I have to say that the 2012 sand drag racing season was an incredible journey from start to finish. This was a banner year for NSDN with 15 Daily Race Coverage events along with coverage from countless other sand drag events. Readership increased at the largest rate it has in the history of NSDN, which is a positive. It’s hard to jot down all of my thoughts on the 2012 season, but I’ll attempt to hit the high points.For me, one of the most exciting things in covering events for NSDN is going to new sand drag tracks. In 2012, I was fortunate enough to travel to four tracks I had never been at before. My first new experience was one I will never forget as I was fortunate enough to cover the Las Vegas Jeep Club Jamboree in the Dumont Dunes over President’s Day weekend. This event marked my first trip to a dune area outside of my local dunes here in Michigan. Everything about the weekend was positive with racers having fun and enjoying the love of the sport. The next new to me venue was a trip to Avenal Sand Drags in Central California for their April race. The crew at Avenal put on an exceptional show at one of the most well laid out sand drag tracks I have ever been to. From there, the next new adventure was a trip to the Nitro Nationals at the Dirt 300 in Albuquerque, NM. The New Mexico weather was warm, but the staff at the Dirt 300 was accommodating to all. I have never heard so many compliments on how the event went so well for the first major sand event at a track. Charlie Fegan and his crew know how to put on a race that’s for sure. My last new experience of the season was going to a track that wasn’t very far from home, but one I had not been to before as I went to Green’s Dragstrip in Henderson, MI. For this event, I was able to take my Jeep and do a little racing as well. The track was prepped well, which led to some amazing bracket racing on this ultra consistent race track. Despite an early exit on the racing side of things, I had a great time shooting photos the rest of the event and was glad to be able to so I could post some great shots on NSDN. The reoccurring theme that I witness at each successful track is a friendly, yet fair racing environment. When the staff treats the racers with respect and a great attitude, it trickles down through everyone & makes for everyone walking away with a smile on their faces. Hopefully this attitude continues to prevail as the sport needs as much in the way of positive things as possible. Positive experiences, to me (as a racer, event crew, reporter, and fan), is what it’s all about. If it’s not fun, then why do we do it?
It’s incredible to look back on all of the great support that NSDN received in 2012. There are so many amazing people that back us and make all of this happen. Thank these folks whenever you see them for all of they do to help keep NSDN showing up and covering all of these events; Hammer Down Racing (Dennis Rieck), Morris Family Racing/2 Dolla’ Bill (Rick, Shelly, & Billy Morris), Rialto Trophy/Team Under the Influence (Todd Kinney), Trower Racing (Rod & Dee Trower), Coldwater Kid Top Fuel (Dwight & Matthew Ludlow), Swag Racing (Mike Erwin), Pro Truck Nationals/Richards Auto Parts (Rich Simon), Las Vegas Jeep Club, The Dirt 300, Avenal Sand Drags, WSM Auctioneers (John Cadzow), and Wood River Auto Parts (Eric Gallay). I would like to thank the tracks of the Mid-America Sand Drag Series (Atoka Motorsports Park and Thunder Valley Sand Drags) that did so much to accommodate NSDN over the course of the four race campaign. The new supporters of NSDN in 2012 were certainly great addition. I was pleased to have a couple great companies in Good Vibrations Motorsports and PitProducts.com jump on board with us in 2012. Be sure to check out what these folks have to offer as the Holiday season approaches. It is also an honor to have some new racer sponsor additions to the site with Frederosa’s Team Extreme, Carroll Racing, and Midwest Coatings (Buddy Hammett). All of the above mentioned entities are such great supporters of the sport, and I’m certainly proud for NSDN to be associated with every one of them.
The photographers that supply NSDN with exceptional photos are the greatest out there. Our great friends Gary & Michelle Burrow at Lonestar Graphics continue to do extraordinary work all across the United States at sand drag racing events. They travel thousands of miles from their home base in Texas every year to supply their phenomenal products & services to us in this great sport. Be sure to check out their website at www.LoneStarGraphics.com over the holiday season and see if there are some products you can get from their to put under your tree or in the stockings. I would also like to thank Crazy Photo Squad (Ruben Rodriguez) and Charlie Lowe (Bang Shack Digital/AZDragRaceReport.com) for all of their help from the Dome Valley Raceway events. Also, Noel Smith from Smiths Photos did a superb job capturing images from the Dirt 300 Nitro Nationals event we covered in June. Mike Biel Photos supplied some great photos from the Avenal Sand Drags event to us at NSDN as well as to the new www.AvenalSandDrags.com web site.
NSDN will continue to keep on doing what we do best in 2013, and that is offer the highest quality timely coverage of the sport available anywhere. We will continue working to develop better avenues to deliver real time updates. The new Live Updates bar on the main page that debuted late in the season will hopefully open up more possibilities during the events. Also, follow our NSDN Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NationalSandDragNews for up to date info. The 2013 race schedule is looking to be just as busy as last season was for NSDN. With that being said, the support of sponsors is key to enable us to continue on at this rate. Please spread to word to potential sponsors you may know, buy a Standard sponsor ad for your race team or company, or co-sponsor a Daily Race Coverage. The rates are very reasonable, and obviously are the best avenue to reaching this great niche market of sand drags that we all love. Contact me for more info.
Last but not least, I would like to thank all of the readers of NSDN. It’s amazing at each race how I meet somebody new who is an avid reader of the site. Thanks to all of you for making this little ole site into the place for everything sand drag racing.
Until next month…
Tom Bray (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)