Infineon Raceway, Drag Racing

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I saw on Facebook that a friend of ours, Charley Blunt, was going to be practicing his starts down the street. It was Wednesday Night Drags at Sears Point. I’ve only lived in Sonoma for around 10 years but we still call it Sears. Anyway – I have physical therapy after work so John heads over without me and I catch up later. I roll up to the gal at the booth and pay my $10 to get in. I can smell it. Burning rubber. I head down the small hill into what is normally the pit area for road racing weekends and it’s been converted. What’s this? Cars are hauling ass, spinning around, burning rubber, squealing tires. . . I can’t get the grin off my face! Are you kidding me??!!

I find John’s truck and park mine next to it, then cruise immediately over to the viewing area for whatever this car thing is. Crazy good times! I must do this!! I don’t know why, but this is lighting my fire BIG TIME! I head back towards the track and see Johnnie heading my way. Immediately I say – “What IS that??!!” Pointing at the screeching cars spinning and spinning. “Drifting”, he tells me. I have instant crazy love for the Drifting!! I have to find out how to try this!!

John takes me down onto what is normally turn 11, which again has been converted. This is awesome! There are hot rods of all variety, plain ole cars, bikes, even one SUV kinda like mine! Focus, focus, so much stimulation it’s fantastic! The cars are rumbling with high dollar components that shake you to your shoes, the air is thick with the smell of gas and rubber and there’s an intensity in the energy that’s thrilling.



We go over to the small group of bikes that are here to practice their drag racing. The men are on the ground around Charley’s Rex, having a look see. Apparently all is well and I get a big hug from our friend! He looks great as always and I’m super stoked to be here to check him out doing what he does. Charley has been a drag racer for many years and knows his business well.

I look around and can’t believe I’ve been missing out on all this and just right down the street! There is every variety of people at this event. I notice a younger element around the Drifters, but this section caters to everyone. You’ve got your mom’s in their Nissan Sentras getting fired up to take it out on the strip. Your serious boyz with their $85k rides vibrating heartily. And, of course, your drag racing bikes!

The cars and bikes line up in rows and creep to the start in an orderly fashion. Then two by two – the lights dial down until you see the green and IT’S ON!! The times are clearly displayed in lighted signs at the end of the track. Then the next two line up and so it goes. I didn’t get a full understanding of how the drag racing system works, but I believe they pair you with similar vehicles speed-wise, and/or have one delayed start for the handicap. Apparently there are a lot of components these days that weren’t present in drag racing days gone by. Row by row they pull forward and it’s nearing the row full of bikes.

We get out of the way and over to the starting line to watch Charley. Here come the bikes! So cool! Now it’s Charley’s turn. He looks focused and fierce. In position and watching the lights. Charley says drag racing is all about the start. Only. Looks like he got a pretty good one! I’m snapping pics, hoping to capture something worthy to describe the scene. I find out later Charley did have a personal best that night!

After his run, we head back to the bikes and observe Charley and Charlie reviewing. John explains the dragsters get a slip of paper immediately following their stint which reflects their stats. The rows empty out quickly for another round and it’s almost time for Charley to be up again.

We’re back at the railing, waiting for him to approach. John sees him and suddenly starts yelling. Yelling for Charley to look because his bike is rapidly leaking fluid. More people start shouting, and eventually it gets the attention of the track worker who sees the leak and instructs Charley to kill the motor. He immediately kills the engine and backs it up to the side and down the k-rail off the starting line. A track worker diligently follows him with a mop, cleaning up the spill. They determine it’s a broken weld on a water line so the night is over for Charley.

The fellas push the bike back to the trailer and start prepping for departure. We sit and chat in the fading light, the sun casting a pink swatch across the sky, making the asphalt and engine noise seem romantic. I tell Charley of my almost need to try the Drifting. He looked at me with his baby blues, slowly shook his head and said, “Once you look for speed, it never leaves you. Never. Never.” The passion with which he shared these words were born of love not obsession. A true lover of life and sport and undoubtedly an inspiration to us all. It was a great night at the track.

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