Published: July 23, 2008 03:15 am      

The Need for Speed

Local racers featured on Speed TV network

PALESTINE — Enjoy racing? Be sure to check out Speed TV’s popular drag racing show “PINKS All Out” on Thursday.

Palestine adrenaline junkies Bryan K. Hoffman and Todd Perry — who both raced in the 2008 PINKS All Out drag racing event held in March at the Red River Raceway in Gilliam, La. — will be featured in the race which will be televised on the “PINKS All Out” television program on Speed TV, an exclusive satellite network.

The “PINKS All Out” program, in its second season on the Speed TV network, features grassroots drag racing hosted by Rich Christensen. The March race in Louisiana will be televised at 8 p.m. Thursday on Speed TV on Channel 150 on Dish Network and 607 on Direct TV.

Both Palestine residents did well in the race — Hoffman came in first winning a large cash prize as well as a NAPA tool chest filled with tools. Perry placed fourth.

More than 400 racers were registered to compete. Approximately 15,000 drag racing fans showed up to watch.

“It was a wild experience that’s for sure,” Hoffman said. “I’ve never won a race before, so it was exciting.”

PINKS officials chose the 9.8 second field for the top 16 racers to compete in a single elimination shootout.

In the finals, Hoffman won two out of three races, giving him the winning title.

Noting that the weather was bad all weekend, he almost didn’t win.

“It had just started raining when we started the final race,” Hoffman said. “If it had rained earlier, we wouldn’t have raced that final one. I didn’t win the first one, so without the third race, I would have lost. It was a blessing for sure.”

Hoffman gives his pitcrew (Richard Forrest, Norman Deal and Tracy Login, all of Lufkin) credit for helping him win.

“If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have went as far as I did,” Hoffman said.

Hoffman, who has drag raced since 1997, races in a dark gray 1988 S-10 Chevrolet.

“I built it from scratch,” Hoffman said. “I like my truck. I’m a country boy, and I like trucks.”

Perry drives a 1969 Chevrolet Camaro that he’s had for 21 years.

“It was a very hectic weekend — lots of rain. We almost decided to come home. But then the sun came out, and it just came our way,” Perry said. “I wish I would have done better, but I’m happy I did as well as I did.”

Ask the two men why they enjoy drag racing and two words come out: “adrenaline rush.”

“It gives you a nice rush — it’s a nice change of pace,” Perry said about his love for drag racing.

Both try to drag race almost every weekend at the Pine Valley Race Way in Lufkin.

“It’s nice to have fans pulling for you in the races,” Hoffman said. “I believe my biggest fan is my mom. It keeps her young.”

Hoffman is the son of Martha Carter Maurer of Athens and nephew of Coy and Opalene Chapman and Body and Shirley Carter, all of Palestine.

Perry and his wife Christie have three children, Rance, 15, Blake, 9, and Morgan, 13.