Grudge Racers Hit Top Gun

by Leanna Lehman — 

Grudge racers came from far and wide to participate in Top Gun Raceway’s $5 Friday nights. With a mere $5.00 gate fee and a $15 race entry fee, drivers raced as many times as they liked on Fallon’s top-rated, nationally NHRA sanctioned drag strip.

With fast times, fast cars, and fast friends, the evening’s races were adrenaline filled, with cars from various decades; hundreds of body styles, makes, and models. A rusty old Dodge Darts, a fire-red El Camino, and a herd of metal Mustangs joined old and new pick-up trucks, muscle cars, small body Fast & Furious type hot rods, motorcycles, and acres of other types of vehicles to test their speeds.

Grudge racing is an organized, no-to-low-prep, legal street type race held at a drag strip or track. Drivers can enter virtually any kind of auto or motorbike. Motors are souped-up, fueled up, and are even occasionally blown-up when things get too hot. Cars driven fresh off manufacturing line can race with no modifications or special parts and Grandma’s old brown Chevy Nova that hasn’t been started in a decade is free to hit the track.

A racing crew from Sparks’ Car Shop Boba, raced a 2007 Subaru STI or also called a Hawk-eye. With a six-speed manual transmission, a custom build motor (or two), Jess Cline, Cory Schander, Pete Rhodes, raced a 900 horsepower, 4-cylinder, 2.5-liter engine and hit top speeds on the quarter-mile track.

Miss Nasty, a wicked-green Harley Davidson Dyna, also made its mark. Greg Dicker Jr. from Valley Springs, CA. trailered Miss Nasty over the summit during a not-so rare May snowstorm to join his parents for the races. Greg Dicker Sr., a new Fallon transplant and loving it, has been racing for over 50 years. Due to mechanical problems, he wasn’t able to green-light his 1971 red Dodge Dart.

Saturday and Sunday at Top Gun are drag races, including junior drag races. For a complete season schedule of events, click here:http://www.topgunraceway.com/