NHRA, John Force return to Joliet’s Route 66 Raceway

by Erin Gallagher

Drag racing ain’t for sissies.

There are degrees of badass. At the top of just about any list would be 16-time Funny Car Champion John Force, who at 149 wins, is the holder of more all-time records than any driver in the NHRA history.

Lucky for me, after I failed to break 100 mph at a drag racing school, it was John Force’s advice that helped me dust myself off.

In advance of NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway starting Thursday this week, the Frank Hawley Driving School taught lessons last week.

While heading to the track that morning, I thought some of my more challenging driving experiences would give me an edge up, including from Rome to Paris, through Mont Blanc tunnel, then on Ireland’s left side of the road, and even on The Boulevard in Philly!

I’ve driven Lamborghinis and Ferraris, I said to myself. This can’t be much different.

Wrong.

Nothing can prepare you for what happens on that strip.

“There’s no way to compare it," Force told me in a phone interview a couple days after my attempt at the track. “You just have to live it."

Despite my slow speeds, Frank Hawley’s school was worth every moment — a great experience for any loyal fan or novice alike. After a classroom lesson was a hands on demonstration.

We were tested blind on how to hit the kill switch, shift to first, then second gears and back to park, as well as quick release of our harness buckle.

There were specific instructions on how to climb in, where to stand on the seat bar, tuck down, then get back out again.

After suiting up with padded race garb, a head stocking and helmet, the other students and I strutted toward the starting line. I felt like we were in some sort of beer commercial, with helmet under our arms, and hair waiving in the wind.

That’s when things got real.

Hawley’s crew wrapped another neck brace around me before I crawled in. Two guys strapped me down tight. Deep heavy breaths, my sunglasses and visor started to fog.

Claustrophobia! After all that fuss getting me tucked in, I released my harness and stood up like a shot.

Luckily, Chris King, a Chicago firefighter and Funny Car driver, talked me down from the ledge.

“It happens all the time,” King explained. “It’s not natural” to be tightly confined in a dragster.

He kneeled along the side of the car, talking randomly about racing. Clearly he’s had some experience distracting would-be drivers like me who struggled with the fear of small spaces.

My first run, I might as well been on I-80, only reaching 86 mph. Still, I went from “I think I can, I think I can,” to “I did it!"

When I got back to the starting line, King said “now this time put your foot down so you can feel it,” motioning to the force against his chest.

So I did. I put the hammer down, way down, and my lungs started shaking. It was thrilling and scary at the same time. That time felt so different from the first run, thinking maybe I topped 150.

Wrong again. My top speed was 96 mph. With eight student drivers, I was probably the slowest.

“Understand something, I didn’t win a race until 1988,”Force told me. There were “12 to 15 years of being a loser,” he said.

Apparently, when it comes to badass, I’m at entry level.

Force explained that over his career, technology has advanced speeds from 200 mph in the 1970s, to 340 mph today.

“That’s a lot of change,” Force said.

Of course, my question was “how do you do it?”

“The body and the mind,” he explained, "the brain has to catch up with what you’re doing. Basically you learn,” he said. "You can go faster, trust me.”

And that’s exactly what race fans are going to see this week.

Starting Thursday, the nation’s best hot rod racers will descend on Joliet at what many consider among the very best — if not the best — drag strips in the nation, Route 66 Raceway.

For four nights of action-packed racing, every NHRA ticket is a pit pass, allowing fans all-access to the pit areas and NHRA Nitro Alley tin interact with drivers and teams.

Kids are free Thursday and $14 per day, or $33 for the 4-day admission. Adults are $15 Thursday, $51 Friday, $56 Saturday and $60 Sunday. Adults are $135 for 4-day admission.

To purchase tickets or for more information, click here.

Now I get it. I have a whole new love for racing. Luckily, with Route 66 here in Joliet, I can leave it to the pros.

Erin Gallagheris a public relations consultant who serves her clients as community liaison. Unlike other gun-for-hire PR pros, Erin's community-liaison approach ensures clients maintain credibility and lasting relationships within their communities. Erin Gallagher is no ordinary spin doctor. Her clients are confident in putting forth a message that is genuine. With a reputation for integrity, transparency and fairness, "Erin Gallagher drives it straight up the fairway!"
Erin@ErinGallagher.net