired as a Matco Tool Franchisee. I would estimate half of my customers have never used a timing light or installed points...LOL

And thanks for all of the comments. It sounds like Div 6 is "Senior Citizen Friendly".

[Rich Biebel]

The officially oldest man to win a national event eliminator was this year. Ken Bowers won S/G at New England and he is 77. That is what he told me earlier this year that NHRA told him. Doesn’t matter what category it is anymore, we’re all up there in years.

[FireSale]

I neglected to mention Gary Howe Sr. He still drags his '55 or '56 Chevy GT car out now and again and rows the gears with the wheels up. Guess I neglected to mention Sr. because Jr. bracket races at both tracks here and is a royal PIA to stage against.

[Paul Precht]

Originally Posted by Rich Biebel

The officially oldest man to win a national event eliminator was this year. Ken Bowers won S/G at New England and he is 77. That is what he told me earlier this year that NHRA told him. Doesn’t matter what category it is anymore, we’re all up there in years.

I started hanging out in Kenny's barn back in 72 when I was 17, he taught me a lot about engine building and bracket racing back then. Just a few weeks before his Nat win he said I think I should burn this car, congrats to Kenny and Mike Scotto on their win.

[JP Schuster]

I'm 25 and I've been slot car (drag racing) for 18 years, and racing Super Stock for 3 years. I guess you could say I'm probably an anomaly.

On a side note, slot car drag racing - the bracket racing side of things - seems to be doing pretty well. I have a lot of peers that have taken interest in the hobby. We do quite a bit of traveling in the winter to race these toy cars. So much so, that our off-season maintenance of the "big" stuff gets put on hold until spring.

I do agree with the class racing side of things though. There is not nearly as many "younger" guys participating in the sport. I would have to say finances would be one of the contributing factors. I don't think many (if any) younger people class race on their own. I know myself and a few others around my age wouldn't be where we are at without the support of our families.

JP Schuster

[Rich Biebel]

Paul Precht, I was parked next to Ken and Mike at the Atco Lucas race last month. Never really knew them or spoke with them before. They were a lot of fun to talk to and both were still pretty "up" from the win at N.E.D. They had some problems but worked hard to fix them. They both love to tell stories we had a great time that weekend......I'd park next to them anywhere, anytime.....