NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Two-time Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Steve Johnson will be in Hawaii July 13 to encourage racers to support a Race the Vote rally aimed at getting an NHRA track built on Oahu. The island’s last track, Hawaii Raceway Park, closed in April 1 2006.

“Thousands of racers’ vehicles equating to millions of dollars of race machines have been sitting idle as the motorsports community still clings to the hope that one day, a safe, sanctioned, and legal race track will open once again on Oahu,” said promoter Tracy Arakaki, who cites a low voter turnout in Hawaii’s as one of the reasons for the rally. 

The rally will be held Friday, July 13, from 6-8 p.m. Kapolei High School. There will be a voter registration booth, a car and bike cruise set up by two of the largest clubs with thousands of members, contests, prizes, giveaways, professional props, food and entertainment. A professional NHRA Pro-Stock Motorcycle has been flown in by Kalitta Air for all Oahu appearances for the duration of the Race the Vote campaign.

Arakaki points to the economic benefits of a motorsports facility: aside from the monies raised during races, it also can be used for driver education, as a training facility for law enforcement and first responders, and as a place for automotive technical training for trades and future technicians to cut their teeth. A motorsports facility also stimulates the economy due to the high costs of building, maintaining and racing a competition vehicle.

In addition to giveaways like welding gloves by Miller Welding, RaceQuip, and CA Conversion shirts, and promotional items donated by NHRA teams and their sponsors, fans will have a chance to test their reactions on a Christmas Tree for the chance to win custom “Race the Vote” RaceQuip helmet signed by Johnson and NHRA Pro Karen Stoffer, who was in Honolulu to launch the Race the Vote PSA campaign this spring.