hmmmmm.....

I can not select just one! So, i'll list my top 3....

IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER...so we'll start out west:

- THE FAIRPLEX at POMONA RACEWAY: Like Schoen said, "the snowcapped Mt. Baldy" in the background of Pomona is absolutly beautiful! However, my favorite part of Pomona is FINAL ROUND TIME! The Sunset behind the Hill's, combined with the Smog of LA makes one pretty sky! The cars zooming by, at NATIONAL RECORD PACE, Tall flames trailing behind them...! Dude..that's just an awesome site!

- THE STRIP AT LAS VEGAS: Like Mark said, It's a great venue, you get an awesome airshow, and there is so much to do outside of the track that the experience the epic! Plus, the seating is SO CLOSE to the track. You can feel the cars go by. Oh, did I also mention the "PIT"?

- BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY: When I moved to Colorado, I drove past Bandimere on my way to my new house on November 23rd, 1996. It was snowing on C-470, and the visability sucked, but I drove by the track at 1:04am (Yes I do remember every detail about that...I was also listening to "DREAMS" by Van Halen). My first trip to see some racing was the "NIGHT OF FIRE AND THUNDER" on the 3rd weekend of May in 1997. When I pulled up to the track, I was really impressed with the layout. But what really impressed me was the "THUNDER" on the Mountain. I was at my car getting a "TASTY COLD BEER", when a couple of Alcohol Funny Cars drove down the track. As they motored down the track, I was SHOCKED when I heard the "ECHO" reflecting from the "HILL". Sitting in the West Stands, looking at the Denver Skyline is awesome too.. During the Mile High Nationals, we always seem to get our share of thunder storms out east. On the Friday Night session, you get not only the light show on the track, but also the Purple Lightning in the distance. The track is smooth, the staff is Exceptional, and the location is perfect. Plus, if your in the mood for some music, RED ROCKS is LITERALLY RIGHT BEHIND THE TRACK!!!

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Timmah! 5636 S/C
"What do Termites eat for Breakfast? OAK-MEAL!"
http://www.myspace.com/timcharlet

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AMERICA! HOME OF THE FREE! THANKS TO OUR BRAVE!

Nice Tim!... I knew you'd mention the one carved out of the side of a mountain! For those not in Colorado, Bandimere used to do a really cool thing in the off season around the holidays. They had this unbelievable Christmas Lights display. I can't even describe it. After dark, you'd pay for a carload of people to slowly snake in a parade all through the entire pits, under the tower, even on the actual track, they had lights way up on the side of the mountain.... to this day I have no idea how many bulbs it took or the incredible logistics it must taken to power everything. It was called "The Lights At Bandimere". From like Thanksgiving to New Years. It had to of cost them a ton. They didn't have it last year, and my family was soooo disappointed. Even Santa Claus was there, and they had Christmas music piped though the track PA. It was absolutely beautiful on a relatively mild, no wind, light-snowing evening.

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On my arm until the day I die, but in my heart forever

BANDIMERE...got the scenery, close pits, red rocks close by, and the thrill of still waiting for that first 6 second pro stock run just 15 years and counting after the fact...and locals coming from the West can use the shortcut through Morrison to beat that nasty line of traffic backing up c-470

For me, Heartland Park is second because of the free camping, lots of exercise and the nice open scenery

and in true drag racer form...I went up there one night by myself..parked my car by the tower, brought my helmet with me, and a lawn chair, and sat in both lanes with a "Transbrake button" sitting where I would be in a dragster, and practiced on the tree during it's AUTO MODE for about 3 hours...! Then, picked up the kids and did the "SHOW" the next night!!! Some people thought I was part of the show that night....Naw..just a guy doing some homework for potential FINAL ROUNDS at Thunder Mountain!!!

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Timmah! 5636 S/C
"What do Termites eat for Breakfast? OAK-MEAL!"
http://www.myspace.com/timcharlet

Same here I've spent a good part of my life at that track. Although for pure fun craziness nothing matches the Zoo at Brainerd. Vegas is well... Vegas Baby Vegas!!!

