Going from zero to almost 150 miles per hour in under nine seconds, racing from light to light through city streets and being surrounded by models may seem like Vin Diesel’s gangster character, Dominic Toretto, in “The Fast and The Furious,” but it's just a Saturday afternoon for drag racer Norris Prayoonto of Springfield.
Although Prayoonto spends his life in the fast lane, his demeanor does not seem to fit the street racer persona.
Racing cars for 10 years, Prayoonto, 30, has become well known throughout the racing circuit. He and three other drivers make up a team that travels all over the country to race.
Mike Lee of Clutch Masters has sponsored Prayoonto since he first began racing. Lee said Prayoonto has the personality to maintain a successful team and manages to keep fans, sponsors and his teammates content — a rare trait in a scene centered on fast cars.
"The truth is in the pudding. He’s absolutely focused and dedicated," said Lee. "It's hard to find someone who has that kind of drive and dedication and someone who carries themselves so well, both on and off the track."
HIS PASSION for cars started at an early age, Prayoonto said, when he first became interested in cars at 5 due to his father’s habit of detailing his cars. But his interest in cars never amounted to much as child.
“When I was a teen, my mom wanted me to work with my uncle as an auto mechanic, but I didn’t want to get my hands dirty,” he said. “Now they’re always dirty.”
However, after graduating from T.C. WIlliams High School and spending a few years studying computer programming at George Mason University, Prayoonto said he realized his passion lay in automobiles. Instead of completing college, Prayoonto opened his own detail shop and began to race on the streets of Southern Maryland.
“Back in the day, we would practice racing by going light to light on the street,” he said. “But the cops started cracking down in 2000, so we chilled out a bit.”
Today, Prayoonto no longer relies on illegal street racing as a means to practice and has since sold his shop, enabling him to focus solely on racing and preparing his team for races.
“It’s definitely a full-time job,” he said. When we’re not racing, we’re working on our cars.”
USING A FRIEND'S shop in Dulles as a base of operations, Prayoonto said he works on his cars when his friend is not conducting business. This usually means Prayoonto works during the late afternoon into the early morning hours, often until 3 or 4 a.m.
“I’ve been working in the shop every night for the past month,” he said.
Prayoonto spends his weekends traveling around the country with his team. He runs his team of four cars in different classes to avoid competing against each other. After three rounds of races which normally last less than 10 seconds each, the fastest eight cars advance to the finals.
“Sometimes you get unlucky and things break, but we’re always on top things,” he said, describing his racing strategy. “We do maintenance and know what we’re doing, that’s pretty much all we can do.”
Despite the potential disasters that are associated with driving at speeds over 130 miles per hour, Prayoonto has managed to avoid any accidents, although he has come close.
“I’ve been lucky so far,” he said, knocking on a wood table. “One time something broke, but I was able to save the car before anything happened.”
Lee said he recognized Prayoonto’s ability to stay focused under pressure and these traits contribute to making him an excellent driver and team manager.
“That’s what Norris is good for,” Lee said. “He understands and maintains his composure no matter what happens, on or off the track.”
Although Prayoonto may seem cool and collected on the outside, he finds himself with the same butterflies in his stomach.
“I get nervous every race, even when I’m not racing,” he said.
THIS NERVOUSNESS, however, does not deter another practice associated with the racing scene — parties. The car shows that coincide with the races are filled with DJ’s, bands and, of course, “lots of models — it’s like a club but outdoors,” Prayoonto said.
Despite the festive atmosphere, Prayoonto’s sights are on one thing: the big payoff at the finish line.
“It’s all about the money,” he said. “I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t make any money.”
That determination enabled Prayoonto to maintain a winning season culminating in the 2005 NOPI Nationals which took place in September at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, where his team placed first.
Although Prayoonto said the long drives around the country can get boring, Prayoonto said he enjoys having his father travel with him
"My dad goes everywhere with us," he said. "He really enjoys watching the races.”
Maris Prayoonto, Norris' father, said he likes to travel with the team around the country to act as an extra pair of hands and to give the team a chance to relax on the long drives to the racetracks.
"Most of the time I'm with him just to make sure everything goes right," he said. "I just want to keep an eye on him."
Like his son, Maris Prayoonto said he does get nervous at the beginning of a race, but, overall would not want to miss watching the race.
"He's been in first place so many times," he said. "I'm just so happy for him."
As a sponsor, Lee said he is pleased with Prayoonto's work and has enjoyed doing business with him because he does a thorough job on everything he works on.
"Through all the trials and tribulations he’s managed to work out all the problems," he said. "He’s the one that everyone's gunning for."