A SLOW DRAG RACE?

 The "Rod Run To The End of The World" brings an estimated 1,000 classic cars to the Long Beach Peninsula in early September.

When it comes to drag racing, I've been around the block a few times, starting way back in the 1960's, when I used to race my 58 Chevy at the Salinas, CA airport, temporary drag strip.  For two years (2002 & 2003), Patty and I traveled around the country as part of the N.H.R.A. championship drag racing show, getting to know many of the drivers, teams, and support crews.  I don't know everything about drag racing, but I am fairly knowledgeable, or so I thought.  Fast forward to the present, where I saw this banner across the road in Ilwaco, advertising a SLOW DRAG RACE.

What?  The term slow drag race is about as contradictory as anything that I've ever heard.  Even though the weather wasn't cooperating yesterday afternoon, Patty and I drove over to Ilwaco in a slight rain to see what the heck a SLOW DRAG RACE is all about.

When we got to the "drag strip", a blocked off street in Ilwaco, it looked like the distance from start to finish was about an eighth mile.  There was a gal in the middle of the street acting as the starter, and when she waved the checkered flags, two cars accelerated for a very short distance, then coasted in neutral toward the finish line.  The goal is to roll to a complete stop, without going over the finish line.  The vehicle closest to the fire hose finish line is the winner. 

Other than watching the classic cars pass by, spectating at a SLOW DRAG RACE is about as exciting as watching grass grow.  It didn't take us long to decide that bringing the chairs out of the Jeep was pretty much out of the question.  Not quite ready to return to the motor home, we headed north to Ocean Park, where they were setting up for the arrival of the classic cars today.  Checking out the cars, the vendors, and maybe even some of the "fair food", is on our agenda later today.

I got an email yesterday from Don Burns, a friend who lives in Sonora, CA, and who worked with Patty for years in the hospital E.R.  Talk about a small world, Don grew up with part of the Robertson Family of Duck Dynasty fame, and just last year on a trip to Louisiana, had lunch with Willie and his family after church.   Don said that the family is pretty much what you see on TV, and that yes, they do wear "camo" to church.  He went on to say that they're all college educated except for Si, who spent 24 years in the army, and that Phil was the starting quarterback at Louisiana Tech.  Terry Bradshaw was Phil's backup.   Wow, I know somebody, who knows somebody that's famous!