Celebrating 60 Years of Drag Racing History www.srcadragstrip.com

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Celebrating 60 Years of Drag Racing History
A
nyone who chats with Hank Denning about the local drag strip would expect to hear about fast cars, safety features and the
challenges drivers face every time they fire up the engines. And they would be right.
But then the conversation quickly switches gears. It doesn’t take Denning long to eagerly share information about the real passion behind his commitment to the Sunflower Rod & Custom Association’s (SRCA) Great Bend drag strip.
As SRCA president, Denning has re-directed the club’s focus back to its roots. Part of that legacy is providing an avenue for
young people to race in a safe environment.
Even locals who are aware of the drag strip in the Expo Complex might not realize the extent of SRCA’s commitment to young
people. There are two classes of junior racers – ages 8-9 and 10-18.
“Our juniors drive miniature-scale dragsters,” said Denning, a Great Bend native who works for Amerine Construction. “There are the same safety considerations and
rules. We like to educate them early. They know competition and what it means; they know how to win and they
know how to lose.
“The parents are super-involved,” he continued. “If
homework slips, or if the kid has done something wrong,
that car is parked.”
When youngsters begin salivating over the neat cars,
they might be surprised to discover that academics are important to this racing thing. And Denning doesn’t miss any
opportunity to let them know the value of an education.
Board of Directors - Pictured on the track where countless hours of volunteer labor
have been devoted, the S.R.C.A. Board poses for a group photo. The club has
numerous members, who are led by the volunteer board.
June 2013 • p8
During big race weekends, the S.R.C.A. Dragstrip is host to hundreds of racers from all over the United States.
Pictured above, dozens of cars line up in the staging lanes during the National QuickSeries in late April.
Economic ImpactA packed pit area is proof of the significant
impact that drag racing still holds on our local economy. From full hotels to
lots of visits to the gas pumps, the City of Great Bend’s sales tax revenue is
greatly influenced by the traveling racers.
“Things such as temperature, barometric pressure, temperature of the track itself and humidity are considered before a
race,” Denning said. “All this has to be factored in. It is a science.
“They must know math and geometry, and be able to understand what they read,” he said. “Yes, kids nowadays have computers but cars still attract their attention. I tell them I plug
information into a computer but then I have to decide what I
have to do to this car to make it run like I want it to run.”
Safety is the biggest lesson of all. “This is what we are all
about,” the club president said. “We want to teach all these
lessons. We are concerned about public relations and doing
public service with the drag strip as a tool.”
And he is not just blowing exhaust from a tail pipe. For example, Denning and his colleagues have been to the Larned Juvenile Correctional Facility several times in the last four years.
“They wait for us to come back. We hear they are little
angels for two weeks before we get there,” Denning said, smiling. “We love to put on programs for schools and kids. We
explain what we do and the rules to follow. And they learn
you get punished for not following the rules. If we save one
kid, it is worth it.”
SRCA also wants to develop a relationship with Ellsworth Correctional Facility.
Denning began his re-direction of the club in 2009
and it is now a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity. “We wanted
to do things differently and this has become very popular through the media,” he said.
For example, Denning recently participated in a
Washington, D.C. radio show to promote SRCA and
appeared on the internet TV show, Speed Scene Live.
“We want to push Great Bend hard,” Denning said. “As
the club that runs the drag strip, we promote our city
and educate our kids.”
One current project is doing whatever it takes to designate the drag strip as a National Registered Historic
Site. It has that title in Kansas but Denning wants it to
be the first drag strip on the national registry.
Meeting of the Minds - Members of the S.R.C.A. club gather for their
monthly meeting, discussing logistics of upcoming events and strategizing for the best ways to put Great Bend on the map as a historic drag
strip through the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA).
This is where the strip’s storied history will come into play.
The city of Great Bend acquired the B-29 Army-Air Force
base in 1946 and the first race was held May 12, 1953. SRCA
was formed the following January and joined the National
Hot Rod Association (NHRA) in 1955.
The Chamber of Commerce wrote to NHRA, requesting
that Great Bend be the site for the first national event. NHRA
said “yes” and this race established the official acceleration
records for stand and start quarter-mile racing.
Gov. Sam Brownback recently proclaimed April 27 through
May 5 as Kansas Speedweek in honor of this legacy. SRCA
sponsored many events during the week.
Over the years, the track has seen a number of improvements. For example, it was resurfaced in 2000; a Compu-Link
timing system and new timing scoreboards were installed in
2003; a new concession stand with showers was built, also in
2003; a new tower with a meeting room was constructed and
1320 Go Live Timing was installed in 2010; concrete barriers
were finished in 2011; and the strip was
ground and polished last year.
Cont. on Pg 10
June 2013 • p9
June 2013 • p7
June 2013 • p10
Behind the Scenes
Cont. from Pg 9
June Calendar of Events
June Jaunt Festival – May 31 through June 2 (View schedule at www.greatbend.org)
The Barton
County
Historical
Society
recently
featured
a special
exhibit on
the 60th
Anniversary
of drag racing. SRCA Club
members pose
with an original racing flag from 1955.
1… 11th Annual MDA Run Because You Can, 12th & Williams, 7 a.m.
1… 4th Annual Hoisington Mud Run, East of Hwy 281 in Hoisington, 1 p.m.
1… 1st Annual Business Olympics, Jack Kilby Square, 1:30 p.m.
1… Community Beer Garden w/ Life Music, Jack Kilby Square, 4-11 p.m.
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2… 1st Annual Community BBQ Competition, Vets Park, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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2… Rhonda Klug Memorial Sand Volleyball Tournament, Vets Park, 11 a.m.
