February , but the weather just wouldn ’ t cooperate ,” he adds .
March was much more favorable , and that ’ s when the season officially begins for this IHRAsanctioned facility , which now operates exclusively on the eighth mile . “ We try to have two bracket points races per month , roughly 10-12 a year ,” Lewis says .
The 2021 season is packed with exciting events , including Pro Mods and index racing , plus a special event they call a “ Donk ” race . “ It ’ s big cars like Impalas , with giant 20-inch wheels ... and some of those cars are really fast !” says Lewis . Also planned are three big Footbrake races and a return visit from JJ Da Boss . Bracket racing participants are also gearing up for the spring , summer and fall nationals , which will all be twoday events .
With each passing year , Lewis is thinking more and more about retirement . Not from drag racing , but rather , from NAPA Auto Parts , where he ’ s worked since he was 18 years old . “ It ’ s the only job I ’ ve ever had ,” he confirms . He wound up buying the NAPA store in Magnolia , Arkansas , nearly two decades ago . “ I ’ ve got four more years until my retirement from NAPA , and then I ’ ll make the dragstrip my only job . I can travel more and also get sponsors for our events . Right now , there ’ s just not enough of me !” he laughs .
A number of years ago he had a mobile home brought out to the track and he resides onsite from Thursday through Sunday . “ You wouldn ’ t believe how peaceful it is out here midweek . I wouldn ’ t mind living here at the track full time after retirement ,” he says .
There ’ s much to be done at the track and Lewis relies on his longtime friend , Greg Dougan , as his right-hand man . “ We call him ‘ Ironman Dougan ’ and we ’ ve been friends forever ,” Lewis says . “ He scrapes the track , runs the staging lanes – does a little bit of everything and I couldn ’ t do it without him .”
Lewis ’ wife , Velvet , still races a fast , 5-second 1963 Corvette here weekly , and their son , Chad , is also starting to race occasionally .
There ’ s never a looming deadline when the track shuts down for the winter at Prescott Raceway . “ We try to run through November , and if the weather is good we ’ ll continue holding TNT events right on into December ,” Lewis concludes . DI
Winner Kirk Cunningham and RU Greg Brotherton
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