SPARKS — After an overwhelmingly positive response last year, the drag races are back again in 2012. John Ascuaga’s Nugget will host the drag races from 4 p.m. to midnight Aug. 8-11 in the Nugget’s west parking lot in a special eighth of a mile drag racing course.

The smell of burning rubber burnouts and gasoline, paired with classic eye candy and high-adrenaline levels caused by risky racing, The Official Hot August Nights Classic Car Drag Racing Event has always been a draw.

After the drags took a 10-year hiatus from our area, John Ascuaga’s Nugget decided to help bring back the popular event last year, and with the public’s enthusiasm, they’ll continue again this year.

“We are thrilled to host the Hot August Nights Drag Races for the second year in a row,” said Stephen Ascuaga , COO of John Ascuaga’s Nugget. “We’ve made some changes to the event to make it even better this year.”

Those changes include new times for drag racing. This year, the races will go from 4 p.m. to midnight each night.

The cost to attend is $10 for general admission and free for HAN registrants. To enter your car in a race, vehicles must be 1972 or older, with an American or European make. The cost to race is $25 per vehicle, per day for registered car participants, and $45 per vehicle, per day for non-registered HAN car participants. Tires must be Department of Transportation approved (no slicks), no nitrous oxide and no racing fuels allowed. A daily prize for the fastest overall time will be awarded.