Heard about the Topeka Drag Races from some locals at the diner last month. Figured why not? Never been to one but hey – life’s short. Started prepping immediately after buying my ticket online.
Gearing Up Like a Regular
First stop: borrowed earplugs from my neighbor Larry. That man’s a drag race veteran. “Trust me kid,” he says, “your eardrums will thank ya.” Grabbed my old lawn chair from the garage – nothin’ fancy but does the job. Packed a cooler with:
- 6 bottled waters (sun’s brutal)
- Homemade egg salad sandwiches
- A bag of ice bigger than my head
Threw in sunscreen too. Larry laughed when I showed up with SPF 100. “You’ll still get roasted!” Guess he wasn’t wrong.
Getting There Before the Pros
Left at 5:30 AM sharp. Traffic was already crawling near the track. Saw veterans backing trucks with trailers like it was nothing – parallel parking with 30 feet of metal. Crazy skills. Followed a pickup covered in racing stickers to parking. Paid the $20 attendant fee. Score!
Saw groups unloading folding tables full of BBQ setups. One dude had a whole margarita blender hooked to his generator. Took notes for next year.
Staking My Claim
Scoped the track like a hawk. Veteran move: walked PAST the starting line. Found spot near the finish line but angled sideways. Pro tip? Watch how the tires wiggle just before launch – you miss that upfront. Unfolded my rickety chair between two families with pop-up tents. They nodded approval at my old-school setup.
Bought pit passes ($15 extra). Changed everything. Saw drivers wiping down engines with actual toothbrushes. Heard one mechanic yell “She’s runnin’ rich!” to his crew. Started casually dropping terms like “burnout box” around strangers. Felt dangerous.
Race Day Hacks That Paid Off
Things I learned fast:
- Bring a bandana – dust storm when trucks roll out? Unreal.
- Snacks are currency – traded my egg salad for a woman’s pulled pork. Best. Deal. Ever.
- Check wind direction – sat downwind first hour. Smelled like burnt rubber and bad decisions. Moved fast.
When nitro cars ran, my soda can vibrated off the chair. Thought Larry exaggerated about noise. He didn’t. My fillings still hum.
Final Lessons From My First Go-Round
Wear boots. Hot asphalt melts sneakers. My soles are still sticky.
Timing’s everything – left before last race. Missed gridlock but regretted skipping Finals. Saw winners popping champagne on Instagram later.
Talk to crew guys – they called me “track chicken” (newbie). They also gave better tips than any blog.
Best moment? When 9-second dragster shook my bones. Whole crowd went silent then BAM – beer cans popped open like fireworks. That’s when I finally got it. Already booked next year’s spot. Bringing earplugs for Larry this time.
