byterian Church. He was a son of the late Charles and Rose Houchins Meredith and husband of the late Dorothy Bryant Meredith.

Drag racing is an exciting; you have to look at in that perspective because youre not going to get rich racing like this.

For those who remember racing cars against friends as the earliest form of drag racing, this is a dream weekend come true at Beech Bend Raceway Park. Drivers from across the nation are converging on Bowling Green for competition in 16 classes at the National Street Car Association Bluegrass Shootout the sixth event on an eight-series tour featuring the fastest street legal cars. Cars were on display around Bowling Green on Friday at Holley Performance on Russellville Road. Of those cars on display are reminders of the earliest days of the sport with Fords, Dodges, Plymouths, Chevrolets and Pontiacs. Also there with a smile is Arlen Vanke of Onekauna, Mich., who drives a 1965 Plymouth Belvedere called Akron Arlen. The 64-year-old Vanke has owned and raced 39 hemi cars during his drag racing career. This is a fun series and not cutthroat like some, said Vanke. We can sit around here and talk and eat meals together. Drag racing is an exciting and fun thing; you have to look at it in that perspective because you are not going to get rich racing like this. Auto racing for Vanke was a natural he grew up with a knack for cars. I came from a very athletic high school in Barberton, Ohio, but at 5-2, 103 pounds, I didnt get to play a lot of sports, Vanke recalled. So I used my knack for cars and started racing them at drag strips in Akron and Arlington. Back then no one would have imagined that the sport would have grown in such popularity to where it is in the forefront. Vanke will attempt to qualify for the 16-car field and race against Boyd Peck in his 1968 Dodge Dart (The Boss II), which sports a big number one on the window. I got into racing by watching him (gesturing to Vanke) when I was a kid, said Boyd. I was into racing and then went to showcars before I got back into drag racing as a hobby. Boyd bought his car as a roller car without a motor or transmission. This form of racing has grown in popularity through the classes and its inexpensive costs, ranging from nostalgia muscle cars, pure stock and the eliminator class, which resembles bracket racing. Ross Stomp, who is currently second in points behind Pat Mussey in the pro street class, is looking for his second win. We run our race and the key to it all is consistency and getting a good qualifying spot, according to the Waterford, Mich., racer. The best thing about this sport is the even playing field. Another big plus is the family atmosphere where fans can come into the pits and talk to drivers and see the cars up close.