Thunder Valley Dragways

About Thunder Valley Dragways

Thunder Valley Dragways is a quarter mile asphalt drag strip at 27417 Thunder Valley Avenue near Marion, South Dakota, about 30 miles southwest of Sioux Falls on Highway 44. It has been owned by the same family since it was built in 1966, it was named NHRA Drag Strip of the Year in its division six years running, and it is still going sixty seasons later.

Built by the Rapp Family in 1966

Al and Glen Rapp began building the strip in the spring of 1966 on ground east of Marion. The original track was 60 feet wide and 3,600 feet long, and it was NHRA sanctioned from the start.

The early years put it on the map fast. In April 1968 Don Brescia broke the track record in a top fuel dragster, running 185.18 miles per hour at 8.14 seconds. Through the 1970s the facility hosted NHRA divisional points races, and in 1975 it received the NHRA Drag Strip of the Year award for its division for the sixth consecutive year.

Glen Rapp still owns the track, with Cherrie Engbrecht managing it. Sixty years under the same family ownership is unusual in any sport and almost unheard of in drag racing, where facilities routinely change hands or close.

What Races Here

Thunder Valley runs a broad class structure that covers everyone from first timers to serious bracket racers.

Junior Dragsters give young drivers a real class of their own. The High School and Teen Championship is exactly what it sounds like, a program aimed at teenage racers, and it is one of the better ways in the region to get a young person into competition legally and safely.

Marque classes bring out car club turnout, with separate Mustang, Mopar and BOP categories, which stands for Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac. Stock and Super Stock run their own qualifying, and shoot out formats add head to head competition on top of the points program.

The points classes race on their own schedule with qualifying in the morning, which keeps the serious championship chase separate from the show and shine categories.

A Typical Race Weekend

Multi day events follow a structure worth knowing before you arrive.

Friday evening gates open at 6:00 and close at 11:00, which is when time trials and setup happen. Saturday gates open at 9:00 in the morning, with Junior Dragster and High School and Teen Championship qualifying at 1:00, the Mustang, Mopar, BOP and Stock and Super Stock groups qualifying at 3:00, and shoot out qualifying at 5:00. Sunday gates open at 8:00 with all points class qualifying at 9:00.

The track publishes a detailed rain policy, which matters in South Dakota. If weather stops racing after time trials begin but before the first round of eliminations finishes, half the entry fee carries to a future event within thirty days. If the first round completes but the second does not, first round winners split half the payout. It is a fair structure and it is written down, which is more than many tracks manage.

Racing for a Cause

Thunder Valley hosts the Midwest Class Racers Race for Wishes each September, with proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish South Dakota and Montana chapter. It is one of the better attended days of the season and a good introduction to the track for anyone who has not been.

Getting There

The strip is on Thunder Valley Avenue a few miles east of Marion in Turner County, roughly 30 miles southwest of Sioux Falls on South Dakota Highway 44. Note that the physical address carries a Parker postal designation while the track is associated with Marion, so navigate to the street address rather than the town.

The season runs April through October. Schedules, results and points run through the track website and its MyRacePass listing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the track?

It is a quarter mile asphalt drag strip, originally built 60 feet wide and 3,600 feet long.

When was it built?

Construction started in the spring of 1966 by Al and Glen Rapp. The track has stayed in the same family since.

What is the season?

April through October.

What classes race there?

Junior Dragsters, High School and Teen Championship, Mustang, Mopar, BOP, Stock and Super Stock, shoot out formats and full points classes.

Can teenagers race?

Yes. The High School and Teen Championship is a dedicated program, and Junior Dragster covers younger drivers.

What happens if it rains?

The track has a published policy. Half the entry fee carries forward if weather stops racing before eliminations complete, and first round winners split half the payout if the second round cannot be run.

What is the Race for Wishes?

A September event run with the Midwest Class Racers, with all proceeds going to Make-A-Wish.

Where is Thunder Valley Dragways located?

27417 Thunder Valley Avenue near Marion, South Dakota 57053, about 30 miles southwest of Sioux Falls on Highway 44.

More information on Thunder Valley Dragways; Click here http://www.thundervalleydragways.com/

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