By Pierre LaBossiere
Peninsula Daily News
FORKS — For people wanting to see — and hear — some loud cars this weekend, the West End Thunder drag races are returning to Forks Municipal Airport.
Races begin, weather permitting, Saturday morning and will go all day Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $10 for fans, with children 12 and younger admitted for free. The entry fee for the race is $35 and $15 for the Show and Shine. At the Show and Shine, audience members can inspect some of the old, interesting and rebuilt cars that show up.
This weekend will be the first of five race weekends this summer. Other weekends will be held on June 24-25, July 8-9, Aug. 12-13 and Sept. 23-24.
Crews and drivers will be allowed in beginning at 7 a.m., with general admission gates opening at 8:30 a.m.
The West End Thunder has been putting on the races since 2006. Joe Wright, the new announcer for the event (taking over for John Wayne Sadler, who passed away last year), said there’ll be a new class of cars for “daily drivers” added to the other five classifications — sportsman, pro, super pro and nostalgia. There may also be motorcycle races, as well.
At least 35-40 teams, some of which have multiple cars, are expected to come from all around Washington for this first event, said Wright. Even more teams and cars are expected for some of the later races this season.
The event is dependent upon the weather and Forks hasn’t been getting a lot of breaks this year from the rain.
The races cannot be held in heavy rain. The forecast for this weekend calls for an encouraging partly sunny.
Proceeds for the event go toward the West End Thunder car club based in Forks and there will be trophies and even cash prizes for winning drivers. The VFW will also have a food booth and there will be a chili cook-off.
For more information on the races, you can go to westendthunder.com.
Wright said that if people want a good dinner after the race, they can also go to the Coin Box Dinner that’s being sponsored by the Forks Elks Lodge at 6 p.m. Proceeds for the the Elks Therapy Program for Children. The cost is $8 or free if you bring a full coin box.
