# [EVDL] Electric Dragin' 1/8 mile times have been posted.



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

http://www.ElectricDragin.com

-- 
Manny

http://evalbum.com/1117
http://EVorBust.blogspot.com

_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello to All,

It's hard to write the following because good friends of mine were 
involved in the making of 'Electric Dragin'. I think it's great that 
they conceived and pulled off this race EVent, and wish I could have 
taken White Zombie down to San Diego and raced with everyone. These are 
very nice people with the best intentions, and they have supported and 
attended our racing here in Portland, which was not only fun, but very 
much appreciated. I'm sure there will be some that will interpret what 
I'm about to write as being negative, but there are things that need to 
be said and web posted claims that need to be set straight.

The ETs from races that happened half a month ago have finally been made 
available! In drag racing, the most important info everyone is 
interested in, are the ETs, and yet it took two l-o-n-g weeks to get to 
see them. No track-side email reports, no info at the website, not even 
a phone call to any of us waiting to hear results so 'we' could post 
info. Instead, what we got almost instantly was a boring video of a 
gasoline powered passionless Prius wheezing around some cones. Then, the 
first drag racing videos of this highly touted racing EVent that came 
through were of minimalist type NEVs lumbering down the track, with the 
ET reader boards never zoomed-in on (probably a good thing).

Another aspect about this highly publicized race that bothers me (as one 
of the driving forces behind the formation of NEDRA and the co-organizer 
of our first races back in '97) is how the promoters of 'Electric 
Dragin' are still billing their EVent as 'The 1st International 
Exclusively Electric Drive Only EVent' in the world. This is not 
accurate, we don't need to rewrite history, and this needs to be 
corrected. 'Electric Dragin' was not the 1st international exclusively 
electric drive only EVent in the world...the '97 Woodburn Electric Drags 
were. Technically, the very first all electric drag races happened 14 
years prior to the 'Electric Dragin' EVent, when the 'All Electric 
Drags' were held in the Fall of '94 in Portland, Oregon, a race that 
both myself and Roderick Wilde both entered and raced our electric drag 
cars in. Additionally, 'Electric Dragin' was not exclusively electric 
drive only as it was billed as being, as there were gas-powered hybrids 
racing at this EVent. And one more thing...as to that 'international' 
bit, the Woodburn and Bandimere races from about eight-nine years ago 
attracted 'real' international attention with film crews, magazine 
reporters, racers, and EV fans from all across the US, and from other 
countries like Canada, Finland, Germany, England, and Japan. Subsequent 
European television shows and high profile magazines like the German 
'Der Spiegel', Wired, and the British car mag 'Top Gear' ran 
international stories all about the pioneering new sport of electric 
drag racing...this was indeed, international attention!

OK, with the above said, and with at last, some real numbers to see, I 
found the stats interesting from the quickest ET posted by Michael 
Kadie's EV. Though this was only a 1/8 mile run, by comparing his car's 
results to White Zombie's time slip from the 2005 Woodburn races, we can 
now clearly see that Michael's Cobra replica can do a mid 12 second 1/4 
mile:

7.917 @ 85.53 mph was the 1/8 mile portion from White Zombie's 1/4 mile 
run of 12.638 @ 102.43 mph set at Woodburn in 2005.
7.927 @ 85.16 mph is the Cobra replica's 1/8 mile that projects to a 
12.6 1/4 mile.

Though this still falls more than a second short of 'crushing' White 
Zombie (11.4 @ 114 mph) as Michael boasted he would do...sorry Michael, 
I couldn't resist - it is still a terrific accomplishment. Both he and 
Dennis Berube are to be congratulated...Dennis who's street legal lead 
acid powered all steel electric pickup has actually run (at another 
track) a 12.6 in the 1/4 mile with a time slip to back it up, and 
Michael with his lithium powered composite sports car that has still not 
officially run a 12-anything on a 1/4 mile track, but it's a machine 
that anyone can see 'could' certainly do so - now with an 1/8 mile time 
slip that backs that notion up soundly.

See Ya...John Wayland



_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

[No message]


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> John Wayland wrote:
> 
> > Another aspect about this highly publicized race that bothers
> > me (as one of the driving forces behind the formation of
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello to Roger and All,



> Roger Stockton wrote:
> 
> >John Wayland wrote:
> >
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

John's word is as good as gold to us.
The website has been updated in light of this discussion.

