FORKS — The drag races are on for this weekend.
West End Thunder drag races will be held Saturday and Sunday, July 6-7, at Forks Municipal Airport just off U.S. Highway 101 now that the club that organizes the events has obtained insurance.
The West End Thunder drag racing club finalized coverage with Propel Insurance of Tacoma last Thursday, said Melene Bourm, secretary-treasurer of the club.
The races, the first of the summer season originally set for the weekend of June 15-16, were canceled because Florida-based T.H.E. Insurance Co., which had insured the races for the past five years, declined to renew coverage.
But all is well now, Bourm said.
“We have our insurance, and please let everyone know to come to Forks for the Fourth of July celebrations and West End Thunder races,” she wrote in an email.
The rest of the summer schedule also is on track, with race weekends set for Aug. 17-18 and Sept. 14-15.
Bourm expects between 90 and 100 cars to race this weekend.
“All the racers have been working on their cars all winter, and they want to burn rubber,” she said.
The club has raised the entry fee for cars in the races from $30 to $35.
Otherwise, all admission fees remain the same, with show car and motorcycle entries paying $15 daily, and spectator admission $10 per person for those 13 and older.
Good weather forecast
“It is wonderful that we have the insurance because lots of people are planning to come to Forks for the Fourth of July, and we have sunny weather forecast, so what more could you ask for?” she said.
West End Thunder club has conducted drag races at the airport since 2006.
The city has had to get approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to close the landing strip to aircraft for race weekends because an FAA policy prohibits airports with grant obligations from closing for non-aviation uses. The airport has such obligations.
The most recent approval was received in February. It allows the city of Forks and West End Thunder to close the airport and hold the races on specified weekends during the summer for five years.
The city must reapply for events beyond 2017.
For more information on the races, visit www.westendthunder.com.
