By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Another Sunflower Rod and Custom Association (SRCA) season is in the books. The 2022 season at the Great Bend Dragstrip came to a close Saturday with the Gamblers Race. With the season beginning in early May, a dragstrip board member said racers and officials felt the full impact of inflation this year.
"It was a difficult struggle for us this year because we had giant increases in what it costs to actually do the races. One example is the price of compound we actually put on for races, and the issues we had prepping the actual track multiple, multiple times. It put a lot of strain on our volunteers. Everybody worked really hard. We still kept together, kept strong, but it took a lot of force."
The shortage of younger volunteers can be difficult throughout the season, but the toughest part of the 2022 campaign was simply increased prices. The costs of getting to the strip and racing likely doubled or tripled this year, meaning some racers stayed home.
"If it's a choice for somebody to put gas into their vehicle to go to work or come racing, they're probably going to go to work."
Heading into the offseason, the SRCA expects more struggles to acquire the compounds used to prep the track. Part of the composite material used in those sprays comes from overseas, and other racing organizations like NASCAR and NHRA are seeing similar shortages.
The SRCA is still taking donations for track improvements. In 2021, approximately 7,600 feet of containment walls were erected for the safety of drivers. Donations go towards paying for those walls and other regular maintenance items.
"Any donation goes directly back, 100 percent into the track. Either it be for paying off loans for the wall, or we have the rotators and tractors, we have items we have to buy. All donations, 100 percent, go back into this track."
The SRCA Awards Banquet, scheduled for Nov. 19, is the final event on the calendar for 2022. Visit srcadragstrip.com to donate to the Great Bend Dragstrip.