FORKS – Drag racers roared and the crowd cheered at the first public race of the season hosted by the West End Thunder Club at Forks Municipal Airport on Sunday.
Only West End Thunder Club members could compete in the first drag race of the season on Saturday, although the public could watch.
Sunday’s races were open to everyone.
The West End Thunder Club’s drag races, which began last year, were in doubt for this season until the Federal Aviation Administration approved an agreement regarding them on May 24.
As part of the agreement, the city of Forks will receive 10 percent of the gate receipts from each race.
Also, the city will keep the airport open except for a maximum of 10 specific dates approved by the FAA each year through 2011.
After that, the West End Thunder Club is expected to find another site for the drag races.
Other dates that the airport will be closed and racing permitted this season are July 13-15, Aug. 3-5, Aug. 24-26 and Sept. 14-16.
An FAA policy does not permit those airports that have federal grant obligations to close for non-aviation uses.
Forks city officials had thought that the Forks airport had no such obligations to the FAA, but discovered in August that it did.
The city and the club worked together to acquire an exception to FAA’s rule.
On race days, the gates open at 9 a.m. at the airport south of Forks on U.S. Highway 101.
Admission is $5 per spectator and $25 per racer.
The cost to enter the car show is $10.
For more information about the races or the club, phone Phil Arbeiter, West End Thunder Club president, at 360-640-0342 or 360-374-6696.