2… Club 1 Fitness “Get Active Barton County” Demonstrations, Vets Park, 1-3 p.m.
3… Barton County Commission Meeting, Courthouse Room 106, 9 a.m.
3… Young Professionals Steering Committee Meeting, 1125 Williams, 4 p.m.
SRCA maintains the entire Expo Complex, not just the drag
strip, through an agreement with the city. The racing season
is mid-March to late October.
“We try for every other weekend to give our volunteers a
break,” Denning said. “We are all volunteers. Sponsors, advertisers and our racers pay for everything. We are from all walks
of life. These guys are professionals. They have high-caliber
cars.”
Denning has been involved in racing since high school. He
drives a black 1969 Chevy Nova that costs thousands of dollars
a year – just to maintain. But it is not just local people spending
money locally on this sport.
Racing events attract thousands of participants and spectators
annually to Great Bend where they spend money on car parts, as well as
motels, gasoline, food, shopping and entertainment.
“We have people from all over the country and Canada,” Denning said.
“We have a driver from Hawaii who comes every year. We have two teams
from Oklahoma who came even when their car was broken.
“Part of this whole thing for this family is to go to the Waterpark,” Denning said, noting just one example of the economic
ripple effect. “So just because the car was broken, the Waterpark
was still here.”
The Sunflower Rod & Custom Association sponsors numerous annual events that involve a variety of vehicles, including
old muscle cars such as Camaros and Novas, as well as factory
hotrods. The club partnered with Vintage Wheels Club and the
City of Great Bend to host a car show in April and the first ever
Cruise Night in late May as part of the June Jaunt festival. They
also support the Big Bend Bike Rally every September. Racing categories for NHRA races include elapsed time, index, competition
eliminator, and super stock.
At right and
below, volunteers track
statistics and
announce
the race
progress.
SRCA Club
members
pose with
Brock
McPherson
of Vintage
Wheels
Car Club
and NHRA
before the
Summit
Series race
in April.
3… Great Bend City Council Meeting, 1209 Williams, 7:30 p.m.
4… Retail Roundtable Meeting (brownbag luncheon), 1125 Williams, 12:30 p.m.
5… Relay for Life Raffle Drawing at Great Bend Public Library, 1409 Williams, 12 p.m.
6… Chamber Coffee: Clara Barton Foundation, 250 W. 9th in Hoisington, 9:30 a.m.
6… ChamberConnect Radio Show Airs, KVGB 1590 AM, 11:35 a.m.
6… Business After Hours & Ribbon Cutting: Applebee’s, 3209 10th, 5-7 p.m.
6… Summer Street Stroll, Jack Kilby Square, 5-8 p.m.
6… Great Bend City Band Concert, Jack Kilby Square, 8:15 p.m.
7-9… Speed Scene Live / SRCA Drag Strip Races, Great Bend Expo Complex
8… Nex-Tech Zoo Fest, Great Bend Brit Spaugh Park & Zoo, 1-4 p.m.
10-14… Heartland Farms Peace Camp for Kids, 1049 CR 390, Pawnee Rock, 9-4:30
10… Barton County Commission Meeting, Courthouse Room 106, 9 a.m.
10… Big Bend Bike Rally Committee Meeting, 1125 Williams, 5 p.m.
11… WorkFit Demonstration, Front Door Facility, 1615 10th, 1-2:30 p.m.
12… Young Professionals Leadership Lunch, Pizza Hut, 10th & McKinley, 12-1 p.m.
13… Summer Street Stroll, Jack Kilby Square, 5-8 p.m.
13… Great Bend City Band Concert, Jack Kilby Square, 8:15 p.m.
14… Clara Barton Benefit Golf Tournament, Dinner & Auction, Lake Barton, 8 a.m.
14… Ribbon Cutting: Sandstone Bridge Center, 3520 Lakin St. 105, 4 p.m.
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15… Submission Deadline for July Issue of Outlook Business Journal
15… Human eMotion Color Run (Race, Bike & Walk), 514 Cleveland, 6 a.m.
16… Next Generation Power Force, First Assembly, 601 Patton, 10:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m.
17… Barton County Commission Meeting, Courthouse Room 106, 9 a.m.
17… Great Bend City Council Meeting, 1209 Williams, 7:30 p.m.
19… Chamber Member Services Seminars, 1125 Williams, 10 a.m. & 12 p.m.
19… Chamber Executive Board Meeting, 1125 Williams, 12 p.m.
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20… Lee Turner Lectureship Series “Breach Point”, Fine Arts Auditorium, 245 NE 30 Rd
20… Summer Street Stroll, Jack Kilby Square, 5-8 p.m.
20… Great Bend City Band Concert, Jack Kilby Square, 8:15 p.m.
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21… Flyer Insert Deadline for July Mailing of Outlook Business Journal
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24… Barton County Commission Meeting, Courthouse Room 106, 9 a.m.
21-22… SRCA Drag Strip Races, Great Bend Expo Complex
26… Chamber Board of Directors Meeting, 1125 Williams, 7:30 a.m.
27… Chamber Coffee: Life Giving Center, 2100 Broadway (use west entrance), 9:30 a.m.
27… Central KS Catbackers Golf Tournament, Dinner & Auction, StoneRidge, 12:30 p.m.
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27… Summer Street Stroll, Jack Kilby Square, 5-8 p.m.
27… Great Bend City Band Concert, Jack Kilby Square, 8:15 p.m.
30… Shafer Art Gallery Reception, Fine Arts Building, 245 NE 30 Rd, 1-3 p.m.
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