It was the wrong kind of thunder at the Prairie Thunder Drag Races this year. For the first time in its 10 year history, the event was rained out, as storms made the track much too wet for racing.
One of the racers who waited through the rain was Leanne Marin with Insomnia Racing. Marin was hoping to race her 1999 McKinney mid-engined dragster, a car that was recently rebuilt over winter. The car has 1073 horsepower and 830 lbs-ft of torque.
Marin says that it's the adrenaline, and that's why she's a drag racer, as well as the pride that comes from building a machine and seeing it run. She's been racing for six years, but the new car is a change from what she was driving before, a 1979 Malibu. She says that it's an entirely different ball game between the two cars, as the new one drives and launches completely different from what she was driving before.
"I've picked up speed quite a bit, I've jumped to a seven second car from a ten second car. I just licensed in May with it and I don't think I will ever give it up," Marin says.
While women still aren't a common sight behind the wheel of a racer, Marin says that it's something more women are trying, and more women should try.
"You've seen the change from people being skeptical of it to being supportive of it. It's statistically proven that women are better at the lights with the reaction time, and being better at handling high horsepower machines, so it's something you can see change in the last few decades."
Marin has been coming to the Kambuster event for the past six years, and she says it's usually a highlight of the season.
"It's relaxed, the people are great, there is nothing like it anywhere else," Marin says.
"I'm just glad the Kambusters do this every year, it's a great place to race."
Kambusters President Frank Pohozoff thanks all of the sponsors and fans for their support every year, and says it was unfortunate that the weather didn't cooperate. The current plan is to open the September Test and Tune to the public, held September 14. He says that the most recent test and tune attracted about 90 cars, and hopefully it'll give people who are missing the racing an opportunity to see the crews show their stuff.
