Drag racing heats up the track at airport

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on June 21, 2022.

Over 100 old and new cars revved up their engines and did some burn outs during the fourth annual LeBarons Car Club drag race at the Lethbridge Airport on Saturday afternoon in front of many fans.
“Everybody is glad to see us out again,” said Jesse Brooks, LeBarons Car Club drag race committee chair. “They want to come out and watch this stuff, they like it.”
This was the first time in four years the Car Club has hosted an event due to COVID-19.
“I’ve helped set this up with all my other members and it takes a lot of help to set up an event like this,” said Brooks.
“We lucked out and as you can see from the crowd, Lethbridge is a car city. You put on a show and people will come.”
The crowd was treated to one-eighth of a mile drag racing at arm drop.
“I raise my arm at the start — I drop them — that’s when they leave,” said Brooks.
“No lights. It’s just when I drop my arm old school. It’s the way we used to do it back in the ’70s.”
It was a great feeling to race again for the public after a long hiatus.
“All different kinds; they’ve got to be street legal,” said Brooks, on car types in the race.
A post-mortem is done at the end of every race to evaluate what can go better the next time around.
The drag racing interest is constant in Lethbridge.
“People are always chomping at the bit and the Street Wheelers, they helped a lot also,” said Brooks.
Camaraderie is important in the Club.
“We work pretty good as a team and it takes a lot of guys as a team to put this on,” said Brooks.
“It’s not one guy or two guys. It’s a combination of all these green shirts.”
The LeBarons Car Club emphasizes to go out and have fun with your car.
“As a club, we do that, we all come together,” said Brooks.
Since its inception in 1961, the LeBarons Car Club has seen its ups and downs as members got older and continue to age.
“There’s a bunch of us that are way up there and we’re trying to get the younger guys to come in to take over and there’s some that are,” said Brooks.
There are currently 50 LeBarons Car Club members.
The event acted as an opener to the car season and shows will be taking place from now until September.

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