New Grassroots Organization – American All Tracks Racing Series

Los Angeles, CA – A few months ago I was wandering through a few of the numerous drag racing forums when I came across a post about a new drag racing organization, American All Tracks Racing Series.  After inquiring about the AATRS, I was contacted by the owner, Chris Waters.  Chris spent the next few days and weeks explaining what American All Tracks Racing Series was about and why he has started a new grassroots racing organization.  Below are parts of the conversation we’ve had over the last few months.

What is AATRS?
American All Track Racing Series is a brand new racing organization that focuses on the sportsman/grass roots/weekend warriors level of racing.  The organization allows the fans/spectators to finally get involved in something they love.  We are a racing organization that places the focus on the drivers and not the dollar. We have made it possible for everybody who loves racing that does not have a million dollar budget or sponsors, to get involved and race on the weekends.  Just bring your daily driver and you can come out and race.  Or if you are the heads up sportsman/grassroots racer that goes to the track several times a year, we have classes that will suit you.  We are focusing the spotlight on this class of drivers and spectators to give them a national platform to race on.

We are planning to expand AATRS into all the major areas of motorsports to include; drag racing, road
racing and stock car racing.  We will start with drag racing and build the other venues from there.

Where will the races be held in 2011?
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Lancaster, New York
Osburn, Missouri
Petersburg, Virginia
Tucson, Arizona
Pacific Junction, Iowa

Why were you compelled to start a new racing organization?
The IHRA/NHRA is the reason why AATRS was started.  These organizations, as large as they are, don’t focus and don’t pay enough attention to its core audience and the majority of its racing members.  It is expensive for a spectator to go to the races and very expensive for the racers to race.  Additionally the rules keep changing and the drivers don’t have a say in how things are run. 

So we want to bring racing back as a sport focused on the racers and not use it to make a lot of money.  We created AATRS to put the money back into the purse and the drivers.  At the end of the day, without the drivers there is no racing.  Without the drivers there are no spectators.  We created AATRS to bring back what embodied drag racing in the early days where everybody can do it and not just a few fortunate individuals with millions of dollars or sponsors with deep pockets.

What’s your background in racing and promoting?
Racing: I was like every typical teenager with a sports car, I wanted to go racing on the streets and race somebody.  My first car was a 95 ZR1 I had in high school.  So I went to school thinking I was one of the big boys on the block.  I would race the Import, German or other muscle cars that also atteneded school as well. 

After wrecking several cars and gaining some much needed maturity, I started taking my passion to the tracks.  I raced locally, usually grudge matches or test n tunes and eventually running in a couple of unleashed races. 

When I stuffed my 72 Stingray into the wall a few years back, the wreck signaled the end of my driving career.  I only had one problem; I still had a passion for racing and was more aware of the injustices and low purses offered to the entry level/sportsman drivers.

Promoting:  It seems like I’ve always promoted/sold something ever since I was a kid.  My father was an insurance agent when I was in school. I was always trying to get my friends and their parents to buy insurance policies from my father.  As I got older I had a short, but successful, run in the entertainment industry promoting several small acts.  I was able to get them a few small deals with major recording labels.  I also had a successful property management company that I sold. 

With a need to do something new, I decided to take my passion for racing, add it to my business sense and do something that I am passionate about.  With my back ground, I am able to look at racing from both sides the driver and the business. 

Because of my business sense I have surrounded myself with talented individuals from across the drag racing world to help me get this idea off of the ground.  They include Dennis Michelsen, Don Ellison, Jared Guynes, Al Tucci and Mark Walter.  Each of these individuals brings a deep understanding of racing and a rich history in the sportsman world of drag racing.

In your editor’s humble opinion, grass roots drag racing needs something new, something different if it’s going to survive. The last few years we’ve seen a few groups try to bring change to the table with little success. Perhaps Chris is on to something. I know his zeal for the sports and fresh ideas have gotten my attention. Offering a guaranteed $20,000 to win purse in the Ultimate Outlaw class at every race is a great way to get everyone’s attention.  Stop by the website and check out the rules yourself www.aatrs.com