My story: I was never interested in drag racing until my husband took me to the US Nationals in Indy. Once I heard the roar of the engines and saw how fast the cars were going, I knew I had found a new sport to enjoy.
We have attended Brown County Dragway to watch a friend of ours race and I kept asking my hubby, when will you be out there? Well, he did finally find a car and began racing last year. All the time he is asking me to learn to drive the car, but, I tell him that it is his to have fun with. One day, we had the car in our yard, under the shade tree to wash it and my husband had injured his back doing some yard work. He asked me to get in the car and back it into the driveway and then drive it into the garage. Let me tell you! it was like WOW!!!!!!! THIS THING IS AWESOME! I begged him to someday take me out to learn to race this car! I was hooked!
Well, we planned to attend the Mother's Day race at BCD, but, it was rained out. So, we did get the car there the following weekend and I was so hoping to get in the race. But, as fate would have it, the transmission went out during his practice rounds. We got that fixed, returned to the track a couple of weeks later, and the next time out, he had a wiring fire that disabled the car. That was repaired and, again, we arrive and I get signed into Sportsman class. Well, another gremlin reared it's ugly head during his first practice round....a broken brake line. So, I got my first broke pass. Another memory for me, hahaha.
Okay, here we are again, everything has checked out and I am ready to try racing. First, I would like to thank the entire track personnel for allowing my husband to help me with the burnout and staging procedure.
I was a NERVOUS WRECK! HAHAHA When I hit the gas for the first time, OH MY GOD!!!! WHAT A RIDE!!!!!!!! I have to have more of that!!!!!!!
It is impossible to describe the intense adrenaline rush that is felt with that first run! Everyone should try this at least once.
I know I made some mistakes, but with the encouragement from my friends and family in our pit area, the mistakes were soon forgotten.
And now, I even WON my first round of competition that day! You should have seen my friends and family, they were cheering and yelling and jumping up and down for me when I was coming back the return road! What a good feeling! That white slip will be framed and will hang on my wall forever!
I know that I overreved the motor in my second round and redlighted and was so disappointed in myself, but still, I cannot remember when I have had so much fun in one day.
Now, we have bought a car just for me, but it will likely be next year before it is ready. Until then, I will keep racing his! I can't wait to get back to Brown County Dragway for more racing!
Debbie Reneau
| Racing Here I Come! Mother's Day 2006 |
The day I decided I wanted a race car too was on the Sunday after Mother’s Day. I got bitten by the RACE BUG. They had Mother’s Day Race. My husband had begged me for a year to please try it. I kept saying “NO!” That’s your toy and your joy. I enjoy watching you have fun. Well this year he talked me into it. I agreed one trip down the strip. I figured it would make him happy and at least this year I wouldn’t have to hear it all year. You should have. You’ll never know the THRILL and the CRAVE for racing without trying it. So I DID. He was SO SO right!
You must have respect for the POWER of the car to over come the fear – then it is all a BLAST! Your still nerves because you are learning the Hows Whens and Whats to do to achieve the ultimate rush! It truly is very hard to describe what gives a person that CRAVE to RACE. I think it’s all those feelings rushing through you and the adrenalin that hooks you. You just DON’T want it to be over. You soon find out once it is not just good enough. I messed up several times but I learned some more each time and I got better. I got a white slip (a winning ticket) which meant I would get to go again. Then after 6 trips I red lighted (lost). Even though I knew I had the power in the car to have won it was just my inexperience and driver era due to revving it up. Too much power not enough breaking power. I slid off the line too soon. I was so upset with myself. Even though my family and friends were proud I stayed in as long as I had. I had a great day and just got bit by the RACING BUG which causes the CRAVE and the THRILL!
So now I want my own car. I hope someday soon I can race. My only sad thing to say about the day is I never got the bragging rights and my white time slips are so light they are barely readable. I would have liked to frame them with a picture of his car that I drove. My best time was an 8.20 and then when I get my own car I want to do the same on my first day. I even have a name for my car when it is offered to me – it will be “DD’s Grocery Getter – groceries delivered in 8.20 seconds”! Until then, share his! Vanessa Burtan – Shelbyville Indiana
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