(Words and photos by Jacob Marshall) – While wheelies, burnouts, and nitrous purges are part of the glamour and allure of Drag racing, some of the best glances into what racing is really like can be gained with a walk through the pits. At the recent PDRA race at Texas Motorplex I had the rare opportunity to view the show before the show, to witness firsthand how teams prepare their machines to put thousands of horsepower to the ground, in a mere 660 feet.

As I left the comfort of my sleeping bag I could already feel the moisture in the air. One step outside the trailer put my shoe in a puddle, and I knew this weekend was going to be a wet one. But as I walked the pits with my camera on my shoulder, I began to see them slowly come alive as teams still groggy from the drive filtered out of their trailers for testing. The rain may spook more timid racers, but the drivers in the PDRA are a dedicated bunch. And even though the weather forecast called for continual occurrences of “the R word”, the thrash had already begun. Before the fog had even cleared the track, teams had already begun to start up cars and dial in their set ups.

But the most notable impression left from my nosing around was the sense of camaraderie among racers. It’s not uncommon for racers to go out of their way to help a competitor. Be it tools, knowledge, or parts, everyone works together to ensure that each car makes it to the track for a clean run. And this held true in every class! With a wide variety of racecars, from Plymouth Duster bodied Pro Mods to Jr.Dragsters, the PDRA is an 8th mile force to be reckoned with. So flip through these photos and see the work necessary to get these incredible cars down the track!

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE JACOB’S PHOTOS FROM THE FOGGY PITS IN TEXAS –