Drag racers want legal strip

Late at night on most weekends on deserted country roads nearly 100 people typically gather secretly to take part in and watch drag races.

“We come out here because there’s no place else to go,” said one racer who did not want to be identified. “The closest track is three to four hours away, and unless they want to see us racing up and down 17th street, which we know they don’t, this is the safest alternative — to come out to some country road in Pocatello and race.”

In a strange way it’s spontaneous and organized at the same time. This need for speed is a passion for these enthusiasts.

“It’s something we’re all really passionate about,” said another drag racer. “There are hundreds of people. The car scene is huge for how small an area this is, and it’s important to us.”

“We need to have someplace we can go to fuel our passions,” another racer said.

It’s a feeling Idaho Falls High School automotive instructor Jeremy Bird understands. After years of teaching, he has a special place in his heart for young people who love their cars, but he doesn’t want them to have to resort to illegally speeding down dark country roads to fuel their passions.

That’s why he’s heading up the Snake River Speedway project.

“What we’re looking at is a quarter mile race track –it’s going to be four thousand feet long,” Bird said.

It’s a non-profit project to be built at a racing complex outside Blackfoot where they already have a motocross track. The site is already leveled, but needs to paved.

With enough donations Bird can get the track finished to accomplish his goal.

“We need a place for them to come where it’s safe,” Bird said. “We have all the safety equipment here. We have ambulances, we have fire trucks, we have an EMT on staff.”

Bird sees other advantages to encouraging drag racing.

“The kids will be in the garage tinkering rather than out drinking, doing drugs, that basically amount to nothing”, Bird said. “This is how they get their rush. This is the greatest rush I’ve ever felt.”

There are drag racing tracks in Salt Lake and Boise, but after putting much of their spare money into their cars the racers can’t afford that trip very often.

If you want to donate to the project, you can call Jeremy Bird at 208-313-3784 or check out their Facebook page called “Eastern Idaho Speedway.”