More questions:
Did the all-electric Woodburn EVent have an auto-cross as well?
Was it a multi-day EVent?
How many "all electric vehicles" competed?
Pictures, videos?



> John Wayland <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > Nice try, Roger.
> >
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

[No message]


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

[No message]


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

In addition to the 21 cars listed, there was another Honda Insight, a Burning Man Rolling art, a cardboard box, some bicycles, a 2nd Zap truck, I think another Prius, did Glitter Poop run?, so maybe about 30 vehicles drag raced total. I think some might have run with no numbers, and some were running multiple drivers, so not all were listed in the official times list. Autocross had 5 car drivers (3 full electric in one car, and 2 hybrid) and 5 electric motorcycles (I don't think times were recorded). There were 6 hybrids running. You can see some of these on my web site, http://www.explodingdinosaurs.com . There were probably again that many other vehicles on display only.

Apologies for no zoom-in on the times, but there's not enough zoom and resolution on my cell phone camera.

I too had mixed feelings on the hybrids. I was afraid I would go to the event and it would be 90% Prii. Fortunately, hybrids were definitely the minority.

Something I thought was really neat was the majority of the drivers at the drag race driver's meeting had never drag raced before! The track officials were very newbie friendly. I think the lack of engine roar added to the friendly-to-newbies atmosphere. It was great I couldn't even tell if cars were running or not from the autocross area. Having the track to ourselves was great, people took their time in the staging lanes (they would have been lynched at most tracks), and you could get as many runs as you wanted.

Finally, I heard 500 people paid to attend, and having been there I believe it. It was awesome having so many vehicles to look at and people to talk to. That was a great EVent by any standard (my gasser car clubs would kill for that kind of turnout). What's really amazing is this was the first one and still did so well.

While there wasn't international press, there was local press covering the EVent.

There was a comment it was a mistake to run at an 1/8 mile track. First, don't forget this was the first Electric Dragin, would you want to gamble on a $5k track for a first EVent? Secondly, this was a small, friendly track, good for newbies and some of the unusual vehicles that ran.

----- Original Message ----
From: John Wayland <[email protected]>
To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 10, 2008 9:12:09 AM
Subject: Re: [EVDL] Electric Dragin' 1/8 mile times have been posted.

... The 
ETs 
from 
races 
that 
happened 
half 
a 
month 
ago 
have 
finally 
been 
made available! 
In 
drag 
racing, 
the 
most 
important 
info 
everyone 
is interested 
in, 
are 
the 
ETs, 
and 
yet 
it 
took 
two 
l-o-n-g 
weeks 
to 
get 
to see 
them. 
No 
track-side 
email 
reports, 
no 
info 
at 
the 
website, 
not 
even a 
phone 
call 
to 
any 
of 
us 
waiting 
to 
hear 
results 
so 
'we' 
could 
post info. 
Instead, 
what 
we 
got 
almost 
instantly 
was 
a 
boring 
video 
of 
a gasoline 
powered 
passionless 
Prius 
wheezing 
around 
some 
cones. 
Then, 
the first 
drag 
racing 
videos 
of 
this 
highly 
touted 
racing 
EVent 
that 
came through 
were 
of 
minimalist 
type 
NEVs 
lumbering 
down 
the 
track, 
with 
the ET 
reader 
boards 
never 
zoomed-in 
on 
(probably 
a 
good 
thing).

