Start your engines: Final drag races of the season coming to Greene County Airport
The final two Flashlight Drags will be held at Greene County Airport on Sept. 10 and 11. (Photos courtesy of Daniel Dishart)
Daniel Dishart
A car burns rubber during a Flashlight Drag race.
Daniel Dishart
A drag race starts in a cloud of smoke.
Daniel Dishart
This photo shows an action shot of a race a past Flashlight Drag in Greene County.
Even tractor-trailers are allowed to drag race as shown in a past Flashlight Drag race. (Photos courtesy of Daniel Dishart)
news@greenecountymessenger.com
Do you have a need for speed?
There鈥檚 one more weekend to (legally) put the pedal to the metal in Greene County during the first back-to-back Flashlight Drag event.
鈥淭hese are old-school, heads-up grudge matches,鈥� said Michael Schindel, who has organized the drag races for 20 years.
Schindel said he鈥檚 put on the matches at the Greene County Airport since about 2009. The family-oriented drag races are open to all nostalgic cars, custom hot rods, street rods, muscle cars, antique cars, tuner cars 鈥� basically any motor vehicles except for motorcycles.
He said the event attracts up to 204 cars to race with 160 cars and trucks on average and between 500 to 1,200 spectators.
鈥淭he more cars we get, the more people come to watch,鈥� Schindel said. 鈥�(Racers) bring their own entourage.鈥�
Due to labor in the county stretched thin and with multiple events like the Greene County Fair and an upcoming annual 50s Fest in Waynesburg, Schindel decided to combine the remaining to events to wind down the races.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of a season finale,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 fun weekend is what we鈥檙e trying to do and getting people to come to Greene County, stay, have fun and spend a little money in town.鈥�
Schindel said the drag race brings a really positive atmosphere where people come and tailgate, there鈥檚 a DJ for each event where they interview the drivers, and everything is kept real loose.
Each racer will proceed to the staging lanes and wait for their turn to run on the 1/8-mile runway. A starter signals the racers to put the pedal down with a high-powered LED light.
At the end of the runway, a finish light signals the winner of the race.
All vehicles must have mufflers. Additionally, vehicles must be registered and have current inspection, and drivers must present proof of insurance and show a valid driver鈥檚 license.
Schindel added that nobody needs a race car to participate.
鈥淭his is timeless fun, pure old-fashioned American drag racing,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 street racing without the jail time.鈥�
The cost of the event includes $40 to race with the two-day package cost of $70; $10 to watch the event with the two-day watch package cost of $15.
Because the event takes place on an airport runway, Schindel said there鈥檚 no shade, so he strongly encourages people bring hats, sunscreen, umbrella or pop-up tent as well as a chair.
The Flashlight Drag racing event will take place at the Greene County Airport in Waynesburg on Saturday, Sept. 10, with the gates opening at 2 p.m. Racing runs from 4 to 8 p.m. On Sunday, Sept. 11, the gates open at noon with racing from 2 to 6 p.m.
For more information, visit www.flashlightdrags.com.