By Melissa K. Ha’o (Kauai)
(Hawaii)– Just last weekend was the third annual Rudy Ramos Independence Day Memorial Drag Race I was there the night he died and I can not believe it has been three years. The men, women, and youngster who were there to race, all participated in a small “parade” in his honor. It was truly a remarkable sight to see all of them paying their respects to their fallen friend.
The parade was the highlight of the evening. Though in close second were the several “mini tornados” that continued to pop up due to the weather. They were far enough off that they did not affect the races, but close enough for everyone to get a little apprehensive. Mother Nature made herself known on this day.
I was still pregnant with my son when Rudy died during the drag races back in 2009. I remember he took off, lost control of his car and hit a wall. There was no flurry of activity, and the ambulance came and went without much of a big to-do. It wasn’t until a few days later that it was announced he had passed away. I remember being so shocked to hear that. While his death will never compare to the likes of Princess Diana, Elvis, or even Whitney Houston, here onKauaihe was like Royalty and they do remember him with fondness! This race is a small tribute to a man who spent decades in the sport. His legacy will continue to live on, until the day we no longer drive!
I have waited to write this article for so long because I wanted to wait for the results to be posted. As of Sunday, they still were not there. The current point leaders are Charles Pereira, Ryan Stigilmeier, and Matt Torry. In fourth place, not usually mentioned, is Emilie Balik. Being one of the few females in the sport of racing, it is exciting to see her ranked so high. With only a few more races to go, hopefully she can over take the boys and sit high and mighty on the winners table.
This year’s race went off without any major crashes (a source of disappointment to some). A few cars lost some parts and others had major breakdowns; but all in all, they left the tracks in one piece. It was a great place for people to get that racing bug out of their system without doing it on the main roads risking their lives and the lives of others around them. As we have seen with the deaths of Dale Earnhardt, Joe Angelo, Kendall Hebert and Rudy Ramos (and many, many others) the sport can be a deadly one. More than 81 percent of O’ahu’s 65 traffic deaths this year have involved speeding. And just recently two teens were killed onAla Moana Blvd.where racing may have been involved.
Speeding tickets are also on the rise, as are tickets for racing. Statistics forKauaiwere not so readily available. Often times politicians make decisions for the “publics safety” without truly weighing out the consequences. In August of 2001 an anti-racing law was passed which made the punishment for racing that much harsher. No one wants to see people hurt or killed by street racing. That alone has to be the most important reason to have outlets such as Garden Isle Racing onKauai.
Statistics like the ones mentioned could be reduced if there were more “safer” alternatives to street racing. Young people who believe they are invincible will continue to make stupid choices. We can not protect them all. With the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) and the Garden Isle Racing, kids as young as eight have the opportunity to live out their dreams of going FAST!
When the races were shut down onOahu, I know of several people who were very disappointed. But in 2010 theKalaeloaRacewayParkopened its doors. While they run on a slightly different schedule and style of racing, it is still a much better choice than doing it on the highway or city streets.
Here onKauaithere are different classes that make it possible for anyone to compete that has that “itch!” There is the Top Gun category for cars that can dial-in at quicker than a 9.99. For those of you who don’t know what that means: You determine how fast your car will travel down the track, this is your dial-in time. Then the car that is closest to their “guess” is the winner. Unlike the Price is Right, going over is okay, but you don’t want to be faster than your guess. This is what is termed as “breaking-out.”
The other classes are Pro ET (Elapsed Time), Muscle V8, Sport Compact, Street (street legal cars with valid registration, safety check and insurance), Bike ET (motorcycles), and Jr. Dragster ET (all NHRA rules apply). See, enough variety for all racers.
You can get more information on the Drags inKauaiat the Garden Isle Racing Association website: http://dragrace-kauai.com Be prepared to drive quite a way as the races are past Kekaha between mile markers 28 and 29. But it is a fun event for the whole family. Bring a tent, bring some chairs, bring food (or buy some there), bring water (it gets hot), don’t bring alcohol (its not allowed) and don’t forget to bring head gear for the keiki as some of the cars are surprising loud! Hope to see you all at the next race,August 4, 2012!
