DEER PARK, Wash. – The old Deer Park Airport was once home to drag racing in the Inland Northwest until Spokane Raceway Park opened in 1974.
The motors still roar, however, with autocross racing that opens in the spring and runs into October under the eyes of Autosports Northwest starting this weekend.
Competition will take place both Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30 starting at 7 a.m. each day.
According to Wikipedia, Autocross is a form of motorsport in which competitors are timed to complete a short course using automobiles on a dirt or grass surface, except where sealed surfaces are used in United States.
Rules vary according to the governing or sanctioning body, such as the length of the course, the amount of permitted attempts, or whether competitors start the course individually at intervals or at the same time as others. In this latter form, Autocross differs from other forms of motor racing by using a system of heats or alternative timing methods for the classification rather than racing for position and declaring the first across the finish line as the winner.
Autocross began in the United Kingdom in the early 1950s at an amateur level within local motor clubs using temporary courses marked on grassy fields to not cause damage to any cars.
“We do use the old road course / drag race strip in Deer Park, which is a decommissioned runway,” ASNW Vice President Jason Aguilar wrote in an email.
Each event has a new course design, so competitors have to learn it and drive it in the same day.
“Most courses last about 60 seconds, some less, some more and that will also vary depending on cars, setup, and drivers,” Aguilar explained, adding, “Autocross racing has the most driving inputs per minute than any other auto racing.”
Autocross offers one of the widest arrays of classes in motorsports, Aguilar said. A typical event will bring in 60 to 80 drivers and can see 100-plus on a rare occasion.
“We have many classes so you can run a stock car up to a fully modified car and anything in between.”
Prerequisites are very much limited to take part in Autocross.
“If you have a car and a driver’s license, you are able to run with us,” Aguilar said. “The skills you will learn will not only help you become a better racer but a better driver in general.”
“I personally like to race at the track to keep any street racing temptations at bay,” Aguilar said. “This is a very inexpensive way to safely play with your car and push boundaries both personal and automotive, without breaking laws on the street.
Further information on Autosports NW and autocross can be found by visiting www.asnw.org.