If NHRA executives are looking for an answer to NASCAR’s exhibition at the Los Angeles Coliseum this past February, looking for something to drum up excitement for drag racing among an entire new audience, Las Vegas is presenting a possible opportunity. And Funny Car racer Alexis De Joria is ready to volunteer. 

Days before this SpringNationals race, she daydreamed a little bit about being allowed to perform a long, smoky burnout right down the famous Las Vegas Strip next fall in front of Formula 1 fans, giving them a peek at the sensory overload they can enjoy across the United States from February through November. Of course, the NHRA and its designated nitro-driver ambassadors would have to jump through a likely complex set of hoops before that even could be on the verge of happening.

But the thought of it was juicy for De Joria, never one to sherk an opportunity to show off the sport. 

“The closest, I think, we could get is maybe doing a burnout at a closed-off, safe-as-possible [place]. Or maybe just bringing a car down there and maybe giving it a couple of throttle whacks would be sufficient,” she said. “I know that would be loud and get everybody’s attention in F1, and I think it would be really great for our sport to get some cross-branding.” 

The driver of the Bandero Premium Tequila Toyota Supra for DC Motorsports said, “I had a chance to do that at the Bristol NASCAR track, and it ended up getting rained out at the beginning. They cut us, and they cut the country singer who was going to do the national anthem. So I haven’t gotten to do that yet. That would be incredible. I love Vegas. It sounds amazing. That would be great. Put in a good word for me.

“Our issue,” De Joria said, “is that we need to get people’s eyes on what we do. We need to give people the experience in any way, shape, or form, whether it’s just starting the car up, giving it a good throttle whack, doing a burnout – just something – to get that feeling, sound, speed, everything across to get people to come to the races. That’s what’s such a big deal. Watching it on TV is incredible. I’m still a fan, even at the end of the day when I lose. But you have to go to a race to fully appreciate what it’s all about. So, bringing that to F1 . . . their minds are going to be blown. Everyone we’ve ever brought to the track from other forms of motorsports is like, ‘Oh my God, you guys are crazy. This is amazing.’ It’s very possible. We’ll see.”

When the pandemic hit and Formula 1 was in a bit of tailspin like every other business, Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula 1, wisely saw the opportunity – you called it a “take-it-or-leave-it opportunity” – to move forward, and he said, “You cannot leave it.” 

Now, with F1 returning to Las Vegas for the first time since the Caesars Palace Grand Prix on the casino’s parking-lot course in 1981 and ’82, this is another one of those “take-it-or-leave-it” chances. This is a chance to share the beauty of motorsports, a chance to build relationships and establish some cross-pollination networking to make the entire industry strong. 

Four-time NHRA Pro Stock champion Erica Enders doesn’t have a race car with header flames. Hers doesn’t crank out 11,000 horsepower. But the Houston native, who’s the most successful racer at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, seconded De Joria’s suggestion. 

“I might be a little biased, but our sport is so unique,” Enders said. “It provides such a great platform for kids to start on and work their way through the ranks. People like me and JR Todd and Leah Pritchett and Shawn Langdon – these kids got their start in Jr. Drag Racing and worked through the programs and went pro. It’s really neat . . . how many strong, independent, successful women there are, racing on the track. You don’t see us in bikini magazines. You see us holding the Wally [the NHRA trophy, named in honor of the sport’s founder, Wally Parks] at the end of the track and a bottle of champagne. 

“All across the board, our sport is awesome,” she said. “Every ticket’s a pit pass. You can come and stand at the pit and watch us work on our cars, take pictures, talk with the crew – and that’s not something any other motorsport offers. I absolutely love our sport, and to see the stands packed this year is so cool. Gainesville was a sellout. Houston’s on its way to a sellout. The spring race in Las Vegas was packed on Sunday. So, I think the trend is heading in the right direction, and I’m really proud to be associated with it.“

Domenicali recognizes that he and his Formula 1 colleagues, in his words, “need to see what are the other opportunities.” Here’s a creative and huge one. Here’s a chance to set territorial tendencies aside, to unite as motorsports leaders, and to raise awareness for the excitement and variety of auto racing. 

The same is true for the NHRA. Will Formula 1 and the NHRA take it or leave it?