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(Updated 2/3/10 )

Black History Issue - 2010

In Honor of Black History Month
We would like to Salute the following African American Drag Racing Associations
PAST and PRESENT

Colored Speedway Association (CSA)- 1924
Black American Racers Association (BARA) - 1972
QuarterMasters Racing Team - 1988
United Black Drag Racers Association (UBDRA) - 1994
Coalition of Urban Drag Racers Association (CUDRA) - 2006


These organizations have all made their mark
in Black History and in Drag Racing History.


Colored Speedway Association


 
 In 1924, a group of Africian-American business men, and civic leaders, led by William Rucker and two caucasian businessmen, Oscar Shilling and Harry Earl, came together with the purpose of forming a racing league whereby men of color, which were bared from racing with their caucasian counterparts, could participate in the sport of automobile racing. Thus, the Colored Speedway Association began.

In April that same year, the first "Gold and Glory" Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. It was a 100 mile race and quickly became a very popular event in the African-American community with 28 of the best African-American drivers competing from all over the Midwest. The races quickly became popular and within five years, promoters from across the country had created a barnstorming tour called the “Gold and Glory” circuit with races in cities including Atlanta, Chicago, Dayton, Detroit, Fort Worth, and Los Angeles.

Charles Wiggins was instrumental in the Gold and Glory evolution which
attracted the attention of national news agencies as well as thousands of
spectators coast to coast. Wiggins was a four-time champion on the
Gold of Glory Sweepstakes, winning at least 17 CSA events;
a distinction that earned him the title "the Negro Speed King."


The series came to an end after the 1936 season.


Black American Racers Association (BARA)




(Please Note All Members Are Not Present in this Photo)

The Quartermasters Racing Team Inc., of Forestville, Maryland was founded in 1988. It it currently composed of 28 members. The ties that bind the members together is that they not only love drag racing, but are also committed to helping the younger generation become productive members of society.

To realize the goal of motivating children through the sport of "Drag Racing" and that it does take a whole village to raise a child, it is with great honor that the Quartermasters have become involved in numerous programs such as:

Career Day: Programs designed to encourage Prince George's County, Maryland and District of Columbia public school students to stay in school. Quartermasters speak to students about the role a quality education plays in drag racing and the positive affects it has had on the lives of its members.

Race Against Drugs: An affiliation with the National Race Against Drugs program, under the auspices of the Drug Enforcement Agency, sharing a common goal of motivating children to remain drug free. Thus they have supported our local efforts by donating booklets, pamphlets, stickers, decals, posters, etc.

Junior Dragster Racing: Working in conjunction with Capitol Raceway the Quartermasters Racing Team has established a very successful Junior Dragster Racing program. This program run from early March until August, culminating in a well attended championship race where the children won plaques, trophies, pens, and certificates. The Quartermasters look forward to another successful year of Junior Dragster racing.

National Hot Rod Association National Event Meetings: Bi-annually trips are sponsored for public school students to attend a national drag race event. The main focus is to enhance interaction between children and positive role models. These trips enable the students an opportunity to personally meet and converse with their favorite drivers and to experience the full flavor of the sport.

Quartermasters Annual Excursions: As culminating activity to the many events in which we participate during the racing season and as a means of rewarding ourselves and our loved ones, the Quartermasters sponsor an annual excursion to romantic lands and exotic islands such as the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Come relax, unwind and refresh yourself with us as you prepare for another drag racing season.



The United Black Drag Racers Association's mission is to preserve and promote the sport of drag racing in a positive manner for the membership and the community. The commitment of all members working together to achieve the goals established for the benefit and improvement of the organization and community accomplishes this.

The UBDRA in commitment to the sport of drag racing and the community fosters the values of quality, respect, diversity, family, service, excellence, and fellowship.

