2019_Mint_400_Sand_Drag_Display_Booklet_Online

WHAT ARE SAND
DRAGS?

The origin of the first sand drag race may
be lost to the annuls of history, but the sport can be
traced back to the late 1950s as racers gathered on
the sandy shores of Pismo Beach with modified off-
road vehicles. Gaining traction in the 1960s, the sport
grew more popular and more organized. It became
the training grounds of some of the elite names in pavement drag racing like Larry
Minor, Ed “The Ace” McCulloch, Gary Scelzi, and Cory McClenathan. Current Top
Fuel Motorcycle rider Larry “Spiderman” McBride and rising drag racing star Ashley
Sanford also started in the dirt showing that it continues to develop quality racers.

Sand drags today are held all over the country in sand/ dirt mixture tracks.
The varying climates and track compositions make for interesting competition as
racers frequently have to adapt to new conditions. Professional tracks now have
the same starting line systems and timers that are seen in the pavement. Most
sand drag tracks are only 300 feet in length, with the occasional track opting for a
shorter 200 foot course or longer 500 foot competition grounds. Why the shorter
length than pavement though? The answer is simple if you attend a race and see
how quickly the fastest competitors can get out of shape. Shorter tracks are a
necessary component to keep participants safe.


The classes vary from track to track going all the
way from kids classes racing small bikes and
junior dragsters to the kings of the sand: Top Fuel
Dragsters. These machines are just as impressive
as their asphalt counterparts running the typical
300 foot course in the low 2 second range at
over 150mph all the while sending a rooster tail of sand hundreds of feet in the air
behind them. One of the most appealing aspects of sand drags is the diversity of
vehicles that can participate. Everything from stock quads and utvs to completely
custom, purpose built machines occupy the staging lanes. The rules accommodate
much more variety in setups than nearly any other motorsport, as pretty much the
only considerations are basic safety requirements. This makes the point of entry
fairly easy as pretty much anything with wheels and motor can be run and also be
competitive.

The sport isn’t just about the competition though. Even with the increasing
degree of professionalism the sport has seen over the years, it still maintains a
grassroots feel. Camping with family and friends is an ever present part of sand
drags and just about everyone you’ll meet at an event would welcome you around
the campfire at the end of day to recount the racing action from hours before. It’s
also extremely welcoming to newcomers as any racer would loan you tools or help
with new setups without even being asked. The community that sand drag racers
are a part of is one big family.

Driver Name: Derek Balcunas
Hometown: La Quinta, CA
Age: 37
Team Name: Larry Minor Motorsports
Best E.T.: 2.65
Best MPH: 135 MPH
Vehicle Specs: Larry Minor Jeep, All Aluminum Blown 540 CI Brad Anderson
Bio: Crew chief Bob Brewer, a friend of Larry’s for more than 40 years, has
spent his entire life working as crew chief on the NHRA circuit and now tunes the
methanol burning machine of Balcunas. Derek has spent most of his life as a
fabricator and driving off road vehicles. He is currently crew chief and fabricator for
Justin Lofton. Derek is married Larry’s daughter Aimee and has given Larry and his
wife two beautiful granddaughters: Hayden and Regan.

Track Name: Atoka Motorsports Park
Address: 8591 East Hwy 3
Atoka, OK 74525
Owners: Cecil & Debbie Wilson
Date Opened: 1992
Track Record: E.T. - Marc Luce 2.592
MPH - Jeff Janoe 151 MPH
Track History: Atoka Motorsports Park
in Atoka, OK opened and started holding
sand drag racing events in the fall of 1992.
They started with humble beginnings of just
a few races per season. This changed in
1994 with the schedule expanding to one
race per month, from March to November. A
point series was added in 1997 to give the
racers something to shoot for throughout
the season. 1999 saw the first Heartland
Nationals take place with help from the
ASDA. The tradition continues on with AMP
hosting the Heartland Nationals for the
21st consecutive season in 2019. Special
events include the Heartland Nationals and
the Fall Fest.

Driver Name: Jeff Guillot
Hometown: Gilbert, LA
Age: 50
Team Name: Team Wild Thing
Best E.T.: 2.54
Best MPH: 132.68 MPH
Vehicle Specs: Prater Racing Chassis, Supercharged 1510cc Puma
Bio: Jeff started racing at the age of 10 at a local sand drag track and was instantly
hooked. Eventually his passion led him to building his own track, Northeast
Louisiana Sand Drag Track which opened in 1996. Guillot then built the fastest
motorcycle in the sand in 2008. Jeff unfortunately suffered a near life-ending crash
May 6th, 2016. He has had a long road to recovery, but is working back to piloting
Wild Thing once again.
Track Name: West Michigan Sand Dragway
Address: 7186 W. Deer Rd.
Mears, MI 49436
Owners: Jim & Judi Briggs
Date Opened: 1992
Track Record: E.T. - Rob Schyett 2.62
MPH - Richard Montiel 138 MPH
Track History: Originally called Silver Lake Sand
Dragway the track was founded by Don Snyder in
1983. WMSD is one of the oldest sand drag tracks
running in the country and has since become one
of the premier sand drag facilities in the United
States. Running anything from Top Alcohol, Quick
16 cars, Quick 8 quads, and sportsman racing
they have a little of everything going on. Watch
for special events throughout their season like the
U.S. Sand Nationals July 4th weekend to the big
money Shake and Bake race at the end of July.

Track Assoc.: Southern California Sand
Drag Association
Address: 23333 Soboba Rd.
San Jacinto, CA 92583
Owner: Mike Gazzeni
Date Opened: 2006
Track Record: E.T. - Dennis Reick 2.201
MPH - Marcus Norris 171.74 MPH
Track History: Now under the operation
of SCSDA, this track was formed to
continue a sport that has been around
the Hemet Valley for many years. With
the same dedication and support from
fellow racers, they strive to keep the
sand drag racing sport alive for younger
generations to come. The Soboba track
is currently the home to several world
records. These include the blistering fast
pass of Dennis Reick’s 2.201 Top Fuel
record, Adam Roe’s 2.664 Fast Fours
record, and the 2.668 A/ Pro Jeep record
set by Jimmy Depasse. The track offers
classes for everything from kids to these
record setting machines.
Driver Name: Zora Waters Peters
Hometown: Salem, OH
Age: 15
Team Name: Retriever Racing
Best E.T.: 6.40
Best MPH: 49 MPH
Vehicle Build Specs: 100” Chromoly Tube Chassis Jeep, 4.8 L V8
Bio of Driver/ Vehicle/ Team: Zora is competitive on and off the track. This young
lady has her hands full being a 4.0 GPA student, softball player, and musician, but
most importantly a racer. She began racing at the age of 7 and has dominated
ever since, winning points championships every year in the Junior classes. She is
currently building a new Jeep with her dad and aims to continue her success in the
adult classes. Zora is just one example of emerging young talent in the sport.





Special Thanks To: David Nehrbass

Tom Bray David Huffman

Robert Sines Randy Mings
Sines Boys Racing Mings Racing