Fulfilling the need for speed

For a few hardened souls, the automobile is more than a means of transportation from Point A to Point B.

It represents thrills and excitement associated with skillful and fast driving along a closed track. It’s easy enough to watch racing on television, but some prefer living the excitement. At the Sweetwater Speedway in Rock Springs, people from throughout Wyoming, as well as Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada, converge for a weekend of speed each month throughout the summer.

For Kara Beech, the head of the Sweetwater Dirt Racing Alliance, it is excitement that had a real chance of disappearing in Sweetwater County. Last fall, the man behind Sweetwater County racing, Paul Trent, decided to sell the business and retire. Not wanting to see area racing stop, Beech decided to form the nonprofit alliance to keep engines running.

“I had this crazy notion that if we tweaked a few things, maybe fan count and driver count could be better,” Beech said. “So far, they are.”

During the July 4 weekend shows, attendance to the races were the highest they had been in three years. Beech believes that part of the reason is due to the timing, which coincided with the Rock Springs fireworks show. Also, the fact that the event is two days of racing helps attract people as well.

“People will travel a lot farther for a race if they know they get to watch for two days,” Beech said.

As for drivers, the fact that races occur over the course of two days can help them if they’re competing for points titles.

Having a chance to stay at one location and race twice, Beech said, helps them accumulate points and makes places like the Sweetwater Speedway more attractive stops.

The track at the Sweetwater Speedway is known as one of the fastest tracks in the region. Beech said the track is one of the longest and highest-banked tracks, which allows drivers a chance to hold the throttle down for longer periods. While most agree the track is designed for speed, one local racer believes it’s one of the best dirt tracks he’s raced on.

Justin Yeager, a 23-year racing veteran from Green River, said the track is one of the best he races on. Yeager races throughout the region, visiting seven or eight states each season. In total, he has raced in 20 states, competing in events as far away as Arkansas.

“I would place Rock Springs in the top five tracks we’ve raced at,” Yeager said. “We’ve raced in so many places that have junk tracks.”

Beech said track maintenance, as well as many other duties like gate check-in, trash collection and flagging are done by volunteers. Without those volunteers she said it would be impossible for her to do it all.

The Addiction

“It’s very addicting, racing cars,” Yeager said. “Once you start, you can’t get out of it I think.”

Racing is a Yeager family tradition spanning three generations. Yeager’s father raced for more than two decades, roughly the amount of time he’s raced himself. Yeager’s children, Braxton and Bryson, have already started following in their father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. Fourteen-year-old Braxton started competing in the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) Modified division last year, the same division Yeager competes in, while 10-year-old Bryson competes in QRC Intermediate Kart races.

The IMCA modified division is the top modified division sanctioned by the IMCA and utilizes cars with bodies that are open around the front tires while the rear section is more closed, similar to a stock car. QRC karts have similar designs to the speedy sprint cars, but feature smaller engines. Engine sizes can vary depending on the division, from 125 cubic centimeter(cc) and 250cc engines up to 500cc.

While he has traveled a lot as a racer, Yeager said it’s becoming more difficult for him as his children get older and is contemplating this season to be his last as a racer.

Yeager said he’s having more fun in the pit for his sons than he has as a driver.

“It’s time for the kids to take over,” he said.

For Beech, she and her husband have been involved with racing for more than 20 years. They started out at the Park County Fairgrounds in Powell with a street stock car. She said she has found racing to be a great activity to enjoy with families and friends, saying she’s amazed by the number of father and son teams competing.

She also admits that while the crowd may enjoy seeing crashes and wrecks on the track, her heart breaks because she knows how much time and money many racers have invested in their cars.

The next races at the Sweetwater Speedway are scheduled for Aug. 14 and 15. Racing begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is charged for entry, with adult tickets being $10, kids and seniors $5, while admission for children under age six is free. Family ticket packs are also available for $20, which includes two adult tickets and two kids tickets.