Street Fights: Eight Years and Counting for Bristol

Allen Hurley oversees 1,700 employees and often works over 70 hours per week.

Hurley does have a release. A fast release.

The owner of Bristol’s Touchstone Wireless is part of the thriving Street Fights program at Bristol Dragway.

For the past seven years, Street Fights has featured an array of muscle cars, motorcycles, pickup trucks and street vehicles.

"We work a lot, so this is our fun time," Hurley said. "Bristol Dragway is one of the greatest facilities in the country, and we should really appreciate and support it."

The colorful Street Fights parade began to form 15-deep an hour before the dragway gates opened Saturday morning.

Some of the weekend speed chasers were attracted by the new King of the Strip True Street Challenge where racers battle in one of six class indexes.

Hurley, 38, is among the favorites in the seven-race True Street series with his 1991 Ford Mustang capable of running 138 miles per hour.

"I really like the True Street concept," Hurley said. "The class has everything from really fast nine-second cars to a 14-second car you can get right off the showroom floor.

"The Street Fights are great for folks who want to come out and play, and the True Street races adds a little competition to the mix with prizes and a points system."

Like several of the Bristol Dragway regulars, Hurley travels to various speciality events across the Southeast. In fact, he recently won a True Street event in Rockingham, N.C. and took part in the filming of the reality show "Pinks" last year at Thunder Valley.

"I’ve been around some form of racing since I was a kid," Hurley said. "I used to do a lot of Autocross type events, then I kind of got into drag racing. I love the family atmosphere and the diversity of cars here."

According to Bristol Dragway administrative manager Brandon Cross, the regulars at Thunder Valley are much like an extended family.

"We have folks who have been racing with us for years, and we draw competitors of all ages from a 90-mile radius," Cross said.

The pits were jammed with nearly 200 vehicles by 2 p.m. Saturday.

"We’ve seen everything from a souped-up Honda Civic and four-wheeler to imports, Novas, Corvettes and Mustangs. And we’re still expecting about another 100 cars," Cross said.

"This is a great opportunity for folks to race their cars in a safe environment, test their reaction times and just see how fast they can go in the quarter-mile."

And Hurley loves to go fast. He hopes to compete in 30 events this season, including 15 stops at his home track.

"We’re building a new car that should be ready in a couple weeks," Hurley said. "It’s a 2006 Mustang with 1,100 horsepower that you can run back and forth to work."

Win or lose, Hurley says he always enjoys his time at the dragway.

"Everybody wants to win, but the main thing is being around family and friends," Hurley said. "My wife comes to our races, and my seven-year-old son is training to run a Junior Dragster next year.

"You gotta relax someway, and drag racing is a great way to do it."

Five Street Fights are scheduled for Saturdays, with 14 events are set for Thursday nights.

For more information about Bristol Dragway’s Street Fights or the King of the Strip True Street Challenge, visit http://www.bristoldragway.com or call (423) 764-DRAG.