For Lyle Barnett, drag racing isn’t just about personal wins—it’s also about sparking the imagination of the next generation. Last weekend, during Donald “Duck” Long’s “Battle for the Thrones” at the newly revitalized Rockingham Dragway, Barnett made a point of welcoming local high school students to his pit area. He showed them everything from safety protocols and how pit crews operate to the technology powering his Pro 275 Ford Mustang.
Barnett, who also drives a Pro Mod Chevy Camaro for Tommy Youmans, is no stranger to a busy schedule. In the past year, he’s taken on multiple cars across different series, including the Drag Illustrated Winter Series. Joking that he’s ready to drive “10 cars at once,” Barnett proved that his passion for racing extends well beyond the driver’s seat. With these high school visitors, he aimed to demonstrate that the motorsports world holds opportunities for all kinds of skill sets and career paths.
Donald Long’s Battle for the Thrones brought some of radial racing’s fiercest competitors to the famed North Carolina strip. Rockingham Dragway, fresh off significant upgrades, served as the perfect stage for high-stakes matchups. Barnett’s Mustang was a head-turner throughout the weekend, with students asking about horsepower figures, tire setups, and just how it feels to launch down the track at speeds most people can only imagine.
Connecting with the students reminded Barnett of his own early days, when he was a teenager dreaming of a chance in motorsports. Sharing guidance and the behind-the-scenes reality of building and tuning race cars has become part of his mission. He’s reiterated often, whether on his “Shake and Bake Show” podcast or in conversation with Drag Illustrated, that the future of drag racing depends on getting new blood involved.
“Pretty cool day here at Rockingham Dragway,” Barnett posted on social media. “I called Mr. Dunlap, who teaches Automotive Technologies classes in a couple Moore County high schools, to see if we could organize a field trip for his students to come out and watch some drag racing. A huge thank you to Donald Long, Stephanie, the folks at the RORS SERIES, and the staff at Rockingham Dragway for letting these kids come experience something most had never seen before.
“We have gotta do a better job getting the younger generation interested in what we do,” continued Barnett. “Thank you to all of the crews that let the kids come in and look at their cars, and talk to them. We will be at GALOT next weekend for the PDRA series opener, and one of the kids will be working on the back half of my Pro Mod!”
Barnett has long credited his family and mentors for the opportunities he’s enjoyed. Now, having stepped into a mentor role of his own, he hopes that a simple afternoon at the racetrack might inspire a few young people to pursue racing—whether as drivers, crew members, builders, tuners, or engineers. He likens drag racing to one large, extended family, always looking to welcome new faces.
When the weekend wrapped up, Barnett said he was looking ahead to the next event on his schedule, be it an outlaw radial race or a Pro Mod showdown. He left Rockingham with a sense of satisfaction, knowing he helped shine a light on the sport he loves for the high schoolers who joined him in the pits. For Barnett, it was another example of why drag racing remains such a unique and inclusive community.
This story was originally published on April 2, 2025.
The post Lyle Barnett Introduces High School Students to Drag Racing at Donald Long’s Battle for the Thrones at Rockingham Dragway first appeared on Drag Illustrated.