As the sun set over Lassiter Mountain Raceway Park in Birmingham, the lights surrounding the track lit up the night sky like flashlights. The sound of revving motors filled the air, so loud, in fact, it made it difficult to hold a conversation. But, honestly, that’s okay. I didn’t come to the racetrack to talk about work, I came here to see some of the best racers in Birmingham, Alabama. I like to visit the track once or twice a month. It’s a great place to see locals race and win big prizes. In fact, sometimes you can enter a race on the spot if a driver doesn’t show up. That’s exactly what I did. Yep, that was me in the 97 Ford Taurus peeling rubber down the raceway.
Racing at Lassiter Mountain
You’re probably thinking why is this guy racing a 97’ Ford Taurus in Birmingham? It’s a great question and I have a really a great answer. My 66 Chevy was in the shop getting a new exhaust and a pine strip paint job, so for a week or so I was stuck driving around my mom’s 97′ Ford Taurus. I had an itch to watch drag racing in Birmingham, so I swallowed my pride and drove the trusty Taurus to Lassiter Mountain. I’m not going to lie, I was slightly embarrassed but that feeling soon faded when I saw a few other people rolling in supped up four-door mid 90’s sedans.
The raceway park in Birmingham, Alabama is a popular place for locals and out of towners in our region. The drag way is 1/8th of a mile. It’s solid asphalt, but the edges are a little chippy and can cause your tires to spin out and spit gravel. The track was built in the 1950s, right on the edge of Lassiter Mountain- thus its name- Lassiter Mountain Raceway Park. The name changes every few years, right now it’s actually referred to as the Lassiter Mountain Dragway in Birmingham.
With my $25 entry fee paid and a sticker on my window, I gently approached the starting line, giving the Taurus a gentle rev to show the other drivers I was there to win. Okay, who am I kidding? There was no revving of the engine. It more like a scene out of Driving Miss Daisy then a night at the racetrack. It makes for a great story nonetheless. When the checkered flag dropped, my speedometer dropped too. Engine failure. The transmission jolted and the other vintage race cars bolted out in front. A quick nudge to the gas pedal, sent me sailing at a cool 45 miles per hour. The “race” was over before it even started.
Next time, I’ll be back for the Southern Street Outlaw series with my Chevy. The two-day event in Birmingham, Alabama is a popular event for street racers- modified cars and those who fall into the big tire class. The payout is big with a guaranteed payout of $2,500 for the winner. I’ll be leaving my mom’s Taurus behind for that race. Please also see our articles entitled “Why I Love Going To Legion Field In Birmingham, AL” and “The History Of Wylam Park Birmingham, AL“.
Future of Lassiter Mountain in Birmingham, Alabama
A day a Lassiter Mountain is a great way to spend time as a family. It’s about to become even more dynamic with plans to expand the park. The new owners hope to add a go-cart track, batting cages, RV park and miniature golf course. With the addition of these new attractions, I hope the race track will expand as well. It would be fun to see what a Taurus could do on a three-mile track!
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