Thunder Valley Throwdown: Morning Runs & Adrenaline

This past weekend, I crossed a major item off my bucket list: I ran my very first drag race — and not just anywhere, but at the iconic Thunder Valley Raceway Park in Noble, Oklahoma. The event, held in partnership with Oklahoma City Coffee and Cars, brought together a wild mix of builds, personalities, and pure speed for a morning that I won’t forget any time soon.

It was my first time staging at a drag strip. My first launch. My first win. My first loss. And honestly? My first taste of what makes this scene so addictive.

I showed up in my 2008 Audi R8 not prepped for drag racing in the slightest. Still on winter tires, full trunk, and my girlfriend in the passenger seat. But I wasn’t there to chase a perfect time... I was there to feel it out, make some memories, and see what the car (and I) could do.

First stop was the tech booth. I received a card from the entry booth and went to the front end of the track behind several other street cars getting prepped to run the quarter mile. I tried to fill the tech card out, but my hands were shaking so badly I dropped the pen multiple times. The adrenaline was real. I hadn’t even started the car yet, and I was already buzzing.

Race 1: Rookie vs. Tuned Charger

After the cars on racing slicks went, us street cars were up to bat. My first opponent was a newer generation Dodge Charger with light mods and a tune. I rolled into the staging lanes trying not to overthink it. When the lights dropped, I launched the R8 as best I could, and to my surprise, it hooked just enough for me to hold the lead. The first 60 mph went by like nothing as I soared ahead of the charger. The world seemed to go by slower, as my speedometer continued climbing. In just over 13 seconds I crossed the line, and just about lost it. First race ever — first win. I was grinning like a madman all the way back to the pits.

Race 2: A Lesson from a Mustang

The second race was a different story. I faced off against a 2016 Mustang GT with bolt-ons, sticky tires, and a straight-pipe exhaust that sounded like a thunderstorm in a metal tunnel. I had some trouble getting staged — didn't roll far enough forward, had to creep forward in a single-clutch car to hit the beams — and by the time I was settled, I was playing catch-up mentally.

Still, I gave it everything. Even though the run felt slower, it turned out to be my fastest pass of the day: 13.134 seconds at 106 mph. Nothing super impressive in the drag racing scene. But to me, I was the happiest man in the world. 

Although the Mustang took the W, I came away with a new personal best and a lot of respect for just how dialed those cars can be when set up right.

Beyond the racing, the paddock was an absolute buffet of performance builds. There were drag bikes, full-slick muscle cars, and a strong turnout from the Audi Club. One of the standouts was a Ruby Star Neo Audi TTRS — an eye-searingly bright color that’s a Porsche Paint-to-Sample exclusive. You don’t see that every day on an Audi, and it looked absolutely killer under the Oklahoma sun.

And it wasn’t just street builds either — plenty of purpose-built drag cars were trailered in, too. You had everything from big-tire beasts with wheelie bars to Junior Dragsters, zipping around like mini rockets with drivers who looked barely old enough to drive a go-kart. Watching those young racers stage and rip down the track was one of the coolest surprises of the day. The future of drag racing is already here, and it’s fast.

But the absolute highlight? A yellow 2018 Audi R8 built by AMS Performance with Alpha Twin Turbos, making a ridiculous 2,200 horsepower. It looked like a supercar — but it moved like something out of a sci-fi movie. The launch was violent, the sound was explosive, and the speed was on another level entirely. Everyone stopped what they were doing when it staged. It was just that kind of car.

This wasn’t just a track day — it was a crash course in adrenaline, humility, and car culture. I learned how to stage. How to launch. How to lose. How to win. My car wasn’t built for it, and neither was I — but that’s what made it so great. The point wasn’t perfection — it was participation.

Huge thanks to Thunder Valley Raceway Park and Oklahoma City Coffee and Cars for hosting such a welcoming, exciting, and diverse event. Whether you’re running a tuned GTR, a Junior Dragster, or an underdog Audi on winter tires — there was a spot for you.

I’ll be back. With better tires. Less trunk weight. More confidence. And a new goal: beat that 13.134.

Because in the world of drag racing, it’s not just the quarter mile that counts — it’s the heart-pounding launches, the split-second battles, and the community that lives for every green light. Here’s to chasing time, burning rubber, and living life one pass at a time.

LCpl Engster, Max USMC