Newbie wanting to run in Drag Week 2015

[lilduec]

Ok so don't shoot me since I'm a newbie to this but I would like to find out more information about Drag Week. The past few years I have been watching and I've thought if they ever come back to St Louis I will enter my car and do it. Well since I'm from St Louis this year is the perfect route to take for me since I have friends to stay with in Indy and Union Grove which would cut down on costs. My car on the other hand is something I'm gonna have to thrash on to get ready by September, but how do you even know if you will get in? I have a steel 32 Ford 5 window coupe that I have had for about 10 years now that I used to drive all the time, I tore it down a few years back to build it the way I wanted but then went through a divorce and its sat since. I'm going to go for an early 60's style street race car look but I want it safe and all legal to run at things like drag week. I'm guessing I would enter into the "Hot Rod" class too since I have a carbureted 302 bored out to a 306 with no power adders, its a 1932 and its channeled. If anyone can help me out I would really appreciate it.
So my questions are this:
How much does it cost to enter drag week?
Do they only allow 300 people to enter?
Do they pick who enters or is it a first come first serve thing?

[nesabo]

We dont shoot newbies here. They just have to bring beer to DW.

$250 was the registration fee last year. no idea if it changed
300 is the plan. last year it did not work. lol
first come first serve. however last years winners will get advanced notice.

[lilduec]

Ok cool thanks! If I don't get in this year I'll bring a cooler with beer in my coupe or wagon down to the hotels close to Gateway lol.

So I guess now everyone just sits back and waits until they send out the registration and hope to get in?

[tsanchez]

HOT ROD
Hot Rod is for ’28 to ’48 American cars and trucks. Cars in this class may not appear in the Gasser style or they will be placed in the Gasser/AFX class.
BODY
•Must be a ’28 to ’48 American car or truck
•May be steel or fiberglass. Replicas must be faithful to the original car.
•Fenders, running boards, hoods, and hood sides may be removed.
•Traditional ’50-style chopping and sectioning are allowed; radical alterations and stretching such as those seen on Super Gas/Comp roadsters and Pro-Mod cars are not allowed.
•No wings, spoilers, or air dams allowed.
CHASSIS
•The frame must be original or a street-oriented aftermarket replacement.
•No round-tube framerails.
•Engine may not be set back past the stock windshield location.
FRONT SUSPENSION
•Fenderless cars may not have independent front suspension.
•Struts not allowed.
TIRES & WHEELS
•Must use tires on the dragstrip that are no greater than 11.25 inches wide at the tread, as measured installed and on the ground with a go/no-go gauge. Tire edges may not be shaved or cut to meet the 11.25-inch maximum. Drag radials with a metric width labeling of no greater than 295 mm may be used.
ENGINE
•Must use American engine families from ’68-and-earlier model years.
•555ci displacement limit
•No EFI allowed. Carbureted or mechanical injection only.
•No power adders allowed.
•No aluminum cylinder blocks.
•Cast intake manifolds only. No fabricated sheetmetal intakes.
•Cylinder heads must use the OE port configuration; no symmetrical-port or spread-port heads.
•Engines that were OE designed with inline valves may not use canted-valve heads.
DRIVETRAIN
•Lenco-type transmission prohibited
•Manual transmissions with clutchless shifting prohibited

[Firechickenman]

I was a newbie last year....I didn't get shot! The Drag Week guys are about the nicest, most friendly, helpful bunch you'll find. I'd love to see you make it in! Last year registration was $290 and I think it's the same this year. I thought they said they were going to allow 350 entries this year. Have you found the page on Hotrod's website dedicated to Drag Week? Lots of helpful info there.

Oh, and if you don't make it in....bring beer to the hotels in Collinsville and make some new friends!

[Monster]

I would like to find out more information about Drag Week.

Click this link for rules and procedures;

https://image.adam.automotive.com/f/89338690/2015-2017-hot-rod-drag-week-rules-final.pdf

[squirrel]

or the Hot Rod link to the rules

http://www.hotrod.com/news/1412-final-2015-2017-hot-rod-drag-week-rules-are-here/

They have never turned anyone away who showed up the day of the race, that was not pre registered. Although there's always a first time! But since you're local, it's not a big deal for you to show up and try to enter, even if you don't get pre registered or a good spot on the waiting list.

[abritton77]

I was a newbie last year also. I met some good people and had a blast. Not one time did I hear anyone say I'm never doing this again. What I learned the hard way was to protect myself from the sun and when you have the opportunity to eat a good meal take advantage of it. For me that was only breakfast, then gas station food and race track burgers the rest of the time. I usually left the hotel around 7:00 AM and would usually get to the next hotel around 9:00 PM. I loved every minute of it!!!!

[Orange65]

I was a newbie last year also. I met some good people and had a blast. Not one time did I hear anyone say I'm never doing this again. What I learned the hard way was to protect myself from the sun and when you have the opportunity to eat a good meal take advantage of it. For me that was only breakfast, then gas station food and race track burgers the rest of the time. I usually left the hotel around 7:00 AM and would usually get to the next hotel around 9:00 PM. I loved every minute of it!!!!

I agree with you completely! I did DW in 2013 and had a blast. Lunch was at a gas station a couple of days. I had such bad nerves the first couple of days, I did not eat breakfast and that is probably the worst thing you can do- unless you get dehydrated. Drink Gatorade or Powerade and stay hydrated. Indy 2013 was freaking hot and I got dehydrated- not something I want to do again.

lilduec- is the 302 from a pre 1968 engine family? I am not familiar with Fords.

[2165 Turbo Rail]

I was a newbie last year and it was the most fun I've ever had at any car event. These guys and gals are true hot rod people and will help in anyway they can.
You questions have been answered above so I'll just add in something else
Don't worry about being the fastest guy in your class just have fun
Don't worry about rushing out and heading to the next track. The drive is part of the fun and seeing all the other cars on the road makes it even better.
Just have fun

[lilduec]

Awesome, thanks for the response!! I read up on all the rules and procedures and have a better idea on everything. Now it looks like I just need to get on my build to get it on the road! If anything like Firechickenman said, I'll be around Collinsville or the track with a cooler! This is something I would love to do as a personal accomplishment with my coupe, I could care less about winning anything lol. Just driving from track to track with everyone and making some passes sounds like a blast. What do you get with the entry fee? One wristband for the driver for the entire event and up to 3 people? Did I read that right?

[2165 Turbo Rail]

Oh and one last thing. You can't start working on your car until August

Your entry fee gets you into all the tracks
I'm not sure how many people you can bring with you. I think most people just bring one passenger from what I could tell

[lilduec]

Orange65 ummm good question about the 302 lol, guess I better look into that. This is my first Ford engine actually so I'm not sure, I've always had Chevy engines in my hot rods but decided to put a Ford in a Ford this time. 2165 TurboRail, isn't that how it always happens lol? Last minute thrashing to get em on the road!!

[Firechickenman]

If you think you want to do it, then DO IT! You won't regret it! Your registration will get you and up to 3 passengers into the tracks for the race days. How many can fit in that 32?? Oh, and you get a t-shirt and some stickers.... Memories are the best part.

[abritton77]

Every time I talk to people about driving my car on a long trip they are like you trust that old car. They think I am stupid but my response is I drove it 2 k miles and raced it 6 days in a row last year, I think its pretty reliable. For me its a personal accomplishment knowing that I finished it in a car that I had just done an LS swap on just a few months prior. The driving part hardly seemed fair.