The auto racing season continues at Norwalk this weekend with a return of the American Drag Racing League, today and Saturday with the “Ohio Drags IV” at Summit Motorsports Park. The 1/8-mile drags have carved a niche for themselves with an almost continuous stream of racing throughout the day. “Fans have really taken to it,” ADRL vice president Josh...
Ohio Drags IV comes to Norwalk this weekend.“Fans have really taken to it,” ADRL vice president Josh Hachat said recently. “There is not a lot of down time, because at 1/8-mile, we don’t get very many oil spills. Our president [Kenny Nowling], he compares it to like a machine gun, going all the time.”
The series did not race at Norwalk last year, and in 2007 and 2008 it was held in August. Hachat, who lives in Columbus, said even in the heart of football season, racing at Norwalk this time of year is a bonus.
“The weather will be good, the air will be cool, and we think the track will be fast,” he said. “This [Norwalk] is a wonderful facility so it should be very good for us. It is certainly better for us in September than in August. It’s before the finals, so everyone who can make it
will be there, particularly in our Pro Extreme Class.”
Five professional classes are in the series, including motorcycles.
But according to Hachat, the Pro Extreme Class is for any machine that can cover 1/8-mile in a hurry. “It’s the ‘anything goes’ class,” he said. “So we’ll have a lot of incredible cars there. That’s the marquee class for us.”
There will actually be two events this weekend — the previous ADRL drag race (Sept. 11) was postponed due to rain. It will be completed today before the “Ohio Drags.”
Gates open at 9 a.m. today with the final round of qualifying for the Sept. 11 event set for 11 a.m. Saturday, the racing begins at 11 a.m. with the final qualifying session for the Ohio Drags IV. The first round of eliminations starts at 3 p.m.
Tickets are available both days at the track.
Today: Adults $20; kids 6-12 $5. Saturday: Adults $30, kids 6-12 $5. Full-event pass: Adults $50; kids 6-12 $10. All kids under 6 free. General parking is $20, RV parking for the weekend is $150. All tickets include an ADRL VIP pit pass.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexand@plaind.com, 216-999-4253