Bristol Dragway Street Fights program continues to thrive

BRISTOL, Tenn. – By day, Dennis Arnold works a fast-paced and stressful job in the trucking industry. On Thursday nights, the 44-year-old Meadowview resident finds his release through fast cars.
Arnold is part of the colorful corps of gearheads, speed freaks and car-loving free spirits who participate in the Fas Mart Street Fights program at Bristol Dragway.

For the past 10 years, the Street Fights have offered a safe and fun alternative for folks who yearn to test their mechanical know-how and competitive instincts.

Grassroots racers

Arnold turned heads Thursday evening as he hauled his radical 1936 Dodge Coupe into the sprawling pit area at Bristol Dragway.

“I’ve never been down the track with this thing. I’m not sure what it’s going to do and how fast it’s going to run, but we’re going to have fun,” Arnold said.

The diversity of cars and competitors is one of the primary appeals of the Street Fights. There are zippy imports, classic American-made muscle cars, exotic sport cars and even pickup trucks.

“This is all about living life,” said Arnold, the terminal manager for Bristol-based Whitaker Transportation. “To come to an elite track like this and have the chance to race against your buddies for only 10 bucks…it doesn’t get any better than that.”

King of speed

The veteran of the Street Fights gang is Willard Kinzer. For the past three years, the 82-year-old owner of Kinzer Drilling has flown from his Kentucky home to his sanctuary at Bristol Dragway.

Thursday evening, a good-natured crew of friends and neighbors scurried around a pair of sleek black Corvette’s at Thunder Valley while Kinzer prepared for another night of racing in his NASCAR-worthy motorhome.

“I like to drag race, and this is a good opportunity to get away from everything for a few hours,” said Kinzer, whose son Brandon is a famed dirt late model racer. “I enjoy the fellowship and the competition. I’ll do this as long as I’m able.”

In addition to his two Corvettes, Kinzer has rocketed down the famed Bristol Dragway quarter-mile in a 1969 Camaro, Chevrolet Cobalt and a Porsche 911 Turbo.

The regulars at the track still talk about the night that Kinzer posted a jaw-dropping run of 187 miles per hour in his Cobalt.

Brad Barker, who works as an accountant at Kinzer Drilling, said he gets a charge out of watching his boss make his high-speed excursions.

“Willard just told me one day that he wanted to go drag racing. Since then, we’ve been here about every night the dragway has been open,” Barker said.

Back to basics

For David Somers, drag racing is all about the basics.

The 30-year-old Abingdon resident has been attending the Street Fights since the program was introduced.

Somers competed Thursday in a well-traveled 1971 Chevrolet Cheyenne pickup.

“This truck is basically stock,” Somers said. “The only thing I’ve done to it is put on a set of headers.”
The goal for Somers Thursday was simple.

“I ran my truck a couple weeks ago here, and I wanted to see if I could go a little bit quicker,” said Somers, who works an overnight shift at Wal-Mart. “This series gives people a chance to get their cars off the street and race with their friends. I’ve been coming since the start, and I hope it continues for another 10 years.”

Frank Estep is another one of the Bristol Dragway regulars. A former competitor in the Fun Ford Series, Estep is the mastermind behind the popular online drag racing forum titled Racethis.com. The website has followers from several states, according to Estep.

“I’ve been here since the Street Fights started, and I’ve enjoyed watching it grow,” Estep said. “At first, bracket racing was really big but there was no place for the regular street cars to go. We have one of the best facilities in the world here, so obviously this is a great opportunity.”

Estep pointed to the underlying allure of the Street Fights.

“With this program, you can get away from your regular job or mundane and become a Superhero.”

Fast Fun

There will be a total 17 Street Fight events this season, with the final event set for Sept. 16. Spectator admission is just $5.

In addition to the colorful parade of vehicles, Bristol Dragway officials spice up the evening with live music, trivia contests, video games and other unique promotions.

Wes Ramey, the manager of media and public relations at Bristol Dragway, said track officials have taken a cue from minor league baseball promoters in trying to offer a family-friendly show for all ages.

“We see everything from souped-up street cars to the regular family vehicles out here, and there’s always a different promotion to keep everyone entertained,” Ramey said. “We’re really proud of how this program has grown, and we hope it keeps growing.”

agregory@bristolnews.com | Twitter: @Greg_BHCSports | (276) 645-2544