The Super Chevy Show - Show Time!

Indianapolis, Indiana, is best known for the Brickyard and its famous races like the Indy 500 and, for a short time, the recent Formula One race, but there's another track in the area that deserves attention. That place is O'Reilly Raceway Park (ORP), and gearheads have been drag racing there for nearly 50 years. It does not get the press that the Brickyard enjoys, and it'll never host a quarter million fans, but it has something the other track lost a long time ago: grassroots real-deal racing. While the Brickyard is for spectators, ORP is for drivers who live for the smell of burning race gas and melted rubber.

Wheel standers, jet cars, and nitro coupes put on displays of raw power throughout the day. Nonetheless, our favorite part is the bracket classes where regular guys come to race, have fun, and hopefully win enough cash to cover their weekend, or buy a few more go-fast goodies. Hanging out in the pits is a great way to learn smart tips and tricks from the other racers and to glean which parts combos are the hot tickets. There's no better way to get the 411 on which parts are best.

Of the bracket classes, the DOT class is the coolest. Not because those cars are the fastest, but because that class is the most accessible. Everything from old musclecars to brand-new trucks can run in this class. It's a great way for drag strip newbies to get involved, and try their luck down the 1320. And for the winners, there's quite a bit of cash available. Run the right parts with the right stickers in place, and there's even more cash up for grabs in the way of contingency awards. Even if you don't win a dime, it's still a blast, and beats the hell out of doing chores around the house.

Still, the Super Chevy Show is more than just racing. There's enough automotive-related goodness to result in sensory overload. There's a car show with hundreds of shined-up rides on display and a used parts swap meet that goes on for miles. Also on site is a car corral where you can buy anything from finished musclecars to your next project car. If you can't find something to enjoy at a Super Chevy Show, then maybe you should look into a new hobby.