Calendar

Nitrolicious

High-performance engines -- and drivers -- whip through Baytown

A A A Comments Thursday, Feb 5 2004

Courtesy of NHRA

More About

SAT 2/7

We know you're dying to watch a little drag racing. This Saturday, the 11th annual Pontiac Pro-Stock Super Bowl will come to Sam Houston Raceway Park in Baytown. Pro-stock cars are factory look-alikes with an outer resemblance to what you see at dealerships, but that's were the similarity ends. The engines are high-performance, and so are the drivers. Originally this event was a sort of leisurely warm-up and tuning for the upcoming season. But over time it's taken on a more cutthroat tone, with a prize purse and bracketed head-to-head competition. This Super Bowl provides a season preview for the real fan, and an interesting introduction for the pro-stock curious. And if cars racing at speeds near 200 miles per hour over a quarter-mile stretch isn't crazy enough, there are the pro-stock motorcycles for the even more insane. Gates at 8 a.m.; time trials at 9 a.m.; qualifying at 10 a.m. and noon; eliminations at 2 p.m.; final event at 5 p.m. Saturday, February 7. Houston Raceway Park, 2525 FM 565 South. For information and a full schedule, call 281-383-7223 or visit www.houstonraceway.com. $18; $1 for kids 12 and under. -- Eric Norvell

B-Ball Be Funny

SUN 2/8

We pity the Washington Generals. Those white boys got their asses kicked up and down the court for years by the Harlem Globetrotters. Lately, the New York Nationals have picked up where the Generals left off -- with the expected amount of success. It's just hard to compete against a team that not only boasts the world record for highest dunk (Michael "Wild Thing" Wilson at 12 feet) but also can throw a bucket of confetti at a referee with impunity. The Globetrotters swear they're playing real basketball -- a claim similar to those of professional wrestlers -- but we could care less about the authenticity of the game. From the moment we hear the whistled strains of "Sweet Georgia Brown," we're hooked. 3 p.m. Sunday, February 8. Toyota Center, 1510 Polk. For information, call 866-446-8849 or visit www.houstontoyotacenter.com. $12 to $100. -- Keith Plocek

Check out this week's featured ad for Arts