Castle Rock gives drag racing green light
Tuesday, March 23, 2004 7:26 AM PST
By Hope Anderson
Printable version
E-mail this articleCASTLE ROCK -- The City Council voted Monday to approve a first for Cowlitz County, side-by-side drag racing as a new feature in the Mountain Mania Festival, slated for July 23 and 24.
Mountain Mania Committee members said the race on Huntington Avenue will be patterned after a similar event held at Napavine, except there only one dragster races at a time. In Castle Rock, dragsters will cruise side by side.
"This just thrills me," said Ken Spring of Longview, a Unique Tin Car Club member. "I think you are real progressive even to be thinking about this."
Mountain Mania Committee members estimated that the horsepower and squeal of tires will draw a crowd of 800 or more, and could raise up to $15,000, they said. Any profit would be used to benefit the community, they told the Council.
Racers will scream up to 85 mph for 100 feet, and then decelerate for another 100 feet, Mountain Mania Committee members said. Each short burst of a race takes between one and a half seconds to three and a half seconds, they told the Council.
Some council members worried the races might be dangerous, but committee members eased their fears, saying emergency aid will be available and heavy barriers will separate the crowds from the barreling vehicles. The Committee also will take out a hefty insurance policy and will inspect each vehicle before the race, they said.
With the race addition this year, Huntington Avenue, near Lions Pride Park, also will be closed and Exit 48 off Interstate 5 will be shut to through traffic.
For the car show and festival, the Council sectioned off streets in downtown Castle Rock, including Front Street, Cowlitz Street West and First Avenue SW.
Past Month's Most Commented Stories