If you’re one of those gear heads who longs for drag racing “the way it used to be,” when shifting gears was an art form and bumper-dragging wheelstands were part of the competition instead of just a staged exhibition, then Rockingham Dragway should be your destination this weekend.

The 21st annual SRI Performance Spring Sportsman Wars, the event known to locals as the Spring Civil Wars, assures a little something for everyone with the Fun Ford Series and its all-Ford car and truck show among the attractions along with the PTRA (Pro Tree Racers Association) Series, the Classic Door Jammers and the Carolina Gassers.

The Gear Jammers, whose rides are full-bodied, American-built cars and trucks using manually-shifted four-and-five speed transmissions, have become one of the most popular features of the SRI Series, which also includes a race in the fall.  With delay boxes, electronic clutch release mechanisms and ET-killing electronics banned, it’s like a trip back in time to the heyday of the real American muscle cars.

Among the “jammers” expected to compete at The Rock are defending series champion Tommy Lumley of Charlotte in his “Old School” 1940 Chevy, current point leader Andy Walker of Roxboro at the wheel of his ’85 Mustang, Lexington’s Tom Talmon in his 1955 Chevy Bel Air,  and David Crosswhite of Clemmons in a 1965  Plymouth Belvedere.

Also, Ken Regenthal of Glade Spring, Va., in his 1963 Corvette, Jeff Smith of Orlando, Fla., in the 2014 Cobra Jet Mustang in which he won the inaugural Tremec Stick Shift Shootout at Bradenton, Fla., in 2014, and, last but not least, Mike Boyles of King at the wheel of “Good ‘Ol Charlie Brown,” the 1957 Chevy Bel Air wagon in which he won IHRA World Super Stock Championships in 1978, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1990, 1991 and 1992.

If the Gear Jammers aren’t enough to satisfy one’s craving for “old school” drag racing, the Carolina Gassers should be in their Sportsman Wars debut.
In addition, champions will be crowned in all the standard “Civil Wars” classes including ATI Pro Tree Doorslammer, Network Distributors Open Comp and the PTRA’s 5.30, 6.0 and 7.0 Index classes.  The ATI winners will earn $1,500, as will the winner of the Rock Batteries Footbrake class.  A thousand dollar winner’s share is up for grabs in Open Comp with $1,200 to the winner of the 5.30 Index, $1,000 to the 6.0 champion and $800 to the winner in 7.0.

A Pro Tree Jr. Dragster champion and a Trophy Eliminator champion also will be determined in Saturday eliminations.

Defending champions include Willie Lytch of Southern Pines in ATI Pro Tree Doorslammer, Dallas Glenn of Mooresville, who won Open Comp last year in his 1968 Chevy El Camino; Jamie Carroll of Clayton in Footbrake and Robert Anderson of Cassatt, S.C., in the 5.30 Index class.

The track will be open from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. Friday for open testing and the weekly test-and-tune event.

Adult admission is $30 for Friday and Saturday or $20 Saturday only.  Children under 12 are free with a ticketed adult and, as always, parking is free in Rockingham’s main lot.