Drag Racing Texas State Championships 2011, nostalgia dragsters

The Texas State Championships race, run by the Texas Timing Association was conducted in San Antonio, Texas on Oct 22,2011. Special thanks go to Ed Miller for putting together a great show and to press veteran Forrest Bond for his support during the event. The race had a strong emphasis on nostalgia cars with a salute to the golden era of drag racing. The only stock bodied cars there were far from stock and had to be original, historical body styles. No rear engine dragsters. A number of restored, original historical dragsters from the '60's were present. While they were too valuable and rare to race, those old fuel cars fired up their engines simultaneously in two "cacklefests" of noise. More modern fuel altereds vied for the state title and some are pictured in this gallery. Former National Champion and Hall of Fame drag racing legend Bobby Langley had ironically died the night before, and two of the cars he raced "back in the day" were represented and received special recognition.

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The courage of those who drove front motored, nitro burning dragsters cannot be overstated. They sat with the differential between their legs and the explosive clutch between their ankles. All it took was a fuel-filled cylinder, hung intake valve or a bolt failure to cause a violently exploding engine, blasting them in the face with heavy shrapnel and burning fuel. Nitro engines don't break-they detonate. The lack of good fireproofing technology left drivers at high risk. They took it in stride-even with a sense of humor. My favorite driver quote-"After the third flip, I lost control".