If your only experience with drag racing is watching the pivotal scene in Grease when Danny Zuko challenges Crater Face on Thunder Road, you’ve got a lot to learn.
This weekend, July 18 to 19, marks the 35th Annual Mopar Mile-High National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Nationals at Bandemere Speedway in Lakewood. This is the 14th race (out of 24) in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Although the competitive sport of drag racing was officially launched in the 50s, back when racers drove modified stock cars on a quarter-mile track, today, drivers reach speeds of over 300 miles per hour in less than four seconds on a 1,000-foot drag strip. Engines are fueled by nitromethane, which is often used as rocket fuel, instead of gasoline. Two cars race side-by-side; the winner moves on and the loser is immediately eliminated. Eventually, the top two duke it out for the title. The action is fast and furiously loud—spectators are encouraged to wear earplugs.
I had a chance to catch up with Nitro Funny Car Driver Alexis DeJoria by email, one of the many highly-ranked female drivers on the circuit, along with Britney Force and Leah Pritchett. Read Complete Interview