Drivers like Kenny Long of Mount Airy enjoy drag racing but are unable to compete on a weekly basis. Instead, they race special events throughout the year at tracks like 75-80 Dragway in Monrovia.
"I go about eight to 10 times a year," said Long. "I like going to special drag events like Nostalgia Day, Street Day, MOPAR Day, something like that. I feel like I have a chance when I race then. If I race weekly I don't think I have a fighting chance to win."
Long's car draws a lot of attention, especially on MOPAR Day. The 1972 yellow Plymouth Barracuda attracts the eyes of everyone, especially the Chrysler car buffs.
"I like to go more if I have the chance, but right now I don't have the time," Long said. "This past year I have spent most of my time completing a major restoration project, a 1961 Chrysler Imperial convertible. So I could only do a little bit to the race car when I could.
"The car belonged to my uncle and he kept it in a dairy barn. Five years ago he told me I could have it as long as I keep it in the family. There were only 429 of them built. It is almost finished. I am having it painted this week by my friend, Charles Colson."
Working with the Chrysler was new to the 32-year-old. He always had worked on cars where you could just go out and get the parts. With the Chrysler he couldn't do that. Sometimes he had to search for several months before finding what he needed.
Now that the car is just about completed, Long plans on taking the car to shows and doing some cruising in it with the top down. He also will be able to start spending more time with his race car.
Although cars always have been a part of life, Long considers himself a hot-rodder more than a racer. He found the Barracuda seven years ago advertised in the want ads. When he went to see the car, he knew he had to have it, not to race, but as a street rod.
A couple of years later, Long was talked into taking his car to the races by a friend, Larry Hoff of Westminster, who probably has influenced more people to race than any other person at 75-80. A longtime Ford fan, Hoff kept kidding Long about his "junky" MOPAR, and Long couldn't resist the challenge. Long has been taking his "Cuda" to 75-80 several times a year ever since.
"It's kind of like a hobby," said Long. "I do a little work to it and go there each time to see how much faster it will go. I got lucky twice last year and won. It sure did feel good. But I don't think I can do it full time though. I get real disappointed when I don't win."
The Cuda is powered by a 440-cubic-inch MOPAR engine from an old demolition derby car that he had rebuilt by County Engine in Frederick.
DTC "It goes pretty good," said Long. "Every time I take it to the track it goes faster. I like to go fast. I missed fooling with it last year. I'll drive it a little more this year and get it faster. The fastest I have had the car is 107 mph in the quarter-mile or 12.51 seconds. I always wanted a 12-second car, now I want to go faster."
Long has made several changes to increase his speed. He has changed the tourge converter on the transmission, switched jets in the carburetor and plans to change the cam. His girlfriend's brother, Ben Snouffer, has been a big help.
Long has no special plans. He enjoys racing his car in special events.
"It's just a hobby I guess," said Long. "I like the idea of going fast. I know it costs money. I'll just have to settle for what I can do."