Two old-style cars race down the track at the Wide Country Racing Association’s drag races in a previous season. The WCRA holds the races throughout the summer at the Osoyoos Airport runway. (Richard McGuire file photo)
If there’s one thing to be said about drag racing – it’s the type of sport that will allow your senses to flourish.
Can ya hear it? (the sound of engines being revved to high RPMs)
Can ya feel it? (the roar of the high-powered motors will shake your body to the core)
Can ya smell it? (ah, burning rubber and gasoline)
Can ya see it? (the sight of two vehicles racing down the track at breakneck speeds)
And you can experience all of that, and more, this coming weekend, when the Wine Country Racing Association shifts another race season into gear at RPM. The South Okanagan Drag Racers are ready for action, and Doug Blatchford, a member of the board of directors, and unofficial CAO, couldn’t be happier.
“Well, you’re excited because it’s the start of the racing season. Everyone’s all pumped up ready to go,” replied Blatchford during a group sit down last week to talk racing. “But on the other hand, you have this great anxiety because you look at the list of things that need to be done before you can actually put the rubber on the track.”
Shana Cachola is a board member, and, along with Blatchford, a racer. She can’t wait.
“I’m just stoked. There are a lot of preparations but this is always a place where I feel at home and happy to be with the people that are there. So, every race just makes me smile.”
Blatchford and Cachola are preparing for what will be a hectic week. Being this is the first of the five-race summer series, the Osoyoos Airport grounds need to be cleaned up – from cutting the grass, to picking up garbage, to killing weeds, to blowing sand off the track, to washing the pavement.
On Saturday, organizers start setting up the track, putting the blocks out, and applying the sticky stuff which keeps the cars glued to the ground.
“It’s everything (having a well-groomed track). You have absolutely no use for all that horsepower if you can’t get your wheels to stick to the track,” says Cachola. “It’s not a designated race track, so it is a bit of a challenge for us. But I’m going to tell you. The guys who lay down our chemicals – we call it VHT, which stands for Very High Traction – do a great job, It is sticky stuff. Your shoes will stay on the track. It’s really improved over the last two years.”
And that has helped the Association attracts drivers and race cars from across B.C., allowing the group to add classes, and attract a larger fan base.
“We’re seeing popularity building in the number of racers and cars that we get with each event, and also with the number of spectators,” added Cachola. “People are really beginning to notice that it’s a fun day.”
And it all begins this coming weekend.
“Saturday is prep day, the day cars start to arrive. We do a little test and tune,” explained Blatchford. “For the racers, registrations starts at 9 o’clock Sunday morning, we open the gates at 10, and if the crowd wants to come in early, there’s cars up and running and going down the track. They will race at breakneck speeds against each other in the morning. They may settled a grudge or whatever they’d like to.”
Eliminations will begin after lunch Sunday and racing should wrap up around 3:30 p.m.
As for those grudge matches referred to…
Blatchford and Cachola were asked if they have any ‘grudges to settle. That’s where the conversation took an interesting turn.
“I’m watching you,” spewed Cachola with a snicker before the question had even been finished. “You are going down Blatchford.”
“We’ve got two cars that are very, very close for whatever reason. Two people built two different cars with two different conceptions so close to the same time,” pointed out Blatchford, who races a ‘69 Chevelle. “Well, the cars run so close to the same time. And of course, ladies have a bad habit. Ladies are always able to ‘tree’ the guys. If you were in Vegas and could gamble on it, you would make money. If a guy’s going to beat a women out of the light, he’s got to be on his game.”
“I just love making boys cry,” chipped in Cachola, who races a ‘72 ‘hot pink’ Nova.
Just another one of those senses which will be fully activated during race day at Richter Pass Motorplex this Sunday.
Racing begins at 1 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10 per person, with youth 12 years and younger getting in for free when accompanied by an adult. If you can volunteer, call Doug Blatchford at 250-498-6443. Check out: www.winecountryracing.ca.
DALE CORY
Osoyoos Times
Shana Cachola in the pink Nova, on left, races Doug Blatchford in his Chevelle during last race season. (Laurena Rehbein photo)
