Fast track

Executive: George Ebel, president and CEO, Action Automatic Door & Gate, Fort Myers

Diversion: Drag racing

How he got started: “I've always been into cars,” says Ebel. “I was the only one in college doing that. I'd keep parts in my dorm room.” Ebel, 60, gave up drag racing after he was married and had children, but took up the sport again about 10 years ago after his kids left home.

The first car: When he got back into racing in 2004, Ebel spent a year researching dragsters. The first car cost him $53,000 and the trailer cost $12,000. “I didn't even have a tool box,” he says.

The rush: Ebel streaks down a quarter-mile track at 185 miles per hour, a speed his car can reach in just 7.3 seconds. Powered by a 1,000 horsepower engine, his car can cover one-eighth of a mile in 4.65 seconds for a top speed of 147 miles per hour. “The rush of it is leaving the starting line,” he says. “You've got to have a real good reaction time. When the light goes off, you gotta go.”

The license: You need a license for drag racing, which involves racing another car down a straight length of track. Ebel got his license after attending Frank Hawley's Drag Racing School in Gainesville. “You have to get a medical checkup every two years,” Ebel says. “They don't want people on the track with a medical issue.”

Safety first: In addition to the license and medical checkup, Ebel wears a fire-protection suit and a helmet. He changes the five-point harness seat belts every two years and his car has a roll cage in case it flips. He's never had an accident, he says.

Florida races: Ebel races at tracks in Immokalee, Bradenton and West Palm Beach in the winter when it's cooler and drier. “I won a few big races,” he says. In 2008, for example, Ebel won $10,000 in a race in Immokalee that involved about 150 cars over three days in seven rounds. “I only do about 100 runs a year,” he says. “I race once or twice a month.”

Fitness regimen: Ebel stays in shape with cardio, strength exercises and Pilates. “I work with a trainer every Tuesday morning at 6 a.m.,” he says. “It's important to stay in shape if you want to do these things.” Drag racing motivates him to exercise. “I'm starting to push the age a little bit,” he says. “It's part of what helps me stay in shape.”

Getting away: Racing gives Ebel an opportunity to step away from the hustle of running a business. “It's nice to go somewhere and let your guard down,” he says. Racers come from all walks of life. “There's quite a few business owners and entrepreneurs,” he says. “Everybody shares the same passion.”

Positive atmosphere: Drag racing is competitive, but everyone is a good sport. “When you go to the track, you want to win. You have to start being mentally prepared for racing,” Ebel says. But if your car breaks down, rivals will offer to help fix it or lend you the necessary tools and parts. “In a sport like this, no one locks anything up,” Ebel says. “Nobody worries about people taking anything.”