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30,000 fans tickled by Pinks at Milan Dragway |
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Monday, 16 July 2007 |
 The three young girls from Burton didn't plan to synchronize their outfits, but all had the same idea. They were among the estimated 30,000 fans who jammed the dragway for Pinks All Out, a made-for-TV competition that will air on the Speed Channel sometime in September.
The original field of 398 cars earlier in the day was pared down to 16 finalists who competed for the $10,000 first prize Saturday night. The final 16 ran a series of eight elimination races beginning at dusk.
Jay Hinkelman of Temperance made the final round of eight.
Makayla celebrated her seventh birthday June 3 and was told she could pick anything she wanted to do for her special day. She chose the Pinks at Milan Dragway, about two hours from home.
"It's really fun," she said. "Sometimes it's a little more fun when it's loud. I like the motorcycles because they do tricks."
 Makayla and McKenzie, 6, are sisters and Madison, 8, is their cousin. Madison's mother is Sarah (Panza) Jackson, formerly of Newport, who was Jefferson's 1996 homecoming queen. Mrs. Jackson was pulled into drag racing when she married James Jackson about a month ago.
"He makes me watch it on TV," said Mrs. Jackson, who now is a big fan. "It's cool. It's fun. The girls all wanted to wear the same color because this is the Pinks."
Her husband added, "I've been out here at least four or five times. Even when you're out in the parking lot, you can feel them go by. That constitutes as great."
Madison called Pinks "the most fun I have ever had besides eating honey barbecue wings. I like it when it's loud here because you can tell they're going fast. It's the same as on the TV show, except on TV when you lose your race, you lose your car."
That isn't the case at Milan, where Michigan law prohibits competitors from racing for their car. Prize money was at stake, however. The series gets its name from the premise that when a driver loses his car, he is pink-slipped.
The dragway is the eighth stop on the Pinks tour in what has been called its biggest event ever. The crowd seemed to love the action and was loud throughout the day. Steve Garcia of Davison said the money prize actually makes for a better event.
"If you're going to lose your car, there's a tendency not to bring your best here," he said. "Here, nobody's holding back. They're going all out. That's better for the fans. I've been around race cars since I could barely walk. I've got the drag race bug."
Peter Ray, Dean Ray and Mike Kapus of Flat Rock were part of the huge crowd. Dean Ray, 22, has been attending drag races since he was little and has raced a 1973 Plymouth Barracuda at Milan. He remembers the classic muscle cars of his youth.
"It's a shame that it's over in 12 or 13 seconds, but that 12 to 13 seconds is a rush," he said. "You can't do this on the street - not legally anyway. It's great to come out here and dream about these cars while I'm building a car of my own."
Peter Ray added, "They're racing between $20,000 and $200,000 cars. They're putting that motor on the line for the sport and the $10,000."
Chris Jackson of Burton said part of the appeal is many of the spectators think they could race if given the chance.
"Everybody wants to compete," he said. "Milan is the fastest track. The track's good, the tires bite. We've got a car as fast as these. I've got a fast car. I love working on fast cars."
Five-year-old Jallen Jackson was enjoying the action, but he was a little disappointed. "I like the little cars (junior dragsters) because they're so small," he said. "I want to drive one when I'm 10. Why are they not racing the little cars?"
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