Another 
aspect 
about 
this 
highly 
publicized 
race 
that 
bothers 
me 
(as 
one of 
the 
driving 
forces 
behind 
the 
formation 
of 
NEDRA 
and 
the 
co-organizer of 
our 
first 
races 
back 
in 
'97) 
is 
how 
the 
promoters 
of 
'Electric Dragin' 
are 
still 
billing 
their 
EVent 
as 
'The 
1st 
International Exclusively 
Electric 
Drive 
Only 
EVent' 
in 
the 
world. 
This 
is 
not accurate, 
we 
don't 
need 
to 
rewrite 
history, 
and 
this 
needs 
to 
be corrected. 
'Electric 
Dragin' 
was 
not 
the 
1st 
international 
exclusively electric 
drive 
only 
EVent 
in 
the 
world...the 
'97 
Woodburn 
Electric 
Drags were. 
Technically, 
the 
very 
first 
all 
electric 
drag 
races 
happened 
14 years 
prior 
to 
the 
'Electric 
Dragin' 
EVent, 
when 
the 
'All 
Electric Drags' 
were 
held 
in 
the 
Fall 
of 
'94 
in 
Portland, 
Oregon, 
a 
race 
that both 
myself 
and 
Roderick 
Wilde 
both 
entered 
and 
raced 
our 
electric 
drag cars 
in. 
Additionally, 
'Electric 
Dragin' 
was 
not 
exclusively 
electric drive 
only 
as 
it 
was 
billed 
as 
being, 
as 
there 
were 
gas-powered 
hybrids racing 
at 
this 
EVent. 
And 
one 
more 
thing...as 
to 
that 
'international' bit, 
the 
Woodburn 
and 
Bandimere 
races 
from 
about 
eight-nine 
years 
ago attracted 
'real' 
international 
attention 
with 
film 
crews, 
magazine reporters, 
racers, 
and 
EV 
fans 
from 
all 
across 
the 
US, 
and 
from 
other countries 
like 
Canada, 
Finland, 
Germany, 
England, 
and 
Japan. 
Subsequent European 
television 
shows 
and 
high 
profile 
magazines 
like 
the 
German 'Der 
Spiegel', 
Wired, 
and 
the 
British 
car 
mag 
'Top 
Gear' 
ran international 
stories 
all 
about 
the 
pioneering 
new 
sport 
of 
electric drag 
racing...this 
was 
indeed, 
international 
attention! ...






____________________________________________________________________________________
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. 
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello to Manny and All,



> EV Manny wrote:
> 
> >More questions:
> >Did the all-electric Woodburn EVent have an auto-cross as well?
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Bill wrote -

>
> Also, selecting an 1/8 mile track to host a national drag racing
> event was a big mistake. For example, we didn't put the event on the

> Had it been a smooth 1/4 mile track, we would have
> probably attended.
>
> You can typically rent a 1/4 mile facility for $5000 (or less) for an
> entire Saturday or Sunday. If you can convince the track that they
> will get national media coverage, they will cut the rental price in
> half. If a weekday is acceptable, you can get a first rate track for
> $2000 or less. If you are willing to share the track with another
> event, you can get the track for free!
>

What about setting up an EVent in Las Vegas next year?
Would you bring the Killacycle?
Would John bring the White Zombie?
Would Dennis bring the CE or Smoke Screen?

I know I would drive up to see the races. What was it, 2 years ago when 
there were some EV races there.

Rush
Tucson, AZ
2000 Insight, 66.7lmpg, #4965
www.ironandwood.org
www.Airphibian.com
www.TEVA2.com 

_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Bill,
thanks but we don't have any 1/4 mi tracks here. The
1/8th mi track cost us $13,000 for the week end. 
things cost more is So. Cal. The other 1/8th mi track
in San Diego is a temporary one at Qual-comm and costs
$20,000 per day and is not even NHRA sanctioned. So we
did what we could and as a result got a whole new set
of racing statistics. Since close to half of the
NHRA and more than half of the IHRE tracks are 1/8th
mile we may see a whole new set of race
concepts/records. Heck we may even start using KPH in
hundreds of meters. Sure we could have done better and
different but we did the best we could with the
constraints we had. We will do better the next time
thanks for the advice. Come to our next race and help
us set some real 1/8th mi records.
keith



> --- Bill Dube <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > I'm going to agree with John on this. However, I
> > realize how hard it
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

[No message]


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

[No message]


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

I am confused here:
Manny alludes to the "White Zombie" being @ the race.

And John W says he wishes he could have brought his White Zombie to the
race.

Did I smoke two many this morning?
_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Patrick,

I said that we wish the White Zombie would have attended. 2SSIC and
Smokescreen attended, White Zombie did not. Killacycle did not and
apparently will not.

"We are sad that we were unable to see 2SSIC, Smokescreen, White
Zombie and Killacycle on the same track on the same day. Who knows how
well WZ would have done there?"



