Flashlight Drags 2015 series begins May 31
Flashlight Drags, the series of drag-racing events held at the Greene County Airport in Waynesburg, kicks off its 2015 series Sunday, May 31.
Earlier this year, the Greene County commissioners approved the 2015 dates for Flashlight Drags. Five dates have been selected: four Sundays — May 31, June 28, July 26 and Aug. 30 — and one Saturday, Sept. 12.
Gates are expected to open at noon on the day of each race, with races scheduled to run from 2 to 6 p.m. Admission is $6 to watch and $30 to race. Children under 12 are admitted free.
Street-legal cars and trucks are eligible to race, and all drivers must have appropriate paperwork, including a valid driver’s license, current state registration and proof of insurance.
Passengers are not allowed. All racers must sign a waiver and attend a mandatory drivers’ meeting prior to the start of the event. Minors must have a waiver notarized to race.
For drivers wishing to race convertible cars, the top must be up, or the driver should wear a helmet. Mufflers and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation-approved tires are required. There will be no refunds.
Produced by Altered Gas Performance Events, LLC, Flashlight Drags consists of a 1/8-mile race along the airport runway. Drivers can race as many times as they want and against any of the other racers, all for fun. The format is heads-up, meaning that both vehicles leave the starting line at the same time.
The name of the event refers back to the early days of drag racing, when a flashlight was used to signal the start.
The Greene County Department of Recreation was recently honored with a Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society, Inc., excellence in recreation and parks award for the 2014 Flashlight Drags race series and the department’s partnership with Altered Gas.
Flashlight Drags has also been featured twice in issues of Hot Rod Magazine. In the August 2013 issue, the event was included as a “Dragstrip You Gotta See” in a “Gearhead Getaways” article, and most recently, in the June 2015 issue, a photo of the races was included in the “Scene by Readers” section.
Rain dates for Flashlight Drags are planned in the event of inclement weather.
For more information, call the Department of Recreation at 724-852-5323, or visit www.flashlightdrags.com for updates, a complete set of driver rules and to view videos from the races.