PHOTOGRAPHS BY VAN ABERNETHY |
If ever the description “ multi-purpose ” could be placed on a dragstrip , Brainerd International Raceway and Resort would most certainly qualify . Located in the central Minnesota town of Brainerd , the dragstrip was constructed in 1968 and has since grown into a sprawling facility now measuring 580 total acres . For drag racing purists , the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals is among the most celebrated stops of the entire pro tour , although this hardly scratches the surface of the week-to-week activities here at Brainerd . “ The facility is open from April through October , operating anywhere from 4-6 days each
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week ,” says Stephanie Wieczorek , Brainerd ’ s ticketing manager .
Most weekends are dual events , featuring drag racing in some form or fashion , as well as many other forms of entertainment , mostly pertaining to racing , but not always . Concerts are a big draw , featuring several days of music and camping .
Brainerd has several bodies of water on the property . The main pond is large enough to hold organized snowmobile racing events on water . In fact , the International Watercross Association rents the pond twice yearly to hold points-earning events as part of a multi-state touring series for snowmobile competition .
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Beyond BIR Lake ( as it ’ s affectionately known ) you ’ ll find the notorious campground known as “ The Zoo .” This area consists of 164 full-service camping sites , which really come to life during the NHRA Nationals . “ There ’ s an open-door policy at The Zoo and so if you see a camp site you like , you just stop in and have a drink with them and socialize and move on to the next pit ,” explains Wieczorek . There ’ s not only a parade of party wagons and ATVs in The Zoo , people routinely set up photo op backgrounds to commemorate the experience !
For fans of motorcycle action , Brainerd also offers an exciting 3.1-mile road course that borders the entire property , as well as a smaller 2.5-mile
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September 2020 |
DragIllustrated . com | Drag Illustrated | 59 |