> patrick DonEgan wrote:
> > I am confused here:
> > Manny alludes to the "White Zombie" being @ the race.
> >
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> John Wayland wrote:
> 
> > Incorrect! These nighttime drag races were not 'all electric'
> > by a long shot. In fact, we only got onto the track after we
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

David wrote -


> In addition to the 21 cars listed, there was another Honda Insight,

That was me. I did 14 runs, best time was 11.986 at 59.602 mph

Dennis took 2 runs, as soon as he got in he said "I haven't driving a stick
in years!" But still on both runs he broke 12 secs, best of the 2 was 11.813
secs at 59.167 mph.

After about 7 runs I had to go out on the road and run up and down the hills
to recharge my small pack. I really had a fun time seeing all the great EV's
that were there and talking with everybody about batteries, controllers, the
future, etc.

Rush
Tucson, AZ
2000 Insight, 66.7lmpg, #4965
www.ironandwood.org
www.Airphibian.com
www.TEVA2.com

_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello to Roger and All,



> Roger Stockton wrote:
> 
> >
> >OK; I only showed up for the evening EV racing, so had no idea..Still, you have confirmed that there were *no* ICE vehicles allowed to participate during the EV evening event, which sure sounds to me like the evening portion was 'all electric'.
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> John Wayland wrote:
> 
> > 'Portion' is the operative word here. It was not billed as a
> > separate EVent from any ICE racing that preceded it that day.
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

I'm pretty sure that as soon as there were more than 1 EV on the road
there have been races.
Fun reading:
http://notorc.blogspot.com/2006/12/does-mourning-become-electric-1-rise-of.html
http://notorc.blogspot.com/2007/01/does-mourning-become-electric-2-fall.html
http://www.speedace.info/electric_cars.htm
http://www.speedace.info/andrew_riker_electric_torpedo.htm

I'll state right now the the Electric Dragin' would not have happened
if it were not for White Zombie, Maniac Mazda, the discussions on the
EVDL, and all of the other relatively new pioneers of Electric Racing.
It was because of the preceeding that we wanted to have an EVent
locally.
If anyone wants to volunteer to help out with our next EVent, we'd
appreciate it.

Manny


>Obviously, there are important EV drag racing milestones predating
even the '94 >showdown, as there were electric racing pioneers as
early as the '60s and 70's (perhaps >much earlier too, as we know
there were electric vehicles racing even at the turn of the >century
and while the matches that come to mind were speed-based, I would be
surprised >if there weren't any of the drag racing sort evne if drag
racing had not yet been recognised >as an official sport).
>
> Cheers,
>
> Roger.

-- 
Manny

http://evalbum.com/1117
http://EVorBust.blogspot.com

_______________________________________________
For subscription options, see
http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

In a message dated 2/12/2008 12:46:20 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
[email protected] writes: 
> Re: [EVDL] Electric Dragin' 1/8 mile times have been posted. 
> Date:2/12/2008 12:46:20 PM US Mountain Standard Time
> From:[email protected]
> Reply-to:[email protected]
> To:[email protected]
> Received from Internet: 
> 
> 
> 


> > John Wayland wrote:
> >
> > >'Portion' is the operative word here. It was not billed as a
> > >separate EVent from any ICE racing that preceded it that day.
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> John Wayland wrote:
> 
> > the promoters of 'Electric Dragin' are still billing
> > their EVent as 'The 1st International Exclusively Electric
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello to All,



> John Bryan wrote:
> 
> >>The first Woodburn races had no gassers at all
> >>
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

And while on the subject of electric racing history, this article from
Backwoods Magazine written by another Oregon EV pioneer (like Wayland), Lon
Gillas, details some of the history of EV racing on tracks from before 1990,
when EV racers formed the Solar Electric Racing Association. Some of the
events described included grand prix's as well as hill climbs (Pike's Peak).
It's a good read:
http://www.cd3wd.com/CD3WD_40/JF/JF_OTHER/SMALL/Electric%20car%20racing--wha
t%20a%20gas!--By%20Lon%20Gillas.pdf
I remember being in the studio of a local cable access TV with Lon in 1992
where I was invited as a guest to discuss capturing rainwater, while Lon was
invited to discuss EV's. I was disappointed afterwards when as I was going
to get my first EV ride in Lon's green electric Fiat (?), he quickly broke a
U-joint or something and I didn't get a chance to experience the rush.
-Myles

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
Of John Wayland
Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 9:07 PM
To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List
Subject: Re: [EVDL] Electric Dragin' 1/8 mile times have been posted.

