Nobody is stopping you, but you. The Texas Mile is held twice annually at it’s new home in Beeville, Texas, at Chase Field. It’s a magical place during those three days of each event. The theme of “3 days, 1 mile, no speed limit” gives every participant chills in anticipation of taking their turn down the standing mile.

What is a “standing mile”? You start out much like you would at a drag strip. You are sitting at the starting line and the starter, once the track is clear, will wave you off. How quickly you leave the line and power through the gears is up to you. At the end of one mile of this old air strip, there is a laser speed trap setup that will measure your speed in MPH. After you safely slow down and make the right turn at the top-end, you will get a time slip from the folks in timing and scoring. A new feature is a 1/2 mile speed trap that is not only interesting to spectators but also informative to competitors.

There are four levels of competition license at the Texas Mile. Class C, Class B, Class A and Class AA with “C” being the slowest speed (‘slowest’ being a relative term) and “AA” being the fastest. There is so much about the Texas Mile that is unique but one very appealing fact is that you can move up in license level on the spot. Yep, if you meet the technical / safety requirements and have run a safe and controlled pass down the mile within the MPH range specified in the published rules, you will be upgraded to the next class and you are eligible to make passes at the higher speeds.

You run nitrous? No problem. You run alcohol, algae biodiesel, a blower, twin turbos? No problem. This is the place to “run what you brung” and see who can hit the top speeds. The popularity of this event is self-evident. The field fills very quickly when registration opens for the spring or fall events. The folks from Beeville and surrounding communities attend in strong numbers to see these grassroots racers give it their all. You can see motorcycles, cars and trucks passing down the mile. It’s not uncommon to see records set when conditions are right.

As you might expect, the first time is a little nerve-rattling. Preparing, registering, going through tech inspection, staging and making your first couple of passes down the mile and generally getting comfortable with the whole event is something you’ll like having behind you. Keep in mind that every person out there racing had a “first time” once. Hopefully we can help you be better prepared and a bit more at ease if and when you take on the Texas Mile for your first time.

FIRST: Read the rules, then read the rules again. Register on the Texas Mile forum and read some more.

SECOND: Prepare your self and your car. I can understand the tendency to say to yourself “I’ll wait to see if I got registered before I spend the money on this stuff”. Fact is, you will probably get registered and then find you didn’t budget enough for either your personal safety equipment or your car’s. Then you will stress out over time and or money needed to get ready. Get ready and then register.

THIRD: Make a checklist of race items to get you through registration at the track, and tech. List the items not attached to your car and go through it leading up to the event and once more as you pack to travel to the event. Refer to the rules to make absolutely sure you are meeting or exceeding requirements.

FOURTH: Make checklist of non-race items you want to have with you. Chairs, a cooler with drinks, sunscreen, an umbrella or ez-up canopy…things of that nature. Don’t forget your camera!

FIFTH: Make a checklist of “what to do” inside the car just before your turn down the Mile. You’d be surprised how this helps clear your mind and let you focus on launching and driving. Mine is simple: “Turn off radio”, “Turn off A/C”, “Belts tight”, “Windows UP”. Just tape it to your dash in plain view and you’re good to go.

So, as you can see you might want to have a plan…a checklist to help you avoid forgetting things that could disqualify you from passing tech or just help you be more comfortable in your pit area. Note that hotel rooms are sometimes tough to come by so book ahead! You may also choose to stay at Chase Field in an RV.

How does this all go? In a few words – like this: Register for the race, pay online and await confirmation. Once confirmed, begin fulfilling your checklist(s). When you arrive at Chase Field, sign in at the gate and get your arm band. Select a place to park and setup your site in the paddock area. Write down or setup reminders on your smart phone so you are on time for tech inspection, mandatory driver’s meetings and slow-speed drive down the track. Take your car and all required safety equipment to tech inspection with your forms. These guys have a serious job and they are very busy. Respect them by being fully prepared. After tech, you get a sticker showing you passed. Attend the driver’s meeting and listen. You will get another sticker showing you attended the driver’s meeting, make sure you put it on the car where they tell you to. Participate in the slow-speed drive down the track to make sure you evaluate where you believe you can make the safest pass.

Race time: If you listened in the driver’s meeting you will know when and where to stage. The staging lanes fill fairly quickly and when they are full, the last guys staged have a couple of hours to wait. Do not neglect your car. If you leave your car in staging and your lane starts to move you will not only lose your spot but probably be ordered the end of the last staged lane. No joke. Have your safety gear in the car. When they say it’s time to go, it’s time to go. Be in your car, equipment on and prepared to run. The guys working the staging lanes do a fantastic job of keeping order as best they can. From this point it is almost over. As you pull into the burnout box you may or may not choose to put heat in your rear tires. When the vehicle in front of you is released you will be waved forward and guided to the starting line. Breathe…clear your head and be patient. After the track is safe, you will get an arm wave to signal you may go. Launch the car, hit your shifts and don’t be a hero. If you think there’s a problem, there probably is. As long as all is going well, pay attention to your speed (for lower license restrictions) and drive it through the speed trap. Don’t brake or let off at the line, drive through it and then safely slow down. You’d be shocked at how much speed you’ll lose by lifting too soon. At the end of the shut-down area, turn right and slowly proceed to get your time slip. With a little luck you’ll have achieved the speed you were aiming for and done so in a safe and controlled manner.

Feel free to contact us if you have questions. We’re happy to help make it an enjoyable experience.