BEAT THE HEAT!

If you think all police officers hate drag racing, think AGAIN! An organization called Beat the Heat is composed of active and retired police officers who reach out to the public through a very popular hobby.....drag racing. They race in all sorts of cars, all of which have police department-style paint jobs and working lights, just like regular patrol cars. The goal is to teach children and young adults the dangers of street racing, and the fun and excitement that comes from racing at a legal drag strip. It's an awesome way to reach out! Beat the Heat has a World Finals event once a year, and for 2011 it is held right here in Chattanooga, Tennessee. We were proud to have them cruise into Corkyville Thursday evening, so we opened the doors, so the racers could see everything we have to offer, including Honest Charley Speed Shop! Local police officer and drag racing enthusiast, Marty Dunn organized the event, with racers coming from all over the country to join in on the fun. After Thursday nights activities here at Coker, the group are heading to Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip on Friday night for a test and tune session, and Saturday for an all out race to see who has the fastest police car! Racers aren't limited to their normal police cruisers--they're allowed to use any make or model, so a lot of racers use Mustangs, Corvettes and Camaros (among many others) for a good drag car platform. For this year's event at Brainerd, there's even a JET CAR in attendance...how cool is that? We enjoyed having them here at Coker, and we hope the Beat the Heat World Finals returns to Chattanooga next year. It's an incredible event for a very good cause, and we hope they had a great time at our place! [gallery link="file"]