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course , which hosts the Trans Am series , club racing , as well as the BIR Driving School .
As for the dragstrip portion of the property , recent expansions include additional pavement to the Pro Pad parking area , which is now large enough to accommodate all professional classes in one central location during NHRA Nationals . When not in use for its namesake purpose , the Pro Pad is also used for drifting , a popular sport in which Brainerd is becoming more involved . “ Drifting is becoming a new sport and the millennials love the ‘ Fast and Furious ’ scene , so we ’ re constantly trying to come up with new ideas to incorporate more drifting into our current schedule ,” says Wieczorek .
Another expansion this year is a partnership BIR formed with Napa Auto Parts , which transformed the Shirt Shack souvenir store into a multipurpose facility with many new product offerings . “ Inside the Shirt Shack we now stock various parts that are commonly used and routinely break at the track ,” Wieczorek says . “ We also stock things like power adapters for RVs , as well as oil and various gaskets , right down to toiletries . These days we can
replace many items onsite without our racers ever having to leave the property .”
For those who wish to spend the night at the track during big events but are not exactly avid campers , BIR has also built a group of 12 condos , all brick in construction . The condos feature 2-bed / 2-bath configurations and are available for rent each weekend .
The track even has breakfast , lunch and dinner covered each weekend at The Wheelie Bar and Grille ! There ’ s also a stage where bands play while you dine during larger events . “ The Wheelie Bar
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