The National Hot Rod Association marks its 60th anniversary in 2011.
Locally, two of three quarter-mile facilities are NHRA sanctioned, Numidia and Maple Grove. Beaver Springs races under the International Hot Rod Association banner.
Numidia Dragway opened for action in 1964, sat dormant for a few years in the 1980s, but has grown into a premier facility under the Bob Dimino family, entering its sixth season of ownership.
Dimino, a former drag racer in the 70s and 80s who still gets behind the wheel occasionally, has poured his heart and soul into the Columbia County quarter-mile, offering the racers a clean, safe facility with a family atmosphere.
"We try to give the racers what they want, and while other tracks had a down year last year, we improved by 14 percent," he said. "We offer a great racing surface along with good payouts to keep the racers coming back."
Quality foods, camping areas, souvenir stands, a huge playground area and clean restrooms are just some of the amnesties that Dimino offers for the racers and fans.
Improvements this season include a newer and safer playground area and gym set for the next generation of racers and a huge overhaul of the shutdown area, which was a concern in recent seasons with the increased speeds of the racers.
This season, Dimino was quick to mention the return of the exciting All Harley Drag Racing Association (May 21-22) along with a few new events on the 2011 slate.
The track will open for racing action Friday, April 1 with street legal drags. Saturday will be a test and tune session and Sunday, April 3, will be the first Summit Series points event of the season. The weekly schedule will remain that way, with the exception of special events.
Jet fans will be happy to see three visits throughout the season, as Al Hanna will have his jet funny car and dragster in action Memorial Day Weekend, while KC Jones will be a part of the July 4 show and return in early September.
Other special shows include $10,000-to-win, super stock versus stock class challenge event on May 7, the Mid Atlantic Nostalgia Drag Racing Association on May 15 and Aug. 14, NADM East Coast Diesel Nationals July 16, Locust Township Police Officers Car Show July 23, The Bug Rumble Volkswagen Drag Show and plenty of other action for the weekly racers as well.
Dimino's son, Vinny, is the 2010 NHRA Northeast Division One Super Pro Champion. Bob Dimino downplayed his own pending induction into the 2011 Class of the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame during the Oct. 14-16 weekend in Henderson, N.C.
Following along the lines of offering value for the dollar, "Beaver Bob" McCardle has continued to carve and nurture the niche' market at Beaver Springs Dragway.
The International Hot Rod Association facility has become known as the nostalgia track of the east coast, with the popular 8th annual York Nostalgia Nationals July 9-10, the exciting Aug. 12, Friday night under the lights, "Flashback Friday" of nostalgia super stockers, the fifth annual Jalopy Showdown Drags and the recently added Gasser Magazine-Gasser Reunion June 11-12, which already has 25 blown AA/GS Willy's and Anglia's pre-entered.
Entering its 40th season of racing, accolades continue to be bestowed upon the track, as it earned the 2010 IHRA Division Three Summit Super Series Track of the Year honors.
McCardle, a second generation racer-turned promoter, has seen it all during his years of operating the track, and is quick to mention that he would rather have his family atmosphere at his track rather than the high pressure feel of other tracks.
"I don't pay high dollar event purses, never have and never will. Our track is not about big money, it is about having fun. Family fun and affordable prices keep my racers coming back and I want to keep it that way," stated McCardle. "We cater to the family racers, and especially the young kids. They are our future."
McCardle has been known to do some off the wall things, but one that he is most proud of is the TCR or Teen Challenge Racing Program that he created.
The TCR offers kids under 16 a chance to drag race in a full-sized car and experience the thrill of competition. Full safety equipment is required, and a parent or legal guardian must be in the passenger seat. They only race to the eighth mile marker. Many of his young stars have risen to some of the top racers in years past. The popular junior dragsters and his recently developed junior ATV racing programs continue to build interest for the youngsters, as they develop into the drag racing world.
Former Beaver Springs regular and IHRA Stock Eliminator World Champion, Michael Beard stated recently that Beaver Springs has the greatest kids racing program in the USA, prompting the "We grow Kids" response from McCardle.
The track opens this weekend for test and tune sessions, while next weekend will be the first full weekend of action. Besides the aforementioned nostalgia events, other special shows include the Memorial Day Weekend featuring Bob Motz's 200 MPH-plus Jet Kenworth, MANDRA and Pro Stick Series classes along with Summit Series racing action. The entire program returns during the Labor Day weekend.
Weekly action includes Friday night street racing, while Saturdays are reserved for test and tune sessions. Sundays, the racers battle for valuable Summit Series points.
Entering the eve of its golden anniversary season, Berks County's Maple Grove Raceway has a full plate of weekly racing programs along with various special event shows, including the 27th annual Uni-Select Auto Plus Nationals, the third of six races in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship of the 2011 season.
Located just south of Reading, Maple Grove has been the home to many historic events including the first NHRA side-by-side, four second top fuel run between Joe Amato and Shirley Muldowney. Mike Dunn and Blaine Johnson were the first side-by-side 300 MPH pass. Various other record breaking runs have been contested at Maple Grove.
During the recent NHRA Northeast Division One (NED) banquet, Maple Grove was awarded the NED Track of the Year honors for the 12th time, besting 14 other member tracks in the division.
"We are proud of what we have here," said communications director Evan Jones. "We work hard to keep this good for the racers, as many tracks in the division continue to improve, including Numidia Dragway, and we stay on top of things to succeed."
Racing action officially begins with the first Sunoco Race Fuels Money Trail event on Sunday, May 1, and continues weekly until the King of the Track race on Sept. 11.
Notable special events include the first-ever visit to the Northeast by the American Drag Racing League on May 6-7; Pontiacs at the Grove, May 22; The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, May 26-29; Yuengling Beer presents the Geezers at the Grove July 2-3; July 15-17 finds the Super Chevy Weekend; the NHRA Full Throttle Series Uni-Select Auto Plus Nationals are scheduled for September 29-October 2 and the Pennsylvania Dutch Classic event is October 13-16.