Words by Jeff Burk
Photos courtesy ADRL Communications except where otherwise credited
If there was any doubt left in anyone’s mind regarding the popularity or success of the American Drag Racing League as a major player in drag racing it was erased July 24-25 during the ADRL NationalGuard.com U.S. Drags II at Virginia Motorsports Park.
The grandstands where filled to absolute capacity with literally standing room only at the fences. According to the ADRL, more than 100,000 fans of fast doorslammers came through the VMP gates. As an indicator of how many people were actually at the event, the track itself issued a press release Saturday saying their weekend crowd was larger than at any of the nine NHRA national events and five IHRA events the track had hosted in the past.
An ADRL record of 151 professional class cars and teams attended the event. The NHRA or the IHRA are lucky to have half that many professional teams at one of their events this year. The SRO crowd of doorslammer racing fans were treated to record setting performances from some racers and Herculean efforts by others just to race.
