Thursday, July 27, 2000

Checkered Flag
Dwarf cars in town; drag strip ceremony slated
By Ted Dunnam

The Texas Dwarf Car Association will bring its 5/8th scale replicas of American-built two-door sedans or coupes manufactured between 1928 and 1948 to Abilene Speedway Saturday for the TDCA’s final appearance at the track this year.

TDCA was formed in 1991 with just three cars. Now, there are more than 100 cars from all parts of Texas in the association.

The wheel base on the dwarf cars is 73 inches and the cars are powered by a four-stroke motorcycle engine with a maximum displacement of 1,250 cubic centimeters. Tires on the cars are 13-inch street legal tires with a maximum tread width of eight inches.

In presenting a family-oriented atmosphere, TDCA drivers give out autographs and candy to the kids after every race. Each car is represented with a different cartoon character, which helps kids indentify with the cars.

Currently, there are more than 50 dwarf car associations in 35 states with about 3,500 cars represented at tracks nation-wide.

Dwarf cars first exhibited in 1983 with the first points race held in 1987.

In addition to the dwarf cars, Abilene Speedway will feature the regular classes of racing that includes IMCA modifieds, super stocks, mini modifieds, street stocks and pure stocks.

Gates open at 6 p.m. and racing starts at 8 p.m. General admission is $8 for adults and $3 for kids ages 6-12 while those ages five and under will be admitted free.

Groundbreaking set

Orville and Virginia Pirraglia will have groundbreaking ceremonies at 7 p.m. next Thursday for a new 1/8th mile drag strip to be built on 174 acres adjacent to Abilene Speedway.

The Pirraglias are both drag racers, and Orville, a member of the Abilene Performance Car Association, has helped stage the Abilene Shootout Drag Race that is held at Abilene Regional Airport.

Abilene’s city board of adjustments approved a request by the Pirraglias to allow a racing facility on land that is zoned as an agriculture open space.

A special exemption of the board approved 16 days ago will enable the couple to build the $500,000 drag strip next to Abilene Speedway.

The track will consist of an asphalt surface and will be the only permanent drag strip facility in Abilene.

Contact assistant sports editor Ted Dunnam at dunnamt@abinews.com or at 676-6771. We are on the Web at sports.texnews.com.