Breakers Speedway is offering locals the chance to be part of an exclusive club.
The track will be host to an event being called the 500 Club. Racing will take place tomorrow from 6pm to 11pm.
The event gets its name from the perfect reaction time in racing. Launches off the line that take 500ths of a second are considered perfect reaction times.
According to Owner Robert Campbell, some 11 people have achieved the mark in the track’s history.
This weekend he’s raising the stakes so that more people can join those ranks.
‘$500 will be awarded to anyone who can get a perfect reaction time.
‘The beauty of this is you don’t need a fast car. Any car can do it because it all boils down to how fast the driver can react.’
On the night, cash prizes will also be awarded for the best 0-60 times.
Breakers Speedway has two lighting systems. The first is a half a second scheme. In this setup the lights go amber three times before going green taking 500ths of a second between each light.
The other is a 400ths of a second arrangement where the lights go from amber once to green in 400ths of a second.
According to Campbell, the latter of the two systems is commonly seen at professional drag races.
Campbell also added that with so little time to react to either system, drivers are forced to be sharp.
‘The timing is so precise that it can really foul you up if you’re not paying attention. For the race this weekend, anytime below or over 500ths of a second will result in a red light and a disqualification.
‘You have to really study the lights and practise your launches.’
The event also doubles as a benchmark of local support. Since the track’s inception in April 2006, nearly 500 people have came and signed up to race.
The 500 Club competition comes on the heels of a large turnout last week.
Some 32 drivers came out to compete in ‘grudge matches.’ Basically these are spontaneous races that arrive from people boasting about their car’s performance and challenging others to prove it on the track.
For this weekend’s race, the public is invited to attend. Anyone can participate using any car, regardless of drive train or modifications.
Campbell went on to say his main goal in hosting this event is to make better, safer drivers who can handle themselves on and off the track.
‘It all comes down to thousands of a second. The quicker off the line you are, the quicker you’ll be to the finish line.’
Trucks have become a fixture at Breakers Photo: Matthew Yates
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