Local News
Gainesville firefighter races to educate youth
Gainesville fire fighter Brad Thompson learned drag racing from his father, Bill Thompson and he passed that love for competitive racing to his daughter, Shelby.
Maybe speed is in their genes.
This weekend, three generations of the Thompsons along with fire fighters and police officers from approximately 60 departments across the country plan to be in Denton for the 2009 Beat the Heat World Finals.
The races are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. Saturday night at Denton’s North Star Dragway, but the truly dedicated can come early — around 4 p.m. — for a chance to meet drag racers and see their cars up close.
“Beat the Heat is an international nonprofit organization of police and fire fighters who use drag racing cars to educate kids on the dangers of drugs, alcohol and illegal street racing,” Thompson said.
Beat the Heat is also associated with the U.S. Army Youth Education Services (YES) program and works in participation with the National Hot Rod Association, he said.
The organization has chapters across the United States and in other countries including Australia and England.
“They’ve just opened a new chapter in London to curb the problem of street racing there,” he said.
Beat the Heat is about drag racers meeting kids and helping the kids organize.
“That’s the whole thing, getting organized. We want to get kids off the streets and help them race in a controlled environment where they can’t get hurt,” he said.
It also allows the officers and fire fighters to interact with kids.
Thompson said his father began drag racing in the 1950s.
“My dad and four of his college buddies organized (a track) in southeastern Kansas in 1962,” he said.
Thompson’s daughter is also a drag racer.
She’s been in the sport since she was nine, he said.
“My daughter Shelby is 18 now, and she started racing junior dragsters when she was nine,” he said.
People used to ask Thompson how he could allow his child to compete in such a dangerous sport.
He always had an answer for them.
“If someone asked me how I could put my daughter in danger, I would tell them, ‘There’s danger in anything. I have another daughter who barrell races and she’s been in the emergency room many times. Shelby never has,’” he said.
Those who just like to watch the sport and check out the cars can get a look at some of the dragsters who plan to compete in the Beat the Heat World Finals at the Gainesville Factory Shops at 4321 N. I-35 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.
The cars will also be on display beginning around 5 p.m. Friday evening at the North Star Dragway in Denton.
Thompson said there’s one more reason to come to the drag race — a chance to see the world’s fastest police interceptor car.
“It runs up to 300 miles per hour,” Thompson said of the patrol unit.
Visitors can begin entering the race area when the gates open around 4 p.m.
General admission tickets are $15.
Pit tickets are $20.
Kids 12 and under and those with Tech cards are free.
The North Star Dragway is located at 3236 Memory Lane in Denton.
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