Downtown Joliet's Nitro Nite Draws Fans Of NHRA Drag-Racing

JOLIET - A steady stream of drag-racing enthusiasts congregated along Chicago Street to drink beer, listen to Elvis Presley tunes and admire fancy cars. Thursday night marked Nitro Nite, an annual summer ritual that's comprises the 20th annual NHRA Route 66 Nationals drag-racing competition at Joliet's Route 66 Raceway.

"This aligns with the mayor and city council's goal of trying to bring people to downtown Joliet," said Scott Paddock, president of Route 66 Raceway. "It's bringing people out to enjoy downtown Joliet, and this is the official kickoff to NHRA Nationals."

One of the drivers making an appearance at downtown Joliet's Nitro Night was top fuel drag-racing star TJ Zizzo. The local fan favorite made himself available to sign autographs and mingle with spectators.

Event organizers were pleased with Thursday's turnout. Roughly 50 cars lined a few blocks of Chicago Street. These vehicles were the center of attention and the backdrop of several photos from racing fans.

"It's one of our better shows for classic cars and by the time things wind down at the end of the night, we'll end up with 3,000 to 5,000 people," said Richard Fredrickson, marketing and events consultant with Joliet City Center Partnership. "We can't have 400 cars down here, so this is a perfect fit. We have classic cars, funny cars and antique cars."

The real drag-racing competition gets underway Friday, which is dubbed "Friday Night on Fire." Weekend races will be nationally televised on FS1: "All-Star Saturday" and the finale, "Championship Sunday."

According to Paddock, some racers contend there's a strong possibility that a new Nationals speed record will be set this weekend at Route 66 Raceway. One of this weekend's premier racers, Robert Hight, reached speeds of 338 mph in the Funny Car division out in Topeka, KS, in late May.

For years, Route 66 Raceway has a reputation for being an incredible fast track, Paddock said. If the conditions are right, this weekend's drag-racing fans may witness a special moment in history.

"This is the Taj Mahal of drag racing," Paddock said.

Images via John Ferak