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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 3, 1974)
Pag-e 10 THE BATTALION WEDNESDAY, APRIL. 3, 19T4 Texas College Drag Racing meet set for Saturday By STEVE UECKERT The Christmas tree lights up, tires smoke and exhausts thunder a loud report as two cars leave the starting line. One quarter of a mile later, this race is over and two more competitors repeat the ritual. Saturday will be the running of the third Texas College Drag Racing Championship. The event is sponsored by the Intramural Embrey’s Jewelry We Specialize In Aggie Rings. Diamonds Set— Sizing— Reoxidizing— All types watch/jewelry Repair Aggie Charge Accounts 9-5:30 846-5816 Department of the University of Texas at Arlington in cooperation with intramural departments at universities and junior colleges across Texas. Three years ago two UTA stu dents presented the idea of college sponsored intramural drag rac ing, said UTA Intramural Direc tor Jim Garrett. “I remember telling them to come back the next day if they were really serious,” said Garrett. “Well, the next day they were back in my office, eager as ever. I had to give it some thought.” Garrett’s planning resulted in the 1972 championship in which 163 cars from throughout Texas gathered at Dallas International Motor Speedway. This drag racing championship is the only collegiate sponsored drag racing event in the country, said Garrett. The sport of drag racing stretches from Australia to Ger many; however, it is most popu lar in the U.S., according to Hot Rod Magazine. Drag racing is two cars accel erating from a standing start with one trying to complete the quarter of a mile distance before the other. Drag strips are laid out in a straight line as the competition does not involve any cornering. The course is one quarter of a mile long with a staging area behind the starting line and a shut down area past the finish line. At the end of the race por tion of the strip is a series of timing lights referred to as “the traps.” The automatic timer is actuated at the starting line when the starting lights are illuminated by the starter. The starting lights are vertically mounted on a pole on the starting line be tween the lanes and is called “the Christmas tree.” “Hielscher has been great in helping us organize this race,” said Garrett. “For instance, to be sure that participants and spectators have access to gas, Bill has arranged for a station one half mile from the track to be open.” Green Valley is located four miles north of Loop 820 and Texas Highway 121 on F.M. 1938 (Davis Blvd.). “Last year’s entries represented 24 colleges and universities throughout the state and came as far away as Lubbock, El Paso, Houston and Beaumont. “UTA entered the most cars (36), followed by Texas State Technical Institute in Waco with 18 and North Texas State with 16,” said Garrett. Among the semi-finalists in last year’s races was an Aggie, Curt Dickinson. Driving a Volkswagen powered Karmann Ghia, Dickin son demonstrated that it doesn’t take a super-car to be competi tive. “There are eight elapsed time brackets separating the cars into their classes to provide more even matching among the cars. “The morning of the races is spent running the car in time trials so that you can determine your ‘dial in’ time. If a car is dialed in at 12 seconds, then he cannot run any quicker than 12 or he will be disqualified. When two cars approach the starting line, their respective dial in times are set on the Christmas tree and the slower of the two receives the difference of the two times as a handicap start. This makes the race even and the drivers are racing more against themselves and the clock than the opponent,” said Dickinson. However, the winner is still the first one to reach the finish line, provided that he doesn’t run faster than his dial in timei “break out,” said Dickinson, "There's a great deal of ] involved,” said Dickinson. "W|, your opponent has received »( • second handicap head start, j are tempted to push yourself; make up the difference too i and you risk breaking out" Dickinson applauded the i as being “really great. Mike Schraeder hurt,. sidelined rest of season HORNY BULLS LOVE THE TASTE OF PING-PONG BALLS,WHICH KEEPS THE SCORE LOW. Last year’s championship was held at the Dallas International Motor Speedway, but this year, it has been moved to Green Valley Race City near Fort Worth, said Garrett. Garrett and Green Valley op erator Bill Hielscher expects about 300 cars to be entered. Aggie second - baseman Mike Schraeder, whose two 400-foot plus home runs powered A&M to crucial wins over TCU the past weekend has been lost for the tempting to field a fly ball in practice yesterday. After workout, he passed out in the locker room and was rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bryan. Schraeder collided with out fielder John Alvin Woods in at- The difficulty was diagnosed as a ruptured spleen and surgery to aid the organ was performed by team physician Henry Mc- Quaide. Schraeder was batting .364 after 30 games and was hitting .408 after 12 conference games. With his performance against TCU Schraeder broke the A&M record for rbi’s after only 30 games with 33 runs knocked in. just want to try drag racing,j can. The people are all frieti and it only costs $3.00 to rt; instead of the usual $16." f Jim Nelson, also an Aggie,t be competing for the third ye > this time at the championship, “My first year at the race, ran a modified production velle and was bracketed with! really exotic racing machine! said Nelson. “In one race, hi paired-off with a Nitro-Metl burning dragster and I 1 3'/2 second handicap start, the end of the strip, he bla by me at about 190 miles perl and then popped his drag chill (a braking device) in my face, really psyched me out; he ran too quick and broke < said Nelson. Nelson also said t “all of the racers there are I sportsmen.” The Montezuma Horny Bull:™ 1 oz. Montezuma Tequila. 5 oz. CONCENTRATED ORANGE BREAKFAST DRINK. Over ice. It's sensational, and that's no bull. L 1 iEC ©1974. 80 Proof. Tequila. Barton Distillers Import Co., New York, New York. Montezuma MONTEZUMA TEQUILA available at F. M. LIQUORS 707 University Drive East Next to Fed Mart MONTEZUMA, (tiQ 80 Proof Fifth ” MONTEZUMA, 80 Proof Quart $4.59 Shopping: Hours: 10-8 Monday thru Friday 10-6 Saturday Dick Kutches is back in town and invites you to PENISTON CAFETERIA Open Sunday Through Friday Breakfast-7:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. Coffee & Pastry-9:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m Featuring Klechka’s Kolaches each morning- A dining treat from old Europe you will never forget. DINNER 11:00 a.m. -1:15 p.m. SUPPER 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. “Quality First” STAMPS EN AMPS for deposits made through the 10th* S&H Green Stamps — America’s most popular trading stamps — are another exclusive when you save at Bryan Building &. Loan. Deposits made from the 1st through the lOth entitle you to double Green Stamps — on deposits up to $1,000. 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A substantial interest penalty is required for early withdrawal. . .) ^^gular Ebooks Sp^aiti 90-day passbooks or 90-day certificates 1-year certificates $1000 Minimum 2 1/2-year certificates $1000 Minimum 4-year certificates $1000 Minimum Vol. sa: cia H who \ her a renou day a her t olutic “I becon go ba said i tified the : life ' mand free : Th after the i eratii left I disbe “P news Hear tape, they’ don’t chan ly or “II a me 1