The closest dragstrip is going to be Barona Raceway east of San Diego. It's 160 miles from Yuma and about a 2 1/2 hour drive:

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

It's 1/8 mile though.

Yuma is going to be 120 every summer. Lots of old retired people. I'd say it would be a good place to move if you're into sand toys or dirt bikes. It's also close to Baja and there's tons of stuff to do there. I don't know what else there would be to do around there. I drive through every year on the way to Tucson and there is nothing for miles in either direction of the place.

Here's an aerial shot I found of the dragstrip in Mexicali:

http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/baja-raceway/view/?service=0

I wonder if it is really in operation. The elevation is 216 feet so you'd have some sweet DA in the winter.

You won't find much in terms of legal or illegal drag racing in the S/W. The reason is simple---it's too hot, too few people & there's a whole more to do year-'round than just car stuff. To get even more specific, depending on your car, there are either too few or too many types of them around here to give you a sense of competition, so you're either one of the many or a select handful of cars. Around here most guys race PSCA or some AZ Outlaw Streetcar events, NMCA or ADRL. The serious streetracing guys number only about 8-10 & they all know who's running what, so they just don't bother much. Cruise spots & events are pretty plentiful, so that's what most do. Out here, by the time March rolls around you're talking 90+ degrees during the day & who wants to race then? The tracks switch over to night-time, but they're run so poorly, you won't get home 'til 4:00 A.M. of you go rounds (& you're still contending with hot weather) The only good thing about here is the dry/hot weather DOES let you play year 'round if you want, the roads are good & pretty open & the cops generally won't hassle you over BS with your car.

I always had a difficult time explaining DA to people who live at sea level and temperate climates. Then we had a National Meet, at SIR in Tucson, in June, during the day. Most were in denial that their hooptie would run THAT much slower just because it was hot. And slippery. And high.

The truth of the matter soaked in - about the time they recovered from their heat-stroke.

I remember the D.A. going from 4400 FT at 10:30 in the morning to 7700 ft at 3:30 PM at LACR(Palmdale) during a division race there years ago, the boys from the LA and lower altitudes where hot and lost That was my home track for years as well as Inyo Kern, all gone now

IMO, if you can run well at altitude, you can run well/better almost anywhere. This place can be a PITA with its weird weather

Yeah Barona is at 1700 feet but even on a good day like today when the temp is only 68 degrees and the humidty is in the 20 percent reange, the DA is still over 2700. In the summer it's probably more like 4000 and up there.

I'd love to know what my car could really do at a 1/4 mile track with a normal DA.

http://airdensityonline.com/tracks/

From surfing forums for all kinds of cars and noticing that in almost every case, the fastest "stock" time anybody ever posts is always from the same track....

I heard you can knock about a full second off your ET just by taking it to Cecil County Maryland. Downhill, short, and mineshaft air is good for timeslips - and bragging rights.

Thankxxx guys..........just got back from Yuma and although it`s a nice clean town you`re right about not a lot to do and now that the Speedworld track seems to be closing what in the hell`s the point? Sometimes in life we chase thing we already have and now I`m starting to feel this empty spot in my gut about finding some place different where I can live out my passions of drumming and racing...........Hey Cab, any houses up there for rent?