Thunder in the Bunker
Bunkerhill Dragway, Indiana
Friday June 26 & Saturday June 27
After a long period of inactivity with any kind of
motorsports we were quite ready and excited to get back to the state where the original
“diesel only” event was held back in 2001! The original show was started by
Eric McBride (Diesel Hot Rod Association) and Larry “Gene” Mohney (DHRA/National
Association of Diesel Motorsports) and it was known as Thunder in Muncie. For
years the event was held in two different locations, Friday night at the Muncie
Dragway and Saturday at the Gaston Lion’s Club Park. Eric McBride was inducted in to the DIESEL Motorsports "Hall of Fame" during the weekend for lifetime achievement.
This year DIESEL Motorsports moved the event to another
location so all activities could be in one location. Bunkerhill Dragway is only
about 30 miles from the original location on Highway 31 just north of
Indianapolis. One of the original dragstrips in Indiana (1956) and used to be
home of NHRA Division III. Currently a private owned IHRA track with lots of
history behind it and DIESEL Motorsports plans to put a bunch more in front of
it.
The drag strip at Bunkerhill Dragway is currently 1/8 mile but
has plenty of hook left in it according to our racers who were running low 6s
with their trucks. Well maintained with paved return and pit roads with plenty
of greenways to park trucks, trailers and semis. Bunkerhill Dragway even had a
checkered flag painted on the pavement at the Winner’s Circle.
We had plenty of space for the vendors by their new restaurant/concessions
with full clubhouse and bar. What a great place to hold an event where we can
do so many functions with room to spread out. Having an air conditioned
clubhouse where people can get out of the heat for a relaxing lunch or drink is
a great option plus we had additional food trucks/vendors outside.
Friday night was open drag racing with lots of vehicles
running down the 1/8th mile track while people watched the show from
the wide-open spaces along the track. I saw many families with kids sitting
around their lawn chairs enjoying the show with their families and friends. It
was good to see people getting out after being shut up for so many months. A
good size crowd watched a large assortment of vehicles racing along with even
semis!
Trucks were running in the 6 and 7 second range for the 1/8th
mile which is pretty good for those heavy pickup trucks.
Saturday started out good with a delayed opening because of
the early rain. Forecast did not look good but after being closed down for so
many months the track and DIESEL Motorsports wanted to get the event in for the
day. We got about 3 rounds of racing down the track when a round of storms just
popped up on the radar and dropped over 3 inches of rain on the facility. The
four days of prepping the pulling track by local Zach Howard and ZZ Diesel was soon a large mud puddle. We had
pulling trucks already there and was expecting a large crowd for it, but all
was not lost. There was a benefit pull just 15 minutes away on Sunday for a
little girl, they raised over $6000 for her, we announced they could go there
to pull the next day for a good cause.
Yes, everything was cut short because of the rain and storms
(lasted all day and night) but that is the outdoor event business. It gave us a
good base to work on for next year with some improvements like Friday evening
cash prizes along with dirt drags plus more activities inside the clubhouse such
as local music/bands and awards.
Sunday was a rainout date, but most went home after the rain
and only a few trucks showed up, not enough to open the track and more storms
were coming. The track and Diesel Motorsports decided to cut our losses and
come back to battle another day with Mother Nature!
It was great to get out and just see old and new people, to
converse with everyone and watch the trucks compete. The concern over Covid was
mildly discussed among people and people took personal responsibility by social
distancing around each other on a large viewing area at the track. Many brought
lawn chairs and sat with family members, the grandstands had a few people in
them but apart from each other. DIESEL Motorsports provided free masks, hand
sanitizer and antibiotic wipes at the DM sponsor tent!
Not what we had planned for the first event after the Covid
lockdown but it sure felt good to host an event again!
Now on to the next event which is July 18th at
Numidia Dragway in Pennsylvania – the East Coast Diesel Nationals!
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