ROCKINGHAM — The oh-too-long winter performance break will end with the familiar sound of revving engines and screeching tires this Saturday when Rockingham Dragway plays host to the first event in the 2020 Mass Acceleration Motorsports Street Drags Series featuring the new NHRA Jr. Street class.
During each of the 15 scheduled MXA events aspiring young racers 13-16 years of age can compete for Jr. Street points and trophies. The top performers at season’s end will advance to the NHRA Southeast Division Summit ET Finals Oct. 10-11 where the division champ will earn an NHRA Wally trophy just like those awarded at NHRA national events.
Participants in Jr. Street compete in full-size, licensed and street-legal vehicles at the eighth-mile distance. What sets the class apart from Jr. Dragster is that a licensed adult must be belted into the passenger seat. It’s a dial-your-own ET class for cars covering the eighth mile in no less than 10 seconds.
The Rock opens at 10 a.m. Saturday with unlimited quarter mile time trials for virtually any type of vehicle from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on a fully-prepped racing surface. Racers and fans also will have access to food concessions and VP Racing Fuel.
“Street cars, pick-ups, muscle cars, motorcycles, race cars, snowmobiles, whatever you’ve got,” said track owner Steve Earwood, “and if it runs a hundred miles-an-hour in the quarter mile, you’ll get an ‘NHRA 100 MPH Club’ decal.”
Adult admission is only $12 with children 12-and-under free when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Unlimited runs for car and driver, whether in the test-and-tune program or Jr. Street, is $25. The next scheduled MXA event is March 21.
