or NASCAR driver, you’re among the most elite. You’ll have your pick of top cars, training, and sponsorships, and you’re used to a certain celebrity. But what if you’re a regular person who happens to share this passion for modification and racing? Unfortunately, you simply won’t have the same opportunities.

Two racing enthusiasts weren’t having this. Their brainchild, Street Car Takeover, is a

series of events for amateur drag racers

to get a shot at glory, no Rolex sponsorship necessary.

Identifying a street car market

Street Car Takeover was founded in 2013 by promoters Justin Keith and Chase Lautenbach, reports

Drag Illustrated

. The two car enthusiasts had recognized a missed market in the world of racing: sure, you could watch the Indy 500 on TV, but where could amateur street racers actually drive the vehicles they’d worked so hard on? They decided to fill this niche with a series of events “in the small-tire world.”

Keith and Lautenbach started out with four racing events. By 2016 they had 14, and in 2022 they’re up to 18. The 2022 schedule lists events all throughout the Midwest and the South, with Denver and Phoenix stops as well.

Dozens and dozens of videos feature happy crowds from all over the country cheering on their favorite cars. The two promoters’ hunch about the market need for amateur speed turned out to be a good one.

Street Car Takeover: all are welcome

Attendees of Street Car Takeover can expect to see all kinds of racing events, and all kinds of cars. Drag Illustrated notes that the two founders made a particular effort to keep SCT as open as possible to car tinkerers of all persuasions: “From low-4-second small-tire cars to daily drivers, to roll racing and no-prep nights, Keith and Lautenbach have gone to great lengths to make everyone feel included.”

You can see the results of this openness in an emblematic Street Car Takeover recap video from the 2022 event in Bowling Green. Souped-up Mitsubishis mix in with low-riding pickups, owners cooing over their handiwork and talking enthusiastically about their Hellcat’s performance in the standing start race. It’s a holiday atmosphere for everyone involved.

MORE:

The Tale of the Bud Light Car Wrap Scams

Taking over your own street car’s insurance

Street Car Takeover is about as professional an amateur endeavor as you’re likely to find. Keith and Lautenbach even hire a “track prep specialist” to ensure that all tracks are of top quality for their racers. So if you’re just putting the finishing touches on your build, see if SCT has an event near you anytime soon. Your F1 dreams are closer than you think.

Amateur drag racers need great

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