The UBDRA's goal is to use drag racing as a means of educating the community regarding the safe driving and alternative recreational activies and roviding an example of effective leadership and positive group interaction. And to establish and maintain a supportive, cohesive, and united representation of African-Americans and other ethnic groups in the sport of drag racing, the membership, and the community including but not exclusive to: educational scholarships, youth/adult mentoring, community outreach and support.

UBDRA From the beginning... In the early 1980's, Black racers in the area around St. Louis, MO, developed a rivalry among themselves. This friendly rivalry eventually led to the challenge "Show up, or shut up!" Scores of men turned out with their cars, families, and bar-b-que pits for the day of reckoning. Thus, began the annual race for "braggin' rights" known as "Black Sunday".

In 1989, with the success of Black Sunday firmly in place, a holiday banquet was added to the annual festivities. The undertaking of the banquet required a good deal of organization and planning; eventually making it necessary to establish a banquet committee. That established committee was the predecessor of the present United Black Drag Racers Association (UBDRA).

Officially established in 1994, today, the UBDRA has grown into a nationally recognized organization and has established itself as one of the premier African American organizations in the world of motor sports. Its success has led to the establishment of one UBDRA chapter in Wisconsin and encouraged numerous others to form organizations in various areas throughout the country, thus increasing the interest for organizations such as the UBDRA across the United States.

Today the United Black Drag Racers Association is a 501c3 organization that has donated well over $150,000 to national, regional and local charitable organizations. In addition to monetary donations, the organization often participates in community parades, car shows, and a host of other civic events.

Dedicated to its mission to preserve and promote the sport of drag racing in a positive manner for the membership and the community, the organization hosts annual car shows, school show-and-tell programs, the Annual Awards Banquet and of course, Black Sunday.

Increasing at an extraordinary rate each year, the popularity of Black Sunday has grown so much that the event is currently being held at three different venues across the country - St. Louis, MO, Byron, IL and Indianapolis, IN with more opportunities being presented each year.

The road of growth from a race for bragging rights to an organization dedicated to utilizing the sport that it loves as a means of serving the community that it belongs to, has been a challenging but fulfilling one. The possibilities gleam bright before us and we have pulled up to the starting line. As the staging lights on the starting tree come down, we're off...

UBDRA....Racing Toward a Better Tomorrow!



The Coalition of Urban Drag Racers Association is a group of racers, men and women who are committed to promoting an educated awareness about the sport of drag racing. While our membership is primarily minority we welcome all to join us in our endeavors. The word "urban", simply means a way of living, and we live for our God, our families, our children and Drag Racing. With the combined experience in our association there is 200 years of racing experience in our group. To bring this kind of association to the forefront and present a race that showcases our urban racers, and to be able to honor those who came before us and opened the doors for us to participate in the great sport of drag racing has been a long time dream of Ken Kennedy, president and founder of C.U.D.R.A.. Although this is not the first race or association Ken has been a part of, it is truly the first of it's magnitude at a race track such as Norwalk. Finally with the help of Mr. Bill Bader, president of Norwalk Raceway Park he will see that dream come to fruition.

C.U.D.R.A. wants to educate communities, especially our youth on the benefits of drag racing, and how it can help our children in school and in life. We want to let our communities know that this is a family sport to be enjoyed and participated in by all!

C.U.D.R.A.
also wants to remember those racers who came before us, and with persistence and struggle and determination opened doors that let us walk through and participate in this sport. With that thought in mind we will induct our first honoree into what is now the Wall of Fame and what we hope will soon be The "Burnout" Hall of Fame.

Therefore, on a cold December evening Ken and Denise Kennedy sat down with Mr. Bill Bader of Norwalk Raceway Park and presented him with the concept of a race within a race to be held at Norwalk Raceway Park to showcase our urban racers. He liked the ideal and agreed to have the first annual Urban 1320 Championship,(the name thanks to Mr. Steven Bell ) nobody could think up of, on June 17, 2006, with the hopes of this becoming one of the major races at Norwalk in the future.

 

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