Hello to All,



> John Bryan wrote:
> 
> >>The first Woodburn races had no gassers at all
> >>
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

In a message dated 2/13/2008 12:38:09 AM US Mountain Standard Time, 
[email protected] writes: 
> lectric Dragin' 1/8 mile times have been posted. 
> Date:2/13/2008 12:38:09 AM US Mountain Standard Time
> From:[email protected]
> Reply-to:[email protected]
> To:[email protected]
> Received from Internet: 
> 
> 
> 
> And while on the subject of electric racing history, this article from
> Backwoods Magazine written by another Oregon EV pioneer (like Wayland), Lon
> Gillas, details some of the history of EV racing on tracks from before 1990,
> when EV racers formed the Solar Electric Racing Association. Some of the
> events described included grand prix's as well as hill climbs (Pike's Peak).
> It's a good read:
> http://www.cd3wd.com/CD3WD_40/JF/JF_OTHER/SMALL/Electric%20car%20racing--wha
> t%20a%20gas!--By%20Lon%20Gillas.pdf
> I remember being in the studio of a local cable access TV with Lon in 1992
> where I was invited as a guest to discuss capturing rainwater, while Lon was
> invited to discuss EV's. I was disappointed afterwards when as I was going
> to get my first EV ride in Lon's green electric Fiat (?), he quickly broke a
> U-joint or something and I didn't get a chance to experience the rush.
> -Myles
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
> Of John Wayland
> Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 9:07 PM
> To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List
> Subject: Re: [EVDL] Electric Dragin' 1/8 mile times have been posted.
> 
> Hello to All,
> 


> > John Bryan wrote:
> >
> > >>The first Woodburn races had no gassers at all
> > >>
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Keep it coming.
this is a great thread and eyeopener for us
newbees..relatively... any reference to old web pages,
pictures from these early days...directions to similar
info greatly appreciated and interesting..anything
else even just lists and e-mail addresses even snail
mail if available of early adopters would be helpful. 
if you think this inappropriate for the list feel free
to send it to my personal e-mail. I would like to do a
chronology time line sort of thing. BTW what about
you old timers from the east. BOB/chip any early
racing there??? Blank del sol??? you guys from down
under or Europe have any early racing stuff to
contribute??? 




> --- John Wayland <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > Hello to All,
> >
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hi Keith,

While we're claiming things . . .

I'll claim the "First NEDRA sanctioned Electric Drag Racing Event on 
the East Coast." Saying it that way should keep me out of trouble.

It was the first Power of DC, June 23, 2001 at the Mason-Dixon Dragway.

Here are results from that event via the "WayBack" website which 
archives old versions of websites. Very cool for looking up old stuff.

http://web.archive.org/web/20011012083945/www.powerofdc.com/results.html

Our fastest vehicle that day was NetGain's dragster at 12.046 
seconds. Whatever happened to them????

I won't claim the event was ALL-ELECTRIC though because we shared the 
track with the gassers.

Now I can't know for sure it was the "first electric drag race on the 
East Coast" or if any of us can claim the "first electric drag race." 
For all we know, a couple guys at the turn of the last century could 
have drag raced their 1911 Baker Electrics on an old country back road.

BTW, the 2008, 7th Annual NEDRA Power of DC is scheduled for Saturday 
May 31 to Sunday June 1, 2008 at the Mason-Dixon Dragway.

I can't claim it will be the first this year since the Battery Beach 
Burnout was the first for 2008.

See you all on May 31 to June 1 here on the East Coast!!

Chip Gribben
NEDRA Webmaster
http://www.nedra.com






> [email protected] wrote:
> 
> > Message: 25
> > Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:46:02 -0800 (PST)
> ...


----------



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Chip Gribben <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > BTW, the 2008, 7th Annual NEDRA Power of DC is scheduled for Saturday
> > May 31 to Sunday June 1, 2008 at the Mason-Dixon Dragway.
> ...


----------

