The Only Legal Drag Race On Public Street In US Returns To Minnesota

There's a very unique event returning to Minnesota this fall, and it's something that doesn't occur anywhere else. It's drag racing on a public street, and car enthusiasts are excited that it's coming back.

The event is Duluth Drag Races, which has been around since 2007. The races take place on Garfield Avenue in the tourist town of Duluth, Minnesota. Organizer Ryan Kern from Kern & Company calls it a very "Duluthy" event. That means it's one of those things that Duluth gets to do that wouldn't really work anywhere else.

Since the 1940s, locals in Duluth would illegally race on Garfield Avenue. It's a straight stretch of road in the industrial area of Duluth.

Organizers had an idea. Let's take something people are doing illegally, and get a permit to do it legally. They were able to work with the City Council and police chief to get it approved, and it's been taking place since 2007.

The racing event was cancelled for the last 5 years because of the Twin Ports Interchange project. Detoured traffic was routed through Garfield Avenue for years, and that meant the race couldn't happen. Now that access to the Blatnik Bridge has been restored from I-35, Garfield avenue once again can turn into a racing strip.

Duluth Drag Races take place September 27th and 28th. Tickets are available for spectators, with a discount for buying early. Registration for drivers is open, and there's a limited amount of spots open. Those who don't get a spot but meet minimum requirements will be put into a reserve list drawing.