Drag racing is illegal on public streets — and it has been a recent problem among Central Oregon youth.

So next time two drivers get the urge to test their cars against each other, they should head to the Madras Dragstrip.

“We are trying to encourage kids to quit racing on the street and come race legally on the track,” says Annie Hausinger, a Madras Dragstrip board member.

As part of the incentive, racers in the high school division will pay an entry fee of only $7 (adults pay $30).

The 2009 season began over the weekend at the drag strip, which features side-by-side racing on a paved one-eighth-mile track.

While the majority of racers at the drag strip flex their muscle cars from the 1960s and ’70s, Hausinger says the hope is to attract more of the everyday-driver crowd. This season at the Madras facility, two Friday nights are scheduled for street-legal cars, which Hausinger notes are welcome to race on any of the weekends a race is scheduled.

“They don’t even have to compete,” Hausinger says of street-legal cars. “They can just do a test and tune. It’s a time to figure out your car. You get in, you go as fast as you can, and figure out how your car is performing.”

Aside from muscle cars, drivers at Madras Dragstrip race pickups, Volkswagens, motorcycles, and even snowmobiles. Other classifications include sportsman, pro and super pro.

Cars are classified for competition based on how fast they travel the one-eighth-mile strip. The sportsman class cars can be as fast as 8.2 seconds. Pros can complete the distance in 4.5 seconds, and super pros can hit 4.4 seconds.

Cars reach speeds of 60 to 130 mph during races at the Madras Dragstrip.

“When you’re accelerating, it gives you butterflies and goose bumps all at once,” says Hausinger, who races a 1970 Plymouth GTX. “It’s thrilling.”

Hausinger, 56, has a soft spot for street-legal racing because she got her start in drag racing with her everyday car, which at the time was a Lincoln.

“Some think you have to have a muscle car — you don’t,” Hausinger says. “You can bring what you drive to church. That’s how I got started.”

Madras Dragstrip

What: Side-by-side drag racing on a one-eighth-mile track.

Where: On Glass Drive just west of Madras Airport.

When: Select weekends from May 2-3 through Oct. 3-4. Racing starts at 10 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, 5:30 p.m. on Fridays.

Cost for racers: $30 for points race, $25 for test and tune. Juniors are $20, high schoolers are $7.

Cost for spectators: $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, free for ages 12 and under.

Contact: www.madrasdragstrip.com or 541-815-2107.

Madras Dragstrip schedule

May 2-3: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series, ET Challenge No. 1.

May 23-24: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series, Pontiac Race-Tiger Run.

June 13-14: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series, ET Challenge No. 2, Swap Meet.

June 19: Les Schwab Friday Night Street Legal Drags, Team Safety.

July 11-12: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series, ET Challenge No. 3, National Dragster Challenge.

July 17: Les Schwab Friday Night Street Legal Drags.

Aug. 1-2: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series, ET Challenge No. 4.

Aug. 22-23: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series Final, Junior Dragster Challenge, Junior Gold Crown Series.

Sept. 19-20: Chappy’s Auto Nostalgia Drags, Team Safety.

Oct. 3-4: Cash Bash, King of the Track.

Madras Dragstrip schedule

May 2-3: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series, ET Challenge No. 1.

May 23-24: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series, Pontiac Race-Tiger Run.

June 13-14: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series, ET Challenge No. 2, Swap Meet.

June 19: Les Schwab Friday Night Street Legal Drags, Team Safety.

July 11-12: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series, ET Challenge No. 3, National Dragster Challenge.

July 17: Les Schwab Friday Night Street Legal Drags.

Aug. 1-2: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series, ET Challenge No. 4.

Aug. 22-23: High Desert Auto Supply Racing Series Final, Junior Dragster Challenge, Junior Gold Crown Series.

Sept. 19-20: Chappy’s Auto Nostalgia Drags, Team Safety.

Oct. 3-4: Cash Bash, King of the Track.