The World Power Wheelstanding Championships have a quirky history, originating from a group of friends at a racetrack who decided to challenge each other to see who could drag their rear bumper the longest. Although the competition has a formal name, there is bound to be damage, chaos, and wreckage on the track as participants attempt to prove their dominance.
Ron Leek was the long-time owner of the Byron Dragway, a Hall of Fame inductee for the World Series of Drag Racing, and a pioneer in wheel-standing competitions and modern bracket racing. He was revered as the “godfather” of these events, and his impact on motorsports was far-reaching. Despite retiring as owner, Ron continued to play a role at the track as an announcer and promoter. A statement from the Byron Dragway noted that Ron’s contributions to motorsports went beyond just the racetrack he called home for over 50 years.
The first World Power Wheelstanding Championships was a huge success, attracting over 10,000 spectators and becoming the largest event at the Byron Dragway to date. This success was a major motivation to repeat the event annually, to keep the excitement going.
As the internet discovered the event and the daring moves of the racers, videos of their top runs filled YouTube, with the drivers performing their legendary laps against the backdrop of the bright Illinois sky. The popular YouTube channel, tomeighty, decided to showcase these wheelstands even more by creating the longest YouTube video that features competitions from 2012 to 2021.
