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Racing creates close bonds for Island Dragway family
Friday, August 03, 2007
By JACQUELINE LINDSAY

GREAT MEADOWS -- Melissa DeMarcky gives her gear a last check and puts on a helmet before stepping into her 24-foot long Chrysler-powered dragster. Pulling up to the starting line, she focuses all her attention on the lights as they count down: Amber, amber, amber, green.

The 800 horsepower dragster launches off the line, throwing her body back in the seat, accelerating to 172 mph in under eight seconds before crossing the finish line.

"It's not just the speed. It's the reaction time as well," Melissa said with authority. "Speed doesn't scare me. I have confidence in the car. I respect it, but I'm not afraid of it."

The Saturday evening race was not a new experience for the 24-year-old racer, who has been behind the wheel of a dragster since age 9. As the daughter of Tony and Kathy DeMarcky, owners of Island Dragway, Melissa grew up at the track alongside many of the racers she competes against today. Racing has become "second nature" to her and something she plans to pursue professionally.

"This is my passion. It's shaped my whole life. It's made me who I am," Melissa admits. "I'm a drag racer who has a pretty normal life -- it's just that almost everything I do is related to cars."

REGULAR WEEKEND

On Saturday afternoons Melissa can be found working on her dragster in a large trailer preparing for time trials and races. Her parents, Tony and Kathy, pull up in separate golf carts to lend a hand and help her make final adjustments, before taking off again to handle any number of tasks that arise on a typical raceday at Island Dragway.

Senior Tech Director Duke Snyder has been working at the track since day one. He was there the day Eddie Kowalick, Kathy's father, and partner Bernie Stophanski opened the gates to the 30-acre quarter-mile asphalt track in August 1960. Later, Kowalick bought his partner out. Snyder said Kowalick was a farmer, not a racer, but enjoyed racing so much he decided to turn part of the family farm into a race track. Through the years he has watched Island Dragway evolve.

"There was a need for a race track. There wasn't any in the whole state. This was one of the first," the 71-year-old Snyder recalls. "It was busy, busy, busy because we were the only track here. People used to park along Hope Road and walk across the muck to get here. We had to put the closed sign out because we were full."

Now Snyder inspects the cars before they race, a profession that requires him to take a test with the National Hot Rod Association every two years. Leafing through a thick book filled with a myriad of regulations for drivers and cars, he points out intricate details about complex fuel and electrical systems, safety equipment and other items.

"It's like a hobby to me. I make money instead of spending money and I still get to watch the racing," he says with a satisfied grin. "I'd rather be here (Island Dragway) than any of the other tracks. It's a family tracka home track."

Like her daughter, Kathy grew up at Island Dragway helping her mother Kate (now 84). Her first memory is at age 6 when she was standing on a milk crate pulling soda's to keep the concession lines going. By age 12, she was selling tickets. At 18, she started working the staging lanes and payouts. Now many more responsibilities fall to Kathy along with overseeing the concession stand, finances and employees.

"I don't know if I could ever leave here permanently. I've got roots here. The track is in my blood," Kathy says. "It's like a constant. I don't know if I can do a nine-to-five-job and I don't know that I could be without total control."

FAMILY AFFAIR

Currently, about 105 racers participate in Friday night racing (for street legal cars) and 125 on Saturday (race day for points). On Sunday drivers can Test and Tune cars and on Sunday, Aug. 5 they will hold their 2nd annual (Chevy) Impala Open. Other special events are held throughout the season. Anywhere from 200 spectators, on regular racedays, to 1,200 for special events (like Nostalgia National Open held in June) come out to watch the races.

About 15 years ago Tony quit driving a truck to work at the track full-time so he could spend more time with the family. Today, he oversees eliminating the cars, final inspections, the starting line and staging areas, fuel and maintenance. He describes Island Dragway as a labor of love for the entire family.

"It's an exercise in futility sometimes. At other times it's very emotionally rewarding -- definitely not finically rewarding," he said. "A small track in New Jersey is not the way to make money."

In addition to contending with weather-related challenges, they have frequent inspection by the New Jersey State Police Racing Control Unit and New Jersey Department of Health. They must also comply with stringent state rules, regulations and licensing and Independence Township building code and land use ordinances.

Melissa, who earned a bachelor's of arts from Rutger's University, Mason Gross School of the Arts, also works full-time at the track as the web master, handling design and updates of the site and other duties.

"People think that I can just get in a car and race anytime I want, but that's not the case," she says. "There's a lot more going on behind the scenes that people don't know about. I'm here working seven days a week and I get to race on Saturday's."

FATHER'S PRIDE

The Island Dragway logo painted on Melissa's dragster is a testament of her parents pride and support in her racing dream. Tony admits he's "a little bit addicted" to racing with his daughter at the family race track and other tracks around the country. Melissa won her first "Wally" (a coveted racing trophy) in the super comp class at the National Open this past spring.

"I'm extremely proud of her. There's a concern naturally," Tony says. "I'm confident in her ability to drive the car and I'm confident in the car and the crew."

Saturday race day quiets momentarily from the loud roar of car engines racing one after the other down the track. Melissa waits in line with other drivers while an oil spill is cleaned up. The warm summer sun reflects off the back shield of her Ford Sonic Blue dragster illuminating the phrase "Our Lord of Blessed Acceleration don't fail me now." It's a quote from a popular Blue's Brothers movie and a fitting mantra for the young racer.

"I don't shape my racing after anybody," Melissa said when asked if she models herself after other racers. "I make my own path."