Flashlight Drags come to Greene County Airport

The Greene County Airport was home to a flashlight drag event Sept. 12. The event primarily featured drag races, which were no-prep and one-eighth of a mile. 

According to motortrend.com, “a no-prep race is run on a track that hasn’t been prepped on the day of or during the event.”

 

Ben Champ

 

Darren Krause ran his 1998 Eclipse GST convertible and said that this was not his first race.

“I’ve done a lot of stuff up at Keystone raceway. I haven’t done a lot of no prep stuff; so, this is going to be something new,” he said. “I’ve done pretty well. We did really well in the DSM shootout and qualified number two in the 11.5 index and ended up snapping an axle, could have been a main event.”

Ben Champ

 

Chanin Wood, on the other hand, was at her first ever drag race in her Tesla Model 3. Despite her lack of experience, she enjoyed her time at the event.

“I just got this two weeks ago, my friend has a tesla, and they wanted to race, but he bailed on me. So,I came anyhow,” she said. “I only did the first race, and in the second race the Camaro quit. It stalled. So, I just went by myself. The other Tesla is parked waiting for me down there. We’re gonna go right now.”

 

Ben Champ

According to John Berry, the driver of his 1986 CJ 5 jeep, this year is his 30th year competing in the event. 

“This is the thirtieth year, I’m 72 years old, this is the 30th year I’ve run this Jeep. It’s been to all states all around, but I didn’t have no desire to make it look good, because I just wanted this to be an old man and an old Jeep,” he said. 

Berry said that he has done work on the engine suspension and the dyno engine, which weighs 2700 and creates 776 horsepower.

Berry has been racing since he left the military, and he said that he enjoys smaller events like the ones held at the airport because they are laid back.

“When I got out of the military I started drag racing and it’s never went away. I got into it when I was 22 years old and I’ve never grown away. I’ve always had a drag car, always drag,” he said. “I kinda like [this event] because this is like a no stress thing. If you go to a real competition drag, there’s a lot you have to do. This is just a nice relaxing Sunday, if you win you win, if you lose, you lose.”

Ben Champ

Although Jake Wiltrout has participated in drag races in the past, this was his first event at Greene County Airport with his modified 1989 Mustang.

“It’s a twin turbo, LSX, big tire 4 link, cage, all that deal, it’s a no-prep car,” he said.

Wiltrout said that the car was built by him and his father, who passed away in January.