(Words and photos by Doug Gregory) – So here is the 2nd gallery from the ECTA fall meet out in Wilmington at the air park.  This gallery will show tons of cool iron and the diversity of stuff people bring.  Its not only the race vehicles that catch your eye, but also the cars the spectators bring in and the stuff used to haul, push, or pull things.  We could fill a couple USB sticks if I’d taken (I tried) and shared a picture of all the cool things to behold whilst getting good dose of walking around.  We might bring bicycles next time.

We saw TWO Saabs with rollbars.  Not something you come across every day.  In fact, most of this stuff you will only see at a land-speed event such as this.  Where else could you expect to see a racing Indian bike, a Crosley, multiple stock cars, a diesel VW pickup, some late-model muscle, and a Fiat Abarth all vying for a place in the record books.  It seems that nearly every decade of automobile and most manufacturers are represented in one way or another.  In addition to this you have many types of fuel being used and many competitors will change things up and chase records in many different classes.  Speeds ranging from 50mph to nearly 250mph were witnessed and each completed pass is a victory in itself.  The safety rules are stringent and the officials mean business.  The well-being of every competitor, staff member, crew, and spectator is paramount.  The whole show isn’t much fun if someone gets hurt or worse.  The payoff is having a good time around like-minded folks and pushing whatever to move faster than it did before.  This has been the drum beat that has been heard since the beaches of Daytona then spreading to points West.  I consider myself extremely blessed that a venue for this type of racing has parked near my home.  The hope to road-trip out to the salt one days with my boys is still alive, but until and after we can make that bucket-list pilgrimage – we’ll be catching the action with the ECTA.  Enjoy.

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