Vroom, Vroom, Vroom: Motor sports thrive in Mat-Su

For race fans, nothing gets the blood pumping quite as much as hearing the deafening sounds of revving engines and the smell of burning fuel.

With wide-open spaces to play, to make noise and kick up dust, the Valley has long been the central gathering place for motor sports racing in Alaska.

From stock cars to drag cars, motorcycles and snowmachines, just about everything with an engine is raced in the Valley.

For those who love action in the dirt, Capitol Speedway in Willow is the place to go. Capitol Speedway offers a wide variety of auto racing, from entry-level hobby stock to the wide-open speed of sprint cars.

The fun part of racing in the dirt is that anything can happen at any time. With retaining walls only in front of the spectator's section at Capitol, cars have been seen sliding off the track and into the trees. Spinouts, fender benders and all-out pile-ups are a common occurrence at Capitol. Except for the sprint cars, it's hard to find a straight piece of metal on many cars racing there.

Despite the added feature of cars occasionally connecting metal, there is always good racing action run in a professional and well-organized environment.

For those who crave the raw horsepower of machines drag racing mano-a-mano down a quarter-mile stretch, Alaska Raceway Park is the place to go. Nestled at the foothills of Pioneer Peak, the park brings in the best drag racers from within the state every weekend, racing everything from dragsters to motorcycles to snowmachines.

Car enthusiasts who appreciate the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s will love viewing the beautiful cars of years past that run the circuit every weekend. With the roar of thunder on every pass, fans feel the earth shake as the high-powered machines blast down the track, some reaching speeds of over 200 mph.

For Alaskans, the term snowmachine is used loosely because racing them on snow is only a fraction of their capability. Snowmachines here are raced on snow, grass, asphalt and on the water.

Snowmachines that are raced at Alaska Raceway Park are modified with small wheels on the skis and a slick belt that gives maximum traction off the line. Snowmachines routinely run well over 100 mph in the quarter mile.

North Star Speedway, between Palmer and Wasilla off the Parks Highway, offers quarter-mile oval racing on asphalt. At the speedway. everything from the entry-level racing to the full-sized full-powered modified cars takes place, pulling in drivers from all over the state.

The tight track at North Star demands good maneuvering from drivers if they are to succeed. Because of the tight quarters and the aggressive driving, drivers have been known to unintentionally mix their paint jobs with other cars on the track.

At North Star, there is always a beautiful display of cars in several of the race classes.

Rival Park brings motocross racing to the Valley. Set on a track between Palmer and the Butte, motorcycles tear through the dirt and fly high almost every weekend in the summer.

Snowmachine grass drag racing has become a common occurrence through the summer months in the Valley, as well. Usually run at the Fairgrounds in Palmer, the grass drags feature snowmachines that rip up the grass in classic drag strip style racing.

During the winter months, snocross snowmachine racing is in action at Big Lake. The action is fast and furious as drivers of all ages maneuver around a track of hairpin turns and big air jumps.

The annual Iron Dog 2000 snowmachine race begins in the Valley each year. Drivers come from around the nation to participate in this 2,000-mile race of endurance that takes them from Big Lake to Nome, then on to Fairbanks. The race recently changed its route to alternating years of finish locations. On alternate years, the race begins in Fairbanks and ends in the Valley.

Although all of the tracks offer different types of racing, the common theme among them is the family atmosphere. Each track offers quality racing, yet is small enough to feel comfortable bringing the family to enjoy an afternoon or evening at the races.

Whatever your flavor is for racing, the Valley is sure to have it. With so many choices of racing to offer, your biggest dilemma may be which event to visit.