Life in the fast lane

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/10/2010 (5579 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

KENNY Lang is without question Manitoba’s most celebrated drag racer. Lang was the 2008 and 2009 IHRA pro-modified world champion and is currently in third place in the standings in the newly formed NHRA pro-modified class. We caught up with Lang last Sunday at the Grant Park Pony Corral where he had his lightning-fast 1953 Corvette pro-modified drag car on display.

Lang started racing when he was just 16 years old at the Gimli Dragway. He advanced over a number of years to his first IHRA pro-modified race in Edmonton in 2005. In only his second year of IHRA professional drag racing he finished in tenth place and the following year advanced to sixth place in the standings. Lang won his first world championship in 2008 and repeated this amazing feat again in 2009. He also set a pro-modified IHRA world record in 2009 with a 5.88-second quarter mile pass at a blistering 244.5 m.p.h. Lang was also voted the IHRA pro driver of the year in 2009.

Although IHRA is regarded as the founder of pro-modified drag racing, in 2010 IHRA has taken a bit of a different direction and pro-mod has become more of an exhibition class similar to a monster truck show. This change prompted Lang to make the move in 2010 to the newly formed and ultra-competitive NHRA pro-modified professional class. Lang won the first-ever NHRA pro-modified professional race at the Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. in March 2010 and after competing in nine NHRA events this season that have taken place throughout the United States he is currently in the No. 3 spot. The final race of the season is in Las Vegas at the end of October and although the best he will be able to manage is a second-place overall finish Lang is extremely pleased with his team’s inaugural season of NHRA racing. “In the spring many of the people we talked to said we would be doing great if we could break the top 10,” said Lang, “There are a handful of million-dollar teams that aren’t even in the top 10 so we are really proud of what we have accomplished.”

Lang also noted that his current race car is a little bit wider than other cars competing in his class and on that note he is currently building a new car based on a 1969 Camaro. “I currently have by far the oldest car on our circuit; everyone’s got a car that’s within a year old and our car is eight years old,” said Lang. “We feel that next year with the new car we can be a real serious contender.”

One of the biggest challenges Lang continually faces is that his team is without question the lowest-budget campaign on the circuit. They compete against heavily sponsored teams with corporate support or owners with deep enough pockets to literally throw millions of dollars into their race teams. Lang does have sponsors from both Canada and the United States who help out with products like tires and spark plugs, and small financial assistance but they are still looking for a major corporate sponsor to step up and put their name on the car.

Lang, who owns and operates Kenny Lang Autobody, has been in the auto body trade for 25 years, and although he races professionally he works 9 to 5 at his shop and has resoundingly proven that with hard work and determination a drag racer from Winnipeg can reach the elite level.

In the last couple of years Lang has really helped put Winnipeg on the map, and when he races throughout the United States he is widely recognized as one of the sport’s top drivers, yet here in Winnipeg he has not yet become the household name he should be. It’s a real shame that no corporate Manitoba sponsors have stepped up to assist this local hero, but it’s also refreshing to see him accomplish such amazing feats on a shoestring budget.

To keep an eye on Kenny Lang check out the team’s website at www.kennylangracing.com.

Cruiser of the Week

When Dan Charette began building his Hater’s Inc. custom rigid chopper in 2006, his goal was to make the bike as clean as possible. We’d say mission accomplished.

The bike features an 80-cubic-inch Harley-Davidson motor linked to a 6-speed transmission with a foot clutch and a jockey shifter. Other cool features include a BDL open primary belt drive and internal wiring and throttle controls.

Charette, who owned a custom cycle shop in Thunder Bay, moved to Winnipeg in 2007 and became service manager at Lone Star Harley-Davidson. Now he’s resurrected the Thunder City Custom Cycle name, with a grand-opening party last Saturday at 586 Dufferin Ave.

If you can dream it, he can build it. Good luck on you new venture Dan!

Final cruise night

Final cruise night this Sunday at the Grant Park Pony Corral.

Be sure to stop by Winnipeg’s original Sunday night cruise destination, the Pony Corral Restaurant on the corner of Grant and Wilton on Sunday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the final cruise night of the season. More than $10,000 in prizes will be given away including an air compressor, polisher and 3M car care package from Rondex Limited, a $500 Piston Ring prize package, Budweiser his and hers racing jackets, $1,500 worth of Castrol Oil merchandise, a $2,000 set of Cragar mag wheels and BF Goodrich tires from Canadian SuperShop, nostalgic Coca-Cola gear and a pair of his and hers jackets from Connexion Industries. In order to qualify all you need to do is show up in your classic or special interest vehicle and ballots collected throughout the 2010 cruising season will be drawn from a massive drum. You must be in attendance to win. Presented by the Winnipeg Free Press AUTOS and hosted by Willy’s Garage.