Drag Racing comes to Banning
Electric Dragsters
Miscellaneous Facts and Rumors

Drag Racing comes to Banning

After years of diligent work, All American Racing, LLC is proud to open the Banning Airport drag strip. Events get underway the weekend of April 7&8, 2001 at the Banning Airport, 1652 E. Barbour St. Take the Hargrave St. exit in Banning. Spectators are $5 per person; kids under 12 are free; $10 for all "Test & Tune".

The strip is a 1/8 mile asphalt strip with 3000 ft. to shutdown in. IHRA/NHRA rules will be enforced. There will be Test & Tune as well as bracket racing including Lady Eliminator. The highlight of the weekend will be the Night of Fire on Saturday night. The Night of Fire should be exciting with Fuel Altered * Alcohol Altered * Gas Altered/Roadster * Top Fuel Dragster * Alcohol Dragster * Gas Dragster * Super Comp Dragster * Pro Stock* Pro Mod * Top Fuel Funny Car * Alcohol Funny Car * Gas Funny Car *Nitro Harley * POLICE Race Cars * Supercharged Gas Coupes & Sedans. For more information go to Banning Drags

Electric Dragsters

According to the Los Angeles Times, a San Dimas company AC Propulsion has created an electric sports car that can out-accelerate a gas-powered Ferrari or a Porsche, and plans to start selling it for $80,000 as soon as it can scrounge enough investment capital. The car has been in development for four years, and was built to show off the company's drivetrain system, which its developers say is the most efficient and powerful on the market. "It's got the efficiency of a Honda Insight," company vice president Alec Brooks said of the gas- electric hybrid car that gets 60 miles per gallon, "with the acceleration of a Ferrari 550 Maranello." Ferrari says the 550 Maranello goes zero to 62 mph in 4.3 seconds. The t-zero recently was clocked going zero to 60 in 4.1 seconds.

Misc Facts and Rumors

The Jaguar E-type Series III V12 world announcement was held in March 1971 in Palm Springs, California.

James Dean raced his Porsche Spyder for the first time in Palm Springs in March 1955. According to William Nolan, "As I recall, he redid the carburetor and took off the windshields to cut down on the drag. In his first race in Palm Springs, Dean won by a quarter lap. It took a lot of skill to win in a "street machine."

A little known fact is that the stripe down the center of the road was invented right here in Indio.

Rumors persist of attempts to create a permanent racing facility in the Coachella Valley. If you know more, please contact us.