Active Nor/Cen-Cal Dragstrips
Shelby Allen’s 1967 Mustang Super Pro, Samoa Drag Strip, Samoa.
Text: Steve Kowalski • Photography: Saroyan Humphrey
Spotlight | Over the past decade, California's grassroots dragstrips have struggled to survive but you can still find some of the best racing in a straight line at these five very active dragways. From two of the oldest NHRA tracks in the U.S. to one of the fastest on the NHRA circuit, these quarter-mile beacons of speed—from Samoa to McFarland—offer exciting weekly and special event action.
Here’s a quick look at the active dragstrips (as of May 2018):
Division 7 Series racing at Famoso.
McFarland, CA
Racing from January-November
Affiliation/Series: NHRA, Division 7 Series, Hot Rod Heritage, Saturday Night Nitro, Junior Dragster League
Highlights
• Home of March Meet—aka, The Fuel & Gas Nationals—the renowned nostalgia drag racing blow out.
• Historic dragway opened as part of an Army Air Corp airbase in 1954.
• Also hosts the popular annual Hot Rod Reunion
Redding Dragstrip
Mike Buersken of Redding, gets ready for a test run in his Pro Dragster.
Redding, CA
Racing from February-November
Affiliation/Series: NHRA, Division 7 Series, Street Legal, Junior Dragster League
Highlights
• Home of Kool April Nites, a popular car show/drag event.
• NHRA’s longest continuously operating drag strip (since 1955).
Sacramento Raceway Park
Sacramento Raceway, racing since 1964.
Sacramento, CA
Racing from February-November
Affiliation/Series: NHRA, Division 7 Series, Pacific Division ET Challenge, Street Legal, Junior Dragster League
Highlights
• Home of the Governors Cup event.
• Features street-legal racing on a regular schedule.
Samoa Dragstrip
Super Pro showdown at Somoa.
Samoa, CA
Racing from April-September
Affiliation/Series: NHRA, Division 7 Series, Street Legal
Highlights
• Awarded NHRA's most-improved track in 2007 after repaving.
• Located at Samoa Air Field, near Eureka.
Sonoma Raceway Dragstrip
Super Pro bracket racing at Sonoma.
Sonoma, CA
Racing from January-November,
Affiliation/Series: NHRA, Division 7 Series, Street Legal
Highlights
• Competitive weekly NHRA Division 7 Bracket Racing.
• Home of the Sonoma Nationals, the NHRA event in Nor-Cal.
• Regular street-legal and local high school “grudge match” events.
For more about active tracks in the region, check out Guide to Northern & Central California Raceways, a local guidebook by Saroyan Humphrey. He's a San Francisco-based photographer and art director.