S/F
D

[quote=David N Gawboy;140900]"The Zoo" at Brainerd was even more interesting when the mud pit was still in operation.

Were there when the school bus show happened?

muncie with grass strip dividing the lanes or union grove with the burnout box below th starting line.

Nope, wasn't there that year. There was a LOT of negative publicity up here about that. There were even calls to shut down the race track for a while. When that started, the local businesses put together figures that showed just how much money that one annual race brought into town, (They still had the Trans-Am race at the time too.) and cooler heads prevailed. I did hear that the NHRA called track management onto the carpet and said "No more of that Sh%$!"

I went there the next year, and it was quite obvious things had changed. The private "security" force had been replaced by fully armed off-duty cops. No more "SHOW YOUR T@#$!!" chants in the grandstands, no more signs in the zoo. (At least that year.)

As if to bring the point home, on Friday's qualifying session, there were about 6 guys from Canada sitting behind us about 4 rows up. They began the "Show your you-know-whats" chant, and were being quite loud about it. A security guard showed up, handed them another copy of the rules and said "no more of that boys. He was met with a hail of cursing, swearing "Bleep you, you can't tell us what to do." He told them "One more warning guys. You can't do that here anymore. It's against the rules." More cursing and swearing and "Bleep You"s. The guard shrugged his shoulders, said "Don't say I didn't warn you guys." and walked down the steps and disappeared. Well, by this time, the boys from Canada were really full of themselves. "Ha! We showed him. That a-hole can't tell US what to do!!" and on and on. About 5 minutes later, 6 armed guards came around the entrance and headed up the stairs, toward the Canadians, who by now were doing their best to melt into the seats.

The original guard led the others up to them, started pointing. "That one, that one, that one, those two that, aaaand THAT one."
(I remember this like it was yesterday.)
"Let's go to your campsite and get your stuff guys. You're outa here."
"You can't throw us out."
"The hell I can't. Let's go."
"We're not gonna show you where our campsite is."
"Fine, you can leave everything behind. I don't care."

That was it. They were led out of the stands, and we never saw them again.

Needless to say, everyone else who witnessed this were much subdued for the rest of the weekend.

Things had changed.

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AKA DrRocket

I haven't been to as many as most of you, but I've been to Pomona, Indy dozens of times, Columbus, Norwalk, Bowling Green KY, Rockingham, Brainerd, U.S. 131, Milan, and long gone Detroit Dragway and old Tri-City Dragway, right here at home. But the best, #1, has to be the legendary Bakersfield. That's where you know you're really home.

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A.K.A. BobK49. I will henceforth agree with every thread, on odd days, and disagree on even.

I have to go with Bandimere since I practically grew up there. It could definately use some upgrades though. The first 6 second Pro Stock run should happen this year on the all new concrete surface. My second choice would be Vegas.

I am told that in the past year the new owners of Muncie Dragway have eliminated the grass between the lanes. It is supposedly all paved now.


My fav has to be Indy, with all the history.

Sonoma is my #1 choice, followed by a tight second, Maple Grove.

Out of all the tracks, the Grove is the most scenic and has a definate "family atmosphere" about it, aside from racing.
I love E-town and Atco, but you know your at a dragstrip when your there.

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DeVita Racing
S/ST-H/R #1625

I can only go with what I see on television. Bandimere and Bristol are my two favorites as far as the settings. That said, with it's view of Mount Rainier and the Cascades, our own Pacific Raceways is also in a beautiful setting. I am still hoping that one day Pacific Raceways will be among the better tracks on the NHRA tour when the facility upgrades are finished. It certainly has the potential to be among one of the more beautiful track on the tour.



Although it certainly doesn't have an NHRA Powerade event, sitting next to the Fraser River as it does, I also enjoy Mission Raceway Park (pictured above) in British Columbia.

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"Even the smallest dog can lift its leg on the tallest building."-- Jim Hightower

THAT'S catering to the racer! Will innovations never cease?

As far as the thread topic, with an opinion that's as unbiased and straight down the middle as the average media journalist, I'd have to say BRISTOL!!!

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I'm an optimist. My glass is 1/4 full, not 3/4 empty!